General Conference: outdoor session

I used to be really strict about attending the Sunday morning Conference session at the chapel.  My thought was that it helped the kids to feel a sense of "differentness" about the day and feel like the Sabbath instead of just a huge break from church. 

But then I realized that I was sitting out in the foyer, frustrated and angry with my kids because I wasn't able to hear the Prophet's address. I was spitting mad and full of resentment and it wasn't doing us any good. 

Elder Uchtdorf gave a great talk during the October 2015 session. It was called "It Works Wonderfully".

A great quote:

"I wonder if we as Church members might also benefit from asking ourselves from time to time: “Is my experience in the Church working for me? Is it bringing me closer to Christ? Is it blessing me and my family with peace and joy as promised in the gospel?”

"sometimes we take the beautiful lily of God’s truth and gild it with layer upon layer of man-made good ideas, programs, and expectations. Each one, by itself, might be helpful and appropriate for a certain time and circumstance, but when they are laid on top of each other, they can create a mountain of sediment that becomes so thick and heavy that we risk losing sight of that precious flower we once loved so dearly."

I think, for now, I need to let go of the expectation that we attend our Sunday morning session at the chapel. It really isn't necessary. And it isn't bringing peace and joy into our family.

So today we decided that we would tune into the session on our phones and walk down to Prairie Creek Elementary with Grandma Kathleen's awesome kites. 

I can listen to the prophet and Everly can swing.

Mat can ponder the gospel and fly his kite from the monkey bars.

We can enjoy the morning with our kids and see if we can't practice some the principles we learn from our good leaders. 

And Ethan will be around to catch a few words while he holds his string. Instead of asleep at home while I fume in the foyer. 

Grateful for wise words and the ability to change today.