RS Broadcast Thoughts...

So last Saturday was the RS Broadcast. This was only my second one I've been to and it was great. Last year Julie was 5 months old, still nursing so she came with me and SCREAMED the ENTIRE time. I was stuck in the mothers’ room trying to listen on the overhead but didn't get anything out of it but hey, I was there right? Anyway, back to this meeting...Julie Beck, RS President, was the first speaker and she's been talking a lot about prioritizing our lives. I really need to listen to this advice. I find myself not wanting to do what I need to do and then stressing over things I didn't do because I was having too much fun elsewhere. I'm happy that my kids are growing up in the LDS church and are praying with us and all of that but I know I can do better. This (along with a video my VT sent to me) was a great talk to help me find where I need to focus on. I'm hoping by this time next year that I have made some improvements and bettered my life as well as my kids.

The next speaker was Silvia Allred, 1st counselor of RS. She discussed how no other work was more important that building families. I know when I watch conference that they always speak on how we, as mothers, are the primary teachers for our kids. This has always stressed me out. I feel like I don't know much and I don't want to teach my kids false doctrine but this hit me tonight that I can't use this excuse not to at lease read the scriptures to my kids, try to have a simple understanding, a child-like understanding of the church. I want my kids to be strong and faithful but the only way to start them on that path is to help them, guide them as much as I can and show them how strong I am. I need to pray each night before bed with them, thanking God for the day we have had and for a restful sleep. I need to pray each morning thanking God for the rest and to help us throughout the day. Andrew has been having a lot of upset emotions lately with not getting his way. Instead of trying to argue with him, I need to pray for his understanding and for my patience to help him through this time of his life.

The third speaker was Barbara Thompson, 2nd counselor of the RS. She spoke mostly of Visiting Teaching, that we need to love, know, understand and teach each other. We need to be there for one another, be someone they can talk to, just listen to them, hear the needs of the sisters. I need to work on my own VTing. I feel like some of the sisters I visit might not enjoy it as much as I hope but I need to go with a smile and a positive attitude. I do enjoy going each month and I love the sisters I see, I just don't want it to be a burden for them to make time to see me. I love it when my own VTers come over. I enjoy the adult time as well as being able to ask the questions that I have and have the support from them that I need, I just hope they know that they are welcome anytime and I do enjoy each visit. I just need to keep my house cleaner so I don't have to schedule around when I have it clean.

Last to speak was President Monson. Who doesn't love to hear this man talk? He had a GREAT story about laundry. For those that missed it, I'll tell you briefly what it was about. There is a husband and wife, I forget the names but let’s say John and Jane. One day Jane noticed that her neighbor was hanging her laundry out to dry in her front yard. This laundry was dirty. Jane was talking to her husband about why this woman didn't know how to clean her own clothes. Over the next few months or so, every time the neighbor would hang out her laundry Jane would get upset and go on to tell her husband that her neighbor didn't know how to do laundry. One morning, as the neighbor was hanging her sheets Jane was surprised at what she saw, clean laundry. This shocked her and asked her husband what had happened, did she finally learn how to clean? John had replied that he, in fact did know what happened. He told her that he had woken early that morning and cleaned the windows. I know I'm not as good of a story teller as Pres Monson but you get the gist of what he had said. We shouldn't make snap judgments without knowing all of the facts. Do we have dirty laundry or are our windows just dirty? I loved this story! Appearances can be so misleading. We all need to be proud to be daughters of God, no matter what we look like and need to love each other and be proud for one another. I struggle with my own appearance and thought of this as not only should we not judge others but it needs to start by not judging ourselves. We need to love ourselves just like we love one other. Pres Monson had also stated, "If you judge others, you have no time to love them". What a great man! No one's life is perfect; we all struggle in one way or another.

I really hope you were able to attend; it was so nice to be there with all those sisters. Sorry this was such a long post, I just wanted to get some thoughts out on this meeting and for those who were unable to attend, find out a little about what you missed. I wish you all the best!