Conference Weekend

I know this is a delayed post but I keep getting distracted every time I start trying to update. I apologize in advance that this post is pretty scattered feeling. Oh well. So this last weekend, conference weekend, was a lot of fun but pretty busy. Derrick's parents came into town on Friday and we had fun seeing them throughout the weekend.

On Friday night after Derrick finished a test, the four of us had Cafe Rio at Derrick's grandparents' house (they live by the stadium). After dinner, we headed over to a stake center by the temple for Derrick's mission reunion complete with slide show and other nostalgia for those who served in the New York, Utica mission. It's obvious now that I'm pregnant and at one point Derrick's old mission president's wife told me that I'm either pregnant or really fat. It was pretty funny. I wished I'd thought to play it off like I was offended and not pregnant.

Saturday morning my sister Melissa and her fiance Nate came over for breakfast and the first session of General Conference. We had homemade waffles with strawberries, muffins, and juice. It was amazing to participate via KBYU in the solemn assembly especially since I don't have any memory of the last one. I loved watching President Monson watch everyone sustain him. What a scary calling to be the prophet. I'm glad that in the solemn assembly we get to practice common consent and for those in the meeting, show the prophet that we accept him as the Lord's chosen prophet. I've grown up listening to President Monson in different conferences and meetings and I could definitely see a difference now that he is our prophet. I miss President Hinckley but I have a testimony that President Monson is the man who God has chosen to lead His church at this time.

Immediately after the morning session of conference we said goodbye to Nate and Melissa and headed up with Mom and Dad Bowen to the conference center to watch the afternoon session. A weird thing was that we never saw or heard any protesters. Maybe it was just the direction we walked.

We hurried back to Provo after the session was over so Derrick and Dad Bowen could meet up with family to watch the Priesthood session of Conference and so I could try and set up for Melissa's bridal shower which started at 6 pm. Melissa's roommate Emily was great and had most everything set up before I got there (which was good since I walked into Melissa's apartment as the shower was starting). We played some games, ate banana splits and gave Melissa presents. It was a pretty regular bridal shower but Melissa seemed to have fun and only get a little embarrassed :). Here are a couple of pictures I took:

After hurriedly cleaning up I rushed over to Kirsten (Walker) Burningham's apartment for the second half of her baby shower. I know her from my semester at Nauvoo and got to see a few other people who I haven't seen since that semester ended. It was a lot of fun to catch up and see how much people have changed. For those who also went to Nauvoo, Kirsten is going to have a boy in May and Natalie is due in August. It was actually funny how many pregnant people were at the shower. I guess that's how things work in Provo.



On Sunday morning we went back over to Derrick's grandparents' house to watch conference wi his parents. After the session was over we had a birthday lunch that Mom Bowen made for me since they'd be back in Colorado on my real birthday (the 9th). Thanks again Mom, it was really good! They left to drive home to Colorado after lunch and we went back to our apartment where we were joined by Jason (brother), Melissa (sister), and Nate (almost brother-in-law) for the afternoon session. We had plenty of food since there were so many leftovers from Melissa's bridal shower. I love having family so close by.

One thing that really stood out to me in the last session of Conference was President Monson's request that we pray for him. To put it in his words: "My dear brothers and sisters, I love you, and I pray for you. Please pray for me. And together we will reap the blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for each one of us. This is my prayer, my plea as I add my testimony. This work is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." I love President Monson. He is truly the prophet called of God on the earth right now. He's got such a big responsibility and we all need each others' prayers.

(I'll admit that I "back-blogged" (post-dated) this entry:) )