Just some thoughts

My delightful, 14 year old daughter, Jessica, attended a yearly church youth trip we call Youth Conference last week for the first time.  This year, our stake had scheduled a trip to Nauvoo, IL a wonderful church history site.  She thoroughly enjoyed it and has been talking of little else ever since she got home.  She came home with a crush on a "very cute" boy, took 154 pictures, bought a t shirt, and spent good time with the other youth and wonderful youth leaders in our stake. 

I am grateful she still has those righteous desires and was able to attend this Youth Conference and feel the Spirit that undoubtedly exists at those wonderful places.

On another note, she has been sharing (I both love and hate that I'm the parent that gets to know these things) some things that have been going on with her.  Particularly some of the things she participates in while she is not at a church event.  Just some of the clothes she wears (which she knows are not allowed at my house, so they stay at her dad's), some of the music she listens to, and movies she watches.  I try to be the cool and hip mom that allows her  the room and safety of exploring things and being able to be who she is, but I'm getting concerned.  She will not do scriptures or pray with me anymore, and I find it troubling.  She also shared some things about some of  the other youth in the stake and things they deal with at home, and it brings to my mind the question:

Am I the only one that is not a "Sunday Mormon"?  Am I a "Sunday Mormon"?  Am I expecting too much? 

I do really square things like not watching rated "r" movies, or wearing immodest clothing or, use foul language (although there are some infrequent occasions where my head explodes).  I read scriptures each day or try to, I say my prayers and try my best to be what I am supposed to be.  I see testimony building experiences in my everyday life.  I receive answers to prayers.  I love the church and I love righteous things.

I have a friend or two who are no longer active in the church and seem to no longer believe in such things and if all of these things are going on around me and I have been ignorant to them all of this time, what does  that say about me?  I am happy and do sincerely love the gospel and feeling The Spirit around me, so does any of this even matter?  Interesting thoughts I suppose, but when it comes down to it, I believe whether the people around me do or not, and I will continue to do my best to be who I believe my Heavenly Father wants me to be.  I guess these are the reasons such things as Youth Conference exist--to help the youth build their testimonies and feel The Spirit in spite of the shortcomings of all of us adults and the imperfect beings that we are. 

On another note, the singing group "Vocal Point" was performing in Nauvoo while the kids were there and it is the understatement of the century to say that they were a big hit!  I have tried and tried to upload a video Jessica made of one of  their songs, but it is not working, so you will just have to use your imagination of an accapella group singing "Beat It" with my daughter and her friends screaming in the background.  Trust me, it's cute. 

As well as a picture of my daughter and one of her good friends.  Doesn't it look like they were having fun?  I have so many similar pictures of me and my friends on a bus barreling towards the temple or Youth Conference.  Isn't it a rite of passage??? 

And how can we forget the cutest guy from Vocal Point?  I believe his name is Keith.  What a cutie!