Welcome to the Talk Of The Week Club. I began this club as a way to share my love of learning and growing in the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My hope and desire is for you to learn and grow in your faith and love of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Each Thursday a new talk will be posted, come back, open your heart and mind, allow yourself to receive and I promise you will be spiritually fed.
This week my grandfather passed away. With the emotions from that I haven't really felt up to finding a talk for the week. I was thinking about my memories of him though and remembered how he always seemed to be a champion for women. My grandmother passed away 18 years ago. He has always shared how much he loved and missed her. I remember each time I saw him while I was pregnant he seemed to be particularly gentle and at awe. This memory of him has helped me feel more self confident and important as a woman, mother and wife. I appreciate and will always remember his love and care for our family. I posted the following talk a few years ago and thought it was perfect for the topic of the importance of womanhood.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and be sure to give your loved ones a special hug and kiss.
(I found this and had to share it today as well)
I have been learning a lesson this past year about motherhood. In a conversation with my mother this past week I mentioned to her that I am finally seeing that being, "just a mom" is enough. In fact I feel that to be the mother I want to be, being a mother is all I can and want to do. There is no room for a much more. This has been a very hard lesson to learn. Heavenly Father has been trying to teach me this for a very long time! I am in no way saying that I have perfected this lesson. I am saying that I am finally seeing a slice of the big picture and this big picture is one that at times is hard for me to grasp!
I stumbled across this talk yesterday and have to admit that when I first heard it I felt a little frustrated. I realize now that my feelings stemmed from my own personal self doubt and even pride thinking that being a mother was not enough. As the years go by I get busier and busier with all sorts of good things. I am noticing that the things that bring me the most peace and joy are the things that relate to motherhood. Who knew that washing and folding laundry could bring a sense of peace and calm to ones heart! Well, let me tell you that it has for me. As much as I dread doing the mundane tasks of motherhood when I finally make time for them and I do so with a grateful or willing heart I feel wrapped up in a joy that feels as though heavenly arms are surrounding me, reassuring me that these tasks do in fact matter.
I hope you will enjoy this talk and I pray that you will listen to it with a grateful and willing heart so you can hear the things that are meant for you. Even if you are a husband, child, or mother of grown children this talk has a special message for all to hear.
Have a wonderful week enjoying the blessed tasks of mortality.
Happy Mother's Day friends! I hope this weekend will be a sweet time for each of you. As I was pondering and searching for a talk to share about motherhood and the roles of nurturing, I came across this wonderful talk from Sister Beck given at the 2009 BYU Women's Conference. Each time I hear Sister Beck speak, I think of the scripture "for such a time as this." She teaches us with such courage and clarity. How grateful I am for her insights and wisdom.
I am grateful for the specific teachings Sister Beck gives in this talk:
She reiterates that The Creation, The Fall and The Atonement are the three pillars of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Families are the key of our doctrine--families being established before the world was.
Male and Female spirits complete each other and are both needed to raise children.
Those who do not have the opportunity to bear children, will have every blessing in the next life.
At 17, the Prophet Joseph knew about the blessings of eternal families.
She calls on us to stand up and defend the family as the social restraints that once preserved and protected it have been removed.
Fight-fight against the power of the adversary against our families.
She quotes Joseph F. Smith"Whenever...temptations became most alluring and most tempting to me, the first thought that arose in my soul was this: remember the love of your mother." What an insight to us as mothers to keep trying! She teaches ."we will need the Spirit of the Lord with us in greater abundance in times to come than we have ever had. We need to be the ones seeking every day to qualify for the Spirit, to recognize the voice of the Spirit, and to follow the voice of the Spirit because other voices will lead us in the wrong ways." Difficult challenges are coming, but through our challenges we grow and will have eternal joy.
I hope Sister Beck's talk brings you much joy and that your Mother's Day is delightful for you.
I have been anxiously awaiting the posting of this talk by Sister Beck so that I could share it with you. I hope it lifts and inspires you as it has me. I am so grateful for Sister Beck's leadership at this critical time and for her willingness to teach and counsel us so clearly. I know that she has been foreordained to lead us at this pivitoltime in the earth's history. She speaks with urgency about holding emergency meetings, gaining more fromour temple worship, and details how we can qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation--the single most important ability we can acquire in this life. I know as we study and ponder her words and work to apply them, great and eternal blessings will come to each of us and our families.
As I have thought about this meeting, I have had the Spirit confirm to me that this—like many other meetings that I have enjoyed while visiting South America, Central America, Mexico, and other parts of the world this past year, and that I have felt every time I meet with the sisters of the Church—is an emergency meeting and a training meeting, a time for us to learn. I feel a great urgency for the daughters of God to do all they need to do to strengthen and lift not only themselves, their families, sisters who are in their wards, but also the world. I feel that the sisters in this Church who know and understand their covenants will be a significant force in helping this world, which seems to have lost its moral moorings.
If the sisters who have made covenants with God know what they are supposed to do, that they are in for the long haul, and that they are in with all their faith, then this world will be okay and we will be all right. The theme of the conference is, “Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you. Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.”1 What a beautiful theme.
