Infinite Hope

A few weeks ago it was our chance to get away for Time Out for Women again. This year's theme was 'Infinite Hope'. We've been on the 'team' every time they've come to Spokane so I guess you could say it's tradition for us to stay in a hotel, get up early and spend some quality time keeping other hotel rooms awake and having some girl time. We just need to do it more than every 2 years.

We each get an assignment and this year Brianne and I had the job of unwrapping all the free tote bags. There was a huge pallet of boxes, luckily we recruited Holli to help us. We unboxed, unwrapped and reboxed 2,304 bags! It felt like a work out which was actually nice after filling up at lunch.

Shaila worked the will call table. She worked it good too, ha!

Marion and LaVoy were asked to be timers for the event. We razzed them about 'hob nobbing' with the speakers and being their best friends. At first they were pretty stressed with their remote control clock/timer but they did a great job, it wasn't as hard as the directions made it out to be, whew. Marion sat by Virginia Hinkley Pierce (who was wearing fishnet!) Friday night and Mariama Kallon on Saturday.

We were all bawling through Mariama's talk. Oh the trials of this strong, strong woman. You can read about her here or here (it's worth reading but nothing like hearing her voice). She survived so much in her native, war torn Sierra Leone. Many of her family members were killed, her parents in front of her, she had to run away from the rebels all while being hungry and lost. I could never retell her story but her ultimate message was one of hope. Amazing hope. She credits an humanitarian hygiene kit with saving her life. When she was fleeing her burning home, she saved her scriptures and the contents of her hygiene kit, her most precious belongings. There was no way you could sit and listen to this woman without feeling the spirit, without feeling overwhelmingly blessed (even in the middle of trials) and without feeling the hope we can share that is within us to bless others. I loved her talk.

It was a great weekend, I took so many fabulous notes, pages and pages worth. It's pretty slow reading when I want to review them though, I have scratchy handwriting that becomes code when I'm writing fast. Probably something I should work on or just give up taking notes (no comment Mom)!

A few thoughts from the first two presenters.

Virginia Hinckley Pierce~
~Comparing to others is a fast track to misery (comparing blessings and/or trials).
~We each have our own mission.
~Act on personal revelation and Celebrate growth.

Ardeth Kapp~ (loved this talk)
~Hope is as vital to our well being as breathing.
~Our trials are customized for our individual growth.
~Our Father in Heaven knows us better than we know ourselves.
~Never give in, Never give up, Never give out.
~No power on earth like the power of prayer. President Hinkley
~It's not part of God's plan that we be perfect.
~Faith in place of fear.
~Hope in place of doubt.
~Our trials are not to discourage us, they are to refine us.
~Remember Who we are and Whose we are.

I had a great weekend and always need the boost it gives me. I'm always so excited to get home and see the kids after the shot in the arm to help me feel like I can be a better mother. There's nothing sweeter to come home to than being greeted by 4 happy kids yelling 'Mom!' and running at you for big hugs. They're the best. Milo too.