Motherhood Track at BYU Idaho!

All right, Moms out there! The Motherhood Track for BYU Idaho's Education Week has been officially approved, and I hope to see you there!

Registration won't begin until March 2nd, but that means you have some time to figure out if you'll be able to get to Rexburg, Idaho by July 29-31. Please say yes! Please say yes!

The reason I am so excited is because this is the very first conference (in a long, long while...at least that I know of) that focuses on motherhood AND the gospel. There are lots of "general" women's gatherings, (which are great!), but this is an opportunity for mothers to gather together, participate in meaningful classes, and focus on their spirits at the same time. It will be wonderful!

I'll post more details as I get them, but here are a few that I do know:

-The way a Motherhood Track works is similar to how the Youth Track works. Motherhood classes are arranged throughout the entire day, in addition to all the other conference classes, so there is always a class geared specifically for you, if you'd like to attend. Then in the evening, all the mothers will get together for an extra activity where they can talk, relax, and have a good time.

-For more information, and to register at the appropriate time, visit this link.

-Three definite speakers include Allyson Reynolds, Saren Eyre Loosli, and myself (all board members at www.powerofmoms.com--check out the website to find out more about us, if you'd like). You can also look at our fledgling Power of Moms blog at www.powerofmoms.blogspot.com.

-One series that Saren and I will be co-teaching is called "Taking Care of the Person Inside the Mom." Here are the details, if you're interested.

There is a mountain of great advice available to mothers, but most of it centers on the children. This series is designed to focus on the woman behind the title "Mom." In our efforts to establish great family traditions, help our children excel in school, and taxi our family members around our communities, it's easy to forget that you can't draw water from an empty well. Fortunately, the Lord has prepared wise counsel for His daughters through the scriptures and the words of His prophets to remind us that we can feast on the scriptures, we can care for our physical bodies, and we can pursue our specific purposes here on the earth.

Lecture One: Spiritual Care: How to Feast on the Scriptures When You Barely Have Time for a Shower

Mothers' lives are incredibly demanding, yet we all know that we need to spend quality time in the scriptures each day. When errands, meal preparation, housework, and tantrums crowd our spare time, it's easy to feel guilty that we can't "do it all." This class will help mothers take a step back and find specific ways to bring scripture study into their lives...no matter how hectic the day. We will look at how the scriptures speak specifically to mothers, how the Lord will magnify our study as we put Him first, and how we can bring His power into our lives by turning our hearts to His words.

Lecture Two: Physical Care: Exercise, Nutrition, and Rest Can be More Than Wishful Thinking

Out of shape. Frumpy. Worn out. Stressed out. It's not the way you want to describe yourself, but realistically, this is how many mothers feel. Clearly, this time of our lives is going to require some sacrifices of our personal comfort, but mothers' lives can be dramatically improved as we make the time to care for our physical bodies. This class will review how our bodies are temples, how the Lord wants us to run and not be weary, and how, through Him, we can have rest. In addition, we will provide some practical ways to manage our homes and families so that we can realistically care for ourselves without sacrificing the needs of our families.

Lecture Three: Mental Care: Pursuing Your Talents and Purpose Without Short-Changing Your Family

Each mother has been given specific gifts, talents and interests that can be used to bless others (both in her family and beyond), but when we're focusing our attention on our homes and families, it's easy to wonder if our own dreams matter. This class will show you how to examine the righteous desires of your heart and find ways to manage your time and tasks so that you can pursue goals according to the Lord's plan for you. You'll find fulfillment as you use your talents to pursue the variety of purposes that are divinely yours.

So that's all for now, but PLEASE spread the word! I would love to have this conference full of mothers who can contribute to the classes, enjoy this time to get away, and have a fabulous time becoming the women they're meant to be.

A Teaching Moment On the Way to Church

I've been doing a lot of writing and thinking on a variety of projects lately, and I thought perhaps I could use the things I'm already doing as material for my blog...in case anyone is interested.

This post is in response to an email I got from my friends John and Lani Hilton. They're speaking at the Sperry Symposium at BYU on Halloween about Motherhood and the Old Testament, and they asked me if I had any experiences to go along with their presentation. Here's what I sent them:


Regarding the Heavy Workloads of Old Testament Women, workloads are equally heavy today. Though we have so many conveniences, our lives have become so much more complicated--we want our homes to look like the Pottery Barn catalog, we sign our children up for hours of extracurriculars, we become "busy" with so many things that weren't even an option back then--it might do us well to think of the counsel in Deut.12: 32, "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add there to, nor diminish from it."

We don't need to complicate our lives. The women in the Old Testament teach us what is MOST important--Deut. 6:7 is a great guide:

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up..."

This scripture most certainly did not only apply to the men because who is the parent most likely to be there when the children are in and around the home? I had an experience with this one Sunday as I was driving my children to church.

My husband had gone to early meetings, so I had spent the morning feeding, dressing, and preparing "quiet" bags for my four young children. As I loaded everyone into our van, I felt completely frazzled by our morning's activities...the unexpected last-minute diaper change, the disappearing church socks I was sure I had laid out, the squabbling between a couple of my children, and the numerous spills we had experienced at breakfast time.

As we started our ten-minute drive to the chapel, I knew I needed to invite the Spirit to help us prepare for Sacrament Meeting, so I started talking to the children about why going to church was so important to me. I testified of our Savior's life, of His atonement, and His great love for us.

My children started asking questions. One child said, "What do the scriptures mean when they say He bled from every pore?" Another child asked why the bread represents the body of the Lord. I answered their questions as well as I could, and as I spoke, we all felt a powerful, beautiful spirit enter our minivan.

By the time we arrived at the chapel, my children were quiet and settled, and we were ready to participate in the sacred ordinance of the sacrament. I knew at that moment that my work as a mother--teaching my children diligently, even when things were hard--was of the utmost importance to the Lord.