Sunday, October 5, 2008

Wow!

"Wow!" is the theme for the national Reflections contest this year. (Can you tell the due date for entries is tomorrow, so we have Reflections entries on the brain right now?)

It is a perfect title not only for all the pictures my boys drew/photographed, but for General Conference. Several years ago, when I would watch/listen to conference, I would think, ok, ok, nice topics, good advice, good to remember. Somehow now, though, it's as if my spiritually weak self needs this nourishment, and the topics are on fire, uplifting and rejuvenating me every six months. I think, "What can apostles and our prophet say that haven't already been said? How could it get any better?" and then they out-do themselves every time.

Even though our router broke Saturday in the middle of Sis. Allred's talk, Rob bought and installed a new one by nightfall, and we watched Sat. morning's session about 8 pm last night.

Today we watched Sat. afternoon's session in between Sun.'s morning and afternoon sessions. One might think, 6 straight hours of listening to church talks, are you crazy? But it was just what I needed. (Not to mention I was just switching my addiction from watching hours of Alfred Hitchcock on Friday, to hours of conference today)

I can't even point out a favorite yet, but I have already re-listened to Pres. Monson's "Change/Enjoy the Journey" talk (Sun. morning session) and ate it up. Of course, I love Harriet Beecher Stowe's book Uncle Tom's Cabin, and I love Our Town, especially deceased Emily's observations about wanting to scream to her family to stop and look around at them, and realize what they've got while they're alive.

Two side notes:
1. I really loved President Hinckley, and though I missed hearing him in April, today several times I would hear a talk start and think the voice could almost be him; I missed him more this conference.

2. One song that was sung was "Faith in Every Footstep," the exact arrangement Rob and myself and my family sang in the 1997 Susquesential Celebration. It's amazing how when you've sung a song, it reaches you, it becomes a part of you. My heart was full and I cried while I sang the song with the choir today from my family room. I don't know how to describe how I felt I was worshipping God through song. The feeling was so strong. I know all you music-lovers out there understand; my mom is one of them, so is Rob's dad.

4 comments:

The Pope 1/2 Dozen said...

I completely agree! Conference weekends are my favorite and this one was so uplifting!

Tesana said...

I loved conference! I'm glad you were able to watch the old streams of the other sessions. :D I really like their new streaming program/system. :D

Kim Baccellia said...

I felt the same way. When Monson got up and said he'd be speaking next, I was waiting for Hinkley to speak. Then I realized that it was Monson.

Rachael said...

It has been an adjustment to see President Monson and not president Hinckley. I remember, though, watching him in a CES fireside or maybe a young women's broadcast, probably close to ten years ago, and the spirit telling me "He will be the prophet someday, and he will be incredibly powerful." I loved his "Enjoy the Journey- Now!" talk, too. It was such a nice way to say "snap out of it" to me, I think. :)