Congratulations to Holly, who was the winner of the pre-screening tickets to see Ephraim’s Rescue. Yay, Holly!

And I have a question. Actually two. I’m working on a class for youth about recognizing the Spirit.

1. I’m compiling a list of the many ways that the Spirit speaks to us. For me it’s most often through a feeling of reassurance/certainty about something I’m learning and also promptings (which I like to refer to as an idea with teeth that kind of presses on your mind). Can you help me round out the list by adding some of the ways that you have received revelation in your life? I want to show that there are many, many ways that our Heavenly Father communicates with us, and it’s not the same for all people or even for the same person all the time.

2. How have you taught your children or youth to recognize the Spirit? I need a variety of ideas/thoughts/resources since there is such a variety in the ways God speaks to us through the Holy Ghost.

I love doctrine. Here are two recent reads I got from Deseret Book, both written by current apostles:

21 Principles: Divine Truths to Help you Live by the Spirit” by Elder Richard G. Scott. Elder Scott offers 21 principles distilled from his life experiences. These “concentrated truths” will help you understand more fully how to be guided by the Spirit. Elder Scott’s brief explanations open the way for your own discovery and exploration.  I really like this book. There are so many poignant quotes and thoughts and it’s a great, concentrated resource about what is and how to live a spirit-driven life.

“One Drop at a Time: A Message for Women” by Elder M. Russell Ballard.  Do you sometimes wonder if your little efforts could possibly make any difference at all? Consider a simple example from nature.

I would say this book is mostly a “gift book” because it’s short, decorative, and as far as I can tell, basically a lovely reprint of his recent talk “Be Anxiously Engaged.”

Other books: These are kind of random shares I wanted to pass along. When I was doing my own book signing for Covenant Motherhood at the BYU Bookstore during Women’s Conference, I got to share a table with Elyse of SixSistersStuff.com, who was selling their new cookbook. She was really nice and it was fun to get to know her a little, but I didn’t pick up the book because it was a cookbook and they scare me.

Well just a week or two later, I won a copy of their cookbook as a door prize at an event I went to, and I have to confess, I’m pleasantly surprised. The recipes look like great family meals and the ingredient lists and instructions seem really simple. So I’ve decided I’m going to incorporate it into our summer plans by working with one child a night to make dinner. I think the recipes will be simple enough that they can join in and feel like they’re really being chefs.

Because my calendar has been so busy over the last month or so, I’ve done quite a bit of reading for pleasure just as an escape. I love Jane Austen. That’s no shock to anyone who’s read my blog before. I’ve read some Austenesque knock-offs before, and I’ve enjoyed some of them. (Most just can’t measure up to the originals in that genre.) I had heard good things about Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson, so I picked it up and read it recently. In a day. I loved it. It’s probably the best modern-written, Regency-set one I’ve read. So if you’re like me and you’ve heard of it, but haven’t picked it up, you should. Oh, and it just won the best Romance novel of the year at the Whitney Awards last week.  (My friend, Melanie Jacobson, had two books that were finalists in that category because she’s crazy talented. If you like more contemporary, sassy romances, you need to check her stuff out, too.)

Okay, moving on to movies.

Do you like movies that make you weep and thank your lucky stars that you were not a pioneer? Well, I was recently invited to meet the director and lead actor for the new film, Ephraim’s Rescue.

I’m ashamed to say that I was almost wholly unfamiliar with the incredible story of Ephraim Hanks. I think this movie is going to be super powerful, so you know, bring your tissues. It opens in several Utah theaters on May 31.

And finally, prizes. At that movie preview/launch event, Deseret Book offered to let me give away to my own little blog-reading friends two tickets to see a pre-screening of Ephraim’s Rescue. How cool is that? There will be special screenings in St. George (5/25), Ogden (5/28), Logan (5/29), and Orem (5/29). If you’d like to win tickets to that very cool, exclusive event, leave a comment below. Update: I’ll do a drawing for this winner first thing this Saturday morning.  Make sure you leave a valid email address when you sign-in so that I can contact you right away and get you in touch with your tickets on time.

