Sometimes it's good to remember...

....and stop and pay tribute to some of the events that define us. My mission did just that and it was today's conference that helped me remember how much this time of my life really meant to me and how it changed me forever. For eighteen months (May '05-Nov.'06) I was in Salt Lake City serving at Church Headquarters in the Translation Department. After Scott died, I immursed myself in Lauri and Traci's lives and we enjoyed living like "roomies" for a couple of years then Lauri went on her mission and Traci went off to BYU and then Traci got married and moved.....and I was left all alone and got restless so considered a mission but felt like I would just be running away from reality but Gawain reassured me I wouldn't be running "from" something but "to" something and I told Bishop Robison when he approached me about it that I couldn't afford it and he said that was not an excuse and before I knew it my papers were in and the call came and Traci and Russ drove me to the post office to pick it up 'cause I was too impatient to wait any longer (it got delayed in processing)  and I ripped my envelope open with none of the usual fanfare like the young'uns do and was called to Salt Lake City to the Translation Department of the church and it might as well have been a foreign mission 'cause I'd never heard of such a place before.

I went up and secured a tiny little apartment on Capitol Hill just a bit north of Temple Square and my sweet sis helped me make the move. Kyle and JoEllen were living in Salt Lake and they helped me a lot to get settled in and adjusted to my new surroundings. There were some pretty tough times getting adjusted. I'm not going to sugar coat it but I finally adjusted and I must say that these were very defining times for me as I learned how to be alone and independent...(but, like I said, it wasn't easy). Probably the hardest thing I've ever done, but I learned that...."I can do hard things". My first day on the job I remember leaving in tears and going down to the JSM Building and sitting alone and crying, praying and begging for help...it was so hard. I didn't think I could ever learn all they were asking me to do but then pulling myself together, going back to the 21st floor and announcing to my co-workers...."If this were a paying job, I'd be outta here tomorrow....but it's not so I'll give it one more day". And I did give it another day and many more and amazing things happened. I got to be around amazing people all day, people who knew many languages and people who were so spiritual and so smart. I got to see how the business part of the church is organized and run...a well oiled machine to say the least. Today reminded me of the time during conference that I would get to go behind the scenes and help the translators.

The "Tunnel" is located up behind the Tabernacle Choir and we would all gather and make sure the translators had everything they needed. I loved the devotionals we had in the mornings before conference.

I loved the celebrations we would have whenever a translation of the Book of Mormon was completed. Margaret always did a great job of organizing. Exciting times.....I loved it when visitors would come. Spencer even spent a month with me while he was in town for a mini-rotation.

I loved having my mom and Joyce come. It was Neal's wedding and Traci gave birth to Scotty....

I loved living in downtown Salt Lake, a short walk to Temple Square, Abravanel Hall, Capitol Theatre, Gateway Mall...I went to Music and the Spoken Word every Sunday morning. I didn't really even mind the snow.......

But I really liked the Spring and I'm missing being there this Conference Weekend. Such good memories.

So each April and October, Conference takes on a deeper meaning for me and I will forever cherish the time
I spent serving there. Now, as I take a couple of more volumes of my blog to print, my mission will be recorded for posterity. I'm loving the messages and was particularly touched by Elaine Dalton's talk today. This is right up there with my favorite week-ends of the year. Click HERE for more info on the Translation Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Good stuff....