TOFW

I was able to go with my work to Time Out for Women. This is an event sponsored by Deseret Book with the purpose to uplift and build women's testimonies. I have been to it several times now, and it never disappoints.

I wanted to write down a couple of my favorite speakers and the messages I took away from them. Mariama Kallon has a DVD at Deseret Book that tells her story - but she lived in Sierra Leone and watched her entire family murdered at the hands of rebel soldiers - narrowly escaping with her own life. She was placed with an LDS family in a neighboring village and introduced to the gospel. Inquiring after a white missionary couple in her village learned about the missionary program. She filled out papers and served a mission on Temple Square. Throughout her talk she kept referring to her "therapist." At the end of her message she introduced us to this therapist. The camera did a close up of her scriptures. You cannot image what this woman's scriptures look like - it brings you to tears. You have never seen a book more loved, marked in, book marked, worn out book in your life. She testified it doesn't matter what challenge, crisis, or torment you go through in life - the scriptures will ALWAYS comfort you and guide you. WOW, she was powerful.

Another speaker was Brother Wilcox. I've heard of this man quite a bit, but have never listened to him before. He talked about the atonement in a way that I have never thought of it before. He spoke of a nephew that had made every wrong decision imaginable. In an effort to "save him" he and his brother enrolled him at BYU for EFY. He said his nephew lasted only a few hours before he called his dad and said, "Get me out of here - I can't stand these people!" Brother Wilcox compared this experience to us and our options for the life hereafter. He said that we will be granted that kingdom in which we will experience the most happiness and feel comfortable in the eternities. He imagines judgement meeting with God and Christ, with Christ on his knees before us begging and pleading with us to accept his offering so that we will want to be with Them as an eternal family. To grow and continue our progression. If we think, speak and act in a Christlike way in this earth life, we will truly be Celestial people. It will feel right, comfortable and natural. Loved this.

Looking forward to next year TOFW - they have great speakers lined up including Stephani Nielson of the Nie Nie Diaries!