First "Time Out for Women"

This past weekend, I was able to attend my first Time Out for Women conference.  It was so amazing!!  It was such a great experience, and I am so grateful I could go.  Nine women from our Ward carpooled down together and shared hotel rooms.  I was also able to attend with my entire Primary Presidency, which was great.  We are all such good friends and I love them all dearly.  What a great way to spend time together.

Before the evening session started Friday night, we went to the temple together.  I was able to go with both my councelors and a sweet new friend who works with us in Primary too.  It was one of my favorite visits to the temple.

The conference began Friday night, and we were able to hear from Dean Hughes (the author of the Children of Promise series), Heidi Swinton (author of Pres. Thomas S. Monson's biography), and listen to musical performances by Dallyn Vail Bayles (played Hyrum Smith in Joseph Smith:  The Prophet of the Restoration and has performed with the Broadway touring company in Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.

Heidi Swinton was probably one of my favorite speakers of the whole conference.  Her stories about Pres. Monson were very inspiring and she is a beautiful speaker.  I spent a lot of time crying that evening.  It was so inspiring. 

Our Group of Fantastic Ladies!  I am so glad we have all been able to became friends and could go together.

Saturday was filled with lots of laughter and more tears.  The musical performances were done by Mercy River.  These 3 woman are freinds and have 13 children between them.  They told stories, shared their testimonies, and sang some funny and many touching songs.  We also got to meet authors of Our Best Bites, Sara Wells and Kate Jones.  I use recipes from their blog often and love it. 

 

I even got them to sign my new cookbook :-)

We also heard from  Mary Ellen Edmunds (she is hilarious), Julie De Azevedo Hanks, D. Kelly Ogden, and Emily Watts.  The theme this year was "Seek the Good". 

Here are some of my favorite quotes and tidbits.

"Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they are the big things."

"Greatness is best measured by how the individual responds to the happenings in life that appear to be totally unfair, unreasonable, and undeserved."  Elder Marvin J. Ashton

"1. Sometimes good needs a catalyst  2. Good does not always reside in your comfort zone  3. Good often appears in disguise  4. Good takes patience  5. Good is primarily other-centered"

Emily Watts

"Heavenly Father's Will + Your Unique Gifts and Experiences = Your Authentic Self"

Julie De Azevedo Hanks

"1. Greatness is a choice  2. Goodness is contagious  3. Look for the good in others 

4. You were born good  5. Goodness can only happen because of and through Jesus Christ" 

Mary Ellen Edmunds

"Water cannot be drawn from an empty well and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children." 

Elder M. Russell Ballard

My Outstanding Primary Presidency. 
These women are the best and I love them to death.  They inspire me every day and I am so lucky to get to work with them and call them my friends.

It was so nice to spend time with amazing women, be inspired and uplifted, and have time to ponder ways to improve my life and do even better.  I am so glad I had this experience!