Women's Conference 2014

I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be invited to speak at BYU Women's Conference a few weeks ago. Along with three counterparts we spoke in a session about the challenges of parenting young adults. Mary Teichert spoke on supporting young adults who are generally doing well; Hugh Pinnock spoke on assisting young adults who aren't doing anything bad but aren't doing much good; then I spoke on young adults are struggling; finally Liz Rose talked from a parent's perspective on things her family has done with and for their young adults.

Liz, Hugh, me, and Mary

I felt super supported because of friends (Chelsea and Alisha) and family who attended the session with me. I'm so thankful to have had this experience because of the people I worked with and because of the message I was, hopefully, able to share.

My cousin Evelyn, aunties Helen and Marian, my mum, me, and my sis-in-law Cole. 

I later learned that our session had been audio recorded! Though I cannot publish the thoughts of the others, I can publish my own and so if you've 15ish minutes you can listen to me (try to just move on when I mention the Spanish Inquisition and all my "ummms").

I've captured the few quotes I used and I also referenced the following scriptures:

“Children come into this world with their own distinct spirits and personality traits. Some children ‘would challenge any set of parents under any set of circumstances. … Perhaps there are others who would bless the lives of, and be a joy to, almost any father and mother’”  (Dear Are the Sheep that Have Wandered, James E Faust, April 2003).

Orson F. Whitney said, “The Prophet Joseph Smith declared – and he never taught more comforting doctrine – that the eternal sealing of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Thought some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the shepherd is upon them. And sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.” (Dear Are the Sheep that Have Wandered, James E Faust, April 2003)

Jesus heals a blind man John 9:2-3

Jesus commands that no one be cast out 3 Nephi 18: 30, 32

               

It is noted that what I say here reflects my views only and reflects nothing on BYU, Women's Conference, or the views of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.