I remember reading an interview someone held with President Hinckley and when asked what the church does with their women…President Hinckley responded, “What do we do? We get out of there way!” I have always loved that humorous, but very sincere reply. I think of that exactly when I think of my mother...she usually knows best.
Words always flash in my mind when I ponder the word Mother. Sacrifice, Pure Love, Comfort, Constant, Provider, Gentle, Firm, Knowledgeable, Determined, Leader, Example, Guardian Angel, Available, Selfless....all things that without a doubt encompass all that my mother is. “Motherhood,” they wrote, “is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.” In 1935 the First Presidency stated, “The true spirit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives to woman the highest place of honor in human life” (in Messages of the First Presidency, 6:5).
I can’t wait for the day I can be a mother and share those unimaginable gifts with my husband. I have tried many times to imagine what the trials, blessings, fears, and joys of being a mother must be like and I know I always fall short. It is something that must needs be experienced I believe. Preparation and all the imagining in the world won’t do, some things make us grow the most when we know we cannot do it alone even if we strongly desire to. This is one of those things, where we constantly will humbly turn to our heavenly parents, and acknowledge that our children were actually his before they ever were ours and he knows them best.
"When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, “pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,” that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you. Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Because She Is a Mother’,” Ensign, May 1997, 35
I look up and admire all of the women in my family who are mothers, and even wives. I look to them for guidance although they may not know it. I look to them for examples, advice, strength, and out of that comes pure hope that I will be able to have that much humility and determination when it is my turn.
I realize I don’t have much authority on this matter, because of the simple fact that I am not yet a mother. I guess I am struggling right now on focusing on getting there so that I can be the mother I know I promised to be. One huge element that factors in is to marry a worthy priesthood holder to support my role as a mother and a wife. I in turn will strive to do the same.
"For this supernal gift of life the priesthood should have love unbounded for the mothers of their children. Men should give them honor, gratitude, reverence, respect, and praise. A man who fails to gratefully acknowledge his debt to his own mother who gave him life is insensitive to the Holy Spirit. I wish to acknowledge to both my mother and my wife a debt which is so great I shall never be able to repay it.In conclusion, I wish to repeat that I do not believe that God’s purposes on earth will ever be achieved without the influence, strength, love, support, and special gifts of the elect women of God. They are entitled to our deepest veneration, our fullest appreciation, and our most profound respect. I believe angels attend them in their motherly ministry. That we may so honor them...James E. Faust, “The Highest Place of Honor,” Ensign, May 1988, 36
I hope that together with my husband we can do just that….I was lucky enough to be blessed with an amazing mom who was also a teacher (professionally). She raised me to believe in the power of my own progress despite what the doctors told her of my mental disabilities. My mom is one giant miracle that happens to me every day. I love her and will alw
ays seek to repay the debt that I am afraid is impossible to repay.
"No teaching is equal, more spiritually rewarding, or more exalting than that of a mother teaching her children."Boyd K. Packer - Ensign, Feb. 2000, 16
"There are some lines attributed to Victor Hugo which read:“She broke the bread into two fragments and gave them to her children, who ate with eagerness. ‘She hath kept none for herself,’ grumbled the sergeant.“ ‘Because she is not hungry,’ said a soldier.“ ‘No,’ said the sergeant, ‘because she is a mother.’ ”
One day I hope to fully be able to understand and relate to these two passages that I found while searching through some of the ensigns. I guess to end I will just past the quote that kind of tied everything I was reading together in my mind…I honestly know that mothers and the role they play in the lives of everyone is a divine part of the plan the Heavenly Father created for all of his children. I know that he loves us enough to give us these lights, and guides, to nurture us and keep us alive until the day comes where we fully choose for ourselves, and so that we can use that agency to return back to him if we are willing to put that faith in him now. “Yours is the grand tradition of Eve, the mother of all the human family, the one who understood that she and Adam had to fall in order that “men [and women] might be, and that there would be joy. Yours is the grand tradition of Sarah and Rebekah and Rachel, without whom there could not have been those magnificent patriarchal promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob which bless us all. Yours is the grand tradition of Lois and Eunice and the mothers of the 2,000 stripling warriors. Yours is the grand tradition of Mary, chosen and foreordained from before this world was, to conceive, carry, and bear the Son of God Himself. We thank all of you, including our own mothers, and tell you there is nothing more important in this world than participating so directly in the work and glory of God, in bringing to pass the mortality and earthly life of His daughters and sons, so that immortality and eternal life can come in those celest
ial realms on high. Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Because She Is a Mother’,” Ensign, May 1997, 35
"Remember, remember all the days of your motherhood: “Ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.”
"Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” 11 You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” 12 And it will make your children whole as well. –elder James E. Faust
Words always flash in my mind when I ponder the word Mother. Sacrifice, Pure Love, Comfort, Constant, Provider, Gentle, Firm, Knowledgeable, Determined, Leader, Example, Guardian Angel, Available, Selfless....all things that without a doubt encompass all that my mother is. “Motherhood,” they wrote, “is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.” In 1935 the First Presidency stated, “The true spirit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives to woman the highest place of honor in human life” (in Messages of the First Presidency, 6:5).
I can’t wait for the day I can be a mother and share those unimaginable gifts with my husband. I have tried many times to imagine what the trials, blessings, fears, and joys of being a mother must be like and I know I always fall short. It is something that must needs be experienced I believe. Preparation and all the imagining in the world won’t do, some things make us grow the most when we know we cannot do it alone even if we strongly desire to. This is one of those things, where we constantly will humbly turn to our heavenly parents, and acknowledge that our children were actually his before they ever were ours and he knows them best.
"When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, “pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,” that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you. Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Because She Is a Mother’,” Ensign, May 1997, 35
I look up and admire all of the women in my family who are mothers, and even wives. I look to them for guidance although they may not know it. I look to them for examples, advice, strength, and out of that comes pure hope that I will be able to have that much humility and determination when it is my turn.
I realize I don’t have much authority on this matter, because of the simple fact that I am not yet a mother. I guess I am struggling right now on focusing on getting there so that I can be the mother I know I promised to be. One huge element that factors in is to marry a worthy priesthood holder to support my role as a mother and a wife. I in turn will strive to do the same.
"For this supernal gift of life the priesthood should have love unbounded for the mothers of their children. Men should give them honor, gratitude, reverence, respect, and praise. A man who fails to gratefully acknowledge his debt to his own mother who gave him life is insensitive to the Holy Spirit. I wish to acknowledge to both my mother and my wife a debt which is so great I shall never be able to repay it.In conclusion, I wish to repeat that I do not believe that God’s purposes on earth will ever be achieved without the influence, strength, love, support, and special gifts of the elect women of God. They are entitled to our deepest veneration, our fullest appreciation, and our most profound respect. I believe angels attend them in their motherly ministry. That we may so honor them...James E. Faust, “The Highest Place of Honor,” Ensign, May 1988, 36
I hope that together with my husband we can do just that….I was lucky enough to be blessed with an amazing mom who was also a teacher (professionally). She raised me to believe in the power of my own progress despite what the doctors told her of my mental disabilities. My mom is one giant miracle that happens to me every day. I love her and will alw
ays seek to repay the debt that I am afraid is impossible to repay."No teaching is equal, more spiritually rewarding, or more exalting than that of a mother teaching her children."Boyd K. Packer - Ensign, Feb. 2000, 16
"There are some lines attributed to Victor Hugo which read:“She broke the bread into two fragments and gave them to her children, who ate with eagerness. ‘She hath kept none for herself,’ grumbled the sergeant.“ ‘Because she is not hungry,’ said a soldier.“ ‘No,’ said the sergeant, ‘because she is a mother.’ ”
One day I hope to fully be able to understand and relate to these two passages that I found while searching through some of the ensigns. I guess to end I will just past the quote that kind of tied everything I was reading together in my mind…I honestly know that mothers and the role they play in the lives of everyone is a divine part of the plan the Heavenly Father created for all of his children. I know that he loves us enough to give us these lights, and guides, to nurture us and keep us alive until the day comes where we fully choose for ourselves, and so that we can use that agency to return back to him if we are willing to put that faith in him now. “Yours is the grand tradition of Eve, the mother of all the human family, the one who understood that she and Adam had to fall in order that “men [and women] might be, and that there would be joy. Yours is the grand tradition of Sarah and Rebekah and Rachel, without whom there could not have been those magnificent patriarchal promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob which bless us all. Yours is the grand tradition of Lois and Eunice and the mothers of the 2,000 stripling warriors. Yours is the grand tradition of Mary, chosen and foreordained from before this world was, to conceive, carry, and bear the Son of God Himself. We thank all of you, including our own mothers, and tell you there is nothing more important in this world than participating so directly in the work and glory of God, in bringing to pass the mortality and earthly life of His daughters and sons, so that immortality and eternal life can come in those celest
ial realms on high. Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Because She Is a Mother’,” Ensign, May 1997, 35"Remember, remember all the days of your motherhood: “Ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.”
"Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” 11 You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” 12 And it will make your children whole as well. –elder James E. Faust
