BYU Women's Conference

Wednesday, April 30-Friday, June 3, 2025

I am still on a high. Women's Conference was so good!

The long awaited time to go to women's conference has arrived. 

I made matching journals for everyone!

Left Adam "love note" to find while I was gone for three days.

I have an "Inklings" group and some of us planned to come to conference together. Me, Kristin, Glory, Andera, Amber and Ann. (Jenni was in Scotland for a work trip with Ryan)

We stayed in the dorms on campus and it was sooo much fun living out by college student dreams. 

Exploring the campus before conference starts. 

Hitting up the Museum of Art. It was very cool!

Andrea and I

I spy the "Y"

Had read before about a sculpture named "Koda" in the sculpture garden. Went on the hunt and found it

More sculptures. 

The campus was in full bloom and so pretty. 

Heading to our first keynote speaker and classes, for Wednesday night. 

Cougar tails are a must!

It was all so amazing!!

One of the highlights from night one was Brad Wilcox's talk. He talked about the twelve tribes of Israel and a family come out dressed as Israelites to help hold his signs. 

Towards the end of his talk, he asked, "wouldn't it be cool if Joseph himself was here. 

And out came Donny Osmond wearing his Coat of many colors.

Donny and his wife.

Donny and his family. Kids and grandkids. 

Family Photo Op. Afterwards he sang "Any dream will do" and "Amazing Grace" and shared higlights from his patriarchal blessing. It was so much fun and such a fun way to begin conference and end the first night. 

All of us hyped up after our personal conference. 

Lit up Y

It was 9:00pm by the time classes ended. We grabbed dinner at Raising Canes and brought it back to the common room to eat and chat. We stayed up past midnight, before falling into bed. (Amy Johnson and Kristin's cousin met up with us off and on)

Our dorm. Glory and I were room mates.

Thursday Morning. Not so much refreshed, but ready for another full day of speakers. We would start each morning in the Marriott Center for the Keynote speaker and then jet off to classes. 

I LOVED that we all stayed together for the entire weekend and just paled around together to all the classes. The classes were all over the campus which is huge, so we shuttled most of the time. 

Smith Fieldhouse and it's indoor track. 

John Hilton III and his wife. It was so fun seeing so many "celebrities" from all of our favorite LDS podcasts. 

Service Projects were also set up everywhere. We made kits for these cute little owl pillows.

After a few morning classes, we took a break from conference, for some shopping at the BYU bookstore, lunch and a bucket list item. 

Our love for Cosmo, runs deep. 

Off Campus to visit Moon's Rare Book Store. Bucket list check!

So, so, so cute!!

A few of us had heard about this bookstore and were so excited to visit. 

It was packed with old antique books...

First edition books...

Signed copies. This is a "Lord's of the Ring" book signed by JRR Tolkien and a few cast members. 

Lot's of movie memorabilia

Lot's of Disney memorabilia

And lot's of LDS memorabilia

The Chosen Cast at the bookstore!

Original Pulpit from the Manti Temple

They also a table covered in 400 year old bibles. Both King James and Geneva edition. For $75.00, you could choose a verse, find it and they would tear it out and sell them.  Kristin and I each got a page from the Geneva bible.  

While visiting and browsing the owner came out. We all started chatting with him and he began to tell us some of the things we had stored in his private back room. We asked him if he ever showed it to other people and he smirked and said "When it's the right people and the right time" Andrea, asked "Are we the right people and is it the right time" He motioned us to the back and said he'd show us something. 

He came back with two items. He was so mice to let us video and take pictures (of most of the items) as he explained what he had...

The first item was...

A first edition Book of Mormon owned by Hyrum Smith.  We were floored...

Then he brought out the second item...

Nauvoo edition of the Book of Mormon, owned by...

Joseph Smith. Squeals and tears where shared. The spirit in that tiny little bookstore was so strong. He then said, let me show you one more thing. He told us that before Joseph went to Carthage, he said "They are going to hang me" Willard Richards, who was with Joseph, said "They'll have to hang me first." The story got back to mother Smith and as a token of gratitude, she gave him something that belonged to both Joseph and Hyrum...

Their little walking shoes. 

They have been passed down through the Richards family through the years and he acquired them a few years ago. As if that wasn't enough, he said "let me show you one more item.." We could hardly contain ourselves...

He came back with the oldest "known" bible of the Smith Family. It is not documented if this was the copy that Joseph was reading when he read James 1:5, but it's possible. This was Josephs oldest sister Sophronia's bible...

After her brothers were killed, she took a lock of their hair and placed them between the pages of the bible. Josephs on bottom, then Hyrum's and then Samuels. 

The pages, the hair was placed...James 1:5!

Absolutely Amazing!! Such a sacred and incredible experience. We were on such a high the rest of the day, especially because we were also heading back to conference to see David Butler!!!

David Butler!!!

His talk was so, so, so good!

Oh, my gosh and we also got to see Emily Belle Freeman and Grace. WE WERE GEEKING OUT!

Just Glory and I posing with the urinals. They turned all the bathrooms into women's bathrooms for the conference. 

Thursday night concert. 

Jenny Oaks Baker

Another late night dinner at Olive Garden.

Back at it Friday morning. We went straight to the Marriott Center for Crepes and fruit/chocolate cups. 

And more shuttle rides.

and more celebrity sightings. 

Listened to Anthony Sweat and his wife. 

Ran into Michelle Kolsky after Anthony Sweats session. 

Back on the shuttle. Due to Kristin having a funeral the next morning, we left Friday night after conference rather than coming home Saturday morning. 

SO MUCH FUN! Fed Spiritually, emotionally, and physically all weekend!

Friendships, relationships and testimony's grown. 

(Ryan and Jenni sending us lot's of pics from Scotland)