The Prophet Movie

After viewing conference this weekend, Mandy has asked each day this week to watch the "Prophet Movie". And since we didn't delete it off the DVR because we wanted to go back and re-watch a few of the talks ourselves, I have happily obliged her. So I give her the popcorn she asks for (you can't watch a "movie" without popcorn) and turn on her "Prophet Movie". She sits down on the couch and watches the first couple of songs and then she heads off to play. She loves the hymns and primary songs and I am so glad that they speak to her sweet spirit. I am also really glad that I watched conference this weekend and because of Mandy have listened to a few of the talks more than once. I really enjoyed Elder Perry's talk of Walden Pond and his reminder to simplify our lives. It reminded me of a talk given by Sister Julie B. Beck in conference a year ago. In what I considered to be the best talk ever given about motherhood, Sister Beck said,

"Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord's kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power." (read the full text here)

I also enjoyed Elder Oaks' (as you can imagine we are a bit partial to Elder Oaks since Dallin is his namesake) discussion of sacrament meeting. He said that the attitude with which we approach sacrament meeting, including our reverence and even our dress, is a direct reflection of our depth of commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And who can hear our prophet, President Monson, speak and not know instinctively that this is a man who loves each and every one of us. I cried as I heard President Uchtdorf tell of his mother's terrifying and faith filled experience of being separated from her children in a war torn train station. I felt the truth in President Eyring's counsel to unify ourselves with our spouse, our family, our church, and especially our Savior Jesus Christ. As I heard Elder Bednar speak of his family's experience with learning of the power of prayers of gratitude I was reminded of my sweet Dallin who has perfected the art of only saying prayers of gratitude. His prayers usually go something like this:

"Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank thee for this day.

We thank thee for our family.

We thank thee that I could go to school today and read a book.

We thank thee that we can go to bed and not have bad dreams.

We thank thee that we can go to the park tomorrow.

We thank thee that I can be nice and do what mommy and daddy say.

We thank thee that we can bless the sick.

We thank thee for the prophet and missionaries.

We thank thee that I can see my friends tomorrow.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen"

Is it any wonder that we are continually counseled to become as a little child? I am so grateful that we have living prophets and apostles on the earth today. I am so grateful for their gentle reminders that I am not doing everything I should and to paraphrase the words of President Hinckley, I should determine within myself to do a little better, to be a little more dedicated, to set my sights a little higher and to love my spouse a little more dearly.