Editor’s note: Many thanks to Lauren Laws for this thoughtful post reflecting on her experience at BYU Women’s Conference. Speaking of BYU Women’s Conference, are you taking advantage of the opportunity to listen to the delayed broadcast presentations that are being shared this month on BYUTV?

Lauren Laws is a sometimes-serious comedic writer who will soon graduate from BYU with a film degree. She is from Salem, Oregon and enjoys being outside, writing song parodies, directing music videos, and coming up with t-shirt slogans. She is sort of fluent in Italian and enjoys eating food from all over the world, especially curry. The project that consumes most her time nowadays is a short musical film that she is writing and producing. It will shoot this fall.

You can read more of her thoughts on Twitter @llawsy or at http://lawsren.blogspot.com

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Last year when it was time for BYU’s Women’s Conference I remember sending out an Instagram photo of volunteers setting up for the conference with the caption, “Look out BYU students. The women are coming!”

Many BYU students see Women’s Conference as two days when the lines in the bookstore and the Cougareat are ridiculous and there is a shortage of BYU’s mint brownies. The men’s bathrooms are turned into women’s bathrooms and it is impossible to cross campus at certain hours of the day.

This year I was asked to take press photos and I crossed the threshold from casual observer to field agent. I quickly learned that Women’s Conference is not just a time when women take over BYU in search of brownies and discount BYU merchandise but a time when women from all over come together to share experiences and be uplifted by one another.

Women everywhere share the same heartaches. We have the same questions. We all want to know how we can contribute to society and be better people. Conferences are a chance to gather together and remember that we are the same.

I spent most my time out-and-about, ducking in and out of lectures and focusing more on people’s faces than the speakers but there was one lecture that I sat through titled, “Into the Sunshine: Understanding Depression in Children and Teens.”

The first speaker, Nicki Hopwood, has worked with troubled youth for almost 30 years. The second speaker, Tom Golightly has a PhD in counseling psychology. Credentials aside, both speakers dug deep and spoke from the heart about things that we sometimes like to brush under the table. Nicki referenced personal things from her own life. Sharing our own stories is the key to helping one another. We have to be willing to talk about the hard stuff. In Tom Golightly’s address he stated, “If we don’t talk about hard things we send the message that it’s not okay to feel hard things.”

We sometimes think our lives have to be perfect. Further in her address Hopwood stated, “We tend to make things our fault, not because they are, but because it gives us a sense of control.” We don’t talk about sorrows in our lives because we see it as our own personal weaknesses, but feeling sad does not make us weak, it makes us human. It makes us tender-hearted, loving, and kind. We should embrace the difficulties in our lives and use them for our good.

I remember as a young teenager talking to one of my friends about my brother who struggles with Schizophrenia. It was something that I was never super vocal about because it wasn’t something I felt I had figured out. She then opened up to me about some struggles her own brother was having and how it affected her. I realized in that moment that she would not have felt she could tell me about those things had I not opened up first. In the end, we both felt uplifted because we could relate to each other. That experience made me wonder how many other people were silently struggling, afraid to admit they had difficulties in their lives.

Sometimes we might think that if we are really good we will never be sad. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Pres. Eyring addressed that idea in the closing session of the conference. “Satan, the enemy of our happiness, opposes those who serve the Lord.” When we are doing things right we are going to face opposition.

There are people in my life who have struggled with illnesses, abuse, substances, and a variety of things. Instead of choosing to hide away or try and ignore the issues they have used their experiences to help uplift others and to become more empathetic.

I think God intended for us to face life’s trials together. He could have sent us to earth by ourselves. We could’ve learned about life by sitting alone reading lots of textbooks or watching the Discovery Channel. But we’ve been put into families, communities, schools, clubs, majors, societies, etc. so that we can learn from people–and sometimes be hurt by people–because that is how we become the strong, passionate, loving people we are meant to be.

The different women I interacted with throughout the weekend reminded me what womanhood is about. It is about using our God-given gentleness and sensitivity to make the world a better place. Our vulnerabilities are what give us courage and strength. They increase our capacity to connect with and help one another.

–Lauren Laws

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This video explains some of Mormon doctrine about the purpose of life, about the role Jesus Christ plays in God’s plan, and about our identity as children of God. Read more about Mormon doctrine on this topic at the following pages:

The Purpose of Life: Mormon.org

• What is the purpose of my life?
• Where did I come from?
• Why am I here?
• Where am I going?

The post Mormon Doctrine: The Purpose of Life appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

~by Heather L.

As I was standing by my fence watching my son go by on his bike, a knothole caught my eye.

All I could see through it was a bit of dirt. Not very exciting.

I turned my camera and took a shot from the bottom of it – a little chunk of beautiful blue sky. [Unfortunately, the picture doesn’t do the sky justice, but you get the idea.]

I often feel like all I understand of life is the little muddy chunk.

How many times I’ve wished I could see more! Like the owner’s manual on my kids?! Or how long a particular problem was going to last? The end result of a cautious choice? How often I’ve wished I could see the beautiful blue end from the muddy beginning.

But life isn’t made to be that way.

God sent me here to learn to live by faith, obedience, diligence, patience, all of which I’d never learn if I knew the answers ahead of time.

Hard as it may be, not being able to see more helps me grow in faith, humility, strength, and gratitude. Ultimately I am more blessed as I become more willing to submit my will to God’s “big picture” view.

After all, He built the fence. He puts in the knotholes. He knows the end from the beginning. He wants me to succeed, and will provide a way.

All I need to do is go forward with faith, like Nephi of old:

“I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)

So maybe I can’t see the whole big picture right now.

But I can ask for help, listen to the Holy Ghost, and move forward with faith that God will “prepare a way.” He will put “holes” where I need them. I just need to look for them with hope, rather than focusing on the dirt. Then the light will shine through and brighten my journey through mud and meadow on the way to the beautiful blue end.

