Living Life and Loving It
BYU Takes on Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium
And that was all it took for Becca, Carl and Collins to visit. I invoked my Silver Cougar Privileges and got great tickets for us and after gorging on barbecue (KC Joes) with some of Carl’s family we headed to Arrowhead Stadium.
BYU vs Missouri
BYU vs Missouri
BYU vs Missouri
Unfortunately we lost but it did give us some time with Collins!
Collins at Park
Collins at Park
Collins at Park
Collins at Park
Bob and I enjoyed attending the BYU Alumni Dinner. The guest speaker was Scott Steffensen, associate professor at BYU in the department of Psychology and Neuroscience Center. His research focuses on the neurobiology of addition.
2014 BYU Dinner Flyer
As part of the evening they wanted to show pictures of people from their days at BYU.
Shelley Smith and roommates 1975
BYU Centennial 1975
BYU Centennial 1975
Shelley Smith 1975
Shelley Smith and Clyda Frandsen 1975
Shelley Smith 1975
Shelley Smith 1975
BYU Centennial 1975
I attended BYU Women’s Conference again this year with my good friend Ellen Riley from Boston.
2013 BYU Women’s Conference
We joined about 17,000 other women for two days of guest speakers, great entertainment, service projects, and great companionship.
Session in Marriott Center
Thousands of Women in the Marriott Center for Women’s Conference.
Women’s Conference is a happening and this car seemed to say it all:
Car in parking lot of Women’s Conference.
Women’s Conference is a yearly happening for many women.
Program from Women’s Conference:
It seemed this year I connected with lots of people; i.e. a general session speaker Kevin Worthen (friend of my brother growing up) from Price, Utah- we grabbed good seats for this session and went up after to say “hello”;
Best Seats in the house for this session.
Or a presenter in one class Carol Mikita, mother of my daughter Becca’s good friend Jen Bennion:
Class: “It Is for You . . . to Lead the World and toLead Especially the Women of the World”(President Joseph F. Smith)
President Joseph F. Smith encouraged sisters in Relief Society to lead the “women of the world, in everything thatis praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everythingthat is uplifting and that is purifying to the children of men.” As women of God, we can lead by lifting in our spheres of infuence in our homes, the Church, ourcommunities, and work. What qualities and attributeshelp us to be effective leaders? How can we maintain ourdivinely given female natures, be distinct and different inhappy ways, and also be infuential and effective?
The weather was beautiful this year and the campus was beautiful as usual and of course the mountains-the glorious mountains.
Spring blooms.
Trees in bloom on BYU campus.
A later spring this year created beautiful color on the BYU campus.
The clean beautiful BYU campus.
Scenic view of BYU campus.
A view of my favorite mountain, Mount Timpanogos.
The mountains, the glorious mountains of Utah.
This year we stayed late to catch the evening entertainment:
Evening entertainment in the Marriott Center.
This year in addition to Women’s Conference we also visited
This is the Place Heritage Park
This is the Place Heritage Park
Step back in time and see the West as it was in the early settlement of Utah. Ride one of three trains, the Jupiter, Blackhawk or the 119, as they tour around the Park. Or enjoy a ride around the pond on the mini train. City kids will love riding ponies, meeting and petting farm animals and don’t forget to try your skill at milking Clara Bell the Cow.
Guests love panning for gold. There is no excitement quite like finding a shiny nugget hiding amongst the silt and sand. “Set sail” on the Ship Brooklyn, a one-sixth replica of the original that tells the story of the expedition of pioneers who sailed from New York Harbor over 24,000 miles in search of a new home in the West.
Visit the Native American Village, which celebrates Utah’s heritage before the arrival of the settlers. Authentic Navajo Hogan’s and Shoshone teepees stand in a quiet circle on the hillside. Grind corn and make arrowhead necklaces.
Interact with a blacksmith, tinsmith, and saddle maker and don’t forget to purchase some snake oil from Dr. Quackenbush! Try your hand at some old-fashioned pioneer chores, or at spinning and carding wool. And there’s endless old-fashioned fun from the bucket brigade to the Candy Cannon that shoots salt-water taffy during special events. The streets are alive with a variety of musical performers, and be on the lookout for a train robbery!
