Relaxing Weekend - Conference!!

I was looking forward to this weekend for awhile. Why?! Well, you see, most teachers don't assign homework over conference weekend, plus I get to hear from the Prophet and Apostles of the Church. Sweet :) After class on Friday, I stayed home all afternoon and finished almost 3 homework assignments that are due next Tues. and Wed. Who knew I could get ahead?! I took advantage. I have a small project due Wed. and Natalie and Alex came over to my house Friday night and we worked on it together and finished it in 2 1/2 hours, just in time to go to BYUH IDOL! BYUH Idol is kind of a fun campus event. I know some people that are still in the competition, so it's fun to go and hear them sing. The winner gets a recording contract with a record producer, so it's kind of cool.

(Our 13" improvised TV!!!)

CONFERENCE - Hawaii is 4 hours behind Utah, so Sumbel and I woke up at 6 AM this morning to watch Conference on the Internet. I'm quite proud. I went to bed at 2 AM and got up in time to make breakfast, (we had a breakfast mix with ham, potatoes, peppers, and added eggs, ate cereal, and had apple juice!) got a notepad to take notes, brought out my pillow and blanket, and sat on the couch before it started! I'm late everywhere I go, so this was a miracle in itself.

(Sumbel grabbed my camera and took a pic of me taking notes)

So, I have a hard time paying attention in almost anything, BUT I watched and listened to all of the speakers and I thought the Saturday sessions were so good! I enjoyed all of the topics today, especially Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's talk. He quoted his Mother, "Come what may, and love it". He talked about how everyone feels pain, sorrow, disappointment, and failure. He also talked about laughter and how much better off we would be if we learned to laugh at ourselves rather than getting angry over the smallest things. I LOVE TO LAUGH! It makes me feel better. I'm trying to let the little things not bother me so much and to enjoy life. So laugh more :) Plus, you lose calories when you laugh. It's true.

I also enjoyed Elder Dallin H. Oaks topic - The Sacrament. He mentioned the ordinance of the sacrament is the most sacred meeting of all meetings. So true, yet some people do not take it seriously, including me. It's so easy to get caught up in repetition, so it was nice to be reminded of how important it is. He also talked about how the music in sacrament meeting is of vital importance, especially the sacrament hymn, so...SING!!!! We are praising our Father in Heaven when we sing. And I was very glad when he talked about how we should dress when we attend church. Appropriate Sunday dress and manner when attending sacrament meeting should reflect how you would dress and act at the temple. I just thought his talk was powerful.

And 5 new temples are in construction:
1) Calgary Alberta Canada
2) Argentina
3) Kansas
4) Philadelphia, PA
5) Rome, Italy

AMAZING!!! During the second session, my brother texts me and asks if I'm watching Conference. I knew my Dad or Mom asked him to do that, so I asked him and he said "yes". I text back, "Ask Dad when I have ever disappointed him." Parents will always be parents and I'm thankful for the ones I have!

After the second session, Natalie invited me to go eat with her ward. Free food! Natalie is in BYUH 1st ward, which was my ward for 4 months when I came to Hawaii last April. When I showed up, Bishop Keala called me by name and shook my hand. He remembers me after a year! I told him I was in 1st ward just for the day and he laughed. He told me to eat as much as I wanted. All in all, it was a good day.