Time Out for Girls (for Women)

This post was supposed to show up months ago but it is just posting now so maybe there is something that is needed to be reminded to someone.  Instead of putting it in chronological order, I am going to leave it here for now.

A few months ago some of my friends were talking about going to Spokane to attend Time Out for Women for the weekend. I have never had the opportunity to go and have always wanted to, but this year wasn't going to be easy for me to leave Kent with all three kids so I decided "a time and a season" would come into play and I would have my time at a later date. Since then I have been called into the Young Women's presidency and the Young Women of our ward were making a trip to Time Out for Girl's and needed the leaders to carpool them. Since we were just going for the day, and not overnight, it worked out that I could make it happen. When my alarm went off at 4 in the morning, I wasn't sure how badly I wanted to go. We met up with the girls at the church and caravanned in three cars on the 3 hour drive to Spokane. Once we got the girls all settled in to Time out for Girls, the ushers let us go into Time Out for Women. It was incredible. I loved every second of it. Sitting in a concert hall FULL of women that are all facing their own personal struggles and having the same faith that it will all be ok, gave me the strength and uplift that I needed to continue on with my life wanting to be a better mother, wife, friend, daughter, etc. Hilary Weeks was the main Presenter and she sang songs and spoke throughout the event. It was fun to feel like we were at a mini concert and then be spiritually fed in between songs. Here are some highlights of the notes I took and the lessons I learned.

Chris Williams spoke to us of a very personal story that changed his life forever. Watch this video to see what happened to him and his family: "Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light"

He talked about the first thought that came into his mind when they had been hit was "Let it go" He knew that Christ would heal the hurt if Chris would exercise faith in Him. He learned about repentance being a new perspective- a fresh view- Heavenly Father's view. Chris has developed an ever deeper sense of love for others, he spoke of the scriptures telling us to "Put on the armor of God" and defend ourselves with the sword of love. Pierce the adversary with the sword of love and you will be doing the Lord's work. Chris tells us that we are writing our own books every day. He encourages us to make our book like that of the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. Make our lives a testament of Jesus Christ.

My thoughts:

~During this talk was that nothing can be so impossible that I could not pray to forgive others. I learned that with the trial that I am facing I can either become bitter and cold or I could accept a new perspective, an eternal perspective, and I can be a testament to the plan of salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Hillary Weeks: shared a story of her going out to eat with her daughter who was 9 years old at the time (Ethan's age). Her daughter was telling her about what happened that day at school with macaroni and cheese oozing out of the corners of her mouth and she laughed and smiled. Hilary said, we as parents, have received a wonderful gift to be able to know our children while they are children. We will all get the opportunity to spend eternity with our children (and other people's children) as adults but only we get to spend these few sacred years knowing them as little children. She sang this song called "Stand Still" which touched me so deeply I had to remind myself not to breathe through it so it wouldn't turn into the ugly cry. Hilary has been studying thoughts for the last few years and decided to test a theory about negative thoughts. She heard that on average we think over 300 negative thoughts a day. She bought a clicker and clicked every time she had a negative thought. By the end of the week she could literally feel herself being very depressed and grumpy. She was interested in the power her negative thoughts had on her physically and wanted to know if focusing on positive thoughts would give her the opposite result. She started clicking with each positive thought. She took it with her on the treadmill and clicked as she encouraged herself to keep running. She said she ran faster and further than she ever had. (She then told us not to get too excited because it was only a mile.) She told us about a website called: billionclicks.org and she then sang the song called "That's Who I Am"

My thoughts:

~If I focus on the positive things in my life and make sure to be grateful then I will see more of the blessings in my life and hopefully not have time to think of the things that are frustrating and cut out my selfish thoughts. I realized the importance of thoughts and self encouragement is a powerful thing.

Kris Belcher:  Kris was one of my favorite speakers because she was hilarious!  She has battled cancer which has taken her vision from her.  On a trip with some friends, they were riding ATV's on a ridge in Southern Utah.  Her friend told her she would let Kris drive.  Kris started driving as her friend directed her "to the left, to the right".  After awhile of driving, Kris pulled over to give the wheel back to her friend.  "You are not done yet.  You can do this."  Those words of encouragement gave her the strength to continue on this path that scared her, but she trusted her friend would not let her crash.  She used this example to parallel this experience with our journey through life as mothers.  Let Heavenly Father be our vision and our guide as we tackle the sometimes scary events that come with raising children.  She continued to warn us about not just going through the motions of things.  Since her sight has been taken, her sense of hearing has been increased. She told her teenage son to go take a shower.  He went in the bathroom but did not get in, she could tell because the sound of the water hitting the ground never changed.  She opened the door and saw him standing in their fully clothed, listening to his earphones.  If we just go through the motions, things will not get done properly.  "Get in the water" as in the living water of Christ.  Read the scriptures and learn from them how to be a better mother.  LISTEN!! DO NOT GIVE UP!  "Jump.  Listen.  Endure"


Michael Wilcox: has had a lot of world traveling experience and has been a collector of many beautiful things.  He talked about these vessels he collects and then related them to the vessels (ourselves) we take to heaven.  He made point of five things that we should be filling up these vessels with:
1. Beauty and wonders: Enjoy the beauty of the earth.
2. Growth and recognition:
3. Refinement
4. Gratitude and Adoration: With these he gave an example of a day that all he had to eat was yogurt while serving his mission.  He remembered feeling sorry for himself that he didn't have more to eat.  As he prayed to bless his food, he felt the Lord reminding him of ALL the blessings he has AND this yogurt. He remembered the freedom he enjoys AND this yogurt.  He remembered the gospel he partakes of freely AND his yogurt, he remembers his health to enjoy another day AND his yogurt and so on.  Keep it all in perspective.
5. Life Experience: Gather life experiences: We must experience good and bad. Eccl: season under heaven.  Time and place for everything  He asked "Why do we have to lose the things we love?"  His response from the Spirit is, "That is how we learn how much we love.  We learn how to value things.  Don't always be sad.  I will turn the bad to good."

My thoughts:  I must remember that although I am facing an incredibly tough trial in my life right now, it is not to keep me down and to keep me from experiencing joy, it is to teach me to look for the beauty and the wonder in the ordinary things that really are extraordinary (it reminds me of the Sarah McLaghlin song: 'Ordinary Miracles').  These experiences are to help me grow to become the woman I am, a daughter of a Heavenly Father.  I am to be polished and refined as I make myself shine to bring others unto Christ.  I will learn to be thankful for these blessings and realize they are not trials- but these most amazing experiences, lessons, and blessings that I never knew I needed.  "This is how I learn to love.  This is how I learn to value things.  I won't always be sad.  He will turn the bad to good." He already has.

Hillary Weeks sang: "This is Not Your Home"
I had heard this song before Time Out For Women, but I guess I never understood the meaning,  She explained that this is on the topic of sorrow and we are not to house despair but look upward.

She talked about the creation of the song "Living Proof" and the journey she went through in order to receive inspiration to write it.  A line that she said stuck with me, she said, "Was that song life changing? No.  Was it life changing? Yes."  I want to remind myself of that. My requests to my Father in Heaven are not life threatening but with the comfort and answers I receive, I know they are life changing.