Choose to BECOME...(TOFW 2011 theme)

"All things are POSSIBLE to him that BELIEVETH" Mark 9:23




Of course I loved every minute of it. Though I organized a group of 14 of us to attend, to keep myself focused on why I was there, I went on my own to sit 3 rows up from the stage, right behind the presenters to get the "most" out of this experience. Here are some of my notes and inspiration received:

Mary Ellen Edmonds

• A rose seed is a rose from the moment it's planted until it dies. Same goes for our identity, we are God's child from the moment born until we die.
• You are real and absolutely unique. Heavenly Father knows you, your name, your thoughts/feelings, your hopes/dreams, etc.
• Satan does NOT want you to know who you are.
• Shred every unclean thought. "Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not"

Kris Belcher

• Help me to know thy wil and LIVE it.
• Everyday CHOOSE to turn your adversity to Heavenly Father.
• Let the wind blow so we can become who He wants us to become (parrallel Bro. of Jared and vessels that traveled in the dark, blew to safety)

Hillary Weeks

• "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become."
• Loved her new songs "That's who I am" and "I danced in the Rain" ...new cd out in the fall, can't wait
• Her experiment. Avg. person thinks 300 negative thoughts/ day. She used a clicker to count negative thoughts (around 170/day) and then decided to count positive thoughts instead (over 1200-best day)
• I need to write down my "windows of Heaven"...the things greater than I could imagine that God has blessed me with (Doug, BYU Event Management Job, Timberline Middle School job, my kids, my High School experience, Dental School experience)
• "Circumstance can't change, our thoughts can"
• Phillipians 4:8 (make quote board) "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things arehonest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things arelovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
• "Extraordinary moments can happen during ordinary days."
• "You briefly get to know your child as a child, the majority will be as an adult."
• Fill your mind with positive thoughts of succeeding on the things that are most important."
• When you encounter difficulty, you're being prepared for something.
• When you have a million things to do in the day, pray to know what is the most important thing for you to do and then DO that one.

Merrilee Boyack "Blazing Your Trail"

• be Bold and fearless
• be Eternally minded
• be Creative
• be Outward focused
• be Meek
• be Enlightened
• be U...unique
• read book "Stand for the Family" and visit standforthefamily.org
• Spirit daughters come from the most creative being- God.
• Don't conform or compare- that's Satan

Bro. Hilton III "Nothing shall be impossible before you"

• Be encouraged in His grace, not discouraged by comparisons (Matt. 17:20)
• Pres. Uctdorf- shouldn't compare, just do the best you can
• Pray for the strength of the Lord
• "Fear Not" and "Fear ye Not" appear 100x's in the scriptures; "Be Not afraid" appears 35 times in scriptures
• The battle against good and evil is not ours, it's God's.
• Teach boys the answer to life's problems are in the scriptures.
• Walk forward in faith---do NOT fear---it's not until our "feet our we" will the Lord provide a way
• No Fear, go Foward (Exodus 14:11-28)
• Do His will, then you'll know the doctrine---that's how we gain a testimony (John)
• "Although some blessings dont' come until the next life, nothing shall be impossible before you."

Emilee Freeman

• "What have I been called to do right now in this time in my life?"
• Pray to find out what purpose the Lord has for me.
• It's extremely important for you to trust in the Lord, learn what purpose he has for you and "settle it in your heart."
• The Lord looks at what we will become, we should too.
• Put a picture that strengthens your testimony of Christ in each room. Let the boys choose it. Write "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ" under it.
• Record the moments when you see the Lord loving you.
• Serve the Lord with all your heart, hold back nothing. Consecrate your life to the Lord.

As I knew I would Icame home on a spiritual high. I embraced each of my kids with long hugs and a BIG kiss for Doug. And when I saw Jax's bed head at 5pm and learned he didn't have shoes on either for his soccer pictures, I was able to keep an eternal perspective and not worry that the coach's son was that way...he's only 5 right. =)