As we visit today I will cover three things. What it means to choose to serve the Lord, what that spirit is that is put upon us, and how we walk with the Lord. Read the rest HERE.
Today is another 5th week, so the talk comes from one of our club members, Becky Church. She shares this:
I thought I would send one of my all time favorite talks. It was given in the October 2007 Conference. It is by Elder Dallin H. Oaks called "Good, Better, Best". This talk is dear to my heart. As a mother of 5 children I struggled to find a way to decide what kinds of activities to have my kids involved in...and as you know there are more activities than time. Anyway, this talk was a real inspiration in helping me realize what is really important and then prioritize the rest. I don't know if you have already used it...but here it is...one of my favorites...
Becky Church
Thanks for sharing with us Becky! Remember if you run across a talk that you just love and would like to share you can email a little message and the talk title or link to the talk to talkoftheweek@gmail.com and we will take care of the rest!
We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.
Most of us have more things expected of us than we can possibly do. As breadwinners, as parents, as Church workers and members, we face many choices on what we will do with our time and other resources.
I.
We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives.
Jesus taught this principle in the home of Martha. While she was "cumbered about much serving" (Luke 10:40), her sister, Mary, "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word" (v. 39). When Martha complained that her sister had left her to serve alone, Jesus commended Martha for what she was doing (v. 41) but taught her that "one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (v. 42). It was praiseworthy for Martha to be "careful and troubled about many things" (v. 41), but learning the gospel from the Master Teacher was more "needful." The scriptures contain other teachings that some things are more blessed than others (see Acts 20:35; Alma 32:14–15).
A childhood experience introduced me to the idea that some choices are good but others are better. I lived for two years on a farm. We rarely went to town. Our Christmas shopping was done in the Sears, Roebuck catalog. I spent hours poring over its pages. For the rural families of that day, catalog pages were like the shopping mall or the Internet of our time.
Something about some displays of merchandise in the catalog fixed itself in my mind. There were three degrees of quality: good, better, and best. For example, some men’s shoes were labeled good ($1.84), some better ($2.98), and some best ($3.45).1
As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all.
This month at Talk of the Week we are going to share our favorite conference talks from April. I chose this talk today because I remember so distinctly listening to it. I especially remember these two line from it;
"Popular culture today often makes women look silly, inconsequential, mindless, and powerless. It objectifies them and disrespects them and then suggests that they are able to leave their mark on mankind only by seduction—easily the most pervasively dangerous message the adversary sends to women about themselves."
"For example, they need to understand that when they wear clothing that is too tight, too short, or too low cut, they not only can send the wrong message to young men with whom they associate, but they also perpetuate in their own minds the fallacy that a woman’s value is dependent solely upon her sensual appeal. This never has been nor will it ever be within the righteous definition of a faithful daughter of God."
Yes, this talk is titled "Mothers and Daughters" but it is addressed to any and all God fearing women of the church or the world for that matter. These two lines really gave me strength as a woman of God. I felt the lies that Satan has been perpetuating, even in my own life, were brought to light. Laid before my mind's eye to see the ugliness and the falsehood of the world's view of women. I felt as if scales came off my eyes and I was shown what the true beauty of God's daughters looks like. I have felt the idea behind these lines come to my mind many times over the past few months. There are many more beautiful truths in this talk but these lines keep coming to my mind so much I just feel it is so important to have the courage to teach it to our daughters, friends, neighbors and our own hearts.
One final thought that I really loved was this; "A mother-daughter relationship is where a daughter learns how to nurture by being nurtured. She is loved. She is taught and experiences firsthand what it feels like to have someone care about her enough to correct her while continuing to encourage and believe in her at the same time"
May we all look at our relationships with the mothers and daughters in our lives and have the desire to follow this beautiful advice to teach one another about nurturing, loving, correcting, encouraging and believing in each other. Our power is great as people of God and especially as women.
Brothers and sisters, six months ago I spoke in the priesthood session of general conference to fathers and sons. As you might expect, my 5 daughters, 24 granddaughters, and ever-increasing number of great-granddaughters have been asking for equal time. So today I will speak primarily to the mothers and daughters of the Church.
My dear wife, Barbara, has had an eternally significant influence on our daughters and granddaughters—and they, in turn, on her. Mothers and daughters play a critical role in helping each other explore their infinite possibilities, despite the undermining influences of a world in which womanhood and motherhood are being corrupted and manipulated.
Speaking to the women of the Church nearly a century ago, President Joseph F. Smith said: “It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead the . . . women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and . . . purifying to the children of men” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 184).
Sisters, we, your brethren, cannot do what you were divinely designated to do from before the foundation of the world. We may try, but we cannot ever hope to replicate your unique gifts. There is nothing in this world as personal, as nurturing, or as life changing as the influence of a righteous woman.
