Speaking In Church/ I Love Family

Eric and I had the opportunity to speak in church yesterday. I get so dang nervous to speak in front of big crowds, but it actually ended up going pretty well. I am still definitely happy to have it over with. :) Eric is such an amazing speaker, so it almost makes having to talk worth it knowing that I'll get to listen to him after.

We were asked to speak about a talk in this last session of General Conference. It was such a great opportunity to go back and reread the messages that our dear leaders spoke to us about last October. I am the first to admit that I have a hard time really getting the details of each message at conference a lot of the time (could it be because I often fall asleep? hmm... probably). But it was such a great opportunity to learn some great new things.

I chose to speak about a few talks that I really liked that all kind of correlated into my message of gaining a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father. My absolute favorite talk from conference was by President Thomas S. Monson, called Charity Never Faileth, so I was able to tie that into my talk as well. My other favorite talk was by President  Uchtdorf called Of Things That Matter Most, which Eric decided to speak about. If you are looking for an uplifting and great message for the day, I would highly recommend either of these.

My dear family came to hear us speak. All of them! So it was an extra bonus getting to see them and feeling their love and support. I love my family so much!

Love them.

Sisters.

The best husband in the world.

Marriage

I have been thinking a lot about marriage lately. I feel surrounded by people going through tragic divorces these past few months- families with children who are being broken up with such an uncertain future. I feel like Satan is working at an alarming rate to break up what were once such happy couples and marriages, and in turn, families.

I have been blessed with an incredible example of marriage in my parents and their solid marriage, and I hope to one day attain the close bond that they have developed over years and decades of hard work. I am realizing that this strength in marriage does not simply happen on it's own, but it is a product of effort to make it happen.

After being married for a year, I've realized how easy it can be for couples to fall into a rut. (Rut: a sunken track or groove in the ground, a fixed usually boring course or way of life). Routines become somewhat fixed. That level of comfort sets in. And truly, those routines and that comfort is one of the best parts about marriage. But I am sad to admit that there are already times that I have found myself taking for granted what an incredible person I have found and just how happy I truly am. It takes only the simple thought back to the lonely times when I was single to humble myself and to feel complete gratitude for Eric and his love for me.

I am so grateful to be a member of a church that emphasizes the importance of marriage and families and holds those things in such high esteem. I hope that one day Eric and I can teach our own family the importance of a strong marriage through our example.

For more wonderful and uplifting thoughts on marriage, go HERE and HERE and HERE!