This weekend was general conference which is always exciting. I love listening to prophet's counsel and trying to learn to become a better person. However, it is not so easy for our kids to be quiet for that long. We don't expect them to sit and listen the whole time (the rule at our house is that they have to come and listen when the prophet speaks until they are 8 at which point they have to listen to a whole session). We just ask them to stay upstairs and outside so that we can try to listen. This works for short periods of time, but there is always some tragedy or dilemma that requires Mom or Dad's attention before too long. Oh well, we adore them.

Still, there was one talk that really stuck out to all of our kids. It was the final talk of the Sunday morning session and it was given by President Monson. He told three stories, but one was about a mother who needed to travel to West Germany from Prussia (I think) with her four children after her husband had died. It was a tragic tale of determination and faith, but our children were enthralled because the children in the story matched their ages exactly. As the prophet reported the death of each child, our kids would gasp and say "Oh, no," particularly the child who was actually that age (Gavin was very upset when the other kids told him his counterpart had passed away first). It really stuck with them and they remembered that the mother did not give up, and stayed faithful so that she could be with her children again after this life.

I feel very blessed that we have a living prophet, I need to heed his counsel better than I do, and I want to be better. I am grateful for the gospel in my life, and especially grateful for a kind and loving Savior and Heavenly Father.