Brand new Summer 2013 is Irrigation Station splash pad! Cool off and learn why the Salt Lake Valley “blossomed as a rose!”
The Gift Shop at the Visitor Center is one of the premier destination shopping experiences in Salt Lake City. And theZCMI Mercantile is filled with sweets from yesteryear and loads of goodies. Huntsman Hotel is home to Hires Big H products, there’s an old fashioned ice cream shop with soft serve and flavor burst cones, and Brigham’s Donuts are cooked fresh everyday! A little bit of sugary heaven!
Visit the Mormon Battalion Museum, The Stoddard Gallery and see the iconic Monument that was erected under the supervision of a committee composed of Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish and Latter-day Saint representatives. Visit the Walk of Pioneer Faiths honoring early religious groups and leaders who contributed to the religious diversity of our great community.
I think we visited just about every building in the park:
We attended Education Week at Brigham Young University. We love it and have attended for years. This year was the 90th year of Education Week.
It was held August 13 to 17 in Provo, Utah, and featured more than 1,000 classes presented by BYU faculty members, seminary and institute instructors, and other professionals. Class subjects included education, family relations, genealogy, health, history, marriage, religion, and science
This year’s theme, taken from Proverbs 29:18, is, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
As we drove toward Provo, we could see smoke from all the wildfires that have burned this year.
I have always loved the Brigham Young University Campus because it is so beautiful, the grounds are impeccable and the flowers incredible. But the backdrop of the mountains is something beyond description.
Flowers on the campus of BYU.
Beautiful flowers on BYU campus.
BYU campus.
BYU campus sits at the base of beautiful mountains, making it one of the most scenic college campus’ around!
BYU Campus at the base of the mountains.
BYU Women's Conference, Provo, Utah.
I was again very fortunate to attend Brigham Young University’s Women’s Conference. BYU hosted more than 16,000 women from around the world Thursday and Friday, April 26-27, during the annual BYU Women’s Conference. This year’s theme, “And They Were Armed with Righteousness and with the Power of God in Great Glory,”comes from 1 Nephi 14:14.
The conference, co-sponsored by the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, featured speakers covering a variety of topics along with activities such as service projects, an instant choir, book signings and an evening concert.
After two days of instruction, service and a little bit of entertainment, thousands of women from all over the world left the Brigham Young University campus “recharged” and “renewed” Friday afternoon.
There were thousands who filled the Marriott Center to listen to Elder Andersen and his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, speak during the closing session of Women’s Conference at BYU.
“While the battle rages, we need not fear,” Elder Andersen told the group of women. “The Lord will help you, your family and others you love who need special help. We know the outcome. The Savior will triumph over all.”
Drawing from the conference’s theme taken from a scripture in The Book of Mormon — “And they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” — Elder Andersen spoke of how individuals must be armed as they fight in the spiritual war raging for the souls of men and women.
“We recognize the enemy and understand his plan,” he said. “The pride of the world seeks to destroy faith by casting doubt on the existence of God, or, if not his existence, his personal care and concern for his children. ”
It is through being armed in righteousness that individuals are able to feel the power and promises of God, he said. And it is through taking the Savior’s name upon oneself that individuals are able to be converted and act as a disciple and defender of Christ.
“Think about the journey of your own conversion and discipleship through the years,” he said. “When you are more sensitive in taking his name upon you … you see more clearly, sense more deeply your identity as a daughter of God, and realize in greater measure the purposes you have accomplished, are accomplishing and will yet accomplish.”
Even in times of difficulty, individuals can find peace and happiness as they arm themselves with righteousness and unite with others. Because of this, individuals can look to the future with faith, Elder Andersen said.
Once again, I got to attend with my friends; Ellen Riley from Massachusetts and Linda Esplin from Phoenix. It is one of my favorite things I do each year!
We have attended together for three years and every year it has snowed. This year was the warmest so far but we did get snow in the foothills around Salt Lake City, with rain in the valley. My favorite mountain, MT. Timpanogos had a lot of snow on it as you can see from the picture.
