This weekend was my church’s semi-annual General Conference, which I’ve started treating as a complete escape from regular life. I made sure I had ample provisions prior to Friday night, and when I woke up Saturday morning, I immediately relaxed knowing I didn’t have to go anywhere until Monday morning.
I made pumpkin waffles, chowder, a chocolate sheet cake, and rolls (twice–the first recipe didn’t rise, so I went back to my mom’s recipe). I did laundry. I did just the bare minimum of school work, making sure I had lesson plans done for the coming week.
And I watched four 2-hour sessions of the conference on my television. I heard some excellent talks about Jesus and grace and practical advice for how to be a better Christian.
The next two weeks are so busy–regular school responsibilities, a reading in Omaha, parent-teacher conferences, and a short trip to Utah–so I’m glad I spent this weekend in solitude and reflection. I’ve heard it’s good to occasionally retreat from life when facing something brand new on the horizon.
Sounds like you’ve had a yummy General Conference experience! That’s great. I agree, t’s nice to have time to ponder and reflect by yourself. For most of the weekend, I spent it with my friends and my stake watching the sessions save for the last one. It’s too late to broadcast that in the chapel.
What was one thing to you this time around? If you don’t mind me asking 🙂
P.S. Have you got recipes for the treats above? If I’m only allowed one, I pick the pumpkin waffles?
Hi Kynna! I have a hard time remembering specific messages until I read them later, but I know I was encouraged by the many references to grace. I don’t think we talk about that enough at church.
Here’s the pumpkin waffle recipe! (The chocolate cake is just Pioneer Woman’s recipe…it’s the best one out there.) https://pumpkinwaffles.wordpress.com/ultimate-pumpkin-waffle-recipe/
Hi, this is Michelle. You signed a copy of your book for me at King’s English here in Salt Lake. I just finished it. While your writing is very sporadic and disorganized your message is very sincere. Yet, I was troubled how you managed to get away with living with a man for four months and not be excommunicated. I served an LDS mission too. I also blog about being single at http://www.oldmaidmormon.blogspot.com and right now my ultimate goal in life is waiting for Sheri Dew to die so I can become the world’s oldest living virgin. You really need to read Jon Birger’s book (which I also just finished reading tonight) “Date-onomics” which contains a chapter on the “Mormon Dating Crisis” which President Monson and the rest refuse to acknowledge. There is nothing wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with me. There is nothing wrong with my other 25 LDS never married girlfriends, college roommates and mission companions who are still single and amazing, like us. By giving up my food service jobs that required me to work on Sundays, moving in with my Mom and stepdad (you are SO LUCKY your temple married parents never divorced) so I wouldn’t be so depressed and lonely (There’s also a piano here for me to play) hanging out with my two best girlfriends (both 15 years younger than me) throwing myself into my calling teaching adorable primary kids, singing in my ward choir, performing two solos in sacrament meeting by request and babysitting my two favorite nephews plus finding little ways to serve others and be a friend helps make up for not having an eternal companion to share my life with. I have emotional meltdowns too. Your book made me cry (but not for the poor cohabitating homosexuals as I am against cohabitation, why do you think I bit the bullet and became a boomerang child?) and I also gave up on online dating years ago because being a child of divorce teaches you something. Anyway, the church really needs to create some kind of social support network (like Affirmation) because there are literally thousands of straight, single, never married Mormon women out there who want to get married too. Don’t we deserve equal treatment? Anyway, thanks for writing your book. It gets better in the sequel, right?
Michelle–thanks for reading!
I agree that some kind of social support network, or at the very least an acknowledgment single LDS women exist, is long overdue. I’m glad you’ve been able to create a fulfilling life–I think one element of that support network could be helping single men and women create fulfilling lives regardless of finding a spouse.