Last week our stake had a women's conference. It was absolutely wonderful! It was based around the book Daughters in My Kingdom. Each speaker was asked to speak about what chapter they would add to the book. As I listened to their comments, I laughed, cried and was motivated to become a better mother, friend, daughter, visiting teacher, and child of God.
Some of my friends and visiting teachees were unable to attend, so I took my notes and looked up the quotes and scriptures so that I can more easily share what I had learned.
One of the most heart-breaking, but poignant stories for me was told by Sister Jolley. It was nearly her daughter Natalie's 24th birthday, but instead of gathering for ice cream and cake, she'd be taking flowers to the cemetery. When her daughter was 18, she'd started getting crippling back pain. It took the doctors a few months to diagnose it, but they eventually found it was a tumor in her spine. When the doctor left the hospital room after giving them the news, Natalie turned to her mother with tears in her eyes, "Mom, am I going to die?" Her mother (the speaker, Sister Jolley) had no idea what to say, but she felt the Holy Ghost teaching both of them as she was given the words, "I don't know, but I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for your life." It was a very difficult three years going through chemotherapy and spending so much time sick and in the hospital. Whenever they had a setback or got bad news, Natalie would cry, but then square her shoulders and start smiling and laughing through life. People would ask how she could possibly have such a good attitude. She said, "I don't have a choice about whether or not to go through this. My only choice is about how I handle it." Her daughter died, but through this whole experience, her mother gained such a great understanding of the power of the atonement. It's so much more than just saving us from sin. It is what gave them the strength to go on when everything was too much to deal with. It is what allows us to be together forever as families. Because of the atonement, Natalie is healed, happy and her family's forever.
My life's challenges are not nearly as difficult to face as Natalie's and her family's, but just like Natalie, I can always choose with what attitude to face my challenges, I'm determined to be better.
The last speaker has six young children. Sometimes she is so consumed with raising her children, she only has time to do "insignificant things" like fulfill her twice a month activity days calling and pray for her nephews. She has realized, however, than Heavenly Father knows us and our needs and circumstances well. He inspires us to do the things He knows we can do to influence others for good. At different times in our lives, our contributions may seem greater or smaller, but nothing is insignificant. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma teaches his son Helaman "Now you may suppose that this is foolishness in me, but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord doth work by means to bring to pass His great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." (Alma 37:6-7)
Sometimes I feel a little like the speaker. I am sometimes overwhelmed by the fact that I can't even keep my house organized and sometimes I wonder if I should be doing more to help others. It may be true that I could do more, but God understands my circumstances and can inspire how to best spend my time and efforts.
During the conference, the choir sang a song I remember from my days in young womens "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God". I really love the lyrics.
