April 1, 2017....."The Nurturing Mother"

           Today I reflect on my eternal calling as a mother.  I turn first to my own mother and share with you her great example of what kind of mother I wanted and hoped to be.  She too had a great example in my grandmother of what nurturing is all about.

            Growing up, my mother was so involved in my life.  She was my teacher, my confidant, my example.  She has made sure that all her children were taken care of 1) emotionally by laughing and crying with us and always listening to us. 2) Spiritually by teaching us to pray, praying with us and teaching us that there is a God and we will never be alone. 3) Mentally by instilling in us the importance of school, setting and accomplishing goals, and not to quit.  4) Physically by teaching us that our bodies were temples and caring for them was important and that obeying the word of wisdom would protect our bodies from harm.  This is what nurturing is to me.

            Elder Bruce C. Hafen and Sister Marie K. Hafen explain, “Just as a mother’s body may be permanently marked with the signs of pregnancy and childbirth, [the Savior] said, “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” (1Nephi 21:15-16).  For both a mother and the Savior, those marks memorialize a wrenching sacrifice—the sacrifice of begetting life—for her, physical birth; for him, spiritual rebirth (1194, p29) (Successful Marriages and Families, A. Hawkins, p. 131)

            President Spencer W. Kimball said, “Mothers have a sacred role.  They are partners with God, as well as with their own husbands, first in giving birth to the Lord’s spirit children, and then in rearing those children so they will serve the Lord and keep his commandments (1976, p. 72). (Successful Marriages and Families, A. Hawkins, p.131)

            As a mother now of adult children, I have realized that my work is not done.  Satan is working overtime to sabotage their testimonies.  As I kneel daily and plead with my Heavenly Father to protect them from the adversary, I know how He must feel about us, His children.  I can relate to His heartache as we sometimes lose our way.  I can almost hear His pleading for us to look up and reach for Him.  I am so grateful I have the gospel to help me in my efforts and that my own mother taught me to pray.

            Elder Ballard taught, “There is no one perfect to be a good mother.  Each situation is unique.  Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children.  The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family…What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else (May, 2008, p. 108) (Successful Marriages and Families, A. Hawkins, p.135)

            Nurturing children with the help of the gospel of Jesus Christ, doesn’t mean our efforts will be flawless, but it does mean we have are doing all we have been asked to do.  I love being a mother and step-mother and am blessed to have God on my side.

Me, my beautiful daughter and beautiful mother.

References: Successful Marriages and Families, A. Hawkins, 2012