4 Things gleaned at Time Out For Women

When my friends proposed attending Time Out For Women, I was cynical about it. Largely because I am cynical about LDS singers and authors in general and that's pretty much the gist of the event. But I decided to try it out. Who knows, I might learn something valuable (like how to be less cynical).

Plus I really wanted the bag they give out for free.


The FIRST thing I learned is that you can buy the bag there. No one told me that. I could have sent money with someone already attending and skipped the 10 hours of presentations altogether. I could have bypassed the Mormon version of the Sweeney Sister on Friday night altogether. But then I wouldn't have been able to get a hotel with these adorable women and eaten at Pizzaria Bianco.

Secondly, while sister-watching at the convention, which was a line-up of the latest in DownEast Basics fall fashion, I learned my lackluster wardrode needs a shot of accessory. TOFW is all about accessories. (I had been warned about this by an equally cynical sister-in-law.) Apparently, I need flowers. I need necklaces. I need necklaces with flowers. I need tall boots (do I?). Mostly, I need scarves. Scarves everywhere. I'm intrigued with this. Never having used a scarf for anything other than avoiding frostbite while trick-or-treating as a kid in Idaho, the whole notion of applying them as fashion decor is a little foreign.

The theme of TOFW was Choose to Become. "All things are possible to him that believeth." Discover your Possibilities. Bolstered by my accessorizing Mormon cohorts, I believe I can maybe do this. I can wear scarves. I can! I only have 4 months to do it before it's too hot here in Phoenix for a scarf. So I bought this (at DownEast). What was I thinking? It's a stretch I know. But I'm determined I must try. I need help.

So, uh.

What do I wear with a scarf like this? Do I need to return it and start with something a little less...um, a little less? Do I wear it with a short jacket and go with the layered look? Do I wear it with a simple T? Help?

I'm pretty sure the presenters of TOFW didn't plan on the theme pertaining to scarves. But we can all hear the same talk and take away different things. We all know that.

Third. From Laurel Christensen, my favorite presenter who shared this story. I learned to not be the one thing standing in my way. That resonated with me. I find myself hiding myself. I stand in my way of my goals all the time. For example, I have always loved to write. Always. Why don't I write? What's my hang-up? I don't even blog anymore and I love blogging. I will don my scarf and write. I won't stand in my way.

Fourth. From Kris Belcher, another favorite presenter. As a young mother, Sister Belcher had cancer that caused blindness. She taught that we can overcome anything with faith. My favorite quote from her was Focusing on the darkness doesn't get out out of the darkness. We need to focus on Christ. She said people tell her all the time how strong a person she is because God wouldn't give you this trial if He didn't know you could get through it. She said that isn't true. God gives us trials all the time that we can't get through by ourselves. That's why we need the Atonement. That's why we need His help.

That's what I really went to TOFW to learn.

The need to accessorize is probably secondary to all that.