Sunday, April 5, 2020

General Conference Weekend April 2020

Little kids on the roof.  Not my idea.  I have been assured they were being well monitored and they were unscathed in the adventure. All's well that ends well?
The big event of the weekend was GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!
This General Conference has been the most remarkable conference I can ever remember in my whole life.  President Russell M. Nelson may not have known the specifics of what this conference would entail-- at least in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic and the stay at home orders and such.  But when he said to take your vitamins and prepare for something unforgettable--- he meant business!  I have LOVED hearing the testimonies of the apostles as we celebrate 200 years since Joseph Smith and the First Vision and the restoration of Christ's church here on the earth.  I am so grateful for the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I feel so uplifted and hopeful.  I don't know what the future will  bring (we never do), but we are a part of His kingdom and we are trying to build our house on a firm foundation-- that is, Jesus Christ.  One of the songs the choir sang, pre-recorded, of course, was "It Is Well With My Soul". 
I say, it is well with my soul, because of Him.  It is well with my family's soul because of Him.  It is well with the world because of Him.  Even in this uncertain time.  Here is one of my favorite quotes from this conference.  It is by Dale G. Renlund.
"The Savior loves to restore what you cannot restore; He loves to heal wounds you cannot heal; He loves to fix what has been irreparably broken; He compensates for any unfairness inflicted on you; and He loves to permanently mend even shattered hearts."
How beautiful and how true.
I was moved to tears multiple times during the five sessions of conference.  I couldn't even sing or speak during the Hosanna shout and singing of "The Spirit of God".  I felt the Holy Ghost so strongly confirming to my soul that these things were true.  I felt so grateful to be a part of such an event.  I believe there is opposition in all things.  However awful something is, there is something equally marvelous happening.  We are in dark, scary, uncertain times.  But the light of the gospel shined forth into the world with such magnificent power this weekend.  I am so thankful to be a part of the work. 
Besides sitting around watching 10 hours of conference over two days, we had quite a lovely time with our first backyard hot dog roast of the year.  The backyard cookout gives some serious bang for the buck.  Meaning, it is cheap and easy to do, but it feels like such a treat; it's relaxing and so out of the ordinary. 
And don't you think food always tastes better when cooked outdoors?  But it's so much easier in the backyard than heading out on an actual camp out.
Life's simple pleasures:)
I was pretty happy last night to have all my chicks back in the nest.  We can't go anywhere, but we get to be together.
After the last session yesterday, we roasted marshmallows and made s'mores.  Cannon looks like he's casting a spell, but actually he was dancing to the traditional 80's playlist playing in the background of any Fox family backyard cookout.