Monday, November 17, 2008

Amazing and surprising weekend!

After reading Megan's blog about Volleyball, I thought "peer pressure"! It never ends! This weekend was my big Weight Watchers Innovation. It is a convention with awards and education. This year my boss asked everyone to dress up in evening wear and the glitzier the better. I really just wanted to wear one of my cute suits, or wear pants with the sweater in the above pic. But I caved in spent hours on my skirt (because I made two of them as you know if you read my previous blog) and bought some new shoes that I will hardly ever wear. I got to innovations and about half were dressed like me and the others were just dressed nice. I think next year maybe I will wear slacks. I may have to wear these great very impractical but fun shoes!Judy decided to do a photo shoot, I included just these three! The first one has a shadow that I wish wasn't there, oh well!Anyway, I had a hard time making a choice to go to innovations because it is always on Sunday. I didn't go the first two years and this year I felt like I really wanted to go. I talked to Steve about it and he felt I should go. That caught me off guard because in years past he felt I shouldn't. After we talked about it at length, I felt really good about it. I felt I should go. Later, I was in Presidency meeting and this weekend came up, I was supposed to attend my own ward as a representative of the Presidency for our Primary Presentation. I told them I had a commitment and couldn't go. They all accepted that and then I for some reason felt the need to tell them what my commitment was. It got very quiet and two of the three just said I needed to do what I felt was right with a tone in their voice like I shouldn't go, and the third one was pretty vocal about it being work. All of the sudden I wondered if I truly had felt the spirit tell me it would be good to go or if it was just me being worldly. Steve reassured me it was important to go to innovations, that it was training and I couldn't get it anywhere else. I felt peaceful about it again, but every so often would wonder. I went up on Saturday, stayed at Eddie and Judy's so I could go to church. I went by myself to another stake because they were having Stake conf. I came back got ready to go and then left. When I got there it was fun and it was great to get the training and see Polly (one of my receptionists who's is also a leader) get all of her many and I mean many awards, but at one point I asked myself if it was really necessary for me to be there. Then it happened. They showed a video about people that had lost more than a hundred pounds, it overwhelmed me. It reminded me of how I felt when I had the majority of my weight off. I remembered how I felt when I first became a leader-my great desire for others to feel as great as I do, I remembered what it felt like to care! I realized that I had become complacent about my job. I had become lazy, and wasn't doing all I could to be a great leader and member. I thought about my Patriarchal Blessing that talks about not being half hearted in serving the Lord. I realized all over this is a great service I am giving to our community and I am treating it very lightly. I was overcome with the spirit, and realized why I felt I should be there. I couldn't control my emotions. I was sooooo grateful I had come. I am excited and humbled to be a leader and to be a member and get my act together. I am so grateful for those people that worked so hard to make it so nice for us. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that knows what we need and cares about all our little concerns, because they are big concerns to us. Weight Watchers is coming out with some changes in December and so I am excited to read all of them and become the kind of leader I know I can be.

The other thing I learned is something that has been on my mind all year, and that is to not judge other peoples decisions, even if they looked to you like they are wrong. I think I started thinking about this when Rebecca said the Lord told her to go back to school with the possibility that He wanted her to teach. Because it was Rebecca and I know how she has a testimony I never doubted the Lord told her. In fact even though the Lord didn't need to I felt an overwhelming feeling to be 110% supportive of her decision. It caused me to ponder judging at a new level. We don't know everything about peoples lives and why they do what thet do. I have spent this last year thinking about grace and giving people the grace that I want given to me. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that teaches us and blesses us. I love you all and am so grateful for all of you!!!

6 comments:

Megan and Greg said...

Wow, I can't believe you have blogged so much! I swear I checked this yesterday!!! Well, I just kind of glanced, I'm too tired to read right now. Your skirt is BEAUTIFUL!!! I want to say I can't believe you made it, but c'mon you made my Prom dresses. I guess I've just never known you to make something fancy for yourself. It's very pretty. Good for you. I'll probaby comment again once I read this. I LOVE YOU!!!!

Dad- I had a really good time talking with you. We should talk more often. I love you.

Danielle said...

You looked great!!!!!!!!!! I love the whole outfit! I'm glad you went. Don't worry about those ladies that were weird when you told them what you were doing. They don't understand- and you were obviously supposed to go! I agree with what you said about judging. Just today I read the talk given in the April General Conference by Elder...Ballard I think. The one that talked about mothers and how everyone is in different situations in life, and we should never judge someone's actions or decisions because you have no idea where they are at in their life. Also, I've come to realize that though it is important to do all the normal simple things, like go to church and do certain things- Heavenly Father doesn't want you to do all those things just to do them- it's all in the heart. You seriously thought it through, prayed about it, discussed it with your husband, and gave it a lot of thought. It wasn't some random thing you do all the time. Your heart is what counts, and Heavenly Father knows that. Well, I love you! I'm going to talk to you soon about visiting:)

Grandma, Nonnie said...

Beautiful skirt and really cute shoes. I agree with you about the judging thing, it is so funny how people think they know what you should do! I can't believe it sometimes. The rule is that only one person can receive answers to prayers for you and that is YOU period end of story. You made the right decision for you and that is all that matters. We need to let people be themselves, and realize that they have agency too. usually people can only see from their own ideas and knowledge. Most people are so busy trying to fix you and make sure you are living the gospel, and never see the beam in their own eye. This is one of my pet peeves. I love you so very much and you are perfect the way you are and a wonderful WW leader and a great primary leader also. You won't always be in the primary, but you will probably be a WW leader for many more years. So sometimes we make decisions that are most important to us and will work for us in the future. May our Heavenly Father's richest blessing coutinue to be yours. mom

Our Pratt Pack said...

What a great post I needed to read something like that today... And your skirt was amazing!!

Arnold Book Club said...

well that's too bad that the women were so judgemental adn weird. That is really weird. I'm glad you went, and I'mglad you learned so much. love oyu.

Lizzie said...

Your outfit is BEAUTIFUL!!! I LOVE your skirt. It is so cool.

Those vegetables look so good!

I love you and miss you!!!!