The post We Believe: Walking by Faith and Eternal Perspective appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

The past month has been tough for my family. My husband made an extremely costly error at work. My chronic illness left me immobile for several days. My children have had behavior and potty training issues. My husband’s employee fell ill and very nearly died. With the loss of those extra hands on the job site, my husband has been working from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily.

One night after returning home late from work, two of my small children awoke at the sound of my husband’s truck pulling into the driveway and followed him into our bed. He welcomed their sleepy embraces and snuggled them tightly. I could see the stress of the day fall off his shoulders as he heard tiny voices chime “I love you Daddy.” Our children quickly buried under the covers next to my husband, seeking the warm crooks of his arms to use as pillows. He relished the chance to spend a few seconds snuggling with them, taking care not to move abruptly so they could fall back asleep before he carried them back into their beds.

When he returned, my husband reached across the bed and touched my head, “I love you, Brenda. I miss you and the kids when I work this much.” I reached up and entwined his hand in mine and told him I loved him too. A familiar peace washed over me in that moment and I recognized the feeling as joy. That night I fell asleep smiling, my heart swelling to nearly bursting, with love for my family.

Shortly after this experience, I read a scripture that matched my emotion. The scripture that touched me is found in a book of scripture called the Pearl of Great Price and it is quoting Eve, mother of all. In this scripture, Eve is reflecting on the choice she and Adam made in Eden.

Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed (children), and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient Moses 5:11

After reading that scripture I thought back to that familiar peace I had felt only nights before and realized my heart was singing Eve’s song. Despite the physical and emotional pains brought on by mortality I was still able to experience joy, just like mother Eve.

In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Lehi explained Adam and Eve’s choice further:

And they would have had no children, wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy. 2 Nephi 2:22-25

I am thankful to Adam and Eve, for choosing life, and for giving me the opportunity to experience joy here on Earth and in the life to come.

The post First Person: Singing Eve’s Song appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

I’ve been thinking lately, I really think it’s fun to be me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s not always easy, exciting ,or flashy, but for me, it’s fun.

It struck me the other day as I was finishing up my cycling class. We were on our last “hill,” I was tired, sucking for air, and soaked. Suddenly I felt a rush of gratitude. Gratitude that I could feel that way. Gratitude that I had the ability to feel that way. I thought, someday I will not be able to do this, I will only be able to remember and talk about doing this…(probably to people that won’t really care that I did this.) So, I felt happy in my misery and it was fun.

I love to be a mom of seven children. It is so funny to me to think that seven people call me mom. I would have never guessed I would have had a large family. Never. But I am so happy about it. It doesn’t seem like that many really. They are all people I love to be with. I love them all. They are fun.

My kids play sports. They always have. To organize schedules and attend soccer and softball games is something I’ve done for 20 years now. I sit and enjoy the games. I am sad when I see parents who can’t just sit and enjoy. It’s fun to just sit and enjoy.

I have a husband that makes my life easy. He has always let me be me. Never has tried to change me. He is kind, easy going, fair, and always gives you the benefit of the doubt. He laughs at my goofiness. He works hard. He is helpful and just a plain good man. His love is consistent. Through poor (and a little less poor) marathon body to pregnant mega mom body, he has been my number one fan. Because I have him, and love him, it’s fun to be me.

It’s fun to be me because as a Mormon woman, I know who I am. I know why I’m here, what life is about. When you know that, it gives you perspective on everything else. It’s fun to have a sure measuring stick for life. It’s not fun to have to guess. It’s fun to know.

In a strange way it’s good to be me because I know I can be better. I am familiar with my weaknesses. They are not hard to figure out for me. They are obvious, and I claim them as my own. It’s good to be me because I know they don’t have to be permanent. It is fun to be me because I have faith and hope in my life because of the Savior.

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Today my husband called me with some unsettling news while I was washing the dishes. Prior to that call, my mind had already been caught up in my hefty to-do list for the week. My heart began to be troubled. There were many people to worry about and lots of things to do. I was overwhelmed.

Luckily for me, my toddler was napping and the older kids were at school. So I dried my sudsy hands off and kneeled on the rug in front of my sink. With my hands clasped and head bowed I poured my feelings out to my Heavenly Father in prayer.

I rose, blinking away a tear or two, and resumed doing the dishes. After pouring the detergent and turning the knob on the dishwasher to “normal wash,” I felt a warmth wash over me. It felt like a glow had entered into my spirit and infused my heart with peace. I felt confident that I could accomplish my tasks and a resolution to the problem my husband called about would come in time.

When I was young, ages 3 – 12, I learned a song that taught me about my relationship with my Heavenly Father. It is called I am a Child of God, with words written by Naomi Ward Randall and music by Mildred Tanner Pettit:

I am a Child of God

And He has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with Him some day.

This song frequently comes racing to my mind in times of trouble and fear. It reminds me that I have a loving Father in Heaven who listens to and answers prayers. Just as He answered mine today.

To compliment this experience, I also wanted to share this beautiful rendition of Soy un hijo de Dios (I am a Child of God) sung by Rebecca Lopez and accompanied by Mark Goldstein.

For more Our Thoughts posts, please click here.

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For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)

24 And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; (Abraham 3:24-25) (emphasis added)

And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. (D & C 122:7)(emphasis added)

Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: (Isaiah 26:4)

This seems to me a very basic summary of this mortal life–what it is for and how to get through it. First, the Lord’s purpose–to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Second, how the Lord will fulfill this purpose–by testing, trying, and proving man. Third, a reminder to man of what is happening to him–all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good. Fourth, a reminder to man of where help is–trust in the Lord because He has everlasting strength. (Naturally, man means mankind and includes women.)

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