For the win: In the comments, tell me your favorite movie that makes you cry every time. (Please just don’t say “The Notebook.” I’ve never seen it, but people are always saying how it makes them cry, and for some reason, I have an aversion to sobbing while cheesy people are kissing in the rain.)  Ready? Go!

“Do the best you can through these years, but whatever else you do, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones. …

“Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.”  –Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Because She Is a Mother”

Then today, I have a piece up over at LDS Living that highlights some of the reasons why moms should give themselves permission to be celebrated.  It’s called “Hey, Moms: George Washington Wasn’t Perfect Either.” Go check it out and then pat yourself on the back for a minute.

LDS Living is also offering a free e-book for moms that you can download right here.

So do me (and yourself) a favor, and tell me in the comments one thing you do well as a mom, or one good thing you think your children will remember about you. (If it’s really that hard, just ask them. You might be surprised.) I’ll celebrate that with you this Mother’s Day.

In November 2009, I had three small children, ages 6, 5, and 3. I had spent about a year in an intense personal journey to gain a better testimony of my role as a mother. One early morning at the gym, my friend and I had a discussion about the pressures of womanhood and motherhood as we huffed and puffed on the treadmill. My mind sifted through scriptures and I began to put together some thoughts that would later become important ingredients in the book I would eventually write. Many experiences like this one polished my understanding of my divine role. Here is what I learned on the treadmill that day.

…. Read the rest over at Real Intent, where I’m guest posting today.

1. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   Amen! I bear my testimony that God LOVES His daughters. #holyghostsaysso #byuwc #finaltweet
2. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   Blessing from Pres. Eyring: You will feel by the Spirit his appreciation for your faithful service as His friend. #byuwc
3. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   Can I leave “a glorious spiritual heritage” like John Taylor did? Am I a defender of the prophet? #thoughtsinspiredbyEyring #byuwc
4. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   The gift if the HolyGhost in action= the gift he gives all His friends who are offering sanctification. #Eyring #byuwc
5. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   The Lord’s power is greater than all the forces that that oppose His faithful servants. #Eyring #byuwc
6. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   The Lord protects, guides, and watches over those who are His trusted friends. #Eyring #byuwc
7. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   The friend of God is one for whom the Savior died. #Eyring #bookofjohn #byuwc
8. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   He’s here! He’s here! #welcomepresidenteyring #byuwc pic.twitter.com/vRgw07nmJB
9. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 4h

   There are physical and spiritual dangers for us and those we love. We will need divine protection. #presEyring #byuwc
10. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 5h

    Gathering at the feet of a living prophet, seer, revelator. Waiting to hear Pres. Eyring. #thegospelisrestored #byuwc pic.twitter.com/hy4ybSO3Hy    View photo

11. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 5h

    Singing all the longest hymns we know while Pres. Eyring is stuck in traffic. #waitingontheLord #byuwc pic.twitter.com/W6Krv1W55H   View photo

12. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 5h

    Just because I can’t do it today doesn’t mean I can’t do it someday. #carlahansen #byuwc
13. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 5h

    The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The 2nd best time to plant a tree is today. # chineseproverb # carlahansen #byuwc
14. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 6h

    The Lord needs healthy servants. He needs us to run and not be weary. #carlahansen #byuwc
15. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 6h

    Count your blessings, not your blemishes. #katiedavis #byuwc
16. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 6h

    You are worth more than a number on a scale. Your weight is not what defines you. #katiedavis #byuwc
17. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 6h

    If you have a relationship you want to improve, try taking them for a walk. #katiedavis #byuwc
18. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 6h

    D&C 59:19 Food enlivens the soul. Food is not the enemy. #katiedavis #byuwc
19. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

    Men can learn. Men can be taught. They don’t learn from criticism. They learn from a constant, elevating vision. #brosandberg #byuwc
20. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

