October 2015 General Conference

What I Took to Heart...

It's funny how a major decision can be placed before you right before General Conference weekend. Let's face it; it happens to (probably) most of us...

...and it's amazing what kind of clarity and answers that the Spirit can bring.

What did I get out of this past weekend's General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Ten Ideas:

1. God will hold you up in your times of weakness.
2. Don't let fear keep you from doing something new.
3. You are doing better than you think you are.
4. It will all work out.
5. Get up and go learn something.
6. Center yourself on the Lord and His Gospel. That will help you not to be such a mess [pottery wheel metaphor].
7. Exercise faith in every aspect of your life.
8. Inspire; don't just impress.
9. Small efforts lead to big results.
10. We don't have to be perfect, but we need to be good at getting better.

..and pancakes are always a perfect treat for the Sunday morning session (Larsen family tradition).

Recipe for chocolate chip pancakes can be found here.
I'm not a perfect cook, but I'm learning!

If A Necklace Could Talk

What A Necklace Says...

I decided to give my necklaces a nice place to hang on the wall to try and keep their chains from tangling. I'm not really big into jewelry, so I don't have a decked out jewelry box or peg board organizing system.

Just a nail beside my desk is sufficient for me.

Clothes and accessories can say a lot about a person. The gold piece, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is an award given to people who complete the Personal Progress program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it's bee charm is the Honor Bee and is given for providing extra service and reading the Book of Mormon again.  As for the Personal Progress program, I am honored to have completed it, and do believe it has helped me to become a better woman (and wife now).  The building is called the temple, and in our faith, we believe that there we can make covenants with God so our families can be together forever.  I was married in the temple, and it is the greatest thing.

As for the second necklace, it is an Origami Owl Living Locket.  I really like the concept of these necklaces. My older sister gave this one to me right before I got married.  It's about the size of a quarter, and currently has 5 charms.  (The "J" is hiding near the diamond ring.  For some reason, it's almost never visible. I should have gotten a dangle. Oh well!)  There is a wedding ring, my husband and mine's birthstones, and a little charm that says "Forever Family."  I don't know how many times I've seen "Put Your Wedding Dress on a Necklace!" on Pinterest.  Do you see that burnout flower in the back?  Yep; wedding dress.  I know that usually the lockets, if there is something in the back, usually have a little plate with a word on it, but I felt that probably nothing could be more personal than sticking a swatch of my dress material in it.