Education Week

Ben and I had a great day on Friday. We were able to head down to BYU for a day of education week. We went to three classes and each one was great! The speakers have that way about them that you could sit for hours and listen to them. They had you laughing one minute, then tearing up the next.

Steadfast and Immovable: Parenting Rock Solid Children
by Kevin Hinckley

President Eyring had a quote that said something like: the spiritual strength of our youth is going to be tested like never before.

One main point I got was to start early. Start teaching our young children to have a good center. Their center should be on Christ. They need to develop a positive Mormon Identity, so when faced with challenges, they will be proud and not hesitant to stand up for what they believe.

We also need to teach our children that as a latter day saint, they will stand out. This doesn't need to be a negative thing. They will be different, they will be peculiar...that's good!

Inviting Heaven into Your Marriage
by H. Wallace Goddard

In Nephi's Psalm (2 Nephi 4) we learn that when the focus is on ourselves, when we are consumed with I, I, I, our shortcomings are very apparent. We feel weighted down with our sins. But when we turn our focus outward, to others, to God, that is when our lives are full of Joy.

In Marital relationships 80% is happy smiles. So there is a remaining 20% where we arn't always content with the relationship. Of that 20%, 70% is considered "unresolvable differences", things won't change. It's just us being human, no relationship can be perfect all the time. So there's still that 30% of the initial 20% that we can work on. Things like: Making sure God is a vital partner in the marriage, acknowledging your partner's feelings, inviting more discussion instead of closing up or expecting the other to know what you're thinking, making creative uses of your differences instead of blowing them out of proportion, enjoying the negative or not so perfect parts of your loved one, forgetting about the small things and focusing on the more important ones.

Overwhelmed and Outnumbered: Finding a Balance
by Merrily Boyak

She spoke about many important issues. Making sure our 3 legged stool is in balance: body, mind and spirit. She reminded me that we are on God's agenda, not ours. That He does have a plan for us, we just can't see it all at once. He is preparing the way for us, putting things in order, for us to succeed. The most important thing I got from this talk was to go at your own life speed. Some people's life speed is slow and steady...for some it seems they are on warp speed. But you can't look at another and compare yourself to them. It doesn't work that way. You cannot compare your life to others.

A lot of what was said were those important things that we hear over and over. But at different times in your life, certain things hit you harder then others. The speakers were great and what is most amazing is the spirit you feel. I'm so glad Ben was able to come with me. We had such a good, uplifting day!

Oh, and I just have to mention: We went to dinner at ZUPAS afterwards and as ususal, it was fabulous! It's my favorite sandwich, soup and salad place!