This weekend I was able to go to Time Out for Women in Spokane, WA. Time Out is a day and a half women's conference for LDS women to inspire them, give them a break from everyday tasks, and just help them learn how to be a better woman.
It was fabulously inspiring and fun. I love what they said at the very beginning, "This is NOT church"... not that there is anything wrong with church, but this was MUCH more fun! For those LDS friends of mine, I'd say it was more like EFY for women. Fun!
The theme of Time Out was "Hope". It was perfect. There were about 8 or so speakers and 2 different musical performers, my favorite of which was Mercy River. I'd heard of them, but never really listened to them. They were so good and fun! I don't know that I could pick a favorite speaker, but the two that really stick out to me right now were Virginia Hinckley Pierce (Pres. Hinkley's daughter), and Mariama Kallon.
Mariama's story was the reason for this year's theme of "Hope" and she is such an amazing person. They said we'd want her to be our best friend after hearing her speak, and they were right! This is what Mariama's bio says about her:
Raised in war-torn Sierra Leone, Mariama Kallon saw many things as a young girl that might fill a person with fear and hatred. Soon after witnessing the violent murders of parents and siblings and spending her youth fleeing from rebels, she was introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ and found hope in God and peace in a knowledge of eternal families. She was given a humanitarian kit by the Church, which became a treasured symbol of hope that she used to bless the lives of many as they again fled for their lives. After returning to her town, she was called on a mission to the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission, and wept in gratitude to the Lord as she visited the place where her precious humanitarian kit was made. Today Mariama stands as an example of the divine purposes of humanitarian work and tells her story to numerous audiences, urging them to participate in this work.
I laughed, I cried, I felt the spirit, and I was inspired. If you ever have a chance to go to one near you, I highly suggest to go. Even if you don't have a group of friends going, just go.
The "rules" are, you are supposed to leave your family and kids at home and go with a bunch of your girlfriends. Well, I cheated and brought my whole family along so they could play in downtown Spokane while I was there, and so Dirk could take Ginny from me half the time so I could take good notes.
It was fabulously inspiring and fun. I love what they said at the very beginning, "This is NOT church"... not that there is anything wrong with church, but this was MUCH more fun! For those LDS friends of mine, I'd say it was more like EFY for women. Fun!
The theme of Time Out was "Hope". It was perfect. There were about 8 or so speakers and 2 different musical performers, my favorite of which was Mercy River. I'd heard of them, but never really listened to them. They were so good and fun! I don't know that I could pick a favorite speaker, but the two that really stick out to me right now were Virginia Hinckley Pierce (Pres. Hinkley's daughter), and Mariama Kallon.
Mariama's story was the reason for this year's theme of "Hope" and she is such an amazing person. They said we'd want her to be our best friend after hearing her speak, and they were right! This is what Mariama's bio says about her:
Raised in war-torn Sierra Leone, Mariama Kallon saw many things as a young girl that might fill a person with fear and hatred. Soon after witnessing the violent murders of parents and siblings and spending her youth fleeing from rebels, she was introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ and found hope in God and peace in a knowledge of eternal families. She was given a humanitarian kit by the Church, which became a treasured symbol of hope that she used to bless the lives of many as they again fled for their lives. After returning to her town, she was called on a mission to the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission, and wept in gratitude to the Lord as she visited the place where her precious humanitarian kit was made. Today Mariama stands as an example of the divine purposes of humanitarian work and tells her story to numerous audiences, urging them to participate in this work.
I laughed, I cried, I felt the spirit, and I was inspired. If you ever have a chance to go to one near you, I highly suggest to go. Even if you don't have a group of friends going, just go.
The "rules" are, you are supposed to leave your family and kids at home and go with a bunch of your girlfriends. Well, I cheated and brought my whole family along so they could play in downtown Spokane while I was there, and so Dirk could take Ginny from me half the time so I could take good notes.
The weather wasn't too fabulous, so they spent most of the time inside. They found a children's museum in the basement of the mall called Mobius Kids Science center, and spent hours there. They tried to show me how cool it was after I finished my conference, but we got there about 5 minutes after they closed. Both Dirk and Hayden were seriously disappointed we couldn't go back. Looks like another trip to Spokane is in store!
I have to say, I never realized Spokane was such a cool city! I guess I've never really ventured in to downtown much. I absolutely loved it! Riverfront Park is so awesome and beautiful. The buildings downtown are gorgeous. I love all the old buildings mixed with new. Very pretty.
We stayed in a hotel right smack in the middle of all the hustle and bustle, and there was a lot of it! It was the weekend of the Bloomsday race. Do you know what that is? I didn't until last week. Not sure how I'd never heard about it, because it is a HUGE deal. Like 55,000 people racing HUGE! Like some of the fastest runners in the world from Kenya, Ethiopia, the Olympics HUGE! They were all over our hotel and we could see the main part of the convention center from our window, so we had fun doing a LOT of people watching!
It was a fun weekend until Dirk puked the whole way home.
I have to say, I never realized Spokane was such a cool city! I guess I've never really ventured in to downtown much. I absolutely loved it! Riverfront Park is so awesome and beautiful. The buildings downtown are gorgeous. I love all the old buildings mixed with new. Very pretty.
We stayed in a hotel right smack in the middle of all the hustle and bustle, and there was a lot of it! It was the weekend of the Bloomsday race. Do you know what that is? I didn't until last week. Not sure how I'd never heard about it, because it is a HUGE deal. Like 55,000 people racing HUGE! Like some of the fastest runners in the world from Kenya, Ethiopia, the Olympics HUGE! They were all over our hotel and we could see the main part of the convention center from our window, so we had fun doing a LOT of people watching!
It was a fun weekend until Dirk puked the whole way home.
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