General Conference = Change

19th Birthday in June-What did she ask for? New scriptures

Conference is my favorite time of the year, I love the spiritual enlightenment and the renewed desire to be better that it always brings.  This year was just like all the others.  I received some direct promptings on things I need to be working on and changing in my life.  Of course the trick is always to stay motivated after conference to make the needed changes.  This conference brought with it a few more changes then I had been anticipating however.  When school started I mentioned that you never know when major changes were on the horizon-well now I know when...Saturday morning within the first 15 minutes of General Conference!

Lexie has felt very strong promptings that she should serve a mission for probably about a year, but 21 was so far away that I wondered if she would still feel the same when the time came.  She and her cousin decided to take Mission Prep at BYU this fall together.  When she told me they were going to, I thought it was kind of early to be taking it, but of course it wouldn't hurt.  So when Pres. Monson made THE announcement, Lexie and I both started crying.  We all knew it was time for her to serve.  We continued to cry off and on throughout the day, not because we were sad, but because we could see the Lord's hand directing her life and preparing her for something He knew was coming.  I was also overwhelmed by her immediate acceptance.  She went from initial shock, to how soon can I get my papers submitted.  As we have discussed the matter further we have seen even more ways that the Lord has been helping her to prepare.  Truly the Lord loves His children and will not ask them to do things without preparing a way.

So Saturday evening and Sunday she filled out the paperwork and in between sessions she had an interview with the Bishop.  That was another sweet part of this experience since her Dad is the Bishop.  Clearly it was a great and emotional experience for both of them.

The day following conference I started making phone calls, and surprisingly the dentist could see her the next day. When does that happen?  I was also able to arrange her physical as well.  She was not happy to get 4 shots, and to find out that her wisdom teeth will have to be removed (this Friday!), but all in all everything looked fine and she was good to go.

Yesterday she met with the Stake President and her papers are now officially submitted! He said she should expect her call a week from Wednesday!  Wow!  I am trying not to expect the call that soon because I have to manage my expectations.

I am sure that Alexis was not the only young woman listening to conference with these kinds of experiences and with similar feelings and promptings.  In fact she has two cousins who are preparing now to serve because of this announcement. We were doing a count and realized that there could be 6 cousins serving at the same time from our family because of this, 3 boys and 3 girls.

What I am most grateful for through all of this is my daughter's willingness to do the Lord's will.  I know this is a frightening thing for her, and she could have easily found reasons to delay her decision.  She has chosen not to be paralyzed by her fear however, but instead has chosen to be empowered by her faith. Like Nephi in the Book of Mormon (not the first Nephi, the one from Helaman), who was going home and was commanded of the Lord to call the people to repentance.  He received the call and immediately turned and and responded to the call.  My daughter and my nieces and many others out there have responded in like manner.  I am impressed and inspired by their faith.