    Making love begins in the kitchen. (Do the dishes.) #sandbergs #byuwc
21. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

    When we nurture love and friendship and marriage, we create a safe haven and a secure base. #sandbergs #byuwc
22. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

    “Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion.” #eldernelson #sandbergs #byuwc
23. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

    When we love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, it’s manifest in the choices we make. #michelleking #byuwc
24. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    In marriage, we have to avoid negativity just like we avoid pornography. #paraphrased #sandbergs #byuwc
25. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    Charity is a state of becoming. It is a way of life that takes a lifetime to achieve. #michelleking #byuwc
26. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    Choose Joy. #michelleking #byuwc
27. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    We become better and not bitter as we humble ourselves. #michelleking #byuwc
28. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    “The most common problem in marriage is DRIFT. Life will do that to you if you are not intentional.” #sandbergs #byuwc
29. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    “If you want something to last forever, you treat it different.” #elderhoward #sandbergs #byuwc

    NEXT WEEK, I’LL TRY TO TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE UP MY NOTES MORE THOROUGHLY AND SHARE THE MESSAGES FROM THE CLASSES I ATTENDED.  SO, HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND, BUT STAY TUNED….

     

(If you click on the links, it will take you to photos, etc.)

1. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 1h

   Hilary Weeks is the goods. Her love song “I Found Me” made me want to go home and kiss my husband on the lips. #byuwc #deseretbookconcert

    
2. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 2h

   Standing ovation for Les Mis medley. #sandraturley #byuwc #deseretbookconcert

    
3. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 2h

   At Deseret Book concert with Sandra Turley singing “For Good” from Wicked #byuwc #deseretbook #wickedthemusical pic.twitter.com/xVd1CSCFFM

    

   View photo

4. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 3h

   When all these groups of women walk across campus, I think to myself, “THIS is God’s Army.” #weareallenlisted #byuwc pic.twitter.com/DRw8UegGbZ

    

   View photo

5. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 6h

   Because God loves us, He labors to make us loveable. #kevinworthen #byuwc

    
6. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 6h

   Eternal love is so much a characteristic of what makes God God that the apostle Paul taught, “God IS love.” #kevinworthen #byuwc

    
7. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

   Sometimes when we are stretched by our children, we find that we are capable of doing more than we thought we could. #peggyworthen #byuwc

    
8. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

   Sometimes we don’t have time to fast and pray; sometimes we only have time to pray fast. #paraphrased #peggyworthen #byuwc

    
9. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

   Family is ordained of God. It is the most important unit in time and in eternity. #churchhandbook #peggyworthen #byuwc

    
10. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 7h

    Beautiful piano/cello duet, “Lead kindly light.” Wish you could hear it. #ldshymns #byuwc

     
11. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    A loving Heavenly Father listens to our prayers and inspires us what to do to reach a particular child. #sisCallister #pHicken #byuwc

     
12. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 8h

    Keep in mind that children don’t need perfect mothers; children need human mothers that can manage their humanness #motherstylesbook #byuwc

     
13. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 9h

    Teenagers speak another language. Like the brother of Jared, pray to the Lord to not confound their language. #juliegowans #byuwc

     
14. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 9h

    One of the best ways to develop patterns of communication with our children is to build relationships with them. #juliegowans #byuwc

     
15. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 10h

    If the Savior is my greatest champion, am I His? #AMtoone #byuwc

     
16. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 10h

    Heavenly Father expects his daughters to use their influence to change the world, one individual and one family at a time. #AMtoone #byuwc

     
17. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 10h

    Christ gives righteous women more lasting influence than women of the world, especially at the individual and family level. #AMtoone #byuwc

     
18. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 10h

    Christ demonstrated deep familiarity with women’s lives. He appreciated them and ennobled them. #DMK #annemarietoone #byuwc

     
19. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 10h

    Don’t measure your worth or your day by society’s standards. #cherylsavage #byuwc

