Women's conference

I remember when I was 11 or so my mom taking me to the General Woman's meeting. We went to the Parley's Stake Center and I don't remember much of what was said, nor do I remember who spoke. All I remember is I had a good a time with my mom and then we went to Marie Calendar's for dinner and pie. Shortly after I attended that meeting the decision was made to split the meetings to a General Relief Society meeting and a General Young Women's meeting. 

I vaguely remember attending the YW meetings, but I do remember joining again with my mom in September 1997 when I was old enough for the RS meeting. Again, I don't remember much of what was said, or who spoke, but I do remember being with my mom.

Full disclosure, when the Church announced last year that they were bringing back the General Women's meeting I was a bit nervous. I was excited but at the same time inviting all women and girls over the age of eight? There are days I struggle to get my girls to pay attention in an hour of church let alone a 90 minute meeting. I was willing to try though and the girls and I talked a lot about it and how special it was. 

We had planned to attend at our local meeting house but my mom called and said she had gotten tickets to attend in the conference center. We jumped at the chance and so last Saturday saw the girls and I with sisters, cousins, nieces, and grandma's heading downtown to a rather historic meeting. 

We got there fairly early to ensure parking and to get our seats. I had the girls bring notebooks to doodle in while we waited and that seemed to come in handy as we had to wait an hour and change for the meeting to start. 

The girls got excited when the choir started filing in their seats and  got super excited when the first presidency walked in. 

I had the privilege of sitting next to a woman from Switzerland who spoke French and Spanish. There came a point in the meeting when she and I both started crying and we just put our arms around each other. It amazes me how much the spirit of sisterhood/womanhood can just permeate a room. Laine on the other hand thought it was really weird that I was hugging a stranger and crying with her.

All in all I am sure that in twenty years my girls won't remember who spoke or what was said but they will remember attending a meeting with their mom, aunt, cousin, and grammy-to me that is what is most important.