When I learned that Time Out For Women was coming to my home town on my birthday, I took it as a sign that I should attend. Of course, I am glad that I did.
On Friday night the musical talent was Jenny Oaks Baker a charming and talented violinist. I just found out (Wikipedia) that she is the daughter of Dallin H. Oaks. She was 1st violin for the National Symphony for years, but left it to have more time with her family. She told us about the last night she performed with the symphony. The other members didn’t know it was her last night, but I think it was the last night of the season. They were all saying regular good-byes, but she knew she was saying GOOD BYE. She went out to her car and cried. While she was sobbing, there came a tap at her window. Although she wasn’t feeling very sociable, she talked to the (stranger to her) woman who had come to tell her how much she had enjoyed the performance. Jenny told her why she was so upset and crying. The woman understood completely what she was feeling because she, too, had given up an exciting ‘dream’ career to be with her family. Jenny knew that Heavenly Father had sent her a sympathetic ear.
Ardeth Kapp -
possibly my favorite of the evening : “You may not be able to go back and make a new beginning, but you can go forward and make a new end.” Powerful stuff.
She quoted M. Russell Ballard on the role of women ‘We do need women who rejoice in their womanhood and have a spiritual confirmation of their identity, their value, and their eternal destiny. Above all, we need women who will stand up for truth and righteousness and decry evil at every turn and simply say, “Lord, here am I, send me.”’
“Hope is a gift from God that comes to us by and through the Holy Ghost.”
Alma 7:11 was quoted more than once over the weekend reminding us our our Savior and Redeemer’s great love and sacrifice for us and of His deep understanding of each. “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.”
To have hope we need to communicate with the source of all hope.
2 Nephi 31: 19-21
19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
We can go to the Lord.
Boyd K. Packer, “A Message to the Youth of the Church: Personal Revelation—The Gift, the Test, and the Promise,” New Era, Jan 1995,
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