Yesterday, I had a wonderful, uplifting, inspiring day. The women from several of our church'https://www.blogger.com/homes local congregations met together for a conference. Our theme was "Joy."
I had the opportunity to help plan the conference, which meant I have been thinking about joy for about a year. It will be impossible to adequately express all of my feelings about joy and the conference, but I will try to give you a taste of it in this Ten Things of Thankful post.
1. I'm thankful that our Relief Society president had the foresight to ask Grace Leong to film a video presentation for us.
2. I'm thankful for the women who agreed to participate in the film.
3. I'm thankful that I was able to accompany Grace as she filmed. Regardless of the language spoken (I didn't understand every word), I could feel the conviction with which the women spoke about what brings them joy. I'm also thankful for Grace's talent in taking raw footage and turning it into something so beautiful.
Please take a few minutes and watch this video. I promise it's worth your time!
4. I'm thankful for the insights I have gained into the doctrine of joy. Romans 5:11 says: ". . .we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." Basically, I came to a deeper understanding that it is only in and through the atonement that we have a full joy. A scripture in the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 2:25) says, "Adam fell, that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." I've read that scripture a million times (maybe not literally, but I've read it a lot), but it finally dawned on me that we never talk about the fall of Adam without also mentioning redemption from that fall, which comes only through the atonement of Jesus Christ. So that scripture speaks not only of the fall, but also of the joy that comes through the atonement. Christ is the Savior, the Redeemer, He who made it possible for us to return to our Heavenly Father's presence. His atonement is THE reason we have joy. We came to earth with the intent to return to our Heavenly Father, and Jesus made that possible.
5. I'm thankful for the teachers that taught classes for our conference. We had 4 different class topics--Joy in Service, Joy in Covenants, Joy in Marriage, and Joy in Womanhood--and classes offered in Spanish as well as in English. All of the teachers did a fabulous job presenting their classes.
6. I'm thankful for the men and women who helped set up tables and chairs for the luncheon and for the classrooms. Many hands truly do make light work.
7. I'm thankful for the men and women who helped in the kitchen. Preparing lunch for 150 people is no small feat, but things ran smoothly and everyone had enough to eat.
8. I'm thankful for the women who shared musical talents, who offered prayers, who were classroom helpers, who welcomed women to the conference, or who were "just" there in attendance. Everyone was needed.
Tonight, I will gather with other proud parents for a seminary graduation. High school students in our church meet together every morning before school to study the scriptures together. Tonight, my youngest daughter graduates from seminary.
9. I'm thankful for the seminary teachers, who voluntarily give countless hours, both in- and out- of the classroom. Not only do they teach every school day, but they also meet individually with students who are completing home-study programs. Oh, did I mention that seminary starts at 6 a.m.? Kudos to seminary teachers!
10. I'm thankful for my daughter, and all the other graduates, who sacrificed time and sleep for study.
Thanks for joy and family.
The Ten Things of Thankful blog hop is celebrating one year of thankfulness! Be sure to join in--Lizzi is even having a birthday contest!
I had the opportunity to help plan the conference, which meant I have been thinking about joy for about a year. It will be impossible to adequately express all of my feelings about joy and the conference, but I will try to give you a taste of it in this Ten Things of Thankful post.
1. I'm thankful that our Relief Society president had the foresight to ask Grace Leong to film a video presentation for us.
2. I'm thankful for the women who agreed to participate in the film.
3. I'm thankful that I was able to accompany Grace as she filmed. Regardless of the language spoken (I didn't understand every word), I could feel the conviction with which the women spoke about what brings them joy. I'm also thankful for Grace's talent in taking raw footage and turning it into something so beautiful.
Please take a few minutes and watch this video. I promise it's worth your time!
4. I'm thankful for the insights I have gained into the doctrine of joy. Romans 5:11 says: ". . .we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." Basically, I came to a deeper understanding that it is only in and through the atonement that we have a full joy. A scripture in the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 2:25) says, "Adam fell, that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." I've read that scripture a million times (maybe not literally, but I've read it a lot), but it finally dawned on me that we never talk about the fall of Adam without also mentioning redemption from that fall, which comes only through the atonement of Jesus Christ. So that scripture speaks not only of the fall, but also of the joy that comes through the atonement. Christ is the Savior, the Redeemer, He who made it possible for us to return to our Heavenly Father's presence. His atonement is THE reason we have joy. We came to earth with the intent to return to our Heavenly Father, and Jesus made that possible.
5. I'm thankful for the teachers that taught classes for our conference. We had 4 different class topics--Joy in Service, Joy in Covenants, Joy in Marriage, and Joy in Womanhood--and classes offered in Spanish as well as in English. All of the teachers did a fabulous job presenting their classes.
6. I'm thankful for the men and women who helped set up tables and chairs for the luncheon and for the classrooms. Many hands truly do make light work.
7. I'm thankful for the men and women who helped in the kitchen. Preparing lunch for 150 people is no small feat, but things ran smoothly and everyone had enough to eat.
8. I'm thankful for the women who shared musical talents, who offered prayers, who were classroom helpers, who welcomed women to the conference, or who were "just" there in attendance. Everyone was needed.
Tonight, I will gather with other proud parents for a seminary graduation. High school students in our church meet together every morning before school to study the scriptures together. Tonight, my youngest daughter graduates from seminary.
9. I'm thankful for the seminary teachers, who voluntarily give countless hours, both in- and out- of the classroom. Not only do they teach every school day, but they also meet individually with students who are completing home-study programs. Oh, did I mention that seminary starts at 6 a.m.? Kudos to seminary teachers!
10. I'm thankful for my daughter, and all the other graduates, who sacrificed time and sleep for study.
Thanks for joy and family.
The Ten Things of Thankful blog hop is celebrating one year of thankfulness! Be sure to join in--Lizzi is even having a birthday contest!
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What a tremendous amount of work this must have been! I am sure you are breathing a sigh of relief that it's over. Well done, Kristi! What a joy you are to those who know you.
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