I have been thinking a lot about my role as a mother and the influence of those who have mothered me. I have worn many hats as a mother. I've been a working mother, a work from home mother, a depressed mother, a joyful mother, a mother to a few motherless. I have even, at times had to mother myself! I don't know about you but I have often faltered in my belief of the importance of being "just a mother". The worlds views about motherhood can all too swiftly and silently enter my heart and fog up my divine understanding of the celestial role of mother.
This beautiful talk from one of the most amazing "mothers" I know really help to clear up my vision and helped me see how the many hats I wear can truly help the children of God. I loved this enpowering quote;
Never has there been a greater need for righteous mothers—mothers who bless their children with a sense of safety, security, and confidence about the future, mothers who teach their children where to find peace and truth and that the power of Jesus Christ is always stronger than the power of the adversary. Every time we build the faith or reinforce the nobility of a young woman or man, every time we love or lead anyone even one small step along the path, we are true to our endowment and calling as mothers and in the process we build the kingdom of God. No woman who understands the gospel would ever think that any other work is more important or would ever say, "I am just a mother," for mothers heal the souls of men.
So as each of us go throughout our day I hope we will keep in mind we were born to mother. Even if we have not born children to this earth our pre-mortal nature is that of nurturer, guide, love giver, testifier of truth and protector. Our hots as mothers can be many but the most important one is to look around us and mother the people who need mothering.
Have a truly blessed week and know that sometimes all around you you have mothers who love you!
“Motherhood is more than bearing children. . . . It is the essence of who we are as women.”This summer four teenage nieces and I shared a tense Sunday evening when we set out walking from a downtown hotel in a city we were visiting to a nearby chapel where I was to speak. I had made that walk many times, but that evening we suddenly found ourselves engulfed by an enormous mob of drunken parade-goers. It was no place for four teenage girls, or their aunt, I might add. But with the streets closed to traffic, we had no choice but to keep walking. Over the din, I shouted to the girls, "Stay right with me." As we maneuvered through the crush of humanity, the only thing on my mind was my nieces' safety.
Thankfully, we finally made it to the chapel. But for one unnerving hour, I better understood how mothers who forgo their own safety to protect a child must feel. My siblings had entrusted me with their daughters, whom I love, and I would have done anything to lead them to safety. Likewise, our Father has entrusted us as women with His children, and He has asked us to love them and help lead them safely past the dangers of mortality back home.
Loving and leading—these words summarize not only the all-consuming work of the Father and the Son, but the essence of our labor, for our work is to help the Lord with His work. How, then, may we as Latter-day women of God best help the Lord with His work?
Prophets have repeatedly answered this question, as did the First Presidency six decades ago when they called motherhood "the highest, holiest service . . . assumed by mankind."1
Have you ever wondered why prophets have taught the doctrine of motherhood—and it is doctrine—again and again? I have. I have thought long and hard about the work of women of God. And I have wrestled with what the doctrine of motherhood means for all of us. This issue has driven me to my knees, to the scriptures, and to the temple—all of which teach an ennobling doctrine regarding our most crucial role as women. It is a doctrine about which we must be clear if we hope to stand "steadfast and immovable"2 regarding the issues that swirl around our gender. For Satan has declared war on motherhood. He knows that those who rock the cradle can rock his earthly empire. And he knows that without righteous mothers loving and leading the next generation, the kingdom of God will fail.
When we understand the magnitude of motherhood, it becomes clear why prophets have been so protective of woman's most sacred role. While we tend to equate motherhood solely with maternity, in the Lord's language, the word mother has layers of meaning. Of all the words they could have chosen to define her role and her essence, both God the Father and Adam called Eve "the mother of all living"3—and they did so before she ever bore a child. Like Eve, our motherhood began before we were born. Just as worthy men were foreordained to hold the priesthood in mortality,4 righteous women were endowed premortally with the privilege of motherhood.5 Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Father gave us.
President Gordon B. Hinckley stated that "God planted within women something divine."6 That something is the gift and the gifts of motherhood. Elder Matthew Cowley taught that "men have to have something given to them [in mortality] to make them saviors of men, but not mothers, not women. [They] are born with an inherent right, an inherent authority, to be the saviors of human souls . . . and the regenerating force in the lives of God's children."7
Motherhood is not what was left over after our Father blessed His sons with priesthood ordination. It was the most ennobling endowment He could give His daughters, a sacred trust that gave women an unparalleled role in helping His children keep their second estate. As President J. Reuben Clark Jr. declared, motherhood is "as divinely called, as eternally important in its place as the Priesthood itself."8
Nevertheless, the subject of motherhood is a very tender one, for it evokes some of our greatest joys and heartaches. This has been so from the beginning. Eve was "glad" after the Fall, realizing she otherwise "never should have had seed."9 And yet, imagine her anguish over Cain and Abel. Some mothers experience pain because of the children they have borne; others feel pain because they do not bear children here. About this Elder John A. Widtsoe was explicit: "Women who through no fault of their own cannot exercise the gift of motherhood directly, may do so vicariously."10
This week's talk is "The Divine Nature and Destiny of Women" a BYU
Devotional given by Glenn L. Pace March 9, 2010. I am grateful for Elder
Pace's inspired teaching which has helped me to see my nature and gifts
as a daughter of God with a new perspective. I found his teaching about
the Creation most insightful and his teaching about the roles of women
in marriage most encouraging. I feel newly inspired after reading and
pondering his counsel to better fulfill my roles as a woman, mother and
wife. What a sweet and tender privilege it is to be a woman during the
winding up scenes and to have the blessings and teaching of the Gospel
to direct our lives. I especially appreciated his teaching of the
essential roles of male and female and their interplay together to
achieve exaltation. I hope his words will lift and inspire you as they
have me.
