I really enjoyed watching General Conference this weekend.  It's always a good refresher and reminder of what my priorities should be.  I took a few notes, but I'm looking forward to reading the talks again when they are published. There were several talks that I especially enjoyed, though only one of which I want to mention now.  It was the talk by Elder Neil L. Anderson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  He talked about families and the importance of having a family, and raising children, even though society all too often tells us that children aren't necessary, let alone important.  He reminded us that having children is one of God's greatest commandments and that couples need not worry so much about having a nice house and great job before having children.  If they are living righteously, the Lord will bless them and provide for their needs.

I'll be graduating next August, and people ask me all the time what I am going to do once I'm done with school (part of that may be because may major is not something that implies what kind job I'll have).  I love my major (International Studies) and I'm learning a lot, but I don't have a dream job already lined up.  What I really want to tell people most of the time is that I want to be a mom. I look forward to having children and raising them in a good home. I hope I can be lucky enough to stay home with them and give them the attention they will deserve.  I doubt I appreciated it when I was younger, but I look back now and realize how grateful I am that my mom was able to stay home with my brothers and I.  

Homemaking sounds old fashioned, but I want to be a homemaker.  And I think there's a lot more to it than most expect.  One of my favorite talks is by Douglas L. Callister called "Your Refined Heavenly Home".  I first read it while I was on my mission, and have read it several times since.  It reminds us that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and that one day, hopefully, we will return to live with Him.  He explains that it is oh so important that we prepare our homes and ourselves here on earth so that we will feel comfortable in His presence and His home.  

Our home is far from perfect.  We live in a small apartment, and all too often my clutter is seen everywhere.  But, we try to keep it clean and worthy of the Spirit.  I try to make dinner so that we can eat a good meal together and we try to spend time in positive activities.  How wonderful it will be to have children and teach them of the Gospel and their Heavenly Father, something that so many homes today don't know about. 

I'm so grateful to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, the church that teaches true principles about the importance of family and following God's commandments.