My Weekend, And Regional Conference.

Friday night started with the chicken and pasta I blogged about earlier and ended with a  "GNI" or GIRLS NIGHT IN!!!!! A phrase which I shouted many times throughout the evening. Let me preface with an explanation.

There was a dance. At the Wilk. A decades dance to be precise. We were all planning on going (and dragging Nikole along as she didn't really want to go.) Jenna had invited her brother and his friend to come down one from SLC and the other from UVU. So, we were all going to go until like 8:15ish hit and with it a big wave of apathy and laziness! Nikole muttered something about just staying and watching a movie since we were all clearly pretty tired. And with that the first "Gggggggggggiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrllllllllllsssssssssssssss Nnnnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhhttttttttt Iiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!" Was yelled! At that we all went and put on sweats. Jenna the party animal refused to conform and wanted to go to the dance. Her brother and friend came and tried to convince us to come but we were set. And it's true I kinda wanted to go, but I wanted to stay home more. I was pooped. However, before the Nathaniel and Josh (Brother and Friend) got there we set a self timer and took some GNI pictures (of which we graciously allowed the non-participating Jenna to attend. ;)  )

Me, Jenna Nikole

Our first attempt. Jenna tripped getting into the corner. So no one was collected when the timer went off.

Roommate Picture! 

These GNI pictures posted are NOT even a fourth of the ones we took that night! I include the next two pictures simply so you can picture the two boys in your head. :)

Nathaniel

Josh

Saturday. Me and Jenna wanted to do something fun before we had stake conference that night! So, Me, Jenna, Tyler, Scott (a new Scott than the previous ones he's from Indiana), and Luke went bowling.

Me and Tyler.

Jenna And Scott. Luke was bowling. And in NO pictures. Ha

After bowling... Me, Tyler and Jenna went back to Tyler's to watch the BYU game. They lost. It was terrible. Both my teams lost this weekend. BYU and The Panthers. What is going on? Anyways after the game we all went home to get ready for Stake Conference! Me, Jenna and Ashley went together and Tyler met us at our apartment to walk over with us.

Jenna Ashley Me

Tyler Jenna Me Ashley

INTERESTING FACTS I LEARNED AT STAKE CONFERENCE:

• My stake is the entire Heritage Halls.
• 52% of students in my stake are NOT from Utah. That means 48% are.
• 55% are Girls. 45% are Boys.
• 49 States are represented in our Stake.
• 13 Countries are represented in our Stake.
• We are the smallest stake in the church. (Not in people but in area).
• 90% of our boys will leave on their mission before and by April.
• Our stake ALONE supplies 1-2% of ALL the missionaries WORLD-WIDE. Pretty cool huh?

I forgot to bring something to take notes with... I have a couple jotted down in a word document on my computer but those are more personal and i'll keep those personal!

My mom asked me to put my notes from Regional Conference up here. We were blessed to hear from Elder Boyd. K Packer, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Sister Julie Beck, and Brother Steven Snow a member of the Seventy. So enjoy!

Steven E. Snow:

• He stressed the need to remember. Remember our ancestors, remember the covenants we've made, remember our Savior and remember our place in this world.
• "Remembering is not enough; we need to renew." 
• Long-term memory is important but is not enough. We must learn to remember and keep the short, day to day goals and expectations in mind. He explained that short-term remembrance invites the ability and knowledge to renew.

Julie B. Beck:

• Spoke to all the members of the church when she said "YOU ARE DOING BETTER THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE." She continued on to say "But we can do better than we are doing."
• Life is extremely hard. It wasn't meant to be easy. We actually fought to come here and live a hard life.
• Miracles happen. Miracles are happening. Miracles are available to each of us if we put forth the faith necessary to see these miracles happen. They occur not by our will, but by our belief that they will.
• Our (speaking to mothers) children are wanting and need our attention. Too much time is spent on the computer by mother's today. IT is your duty to nurture and care for them. Set the example and be the mother you said you would be. You have a divine potential to be more than you are, do not get swept up in the over-usage of the internet, TV and other modern day temptations.
• We should strive for prioritization and precision long before and over perfection.
• Know the scriptures. Know the Prophet and line up behind the Lord.

Jeffrey R. Holland

• Focused a lot on the difficult times we are facing. He told 2 pioneer stories and one from his own life.
• With God we WILL succeed. He is the best ally in these perilous times.
• Answer the call of the Prophet when it comes. He does not give us counsel for no reason. He tells us the things the Lord would have us do and know at that time. 
• Look to our pioneer ancestors for trials, faith and success (all made possible with God.)
• He told a story about a place that needed to be settled after the saints had just arrived in Utah. It was called the Muddy. Brigham Young got up and spoke and said that the following men and their families had been called to go and settle the muddy. One girl sat listening and at her father's name burst into tears fearing the horrible task they had at hand. When suddenly the girl next to her and leaned over and said "Why are you crying? My father was called to, and I know he will NOT go." Wiping the tears from her face she leaned back and said "I am crying because I KNOW my father WILL go and NOTHING will prevent him from doing so. And I should NOT own him as my own father if he would not go." This story stuck out strongly to me. And I realized how blessed I am to have the father I do. Because I know had we been in these pioneers shoes it would've been me crying and echoing the words "I know my father will go. And I should not own him as my own father if he would not go." He is such a good man and an even better example to me.
• We must strive for faith that this is the church and when you are called, you will go. That you will trust that you are given callings for a reason. (I was recently called as a Sunday School teacher!!)
• Nurture your own spiritual and physical strength so you have a reservoir to call upon in hard times. 
• Testimonies should be simple and deep not complex and superficial. 
• Faith is better nourished and longer lasting in a family. 
• There is still work to be done. 
• Be certain when the call comes YOU and YOUR family will go.
• Righteousness will ALWAYS prevail.
• Make our will the Lord's will. Make it pioneer strong. And we will succeed in sharing the gospel.

Boyd K. Packer:

• There at this regional conference were some 150 stakes present (over 1/2 a million members!!)
• "I didn't serve because I was experienced, I served well because I was called."
• "I am the Father, He is in me and we are One." Strive for a similar relationship with our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.
• The adversary can only do what we let him do. And in the end WE are in control of the impact he has had on our lives.
• Every soul is given the choice to be whatever he wants to be.
• No member of the church will choose a path that leads to destruction without being told not to first by the Spirit.
• We tend to say "I knew I shouldn't have done that." Then why did you?