     
20. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 10h

    This is my stage and my season. I am a warrior. #cherylsavage #byuwc

     
21. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 11h

    You can’t make children behave better by making them feel worse #heatherstephenson #byuwc

     
22. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 11h

    “Grant me the patience to deal with my little blessings” #heatherstephenson #byuwc

     
23. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 11h

    Sometimes your kids don’t need you in their face; they just need you by their side. #aprilmoody #byuwc

     
24. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 12h

    When we live a righteous life, our presence becomes a powerful influence. #aprilmoody #byuwc

     
25. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 12h

    I can control what my presence brings to my family.”If you want peace, yours is the responsibility to obtain it.” -McKay #aprilmoody #byuwc

     
26. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 12h

    Who we are is more important than what we do. Our presence matters. #aprilmoody #byuwc

     
27. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 12h

    Apparently there are alot of us who need a class about controlling our temper. #byuwc pic.twitter.com/jAAxuOjIJ7

     
28. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 13h

    Embrace and own the lives we are given. Find ways to make them useful. #elainemarshall #byuwc

     
29. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 13h

    You cannot live your life in Gethsemane. Jesus was already there. #elainemarshall #byuwc

     
30. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 13h

    The grace is already there; we might as well show up. #elainemarshall #byuwc

     
31. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 13h

    Elaine S. Marshall: All we have to do is press forward with joy to have the only promise we really need: the Lord is with us. #byuwc

     
32. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 13h

    I will be live-tweeting from BYU Women’s conference today. Feel free to follow along. It will almost be as good… http://fb.me/25moXRL6K 

     
33. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 14h

    Sister Linda K Burton: The Lord will be with us even unto the end as we do our part as daughters in the kingdom. #byuwc

     

    Expand

34. Stephanie Sorensen ‏@SD_Sorensen 14h

    Let’s get this party started. Loving crowds of good women. #byuwc pic.twitter.com/vYJQpM1TX0

     

    SEE YOU TOMORROW, FRIENDS.

This week is Women’s Conference at BYU. It is two days of great classes, great speakers, and just an overall great opportunity to get away and feast on the word.

I think you should come. Click here to learn more about it.

If you’re not local or just can’t come, never fear! (“Never fear” makes me feel very superhero-ish.) I will be attending lots of great classes and I plan to blog about what I learn. You can go here to see posts I’ve written about women’s conference classes in the past. Also, this time around, I’m going to try to do something wild and crazy and use Twitter to send out some great quotes and fun experiences. I only created my Twitter account a few weeks ago and I don’t even really know how to use it well, but I’m going to try. My handle (which I think is Twitter-talk for username) is @SD_Sorensen and the hashtag (which is also Twitter-talk for something I totally don’t understand) for women’s conference is #byuwc. So there’s that. Over there ——-> (on my sidebar) there’s a place you can subscribe to follow my Twitter account if  you want to.

If you are going to Women’s Conference, I would love to meet you. I’ll be doing a book signing in the BYU Bookstore from 10:30-12:30 on Friday, so come by and say hello!  Since Mother’s Day is kind of the prime marketing time for my book I have several book signings scheduled over the next two weeks starting tomorrow.  Here’s a schedule in case you’d like to come visit or pick up books for gifts or whatever. If you do come, please introduce yourself.

UPCOMING BOOK SIGNING EVENTS for COVENANT MOTHERHOOD:
Wed. 5/1, 11-1, Lehi Costco
Fri. 5/3, 10:30-12:30, Women’s Conference, BYU Bookstore
Sat. 5/4, 2-5, Sandy Costco
Fri. 5/10, 5-7, Lindon Seagull Book
Sat. 5/11, 2-4, Redwood Road Seagull Book, SLC

After that, I’m going to lay in bed for a few days and let my children bring me chocolate bon bons on a silver platter. I’ll probably actually do lots of laundry and surf Facebook for hours with my eyes glazed over. Either way, I’ll recover.

