It's Over Already?

We spent the weekend watching General Conference.  General Conference comes twice a year.  For 5 two-hour sessions,  we listen to our prophet, apostles, and many auxiliary leaders give inspired guidance to 197 countries in 95 languages.

There is not a great fanfare associated with the speakers.  They speak slowly and carefully.  If you were not listening to the words, it could seem kind of boring.  As a child, I did not listen well, so I just remember feeling bored.  

Although we always watched conference, I honestly don't think I truly began listening well to conference until I was at college.  I took a course studying living prophets.  We were tested on the content of the messages at General Conference; so for the first time in my life, I took notes as I listened.  I couldn't believe the difference!  I LOVED conference!!  

I have taught my children from a young age to take notes as they listen even though I didn't learn that method until I was 19 years old.  The three oldest boys took several pages of notes while 5-year old Mariah made drawings about the things she was learning.  

Here is one of her interpretations of the messages.

After the first two hour session on Saturday morning, the choir began to sing indicating it was over.  My 7-year old son turned to me and questioned, "It's over already?"  (He had just sat still for 2 hours straight.)  I was shocked and overjoyed to know that the Spirit touched his young, busy heart so that he was able to sit, listen, learn from, and enjoy the speakers' messages.  He was prepared to listen even longer!  He later said, "Each time it was an hour I thought it was only 30 minutes." 

Only the greatest teacher- the presence of the Holy Ghost confirming truth to our hearts- could have made the time pass so quickly for such a little guy.  After our weekend of conference, his rambunctious self returned.  My mother-in-law stated:  "Jordan, I don't think there's a part of your body that's not moving."  It's true.  If you know Jordan, he LOVES to move.  The power of the Holy Ghost speaking truth and peace to our hearts is a beautiful, powerful, and CALMING influence in our lives.

I am always sad when conference weekend is over.  Although it's many hours of watching, I feel Jordan's sentiments:  "It's over already?"  

I too have written several pages of notes.  I wrote down small changes I want to make in my family.  I circled and starred those messages.  God bless you in the small changes you hope to make in your own lives and in your own families.