A wonderful summer of creating good to each of you,
The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states:
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.1
My focus this morning will be on the divine nature and destiny of women and the sacred role they play in the sanctification and purification of men.
I’m going to start by giving you two exclusive scoops. First, males and females are different. Second, those differences are more than physical.
I developed a love and appreciation for womanhood in my childhood. My mother, sisters, grandmas, aunts, and female cousins and friends brought immeasurable love into my young life. This set the stage for the adult relationships with my wife, daughters, and granddaughters.
All of the above have contributed to my feelings of reverence, adoration, and even veneration of righteous women. Read the rest HERE
Hello Friends, A very Happy Mother's Day to each of you. I hope the day is great for you and that as you ponder on your motherhood, you can focus on the great things you are doing right! Motherhood gives us the greatest opportunities to lift and bless others. Truly a process which helps us become like Our Heavenly Father. Our motherhood experiences mold and purify us as nothing else can. I would like to share something a little different this week--a wonderful Mormon Message.
As I have read Stephanie's blog over the past year and a half, I have been completely changed by her passion for mother and wifehood. Her clear vision of who she is and the significance of her role is blessing thousands of lives--even helping some to find the Gospel. As you watch this video, I hope you will feel renewed and empowered to continue on in the missions you are sent to complete.
Much love and a very sweet Mother's Day to you,
*Before playing video Be sure to pause the embeded radio on the right side of the blog.
I have a little tile plaque on my shelf with the vinyl words, "Find Joy in the Journey." I pass it everyday as I come down the stairs, into my living room and I often don't give it a second glance. Today, however, those words spoke more clearly to me then anything I've heard or seen all week! With 5 children and #6 on the way, I haven't really been feeling myself lately. Morning sickness (okay let's be honest--it's ALL DAY sickness) has struck me harder this pregnancy than any of my past pregnancies. The laundry feels like it's piled up to the sky, there are toys in places I didn't know toys could be, and all I want to do is take a nap. I'll admit that this particular "journey" is not one that I'm finding any joy in.
My beautiful little 4 year old thinks she is a princess, there isn't many places that she goes without a crown placed upon her head and those clippity-clappity plastic princess shoes upon her feet. This afternoon a well meaning friend of the family brought over several boxes of dress up clothes and in an INSTANT they were all over the living room. Dresses, clippy clapp shoes, and accessories were all strewn about carelessly. I couldn't wait to pick it all up and put it away....but then my 4 year old looked up at me with those big beautiful brown eyes and said, "Mommy, will you play dress ups with me?" NO! I thought...I need to do laundry, make lunch, pick all this up, clean the room, go grocery shopping, I'll play with you tomorrow when there isn't so much to do.... But then I caught a glimpse of that plaque that said "Find Joy in the Journey" and I remembered the words of President Monson when he said "...be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly." I knew right then that the chores could wait, what I needed right now was to play with my daughter and soak up every moment today because one day I'll run out of tomorrows. I'm so happy to share this amazing, inspirational talk with you this week. I'm sure many of you remember it, and that it touched your heart deeply as it did mind. Above all else remember to always find joy in your journey.
Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family.
My dear brothers and sisters, I am humbled as I stand before you this morning. I ask for your faith and prayers in my behalf as I speak about those things which have been on my mind and which I have felt impressed to share with you.
I begin by mentioning one of the most inevitable aspects of our lives here upon the earth, and that is change. At one time or another we’ve all heard some form of the familiar adage: “Nothing is as constant as change.”
Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, the loss of a possession we treasure. But most of the changes take place subtly and slowly.
Read the rest HERE .
During last October's General Conference, I remember this talk so well. It touched my heart and encouraged me to work on three things as a parent and spouse; Express Love and Show It, Bear Testimony and Live It, Be Consistent. Since my first listening of this talk I have had a few great experiences where I have been able to see these three things in my family’s life. One example comes from my four year old. Lately she has been making it a point to tell me she loves me. Each day she comes up to me and asks, "Have I told you I love you today?". She then tells me she loves me and gives me a big hug. Some days I feel like her statement and act of love is all I've gotten that day! Not only does it make me feel so much better but it reminds me to reach out and to share my love with the rest of our family.
With our morning scripture reading there has been a few wonderful times when testimonies have been shared in a very natural way. It has been great to hear these testimonies, not just at the pulpit but in a quick meaningful moment within the walls of our own home.