So, in summary: Come. And if you can’t, stay tuned here on the blog or Twitter, and I’ll try to keep you posted. And if you can’t do that, then just send bon bons. I think that about covers it.

p.s. Special thanks to my husband who takes some time off every year so I can go to Women’s Conference. It’s my Mother’s Day gift.

Nick Galieti, who interviewed me about my book a while back (you can listen to that here), wrote me this morning to let me know that he had written an article about it in the Deseret News.

That was a fun surprise.

There were also a couple other surprises.

The title of the article was “LDS author Stephanie Dibb Sorensen invigorates motherhood with practical doctrine”. I love that he used the words motherhood and doctrine together because that’s really what I hope makes the book different. I tried hard to steer away from fluff and to just show through scripture and personal experiences how our daily mothering is really the doctrine of Jesus Christ in action. The word “invigorates” made me laugh a little because, although it’s a great word and it felt like a compliment, the idea that I “invigorate motherhood” just humors me. I spent several hours this week doing yard work. This made me feel old and sore. Ever since I got home from church today, I’ve been fantasizing about taking a nap. I fantasize about naps on most days. So I don’t consider myself a very invigorating specimen of motherhood, but I’m so glad Nick thinks I am.

The other surprise from the article was the discovery that I apparently speak out loud in very long run-on sentences. I should really learn to punctuate a little bit when I speak. I am a fast talker, especially when I’m nervous, but now I know that I also craft paragraph-sized sentences effortlessly.

Warning: subject change….

I’ve been blogging for a long time, and one thing I’ve learned is how thoughtful and smart my readers are. There are many times that your comments have encouraged me or helped to me to gain insight into circumstances and principles. Some of you may have read a recent post I wrote called “An open letter to two real moms.” Among lots of other run-on sentences, I whined a little about book signings and I shared a few lessons I learned from general conference, including this one:

President Packer testified of the power of mothers’ prayers. Sure that means prayers for our children, but I also think it means prayers when we need help being a parent. God will honor those prayers.

Well, this morning I got a comment on that post that is still in my moderation queue, and I’ve been thinking about it most of the day. I have a variety of ideas, but I’m not sure I know how to answer her. I decided that I’m going to open it up to you to help answer her question.

Where is the help, I need it now! I have been poring out prayers to heaven. They say we have this power as a mother to get help from heaven. Well, where is it. I need it, and have been asking for it for years.

I will allow her to remain anonymous and I will email her and let her know that many wise mothers will be sharing some thoughts with her. Be kind to her and answer as if she were your own daughter, because I think she could use a little “invigorating.” Just share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks, friends.

Okay, so non-fiction. I tend to like stuff that is heavy on facts and doctrine. Not necessarily a heavy read, but I like to feel like it has substance, like it makes me smarter or better. Deseret Book gave me the opportunity to review some of their titles and these are the ones I picked.

This book is a big book. As in 919 pages big. But it is awesome. If you have wanted a way to learn more about the broad spectrum of Church History, this is a really helpful reference. Written by about 100 talented contributors, it has maps, excellent photos, a 700-page enclyclopedia that explains pretty much any person or place or theme mentioned in the D&C, and a 150-page overview that includes the historical background and content summary for all 138 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. It is a really great resource. A little pricey, but use one of those 25% off one item coupons and get it. It has been a really helpful study aid.

God continues to speak His word and reveal His truth, revelations which mandate an open canon of scripture.

So I got to thinking. I want to memorize some of the key phrases and principles that were taught at general conference. Elder Richard G. Scott taught once that:

… memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world.

I want that for me. I want that for my children. Since I’m going to study one general conference talk a week until the next conference, I thought that I could use that opportunity to help my family memorize some phrases from living prophets and apostles. I am going to print out a brief phrase from each talk on the week I study that talk. I will hang it by our kitchen table and we will all say it out loud before family prayer and before each meal prayer. Hopefully we can memorize it by the end of the week.

