Ten Amazingly Amazing Events from the Great Laney/Mom Trip to Utah 2012

The Salt Lake Temple at night. Beautiful!

Every post I start on this topic ends up getting into long-winded territory, so I thought that I would simplify things and just talk about ten amazing things that I experienced this weekend as Laney and I headed out to Utah for a BYU visit and to attend Conference. Here you go:

1. The Drive

Actually I don't have any great pictures from our mega road trip out to Utah. A lot of it was in the middle of the night anyway, so there weren't lots of great picture opportunities. I will say this ... it is the longest that I have ever driven anywhere without Herman. I was a bit nervous about it. We decided that we wanted to drive straight through without stopping for a hotel at night so that we could get to Utah and then get home faster. It is an eighteen hour trip if you don't ever stop, but in reality it is closer to twenty-four hours. We drove and drove and drove. I made myself stop between midnight and four each day so that I could get some rest at a rest stop along the way, but other than that we drove like maniacs (safe maniacs) to get there. Laney was able to drive a lot, but I am such a nervous nelly that I never fully relaxed as she was driving. She kept assuring me that she was a safe driver, but I always flinched every time she hit the brakes. But we made it. And I loved having the time to just spend with Laney talking about things. It was even nice just hanging out and not talking. I think every mom should plan a trip like this with their daughter. Best part of the trip? We made it to Utah and home alive! And I only got honked at one time. Bonus!

2. BYU Visit

I don't have any picture of this part of our trip either. Weird. Laney and I headed to BYU - Provo as soon as we got into town so that Laney could check things out. We picked the wrong day to come, though. There was a BYU football game against Utah State so the place was packed. So many visitors! We ended up having to park at the temple and walk forever to get to the main campus. My swollen feet were not happy with that, but it was a great walk and a good way to catch glimpses of campus life. Originally Laney wanted to go to see BYU - Idaho first and then compare the two schools, but we just did not have enough time to do that. She got to do that last April anyway, so it was okay. She really seemed in her element as she walked the BYU campus. Because of her time there for EFY she was very familiar with things, and she shared some of her experiences with me as we walked. That was neat. She really does love Provo and the BYU campus there, but she said that she loved the school at Rexburg so much more and it seemed to fit her personality better. She was torn as to what decision to make. I know she wants to make the right one. I told her that I know that she will be happy wherever she goes because it is in her nature to be happy. She wasn't going to make the wrong decision, no matter where she chose, so she just needed to follow her heart and trust herself to make the right choice.

3. Trip to Brighton Ski Resort

This was kind of a last second plan. Laney thought there was a possibility of maybe seeing some friends on Friday evening, so we waited to see if that was going to work out. When it seemed like it wasn't going to happen Laney said that she wanted to go driving in the mountains. After looking online to find the best places I saw that the trip to the Brighton Ski Resort was one of the suggestions. Herman and I went there for our honeymoon nineteen years ago, and we thought it would be fun to head back there. You know what's strange? I don't remember anything about our honeymoon there. My mind is all foggy about it. So when we drove there it was like I was seeing everything for the first time. It was such a beautiful drive! So many times I wished that I could stop the car and just stare at the views. Being with Laney at that spot where Herman and I celebrated the beginning of our eternity together was almost surreal. I thought about everything that has happened in the last nineteen years. When I was there at Brighton for our honeymoon I had no idea that life would take us where we have ended up, but I couldn't have asked for a better path. I love my life! Herman and I are totally going to come back here soon.

4. The Saturday Morning Session of Conference

I have always joked with the kids and said that when the Savior came back it was going to be during the Saturday morning session of Conference because it is so lightly attended. Only the diehards make sure to carve out their schedules so that they are there to see this session of Conference. Well this time it was different. There were so many people there ... more than I've ever seen. We tried to get in the Conference Center through standby tickets, but it didn't happen. We ended up watching in the Tabernacle, which was still way cool. From the announcement by President Monson that the age for missionaries was being changed to the amazing talks by the other general authorities, I thought that this session of Conference was the best overall session I have ever attended. There were so many messages that just struck my heart. I loved it so much, and it was a blessing to share the experience with so many other people in the Tabernacle. If you want to read about the experience I had when listening to President Monson's missionary announcement, check it out HERE. I will never forget it. Never.

5. Seeing Laney Interact with Her Friends

When I was Laney's age I wanted to be popular. That's not really the best goal. With my kids I have always hoped that they would be well liked and respected. Watching them interact with the world has been a treat because it seems like they have avoided all the social missteps that their mother had to suffer through. I especially love to watch Laney as she interacts with others. She has such a light and an enthusiasm for everything, and it shines in her conversations with others. When we stopped by the Deseret Bookstore at Temple Square on Friday night I found Laney talking animatedly with a young woman who looked about fourteen or fifteen. It looked like they had been friends forever. But later Laney explained that she had just met the girl there after Laney asked her what her favorite books to read were. This young woman was thrilled to talk to Laney and ended up getting her facebook name so that she could continue being her friend in the future. So neat to see how Laney's personality affects others. 