As far as being consistent is concerned this is one we are consistently working on! Just the other night my six year old reminded me that we don't always say our evening prayers as a family. I then went on to admit to him that it is sometimes hard for me to remember and that I would appreciate his help. I love how Elder Bednar reflects on his own family experiences of the whining and grumbling but recalls that his adult sons remember more the consistently than the whining. When I heard him talk about his family I was relieved to hear that even an apostle of the Lord had children who complained.
I hope that this quick reminder will put these things in the for front of our minds and helps us all to be a little better each day at expressing love and showing love, bearing testimony and living it, and striving for consistency.
We can become more diligent and concerned at home as we are more faithful in learning, living, and loving the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 1833 the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation that contained a strong rebuke to several leading brethren of the Church to set their families in order (see D&C 93:40–50). A specific phrase from this revelation provides the theme for my message—“more diligent and concerned at home” (verse 50). I want to suggest three ways each of us can become more diligent and concerned in our homes. I invite you to listen both with ears that hear and with hearts that feel, and I pray for the Spirit of the Lord to be with all of us.
Read the rest HERE
I want to tell you about a person who has been such an inspiration and example to me, my grandpa Ivan Johnson. He is 93 years old, blind, and suffers from hearing loss. He goes to the St. George temple three days a week for 6 hours at a time. I asked him the other day why he does it and he told me, "I have nothing else to do." He then went on to say, "It [the temple] is a good place to be, a good place to be found." Then of course as only a wife can do my grandma Margaret reminded, "The Lord wants him to." When I asked him what blessings he has received because of his service he told me two things, "[It has] Kept me out of mischief." and "The people have become like family." My Grandma also mentioned that a blessing she sees is that others remember his service and desire to do the same. Grandpa said that he feels all the people that have been helped and that with some imagination you can almost feel them rejoicing that their families are being brought together forever. To which grandma commented that it isn't imaginary it is real. My grandparents told me that they have been going to the temple at least once a week for over 65 years. And the last 6 years grandpa has been spending 18 hours a week there.
The picture above was taken on my last visit. Grandpa was waiting for his ride to the temple. I was impressed by his dedication and excitement to go. He was ready and waiting just as a child does when their friend is coming to play. I thought about his example here and wondered do I have such a desire and excitement to serve in the Temple? How is it that this little old man can serve the Lord even though he suffers from many disabilities? If he can do it then why can't I, an able bodied, young woman dedicate my time to the Lord and serve in His house.
I wondered what keeps me from serving. A few years ago I thought that I had to give 2 hours at a time to do an Endowment Session. It wasn't until a year and a half ago when my youngest child started preschool that I decided to follow my grandpa's example and go more often, that I realized I could do Sealing’s or Initiatory and stay for as long as I can. Another thing that has kept me from going to the temple in the past is not being able to schedule time to go with my spouse. Although it is ideal to serve together, if circumstances are difficult, I've come to learn that it is better to go alone than not at all. My grandma is not physically able to go with my grandpa but she serves by preparing his clothing and supporting him and his desire to serve. I believe that they are both blessed because of their desire to serve the Lord in the Temple.
I know that my family's life has been blessed by my service. I leave Sealing work with a greater love for my spouse and my children which in turn blesses my home with more peace as I am less tempted to yell or lose all my patience at once. I leave Initiatory with hope and courage to do what I am asked to do. I leave Endowment sessions with a sense of who I am and a great, loving testimony for the Savior and His atonement. I do not think I even know half of the blessings that are given to me for serving. I do it because I have watched a valiant man and his precious wife dedicate their lives to the Lord. I do it because I have gained my own testimony of the importance of temple work. I do it because the Lord wants me to.
I am not an ordained minister, nor do have any authority to exhort or command. I do know from personal experience however that going to the temple whether you understand it or not blesses lives. Spiritual knowledge is gained, peace is given, strength and courage are restored. A love of God and of family is obtained and secured in one's heart with faithful and consistent service in the Temple's of God the Eternal Father and the Savior Jesus Christ. If I could I would plead and beg you all to just go. Do not wait until you are old and have nothing else to do. Do not wait until all your questions are answered. Go now, you need it now, your families need it now, your children and future children need it now. Please go to the Temple.
I chose the talk this week because it went t into really good detail of why we go to the temple. I hope you will enjoy it and that you will gain a testimony for yourself by attending the temple regularly.
I bet that at this very moment you have a "Family Proclamation" hanging on your wall. In your living room, family room, dining room, maybe even your bathroom. The Family: A Proclamation to the World was given to us by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and read by President Gordon B. Hinckley at the General Relief Soceity meeting in September 1995. It's message isn't just for the members of the church but as stated in it's title is is a proclamation for ALL THE WORLD.
