Share with us how you are "celebrating a time-out". You can share a specific activity you did, something regular you are starting to do this year, or even something a group of women you know are doing to take a time-out. Submit a short article and a picture of yourself and you could be featured on "Friends of TOFW"!
Katie Lloyd
My mother, Nancy Morrison, is an excellent example of living a joyful life. She has had a very difficult life, but has ALWAYS looked at life with "rose colored glasses". She raised 8 children and invited countless others to live with her whenever she saw a need. She has tremendous faith and demonstrates it in her determination to find joy even in the most challengin...
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Katie Lloyd
My daughter, Stephanie Gibson, is a beautiful young woman. She has had some huge obstacles to overcome in her life, but they have only added to her beauty.
After she was divorced, she alone raised 3 beautiful children in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who are all very successful in their lives. The oldest child, a daughter, married a returned missionary a...
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Margaret Aurand
About two years ago, I decided to start reading the Book of Mormon--not just for the second time, but over and over again until I was as familiar with it as with the Old and New Testaments. (I am a fairly recent convert). First thing in the morning, I settle into my comfy chair and read a chapter--if I'm really pushed for time, half of a long chapter. Each time through, I underline or highlight ... more
Katie Lloyd
Our mom, Rochelle Beach, of Flint, Michigan, finds so much joy in the gospel. It was always her first priority to make sure she offered every opportunity for the four of us to learn and apply its teachings to our lives.
She found ways early in life to rise above her trials and live in joy, which led her to join the church at the age of eightee...
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Katie Lloyd
Jenny Clawson, Layton, UT
I have sweet assurance in my life because I know Heavenly Father loves me and my family and has a plan for each one of us. I have always known that Heavenly Father loves all of us, but I came to truly know and understand this over the past year.
At the end of November 2007, my then 2 1/2 y...
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Katie Lloyd
Colleen Glass, North Ogden, Utah
I know that God will help me through all of my trials and this brings me sweet assurance. Like everyone else, I have experienced adversity in my life. But what happened to me a few years ago totally shook me to my spiritual core.
When my son was 14 years old, he started on a very self-destructi...
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Jackie Mitchell
I have a sweet assurance that my Savior loves me, and it makes everything in my life possible. I know that His love for me redeems me not just from my own mistakes and failings but for anything in my life that is not enough.
My early family life was chaotic and troubled and I grew up feeling clumsy, unattractive and unworthy. I learned to measure my worth by my own performance and work... more
Katie Lloyd
By Debi Dixon | Denver, CO
I have sweet assurance because I know the Lord will direct my path.
I think all of us are familiar with Proverbs 3:5, which reads: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” I have grown to appreciate the next verse as well: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy pa... more
Katie Lloyd
by Angela Haddock
I have sweet assurance because I know the atonement of Jesus Christ is real.
There have been several experiences recently that have assured me of the personal love of the Savior and effect of His Atonement, but August 10th 2008, will always have a place in my heart and soul. That is the day my life changed forever. It is the date in which part of me s... more
Katie Lloyd
by Crystal Porras, Parker, CO
I have sweet assurance because I know that if I live my life as Heavenly Father wants me to, He will be by my side to help me through trials and challenges, and will bless me and my family.
I know that Heavenly Father wants me to live His teachings and help others, and in turn, I know I will be sustained in whatever challenges I face.... more
Heather Jensen
By Heather Jensen
When my 5th child was born, he was premature and needed to spend a couple of weeks in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit.
As I sat holding my baby one day, a mother on the other side of the curtain from me was holding her tiny baby, getting ready to take him home after 2 long months of hospitalization. He had suffered a little deafness due to his low birt... more
Katie Lloyd
By Brenda Casey, Greely, Co
I have sweet assurance because I know I have a divine role as a daughter of God.
I was nervous to teach my Mia Maids about their divine roles as women. I’m married, and though we’ve been trying for a while to have kids, I’m not a mom yet. I also work outside the home. While I know I am where I need to be, I felt like the... more
Katie Lloyd
By Victoria Fellows, Batavia, OH
I have sweet assurance because I know with every fiber of my soul that my Heavenly Father loves me, and has a plan for me. I am grateful for this plan on so many levels, but most of all because my life has not followed the course that I had laid out for myself. I married young, as many girls of my graduating class did. My husband, Ammon, a... more
Katie Lloyd
By Sherrie Cope
When my son Braden was a little boy, he would share his thoughts and desires to serve a mission to China. He didn't even know where China was, but he looked on the map and learned. Everyone--his friends, family, and seminary teachers--knew of his mission dream. He grew to love the people, their culture, and their food. He even took Mandarin in college so... more
Katie Lloyd
By Bethany Hansen
I have sweet assurance because I know my life is a process. Sounds simple enough. But, for me it was the answer I had been diligently seeking. Over the past ten years I found myself feeling discouraged and frustrated about my imperfections, my personal performance and my progress as a wife, a mother, a daughter-in-law, and co-worker. I started to find it difficu... more
Rebecca Artman
By Rebecca Artman
I have sweet assurance because I know that I will be okay.
