BYU WOMEN"S CONFERENCE 2019

I took my last formal "vacation" day at work on Thursday, May 2, and Jena and I headed down to Provo to enjoy BYU Women's Conference.  It was Jena's first time ever and it has been a while since I have attended. We made a little get-away by heading down on Wednesday night and staying the nights in a old hotel right across the street from BYU.

We started with a Panda Express dinner, because Jena picked.......

Then swimming, although the water was too cold for me so I read a book while Jena swam.

Thursday morning we made the walk up the hill to the Marriott Center for Opening Session with Julie Beck.

Jena's friend and roommate, Megan Witt, joined us for the day.  I think Jena was more excited to see her than to be hanging out with me.

Here we are at our first class:

How cute is this?

Tulips were in bloom everywhere.

The Bell Tower was playing for the noon recital as we walked passed.  This was just a part of my own BYU experience that just hearing the sounds of the bell tower brings back a flood of memories.

Walking between classes we passed by where the famous Felt Hall used to be.  So sad to see it gone, but the buildings are very beautiful and I am sure they needed to be redone.

I posted this picture on a Facebook group for LDS Disabilities-Down syndrome specific with the following post:

I spent the day at the BYU Women's Conference with these two beautiful young adults. I stopped to take some photos of campus and told them to walk ahead and so they did...confident and comfortable on the campus that they love...thank you #wonderwoodcollegebridgeprogram. But that is not really the reason for my post. It was watching others notice them, greet them, talk to them, or just even smile at them..and not just then but all day long. They carry themselves in ways that brighten those around them. I am used to it. I have lived with Jena Hall for almost 23 years now. But it struck me today very powerfully...the light they share and why inclusion and being in life...not the sidelines... is so important. Not for her...but for us."

 We ate lunch along the way.  As you can see it was a gorgeous day at BYU.

This is a newer building on campus--or actually maybe a rebuilt one since I went to graduate school here.  It was stunning to see the reflection of the mountains so perfectly in the upper level windows.  You can even see the "Y".

Good that we paused so I could take several pictures here because pausing on the other side to send a text was my sister-in-law, Linda Giberson.  As we both started walking around the building, we "ran" into each other.  She was at the conference with her sisters and a sister-in-law.  It was so fun to see her.

We had been counting the number of people that we had run into that we knew--a running tally between Megan-Jena and I.  After leaving Linda, I added her to my tally which moved me ahead of Megan at that point, but didn't add Linda to Jena's total.  She said, "She is MY aunt."  Oh, yeah, point for Jena.  I think I ended up seeing about 10 people I knew that I didn't expect to see--three from my ward, my sister-in-law, a friend of my sister, Valerie, some one from my graduate program at USU,  a friend with a Hong Kong and adoption connection, two people who worked at LDS Family Services at some point, and one other person I can't remember right now.  Another friend mentioned on Facebook that she saw Jena and I but couldn't get over to where we were to say hi.  I think it is somewhat like the spirit world and heaven will be like--running into people you love where ever you turn.

After classes and a late afternoon session with Rebecca Pinager which was delightful, we headed down to the Smith Field-house to do some service.  We helped assemble school backpacks.  Jena and Megan were good workers.

They did lots of projects including making yarn wigs and hats for children with cancer, meal kits, weighted blankets, fleece blankets, autism caterpillars, Super Heroes capes, bags for wheelchairs, the list is endless and the amount of stuff completed was amazing.  Having done this type of thing on a smaller scales, it is amazing to think of the amount of hours and work that went into putting this together so that we could step in and do some manpower to serve.

I love these two quotes--which I know that I have mentioned a time or two--they reflect my belief about the value and purpose of my personal university experience.

Trying to get us with the sign in the background didn't work so good.  Oh, well.  We were there.

After dinner at Dairy Queen and a 15 minute nap (for me) at the hotel.  We made another hike up the hill for the Evening Concert.  It was also great with Calie Read, City of Enoch, Bonner Family, Nashville Tribute Band, and  Nathan Pacheco.  They were all great and it was a great evening based on Christ and coming to Him.

 We were exhausted and fell into bed about 11:30 that night, just to get up and do it again the next day.

Friday started off with Sheri Dew (one of my favorites), mcing a panel of the three General Presidents of the Relief Society, YW, and Primary.  You can watch it here.  https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/byu-womens-conference/2019/05?lang=eng&vid=6032710162001
I loved watching their friendships as they talked together about the questions they were answering.  I have good friends like that, too, and it is a great blessing in my life.

We got there early enough to get some of the softer seats down lower. 

Then off to another day of classes and walking...............

...which ended with Elder and Sis. Christofferson speaking in the closing session.

 https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/byu-womens-conference/2019/05?lang=eng

 On the way home, Jena told me she wanted to come with me again next year.  I think that is a win!

The theme of the conference was:  "Seek This Jesus" from Ether 12:41.  It was a sweet theme and it was so inspiring to hear the presenters, no matter their topic, speak of Christ and His critical role in our daily lives.  I loved it.  Why don't you all join us next year--first Thursday and Friday in May?