Earlier this month my four-year old asked me why we had it on our wall, what it meant, was it about Jesus, where did we get the frame, who gave it to us, can we read it......and the list of questions went on. I realized in that moment that I really hadn't taken the time to familiarize myself with it's message and that although I had read it many times I really had never READ it. Sure I knew all the key points and could rattle off typically used phrases but I really, really never studied it the way scripture should be studied. This month I decided to truly study and dissect it. I realized this was something that my family really had been needing. It helped me reaffirm my meaning here as a daughter of heavenly parent and understand my duties and my goals as a mother. It reminded me how important covenants and ordinances are, and that the road to happiness in our families is through our Savior Jesus Christ. How often do we pass by the Proclamation on our wall and not even think about the beautiful truths and promises that are contained therein?
Directly before giving us the proclamation President Hinckley made a statement regarding the reason why such a Proclamation was generated. He said, "With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history."
I felt deeply inspired to choose THE FAMILY: A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD, as my my first Talk of the Week for the new year. I hope that as you listen to it and maybe even follow along with that poster on your wall (you know,the one in the beautiful frame), that you will feel impressed and inspired to "maintain and strengthen" your family.
As I pondered this week's talk, President Julie Beck's "Mothers Who Know" from the October 2007 General Conference kept coming to mind. As I had the privilege to hear President Beck speak not too long ago, the Spirit bore witness to me that she is indeed the one raised up by the Lord to direct us at this time. I was enlightened and encouraged by her insights, her enthusiasm, and her clarity of vision. I was filled with gratitude that she has been prepared "for such a time as this" to lead and direct us. "Mothers Who Know" gives us powerful and clear insights for our roles as mothers. I am grateful for President Beck's simple and detailed direction for how we can optimize our influences as mothers. I am grateful for the sweet privilege of being a mother in Israel during the winding up scenes. I know that what you and I do daily in our homes is truly on the front lines of the battle we are winning. Our living of the Gospel in our homes is essential for the exaltation of our children and ourselves. Our homes are where our influence is most needed and most profoundly felt. May you feel empowered by the Lord as you do His work in your home.
There is eternal influence and power in motherhood.
In the Book of Mormon we read about 2,000 exemplary young men who were exceedingly valiant, courageous, and strong. "Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him" (Alma 53:21). These faithful young men paid tribute to their mothers. They said, "Our mothers knew it" (Alma 56:48). I would suspect that the mothers of Captain Moroni, Mosiah, Mormon, and other great leaders also knew.
The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. Children are being born into a world where they "wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).1 However, mothers need not fear. When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children.
Mothers Who Know Bear Children
Mothers who know desire to bear children. Whereas in many cultures in the world children are "becoming less valued,"2 in the culture of the gospel we still believe in having children. Prophets, seers, and revelators who were sustained at this conference have declared that "God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force."3 President Ezra Taft Benson taught that young couples should not postpone having children and that "in the eternal perspective, children—not possessions, not position, not prestige—are our greatest jewels."4
Faithful daughters of God desire children. In the scriptures we read of Eve (see Moses 4:26), Sarah (see Genesis 17:16), Rebekah (see Genesis 24:60), and Mary (see 1 Nephi 11:13–20), who were foreordained to be mothers before children were born to them. Some women are not given the responsibility of bearing children in mortality, but just as Hannah of the Old Testament prayed fervently for her child (see 1 Samuel 1:11), the value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection (see D&C 130:18). Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality. There is eternal influence and power in motherhood.
Mothers Who Know Honor Sacred Ordinances and Covenants
Mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants. I have visited sacrament meetings in some of the poorest places on the earth where mothers have dressed with great care in their Sunday best despite walking for miles on dusty streets and using worn-out public transportation. They bring daughters in clean and ironed dresses with hair brushed to perfection; their sons wear white shirts and ties and have missionary haircuts. These mothers know they are going to sacrament meeting, where covenants are renewed. These mothers have made and honor temple covenants. They know that if they are not pointing their children to the temple, they are not pointing them toward desired eternal goals. These mothers have influence and power.
Mothers Who Know Are Nurturers
Mothers who know are nurturers. This is their special assignment and role under the plan of happiness.5 To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow. Therefore, mothers who know create a climate for spiritual and temporal growth in their homes. Another word for nurturing is homemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home. Home is where women have the most power and influence; therefore, Latter-day Saint women should be the best homemakers in the world. Working beside children in homemaking tasks creates opportunities to teach and model qualities children should emulate. Nurturing mothers are knowledgeable, but all the education women attain will avail them nothing if they do not have the skill to make a home that creates a climate for spiritual growth. Growth happens best in a "house of order," and women should pattern their homes after the Lord's house (see D&C 109). Nurturing requires organization, patience, love, and work. Helping growth occur through nurturing is truly a powerful and influential role bestowed on women.
Mothers Who Know Are Leaders
Mothers who know are leaders. In equal partnership with their husbands, they lead a great and eternal organization. These mothers plan for the future of their organization. They plan for missions, temple marriages, and education. They plan for prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Mothers who know build children into future leaders and are the primary examples of what leaders look like. They do not abandon their plan by succumbing to social pressure and worldly models of parenting. These wise mothers who know are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most.