I know that Laney really wanted to spend lots of time this weekend seeing some of her EFY friends who were in the area, but it was Conference weekend, and that complicates schedules for everyone. Still, she was able to see Heath and Connor, two of her friends from the last two EFYs she has attended. I really, really love seeing Laney interact with EFY friends. I think there is something a bit magical about what occurs at EFY, and there is a special bond that participants share. Even though I have only met a few of her EFY buddies I hold many of them in very high regard -- from Brennan who puts together the cutest little Mormon movies that I love to watch to Gretchen who seems to be super sweet and righteous and kind in every way to Heath who I am convinced may be the most stellar young man in the Church (if you can make such a judgment call after only hanging out with someone for half a day) -- all of these youth are just amazing to me. And seeing how they love and respect Laney means the world to me as well. I feel like those youth know the real Laney, and it is great to see her feel so comfortable around all of them.

It was fun to see Laney get to spend a bit of time attending a session of Conference with Heath, Conner, and Conner's mom and sister. I have to admit that during this time I was really wishing that Herman was there instead of me. He is so much cooler as a parent, especially as he interacts with the youth. I feel extremely awkward and uncool, so I tried to hang back as much as possible and give Laney space. I don't really think she needed me to do that, but I felt like I needed to. I think Laney would have loved to have spent even more time with her friends, but everything worked out wonderfully, and it was great that she got to touch base with everyone again, even if it was only for a moment.

It isn't just EFY participants who like to spend time with Laney. We got to see a local friend unexpectedly when we finally got into the Conference Center for the last session of Conference. We had taken our seats and decided to get a picture at the bottom of the balcony that showed the choir behind us. As we began to pose for the shot I heard someone squeal "Laney!" (if it is possible for a sixteen year old boy to squeal). One of the young men from our stake was there with some of his family. He was Laney's "brother" when they went on Trek last year, so they are really great friends. I could just see in his face how much he admires and respects Laney, and that is wonderful to see.

So anyway, as a mom I was able to see Laney interact with so many people she admires, and seeing her having grown into such a confident and positive young woman as she enters the world is such a blessing to me.

6. The Sister Missionaries on Temple Square

Between the sessions of Conference the sister missionaries serving on Temple Square stood in a circle, holding signs denoting their country of origin and the language they spoke. Then they each stood and bore their testimony in their native language. I told Laney that if you got called to the Temple Square mission you would know that someone in the Church thinks that you are adorable because each of the sisters who serve there are so stinkin' cute. It was inspiring to hear so many testimonies in so many languages. I loved it!

7. Seeing Conference in the Tabernacle

Our original hope was to score tickets to get into each of the sessions in the Conference Center, but because there were so many people there this time (and because Laney and I were a bit scared to just stand on the corner and beg for tickets) we ended up watching Conference in the Tabernacle a couple of times. It was so neat to be in this building where Conference had been held for so many years. The history alone is amazing. Then to add to that 3000 other people who are watching with you and reacting with you to all that is said ... well, that is a choice experience. So many wonderful experiences while we watched together. Maybe one of the best ones was standing to sing "Called To Serve" during the intermediate hymn on Sunday morning. The people in this church know this song, so they belted it out. The feeling in that room was electric, and I was so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

8. Our Saturday Night Temple Hop

At the Bountiful Temple.

Laney's original plan was to try and do baptisms at all of the temples in the Utah valley. All of them. It is a worthy goal, but logistically there was no way that we were going to be able to pull that off. Instead Laney decided that she wanted to at least go and visit all of them. That seemed a little more doable. After leaving the Saturday afternoon session we headed out. We started north at the Bountiful Temple and made our way south, visiting the Salt Lake Temple as well as the Jordan River, Oqquirh Mountain, Draper, and Mt. Timpanogos Temples. Lots of fun. Sally (our rugged GPS guide) took us on some weird scenic routes to get everywhere, especially Mt. Timpanogos, but we made it, and the temples are so beautiful to see in person. Laney made sure to stop and get some very artistic views of all of them. Although she didn't have time to enter all of them, she was happy to at least get to visit them.

9. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's Talk

Words can't express just how awesome this talk was. I LOVED it!! So, so much. What an amazing account of the Savior and his disciples. I won't say more. You just have to watch it.

10. Getting Answers to Prayers

What I love most about General Conference is that you don't have to actually travel to Salt Lake City to be there in person in order to get the most out of it. Hearing the words of our living apostles as they give us direction and counsel is a great blessing. This weekend I was privileged to get to experience Conference with thousands of other like-minded individuals, but the important messages that I heard were for me and me alone. I felt as if I got direct revelation for my own life and things that I needed to change and refine. I got further witness that Heavenly Father knows who I am and what I need most. I know that Laney came to Conference with some specific questions in mind, and those questions were answered. She KNOWS she is going on a mission. She KNOWS where she will be applying for college (thanks Elder Eyring!). She KNOWS the directions she wants to go in life, and that is very, very important. Seeing her joy at receiving personal answers to the questions she had was inspiring. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to spend time with Laney and experience such a moving, inspirational Conference. I wouldn't choose to do this every six months (even though I know that Laney would love to come out every time) but this was a trip that was valuable and worth it in every way. If nothing else, I feel as if I got the chance to spend quality time with my wonderful daughter who will not be with us for much longer, and these moments are precious to me.