I Stand All Amazed

I Stand All Amazed is the title of one of my favorite hymns that we sing in the LDS church.

You can listen to it here if you would like to.

(It's kind of a cheesy YouTube video, but it's the version of the song that I sing in church sometimes)

I chose this title for this particular blog post because that's really how I feel right now.

I stand all amazed at the love my Savior shows me.

I stand all amazed at the great blessings and opportunities He give to me.

One of those opportunities happened over the weekend.  I was able to attend the General Women's Conference for our church at the Conference Center.  This meeting happens every fall.  Usually we just go to one of our church buildings and watch a broadcast of it, but this year our Stake had the opportunity to be in the audience at the Conference Center.  I love this beautiful building and I feel so fortunate to live so close to it.

I just recently had to give up one of my most favorite jobs in the whole world.  In one of the foyers of this building sits a beautiful Steinway grand piano.  I had the pleasure of playing that piano once a month for people to listen to and (hopefully) enjoy as they tour the conference center.  I tried to make it there through chemo, but had to take a little break.  I was able to go back a few times at the beginning of the year, but it got to be too much.  I have been doing it for 4 years now and sadly, had to say goodbye to it.  The only thing that gives me a little bit of joy about this is that now someone else will be able to fill my spot and experience the peace and joy that comes from playing that piano.  I loved it and I will miss it.

But I have gotten off track a bit.

I wanted to talk about how amazed I felt at that meeting.  As I looked around at the thousands of other women there (I think the conference center can seat like 25,000 people), I had a sudden rush of love for all of these women...my sisters.  I knew a handful of them that were sitting by me, but the rest I did not.  Still, I love them and I just sat there and thought about what could be going on in their lives.  What battles are they facing?  What joys are they experiencing? 

I saw one woman there with a beautiful scarf on her head and wondered if she was fighting a battle against cancer or if she was battling some other disease.  I felt an immediate connection with her, even though she didn't see me and I never spoke to her.

The whole meeting was filled with wonderful talks and feelings in my heart that were overwhelming at times.

I was sitting in the same room as a Prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson.  Sure it was a very big room, but I could see him and feel of his love.

It was amazing.

If you get a chance, you should listen to the whole meeting, but if you only have a moment to spare...

here is President Henry B. Eyring's talk.  Love him, and I love these words he shared with us.

Enjoy!