Mothers Who Know Are Teachers
Mothers who know are always teachers. Since they are not babysitters, they are never off duty. A well-taught friend told me that he did not learn anything at church that he had not already learned at home. His parents used family scripture study, prayer, family home evening, mealtimes, and other gatherings to teach. Think of the power of our future missionary force if mothers considered their homes as a pre–missionary training center. Then the doctrines of the gospel taught in the MTC would be a review and not a revelation. That is influence; that is power.
Mothers Who Know Do Less
Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord's kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power.
Mothers Who Know Stand Strong and Immovable
Who will prepare this righteous generation of sons and daughters? Latter-day Saint women will do this—women who know and love the Lord and bear testimony of Him, women who are strong and immovable and who do not give up during difficult and discouraging times. We are led by an inspired prophet of God who has called upon the women of the Church to "stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper under the plan of the Lord."6 He has asked us to "begin in [our] own homes"7 to teach children the ways of truth.
Latter-day Saint women should be the very best in the world at upholding, nurturing, and protecting families. I have every confidence that our women will do this and will come to be known as mothers who "knew" (Alma 56:48). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES 1. See Gordon B. Hinckley, "Standing Strong and Immovable," Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 10, 2004, 21. 2. James E. Faust, "Challenges Facing the Family," Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 10, 2004, 2. 3. "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102. 4. To the Mothers in Zion (pamphlet, 1987), 3. 5. See "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." 6. Gordon B. Hinckley, Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 10, 2004, 20. 7. Gordon B. Hinckley, Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 10, 2004, 20.
Each morning my mom would tell me “Remember who you are,” as I headed off to school. I would always smile and nod and say I know mom, but deep down I was a little annoyed that she couldn’t come up with anything better to say. Of course I knew who I was…..duh!
When I was in 6th grade an older girl was picking on me as we rode home on the school bus. I was a scrawny, lanky little girl with long, straight brown hair, big brown eyes, purple wire framed glasses and a lot of energy. By all counts, I was the PERFECT target. She called me names, made fun of my clothes and told me that I was a “WANNA-BE.” Basically, she thought that I didn’t have my own identity, my own style, my own flare….instead she thought that I “WANTED TO BE” like everyone else. This statement cut me deeper than all the other names she had called me. I struggled so hard to stand out, to be an individual and I was the only LDS person in my whole school….the ONLY one…I wanted to make sure I was different.
That afternoon when I got home, I told my mother about the girl who had been teasing me on the bus. With tears in my eyes I said, “Mom, you know the worst part?? She called me a WANNA-BE!” Without hesitation my mother said, “Next time anyone says that to you, you tell them, I’m NOT a Wanna-be, I AM A Be!*” Horrified, I looked at my mom and explained to her that I didn’t even understand what that meant and it sounded totally dumb and I would be laughed at.
Time and time again throughout my life my mom and I would use that phrase “I’m not a wanna-be, I am a Be,” I would tease her and say remember when you told me that dumb thing to say? But dumb as it might have been it always stuck with me. Now that I’m a mother I understand what my mother was trying to say to me. She was saying, Remember who you are, a daughter of a Heavenly Father, a choice spirit, a girl of great worth…you are not a wanna be you are a be. You.Are.
My mother passed away this past January after a long battle with cancer, but I will never, never forget the lesson she taught me that day. Be all that you are, all that you always have been, all that you are to be. Stand apart. Just BE.
I chose this week’s talk as a reminder to all of us that YOU ARE NOT A WANNA-BE, YOU ARE A BE. Remember who you are.
*P.S. If you would like to use this quote please give credit to my mommy, Aida Pena 5/25/1944 – 1/22/2009
I have been learning a lesson this past year about motherhood. In a conversation with my mother this past week I mentioned to her that I am finally seeing that being, "just a mom" is enough. In fact I feel that to be the mother I want to be, being a mother is all I can and want to do. There is no room for a much more. This has been a very hard lesson to learn. Heavenly Father has been trying to teach me this for a very long time! I am in no way saying that I have perfected this lesson. I am saying that I am finally seeing a slice of the big picture and this big picture is one that at times is hard for me to grasp!
I stumbled across this talk yesterday and have to admit that when I first heard it I felt a little frustrated. I realize now that my feelings stemmed from my own personal self doubt and even pride thinking that being a mother was not enough. As the years go by I get busier and busier with all sorts of good things. I am noticing that the things that bring me the most peace and joy are the things that relate to motherhood. Who knew that washing and folding laundry could bring a sense of peace and calm to ones heart! Well, let me tell you that it has for me. As much as I dread doing the mundane tasks of motherhood when I finally make time for them and I do so with a grateful or willing heart I feel wrapped up in a joy that feels as though heavenly arms are surrounding me, reassuring me that these tasks do in fact matter.
I hope you will enjoy this talk and I pray that you will listen to it with a grateful and willing heart so you can hear the things that are meant for you. Even if you are a husband, child, or mother of grown children this talk has a special message for all to hear.
Have a wonderful week enjoying the blessed tasks of mortality.
