Soapbox, Conference and BBC!

This post is going to be a little different for me. I usually keep my opinions to myself unless I feel very strongly about it. It's not that I don't care about things enough to argue them, but I've found that it never works....or rarely works. I'm not saying that you shouldn't stand up for the things you believe in, I just tend to be a little more silent. With that said, I'm going to share some opinions that I've been holding in for a little while and just want to put them out there. 

I was slightly nervous that the focus of conference this April would be that a woman finally prayed. While I think that is great, I can honestly say that I never really noticed that women weren't saying the prayers. I don't think this makes me anti-feminist or anything but I just didn't care that much. I have never had a situation in church or regarding the gospel where I felt I wasn't being treated equally. I realize that in our church women don't hold the priesthood and therefore have different callings than men. I have never had an issue with this...but this is just me. I have always been fine with men holding the priesthood and in recent years I have been very grateful for it. I struggle letting people help me or depending on others for things and this is one area that helps me overcome that. I don't want to be fully dependent on others but I have to realize that I'm not able to do everything myself. In having to turn to a worthy priesthood holder it helps me remember that I have to turn to God and ask for help also. I really struggle letting go of control sometimes....! Anyways, This was just a random little side note that I've been stewing over since the whole wear pants to church day...that to me was just ridiculous but again...that's my opinion and it's coming from someone who has never felt forced into wearing a dress....although, when I was younger it was a struggle because I would've been happy in my holey shorts...I didn't have much style as a child! I still don't feel forced into a dress, in fact, I like dressing up on Sunday and having so many options of what to wear. 

Alright....I have stepped off my soapbox and now will talk about something nice! I worked today, so I didn't get to watch conference. I  watched yesterday and have started listening to today's session. I started with Pres. Uchtodorf and WOW! What a talk! I mean, WOW! I loved it, and I still have more talks to listen to. I love talks about light and darkness and how it relates to our lives and Christ. It doesn't matter how many times I've heard talks similar to it, it still hits me. For quite a long time, I've had a love for lighthouses and parallels between them and Christ. I love the hope, relief, and peace that I think come with lighthouses. That might be more of the feelings that one one a ship would think when seeing a lighthouse. If I was lost in a storm or trying to navigate my way home and I finally saw the lighthouse that would guide me home then, those are the feelings I would have. Those are some of the feelings I have when I think of my Savior and the light that he is in my life. I'm never sure if the thoughts I want to share are properly conveyed or if things just sound better in my head...I try though! I love how he said, "Start where you are." I know that I sometimes feel like I have to be at a certain point before I can start over. How silly is that? If you're trying to move past something, whatever it is, you have to start where you are and go forward. I think I needed to be reminded of that simple yet powerful truth. The rest of his talk was just amazing and I will listen to it again. I still need to finish the rest of the Sunday sessions though. 

Other random thoughts from the day. I started watching the BBC show Emma with my roommates. I've got say, I have a weakness for BBC shows and a weakness for Jane Austen BBC shows. They just do such a good job and I always love watching them. I'd say I'm a closet romantic but I don't know if that's truly a secret...who knows. I did love the show. It was full of a little humor, heartache and good old-fashioned romance! I just love how well Jane Austen wrote women...full of quirks and craziness! Just kidding.....Every time I watch those shows I very briefly wish that I lived during that time but it quickly fades and I'm grateful that I live now! If you love those kinds of shows, I highly recommend it! Also, if you love British humor, I'd also recommend a show called Spy. It's hilarious, and the episodes are short, I LOVE IT!!!