When I was a teenager my mother was very concerned about me and fasted for several days about me. At the end of her fast she recieved a audio response to her fast that "Becky will be okay." Over the years, that answer to my mother's fast has been a great help to me.
Whe... more
Katie Lloyd
By Elizabeth Walter, Kalispell, Montana
The pioneer in my family is my daughter-in-law, Stephanie.
My son, Jeff, and she had been dating five years before they decided to get married. They were married almost two years ago on July 21, 2007. At that time, my son was a member, but had become less active and his new wife, Stephanie, was not a member. This past March, s... more
Katie Lloyd
by Cary Oliver
I have been a member all of my life and I cannot count the number of spiritual experiences, promptings by the Holy Ghost and just peaceful feelings that have come to me from the gospel.
I have come to realize, though, that there are subtle differences in my testimony. The differences are between the feelings of “I know the gospel is true” and &... more
Jo Ellen Abbott
I love Heavenly Father and Jesus and the Holy Ghost. I was wondering to myself how close I was to Heavenly Father when I was growing up with Him in the pre-earth life. I had not told anyone about my wondering. I don't know that I even prayed formally about it. But one day, as I was receiving a blessing from my home teacher Elder Bodner, I received this precious revelation. I was told that my H... more
Katie Lloyd
by Debbie MacDonnell
I can truthfully say "I KNOW" when I speak about the fact that trials and tribulations are temporary, and they are part of our Heavenly Father's plan for our growth and progression. Over my entire life, I've been one of those people who seems to always be dealing with adversity. Until about 15 years ago, I always thought I was being pu... more
Katie Lloyd
by Jessica Sands
I know that a person is never too far away or too broken to come back to Christ and Heavenly Father. I attended the TOFW in Seattle and wanted you to know that it has changed me forever. It helped me to realize our Father's strong influence on my road back to the church after being inactive and on a distructive path for so many years. He has also provided me ... more
Katie Lloyd
By Emily Coburn | Sweet, ID - Shared at the Boise TOFW
I have sweet assurance because I know I have a purpose. Heavenly Father wants me to receive eternal happiness. He loves me enough to allow me to face trails and challenges that are especially designed for me to grow spiritually and fulfill my divine purpose.
One beautiful Saturday morning in May of 200... more
Katie Lloyd
By Ashley Linton - Shared at the Boise TOFW event
I have sweet assurances because I know that I am needed and loved despite the fact that I will not be a mother.
For nine years, my husband and I fought to have children. We tried different things and even tried to adopt, but nothing ever worked or felt right.
Throughout this whole ... more
Katie Lloyd
Deon VanDyke | Shared at the Logan TOFW event
I have sweet assurance because I know I am not alone. I know that there are miracles in our lives; to me the greatest miracle is that our hearts can change.
The pattern for me is familiar: study the scriptures, attend the temple, request a priesthood blessing and pray for Heavenly Father to change my hea... more
Katie Lloyd
By Teresa Hirst | Shared at the Minneapolis TOFW event
I have a sweet assurance because I know God’s grace can enable me to see beyond my own weaknesses to reach out and love others.
Like, most women, I’m a sensitive person. I feel compassion, love and a deep desire to help other people. But that same emotional sensitivity makes me keenly aware... more
Katie Lloyd
By Charisse Thomas
I have sweet assurance because I know that my Father in Heaven is not only my Father, but my friend. When I was first married, I had my life all planned out. My husband and I would finish school, he would get a fabulous job, and we would then have three or four kids and live happily ever after. However, less than a year after we were married we fou... more
Katie Lloyd
By Helayna Goulding, read at the St. George event
I have sweet assurance because I know with the help of the Lord I can do hard things. This year I wanted to do commit to an action that would stretch me, something extraordinary and worthwhile. As I began to think out of the box, I decided I would look to my ancestors for enlightenment. I started reading family histories ab... more