The only sure things in life are death and taxes.

And the gospel and Christ.

But it's a funny saying.

My dad helped us do our taxes today. Such a relief, 'cause I was really starting to feel like that woman on the Turbo Tax commercial who freaks out when some guy asks her if she knows what time it is. "YES, I know what time it is! I'm aware, okay?? I don't need the pressure!" But now they're done, we can mail them off, and we can get a hefty (for financially challenged us) little return. Yay!

And we're HOME! I love visiting Sacramento. It's so green and colorful and filled with TREES. There are no freaking trees in Idaho! Seriously! Whoever said wide open spaces are so great was nuts! Wide open spaces have nothing in them! And it was 91 degrees today! I'm not saying I like it super hot, but there are still piles of snow in Idaho, for pete's sake!

Gas is expensive. People get stupid when they get behind the wheel. But we want to live here. I'm going to be so sad to go back to Idaho next Sunday. I want out! LET ME OUT!

By the way, if I ever did lose three pounds (which I doubt), it's probably already back with a few more buddies, because between finals, moving, clean check, and coming here, we've been eating garbage, nutritionally speaking. And my parents spoil us to death here, so it's not looking good. But I won't say no to being spoiled.

I LOVE Conference!

Alpha and Omega

The First Presidency of the Church: 1st Counselor Henry B. Eyring, left, 2nd Counselor Dieter F. Uchdorf, right, President Thomas S. Monson, sitting.

Today and tomorrow are the 178th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. All the general authorities of the Church come together in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, and the prophet, First Presidency, twelve apostles, and others speak to the world. We believe that they speak with authority from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ themselves, as Their ordained servants. We believe that anything they say, we should consider to be the word of God as surely as if He had called them on the phone right before their talk and instructed them, word by word, what to say.

So far today we've received instruction on how to be better parents, how to better appreciate diversity, how to make our homes havens for our children, that we should remember and treasure our sacred experiences, that we should create righteous traditions in our homes, and that's just in the first session. We had the opportunity to stand, wherever we were all over the world, and sustain the general authorities of the Church. It was a very special experience for me to be able to raise my right hand and physically witness that I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. Isn't that incredible? So many people believe that the heavens are closed, and that you can just kind of go along your merry way, and it doesn't matter what you do. We know that the Lord has a true and living church, continually receiving revelation, and that we have a prophet who counsels us on what the Lord Himself wants us to do. No questions. No interpretations. No arguing. No competition, someone else claiming they're right and he's wrong. Perfect unity and peace.

I wish I could describe how I feel when I watch Conference, when I see these good and true men and women, who love and serve God, and when I listen to what they tell us--often practical counsel for dealing with modern situations accoring to the teachings of the gospel. I don't feel like jumping up and dancing, or yelling, or raising my arms to the sky. I feel the Spirit of the Lord so keenly, so peacefully, filling me up. I almost feel like I'm having hot chocolate poured into me to overflowing; I feel warm and full, and all worries and doubts disappear. Literally; I can't work up a worry for the life of me. I know that the Lord loves me, and that this is his true church. I know it. I know that by following the words of these men, I'm following the will of the Savior, I'll be happy (though it won't make life magically easy), and I'll be able to return to my Father in Heaven. And I feel an actual, physical ache to share that happiness with everyone in the world who doesn't know it also.

Joseph Smith's First Vision

My favorite. Lost Lamb

I don't know how often people I don't know look at this blog. I know it happens sometimes. For anyone who would like to know more about Conference and the Church, please look at http://www.mormon.org/ and see if your questions can't be answered. Read with your spiritual eyes, listen, and see if you can't hear the Spirit whispering to you through peaceful and good feelings that it's true. I know it is. And blog or not, I say (or write) these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.