I went through each talk and picked out a key phrase from that talk that I thought would be easy for my family to memorize, but still packed a powerful doctrinal punch.  I’ll paste them below in case it’s something you’d like to use as well.

Here is an excel file download of the quotes: Conference Mastery

The full text of all the talks can be found by clicking here. General Conference makes me happy. Good luck filling that filing cabinet in your mind full of friends.

Here is an excel file download of the quotes: Conference Mastery

Wasn’t General Conference great? My testimony was renewed, and I walked away with a list of items to work on implementing that I know will bring more power and blessings into my life. I am so grateful for living prophets and apostles. I know God lives and speaks to us today through His servants.

After 9 semi-annual conferences, I’m no longer going to host the online General Conference Book Club here on Diapers and Divinity, but I still hope that people will run with the idea and use it either for personal study or to do a collaborative study with friends. Here’s how it works:

1. Study one talk each week until the next general conference in October. It just so happens that there are exactly the number of talks as there are weeks this time around, so it makes for a really easy fit.
2. You can simply read the talk, or you can mark it up and study it and ponder it throughout the week. Write your thoughts in your journal. Look up all the scriptures quoted in the talk as part of your scripture study for the week. Find ways to apply the teachings in your life.
3. If you decide to get together with others, either online on among friends, you can share your thoughts about the talk, share testimony, and share related experiences and goals. You can meet weekly, which is fairly easy to do online, or you can meet once a month and discuss the 4+ talks for that month. If you do get together as friends, it could be fun to meet up at a favorite restaurant, get together at a home and have refreshments, or tie it in with another fun activity like a game night or something.

I have put together a schedule that you can follow starting next Sunday. The audio and video is already posted, and the text for all talks will be available on gc.lds.org by the end of this week.

If you would prefer to participate in an online discussion group similar to what has been hosted here and aren’t interested in setting up your own community, Becca at My Soul Delighteth will be hosting a GCBC for this round of conference and welcomes your participation there.

This is what President Monson said during the closing remarks of yesterday’s conference:

“I know you will agree with me that the messages have been inspiring. Our hearts have been touched, and our testimonies of this divine work have been strengthened. As we’ve felt the spirit of the Lord, may we long remember what we’ve heard these last two days. I urge you to study the messages further when they are printed…“

I know I have been blessed as I’ve studied the words from conference and tried to understand them, apply them, and internalize them. Whether you do a book club or not, please make a goal to make these talks a priority over the next six months. You won’t regret it.

[P.S. Congratulations to anordinarymom who was the winner of the Covenant Motherhood podcast book giveaway. I'll contact you via email.]

Imagine you are at one of your first dances. You’re standing on the sidelines and there are hundreds of people mingling all around you. You try to look alert and available and smile at people, but no one–no one–wants to make eye contact with you. After you manage to smile at a few boys, they come over and say hi, ask you a few questions about yourself, then half smile and walk away. You do that for two hours, and in the end you danced with a small handful of boys, but the rest of the time you just sweat bullets and tried not to run and hide in the bathroom.

That’s what it feels like to be an unknown author at a book signing.

Tonight I signed books for Ladies Night at Deseret Book. This is an actual picture from my phone of all the people there:

Notice that none of them are looking my direction. It’s okay. If I could throw my name in a hat and win a dozen cinnamon rolls or free books and DVDs, I would have done that too. I don’t blame them.

Okay, so the two moms.

Mom #1 came over to my table, browsed through my book, and said, “Too bad I already failed as a mom. My son’s about to go to jail.” I tried to be encouraging and tell her how my book testifies that parents are not responsible for their children’s agency and should not feel they have failed when children wander. I told her that many general authorities have taught that our covenants have power to reach out after and rescue our struggling children. She just looked at me, crossed her fingers, and walked away.

Mom #2 came over and looked through my book with another lady. Someone else had asked me a question, so I only overheard their conversation. She opened to the table of contents and scanned the list of chapters.  It looks like this.

