Drinking At The Well

Listening to, watching and soaking up General Conference has become something I crave.  It refuels my body, spirit and soul.

This time around, though,  I was worried I wasn’t going to get as much out of it.   These past several months have been kind of foggy and hazy for me and consequently my cup has become parched.  Very parched.  I don’t feel like I have much to give to anyone, especially my precious kids who need me the most.

But I felt like I was drinking out of a fire hose this weekend, or a deep well that was abundantly filled.

I wasn’t let down.  My cup has been hydrated.  I desperately look forward to studying all the talks and messages I heard one by one and gleaning all I can from them on a more slow, deliberate and individual basis.  This will be the way I can keep these priceless gems at the forefront of my mind.

Here are just some of the things that touched me deeply while I partook:

• Parent with righteousness and tenderness, not anger and fear.
• “What a sacred responsibility Heavenly Father places upon us as parents to partner with Him and helping His choice spirits become what He knows they can become. This divine privilege of raising our children is a much greater responsibility than we can do alone without the Lord’s help. He knows exactly what our children need to know, what they need to do and what they need to be to come back into His presence. He gives mothers and fathers specific instruction and guidance through the scriptures, His prophets and the Holy Ghost.”
• Family time is sacred time and should be protected and respected.
• We know we are teaching our children when without rewards or threats they do what is right.
• There’s a difference between the church and the gospel.
• Some of the most important sacrifices we make are in our family.
• A foundation of faith that is embedded in our hearts takes time to build.
• We aren’t in a race against each other, but against sin.
• Envy is a universal sin and is a mistake that just keeps on giving.
• We shouldn’t be “downing a quart of pickle juice every time someone around [us] has a happy moment.”
• “So be kind.  And be grateful God is kind.  It is a happy way to live.”
• Let the distress of earlier hours, real or imagined, fall away in the abundance of the final reward.
• Forgiveness is real, there is no problem we can’t overcome.
• “It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines. … The Lord paid an unfathomable price for the future He wants you to have.  You should accept the Atoning gift of the Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy the fellowship of His labor.  Don’t delay. It’s getting late. ”
• In the kingdom of God there are no second class citizens.
• You can’t change the past, but you can shape the future.
• Our burdens become lighter when we serve others because our own coffers become enriched.
• Don’t let our focus be taken off our divine mission.
• Have the courage not to judge others.
• Be an example – “What we are speaks so loudly that our children may not hear what we say.”
• Essential family curriculum is the message, ministry and Atonement of Christ.
• Read and actively study our scriptures on a daily basis.
• Reasonable sleep, exercise and good eating habits increase our capacity to receive and understand revelation.
• “Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail, but to succeed gloriously.”
• “Stop it.”  That is when it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges or wanting to cause harm.
• “Each day ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so we can truly change.”
• When you come across someone drowning, do you offer to help or just jump in?
• “There is no happiness without service and there is no service greater than that which converts the home to a divine institution and which promotes and preserves family life. “
• The most important cause of our lifetime is our family.
• We need to prioritize and do things in the right order.
• Teach with love and patience.
• “Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them.”
• Help our children establish their own connection to heaven.  They need to depend on the Lord, not us.
• “Come follow me” is an invitation and a daily duty.
• Fill your homes with love and courtesy.

This General Conference also brought about a change in the Relief Society General Presidency. I am looking forward to the leadership of Linda K. Burton and her counselors, but Julie. B. Beck will surely be missed.  She has had a profound impact on my life.

Here are a few quotes from her that are constantly percolating through my mind:

“Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home.” ~ Julie B. Beck

“A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. …  But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.

“The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. …

Revelation can come hour by hour and moment by moment as we do the right things.  For instance, mothers can feel help from the Spirit even when tired, noisy children are clamoring for attention, but they can be distanced from the Spirit if they lose their temper with children. … Because personal revelation is a constantly renewable source of strength, it is possible to feel bathed in help even during turbulent times.” ~ Julie B. Beck

“In order to prioritize time wisely, I learned something from my father-in-law years ago. He was a  steel-worker and spent his life working three different shifts. He either worked the day shift, the afternoon shift, or the night shift. As a young mother I realized one time that I was working all three shifts, and that’s why I was so tired. We can’t do all things all at once, and we have to be careful and safeguard our shifts.

“As I have talked to young mothers and mothers with children at home, they tell me that their most important shift to be at the top of their game, to be the strongest lioness at the gate is the ‘swing shift.’ That’s the afternoon shift. That’s when everyone comes home hungry, tired, needy, and less lovable. It is when you are hungry, tired, needy, and less loveable. It is also the time of day when people are more teachable, when they are most grateful.

“Remember that influence and power come when we prioritize correctly. If you spend time elsewhere, you don’t have it to give. … Ask ‘Where do I need to prioritize my time?’ and ‘When do I have to be at the top of my game?’ I have learned that a good woman with the help of the Lord can usually work two to two and a half shifts. However, no one can work all three shifts. You have to prioritize where you are going to spend your energy.” ~ Julie B. Beck

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Here are a couple of previous posts where I wrote about Sister Julie B. Beck’s words working in my everyday life:

Clinging

Working The Swing Shift

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 And lastly, here is an excellent blog post  from Mormon Women where you can read more touching tributes and words of gratitude for the work Sister Beck, Sister Allred and Sister Thompson performed while they served in the General Relief Society Presidency.