Just Beautiful

I am really excited to share some of my notes from Time Out for Women.  I feel so blessed to have been in SLC for this event.  It seems contradictory, but I felt both invisible and 100% a part of the crowd.

I have just begun to notice this.  I will explain. 

I felt invisible because I was just one out of 5,000 women.  My story was similar to the other womens stories, I was not more beautiful or smarter or richer or anything-er than anyone else.  I did not stick out in any way.  I tend not to.  I prefer not to :)  (In fact, I prefer to avoid crowds at all cost)

But in a crowd, how can you feel invisible while belonging?  When the mass of humans surrounding you hold similar beliefs, when you can turn to a perfect stranger and find that you have much in common, when you see in another's eyes a shared recognition of truth,  you know you belong.  When a speaker asks everyone to stand and recite the Young Women's theme, and you are surrounded by 5,000 instant sisters, you know you belong.  When you share a love for something you belong.

I know that for most women of faith, this is not news.  Most women of faith were raised in that faith, and have known little else.  I envy that.  But I know that my Maker knows that wouldn't work for me, so He patiently watched as I made choices that would swing me wide of the ultimate goal, knowing that I would ultimately stick close to His plan.

I love to belong with sisters in faith.  I love to feel that feeling of belonging!  I love to laugh and cry and learn anonymously-belonging in a congregation of my peers.

So the theme for Time out for Women was Choose to Become.  I love that.  I love that they are encouraging women to Choose.  And to Become.  Women, for several generations, have chosen other paths, I believe.  To our detriment.  It is up to us to Become what we have been prepared to be. 

Well, the 5K of us were surprised by a last minute speaker.  One speaker had to cancel, and the organizers of the event scrambled to find someone worthy to replace her.  The speaker who filled in last minute was one who I have admired very much for over a year now.  (How can I fail to see the divine hand in that?)  When her name was announced, there was an audible shuffling as 5,000 women dug in their newly acquired Time Out for Women totes for a tissue.  We were instantly overcome by gratitude, and by the spirit.  We knew we would have the opportunity to feast on truth from one of God's elect daughters.

And we did.

You might have heard of Stephanie Nielson.  Here is her sweet blog:  http://nieniedialogues.com/

Her story has much tragedy, pain, suffering, sorrow, and so many, many lessons.  I encourage you to read the story of her plane accident if you are not familiar with it.  But I won't take time here to expound on it much.   She did tell us some details I had not heard before, about what her inner voices were saying as she realized she had a choice to live or die that day that the plane went down.  She counts her accident as divine because of her relationship with Heavenly Father.  After so much physical and emotional pain, that says volumes.

Here are the principles she wanted us to learn:

1)  It is up to you to decide how your story ends.  Remember who you are.  Choose Happiness over despair.  When you are having a rough day, remember what it feels like to be happy so you can seek it.

2)  Choose to remember your divine potential.  Remember who you are.  (That seems to be an important message, eh?)  She said that after her accident, it took her 5 months to be brave enough to look in a mirror.  When she finally did, it was very difficult to realize that what she saw was herself.  She said that the only thing she could recognize was her eyes, and she saw God there.  Truly the eyes are the window to the soul, and when you look into people's eyes, you can know their story.

3) Choose to be happy. 
It's o.k. to love yourself because then you have more to give.                                                   
                    You've earned your scars. 
                                               Everyone has pain and sorrow - so it doesn't do any good to compare.
                     You can overcome anything.
Heavenly Father knows us and loves us, and He has a plan for us.

4)  Choose now to make the relationships with those you love better.
                      In order to deal with hard times, it helps to have the knowledge that all is well with your loved ones and your testimony of the Savior.
           Don't waste time on guilt, insecurity, appearance, etc.  It takes unnecessary energy.

She said "It's an honor to be a mother.  I get to be the one to teach my children about the Plan of Salvation and about our Savior."  That is profound.  How often do we pause and truly think of our calling as a mother?  And yet...how important is our calling?  Another speaker, Sheri Dew, said "No one has more influence than a mother and a wife." And she counselled that when you are asked what you "do" your reply should be "I'm nurturing (x amount) of children along the path to exaltation.  How about you?"  So many mothers see motherhood as a burden, a chore. 

Stephanie now see's it as a privilege, as truly it is. 

Her suggestion to renew this view was to think about the small and simple things you do every day, like pack a lunch, braid your little girls hair, write a letter to someone you care about.  What if you couldn't ever do them again?  Believe that it is an honor to do those menial tasks.

Stephanie reminded us of the theme, Choose to Become and said that she wondered what she was supposed to become.  Then she realized that since her accident, she has been choosing to be......

herself.

"Because whatever Me is  -  is good enough." 

God thinks so.

So do I.

I am so grateful to Stephanie for having the courage to share the testimony that she has gained through this experience.