our exciting weekend

I've been kind of a lazy blogger lately and feel slightly hypocritical about it. Over Christmas I told my sister Melba I wanted her to blog at least every week (mostly because I laugh so hard at her stories) and also set it as a goal for myself. Well, I definitely have slacked in the last couple weeks. Oh well, I can always play the pregnancy card, right?

So the first exciting event is that Adam flew to Hong Kong on Saturday! He's on the law school's international arbitration team and they have a competition there this week. I dropped him off at the airport early Saturday morning. I'll admit I cried at the airport at the prospect of him leaving me 7 months pregnant with a VERY energetic 2-yr old. We're staying with my parents though and they're taking good care of us. Mini LOVES hanging out with Grannie so fortunately she wants Grannie to brush her teeth, get her dressed, change her diapers, etc. Grannie is a good sport!

The other exciting event was our Stake Conference with Elder Perry. It was so wonderful having an apostle speak directly to us and counsel us for our stage in life. As part of Stake Conference, we (Stake RS) prepared dinner for him, Elder Wheeler (the 70 with him) and the stake presidency and their wives between the Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening sessions. So we were able to have dinner with him and I ended up sitting at his table! He was so sweet and gracious. I thought he'd want to sit with Elder Wheeler or the stake president, but as we were sitting down, he directed Elder Wheeler to a different table and turned to the clerk (a student) and said, "C'mon clerk, you're with me!" So Elder Perry sat with 2 student couples plus me (Adam was already gone) and was totally interested in our lives and situations. It was such a wonderful opportunity to interact with an apostle and see the caring way he treated each of us.

One interesting theme he hit on at every session, and even at our table during dinner, was that of being willing to get of Utah. He counseled us wives to change our mindset about having to stay in Utah and advised us to support our husbands in opportunities other places. He talked about how he lived in Idaho, Cali, NY, and Boston and met wonderful people everywhere they went. He also pointed out that there are 2000 high priests in Cache Valley (where he's from) and he wouldn't have had the same opportunities in the Church if he'd stayed there forever. I felt like he was speaking directly to me, because I've felt hesitant to leave the comfort of family and home. At least he didn't say you HAVE to support your husband if he wants to join the FBI. :) (see my last post...)

Comments

Mimi Collett said…
Yay! A Martha post! :) I am glad to hear you get to stay with your parents while Adam is gone. That would be a lot to deal with (pregnancy plus Mini plus being alone). That is so cool that you got to eat dinner with Elder Perry! I loved stake conference. It's interesting. Jeff and I have been SO focused on only moving back to where our families are that we kind of related his talk to us too. Neither of us are from Utah, but we desperately want to get back to the Midwest. At one point, we even said we would turn down jobs outside of the US. I know he was talking about Utah, but it made me think that families are forever, and there are so many wonderful ways to communicate, that Jeff and I really should be willing to serve the Lord anywhere a job may take us. Even if it means continuing to miss all the baby blessings and Easter dinners and other fun events all of our other siblings are enjoying with our parents.
Deanna said…
How incredible that you got to eat dinner with Elder Perry! I'd love to talk to you more about it.
Jentry said…
What interesting council. I have to admit that living outside of Utah and experiencing the church outside of Utah has been a great blessing. I keep getting reminded that my experience in the single's ward and at Brighton was a training for me to go and share my experiences with others. I am also hooked on living in the mission field. It is really awesome to have 3-4 families that are recent converts to the church and help them gain stronger testimonies. You also get to bond so much more with the missionaries, and they expect you to help them out as well. Not that this situation didn't happen in Utah, you just feel so much more connected to it outside of Utah. I'm sure you experienced these feelings in China and on your mission. You will be fabulous and a blessing wherever you guys end up.
*Meg Larsen* said…
Eric and I talked about that comment a lot too--and we both agree that he's the more hesitant one when it comes to getting out and being adventurous! Getting out of Utah is certainly not a problem, but I don't want to feel like i have to live right by family in order to be happy. There is so much to experience and so many opportunities; i would hate to limit myself by deciding that i could only live in a certain place or have a certain job.

but no, i don't think you have to fall in love with the FBI!
The Brymers said…
That is sooo cool! I wish our conference theme was being willing to leave Utah. WILLING?! Ha! I think a lot of us transplants are itching to get out LOL. No I'm kidding, Utah is cool, but your post makes me feel not so guilty about wanting to go back East :)
Well Martha, I'm so excited to finally see how you're doing, and it sounds like you're doing well. Congratulations on being pregnant. Your experience with Elder Perry sounds awesome, I'm so glad you had that chance to sit with him. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your life.

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