Introduction: Motherhood Testifies of Christ
Chapter 1: Jesus Christ Creates
Chapter 2: Jesus Christ Teaches
Chapter 4: Jesus Christ Provides
Chapter 5: Jesus Christ Cleanses
Chapter 6: Jesus Christ Defends and Protects
Chapter 7: Jesus Christ Loves and Sacrifices
Chapter 8: Jesus Christ Forgives and Shares Burdens
Chapter 9: Jesus Christ Saves
Chapter 10: Grace and the Covenant
Chapter 11: The Eternal Influence of Covenant Motherhood

And I heard her say, “I want a chapter called Jesus Yells,” and she put it down and walked away. Do you know what I wanted to do to both of these ladies? I wanted to shake them and then give them a hug. But I didn’t. On the way home, I thought about what I wanted to say to them. This is obviously too late, but here goes.

Dear real moms,

I get it. Motherhood is hard. We mess it up all the time. And even when we think we’re getting it right, our kids sometimes choose wrong. Hard. Really hard. But I can’t help but wonder… did you hear the same general conference that I did today? Because there are some powerful truths that were taught that you might have missed because you were so busy believing that you are failing.  Here are just a few I remember off the top of my head:

1. President Packer testified of the power of mothers’ prayers. Sure that means prayers for our children, but I also think it means prayers when we need help being a parent. God will honor those prayers.
2. Elaine Dalton declared that our daily contributions matter and that keeping our covenants will call down the powers of heaven to bless us.
3. Craig Cardon said over and over again that Jesus wants to forgive us when we make mistakes, and He will do it seventy times seven times. He said the Savior allows for improvement over time and doesn’t demand immediate perfection.
4. Elder Ballard told us the parable of the tomato plant and testified that we have unlimited potential. Even when we feel wilted, the light and power of the gospel can nourish us and give us life.
5. President Eyring taught that our simple acts of obedience and service (hello, motherhood) can help us feel closer to the Savior.
6. Elder Scott counseled us to recognize the good in others, not their stains. Mom #1 and Mom #2, recognize the good in yourselves, too, and stop staring at those stains.
7. Elder Cook testified that we can feel peace even in times of disaster and chaos (that means every day from 4-8 pm at my house).

Those are just a few of the things I heard today from men (and women) who we sustain as mouthpieces for our Father in Heaven. I don’t care if you never read my book, but I hope you know that you are not failing if you are trying. The good you do every day is not cancelled out by raising your voice or a child’s bad decision. There’s the Atonement for that. Use it. Believe it. Rely on Jesus Christ. He loves that you are a mother. He loves you. I think you should love you too. That is all. I hope you like the rest of conference tomorrow.  Good night.

Remember when you were little and you used to play with the Record button on your cassette tape player? We even had one with a microphone that I would instinctively hold so close to my mouth that I always sounded like a drive-thru window worker. Didn’t your voice always sound weird? I remember thinking I didn’t sound like me at all. Funny how that works.

Well, today I got the privilege of hearing my own voice in a podcast. Same weird feeling as those cassette tapes long ago. Last week I spoke with Nick Galiete at The Good Word about my book, Covenant Motherhood. I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect, but luckily he was nice to me and didn’t ask me questions that made me look like an idiot … I think.

The whole interview is about 17 minutes long and I did get the chance to share some of my own experiences and my testimony about motherhood.

>>Click here to hear the interview.<<

To be entered in a giveaway and win a copy of Covenant Motherhood (that you can keep or give away for Mother’s Day), listen to the interview and answer this question in the comments here on the blog:  Why did I start blogging?  I’ll turn on comment moderation so I can edit out your answers before I post your comment publicly. I’ll announce the winner Monday morning.

So now I can add radio star to my resume. Sort of. Right up there with “meanest mom ever” (I get that one a lot.) Thanks, Nick. Enjoy the interview, friends.