Brothers and sisters, recently my wife, Barbara, had back surgery and could not lift, twist, or bend. Consequently, I have done more lifting, twisting, and bending than ever before—and it has made me more appreciative of what women, and especially you mothers, do every day in our homes. While women live in homes under many different circumstances—married, single, widowed, or divorced, some with children and some without—all are beloved of God, and He has a plan for His righteous daughters to receive the highest blessings of eternity. This afternoon I want to focus my remarks primarily on mothers, particularly on young mothers. As a young father, I learned the demanding role of motherhood. I served as a counselor and then as bishop for a period of 10 years. During that time we were blessed with six of our seven children. Barbara was often worn-out by the time I got home Sunday evening. She tried to explain what it was like to sit on the back row in sacrament meeting with our young family. Then the day came that I was released. After sitting on the stand for 10 years, I was now sitting with my family on the back row. The ward’s singing mothers’ chorus was providing the music, and I found myself sitting alone with our six children. I have never been so busy in my whole life. I had the hand puppets going on both hands, and that wasn’t working too well. The Cheerios got away from me, and that was embarrassing. The coloring books didn’t seem to entertain as well as they should. As I struggled with the children through the meeting, I looked up at Barbara, and she was watching me and smiling. I learned for myself to more fully appreciate what all of you dear mothers do so well and so faithfully! A generation later, as a grandfather, I have watched the sacrifices my daughters have made in rearing their children. And now, still another generation later, I am watching with awe the pressures on my granddaughters as they guide their children in this busy and demanding world. After observing and empathizing with three generations of mothers and thinking of my own dear mother, I surely know that there is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood. There is no one perfect way 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. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part- or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. 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. I am impressed by countless mothers who have learned how important it is to focus on the things that can only be done in a particular season of life. If a child lives with parents for 18 or 19 years, that span is only one-fourth of a parent’s life. And the most formative time of all, the early years in a child’s life, represents less than one-tenth of a parent’s normal life. It is crucial to focus on our children for the short time we have them with us and to seek, with the help of the Lord, to teach them all we can before they leave our homes. This eternally important work falls to mothers and fathers as equal partners. I am grateful that today many fathers are more involved in the lives of their children. But I believe that the instincts and the intense nurturing involvement of mothers with their children will always be a major key to their well-being. In the words of the proclamation on the family, “Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). We need to remember that the full commitment of motherhood and of putting children first can be difficult. Through my own four-generation experience in our family, and through discussions with mothers of young children throughout the Church, I know something of a mother’s emotions that accompany her commitment to be at home with young children. There are moments of great joy and incredible fulfillment, but there are also moments of a sense of inadequacy, monotony, and frustration. Mothers may feel they receive little or no appreciation for the choice they have made. Sometimes even husbands seem to have no idea of the demands upon their wives. As a Church, we have enormous respect and gratitude to you mothers of young children. We want you to be happy and successful in your families and to have the validation and support you need and deserve. So today, let me ask and briefly answer four questions. While my answers may seem extremely simple, if the simple things are being tended to, a mother’s life can be most rewarding. The first question: What can you do, as a young mother, to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more? First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11). Second, don’t overschedule yourselves or your children. We live in a world that is filled with options. If we are not careful, we will find every minute jammed with social events, classes, exercise time, book clubs, scrapbooking, Church callings, music, sports, the Internet, and our favorite TV shows. One mother told me of a time that her children had 29 scheduled commitments every week: music lessons, Scouts, dance, Little League, day camps, soccer, art, and so forth. She felt like a taxi driver. Finally, she called a family meeting and announced, “Something has to go; we have no time to ourselves and no time for each other.” Families need unstructured time when relationships can deepen and real parenting can take place. Take time to listen, to laugh, and to play together. Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children. Avoid any kind of substance abuse, mistakenly thinking that it will help you accomplish more. And don’t allow yourself to be caught up in the time-wasting, mind-numbing things like television soap operas or surfing the Internet. Turn to the Lord in faith, and you will know what to do and how to do it. Fourth, pray, study, and teach the gospel. Pray deeply about your children and about your role as a mother. Parents can offer a unique and wonderful kind of prayer because they are praying to the Eternal Parent of us all. There is great power in a prayer that essentially says, “We are steward-parents over Thy children, Father; please help us to raise them as Thou wouldst want them raised.” The second question: What more can a husband do to support his wife, the mother of their children? First, show extra appreciation and give more validation for what your wife does every day. Notice things and say thank you—often. Schedule some evenings together, just the two of you. Second, have a regular time to talk with your wife about each child’s needs and what you can do to help. Third, give your wife a “day away” now and then. Just take over the household and give your wife a break from her daily responsibilities. Taking over for a while will greatly enhance your appreciation of what your wife does. You may do a lot of lifting, twisting, and bending! Fourth, come home from work and take an active role with your family. Don’t put work, friends, or sports ahead of listening to, playing with, and teaching your children. The third question: What can children, even young children, do? Now, you children, please listen to me because there are some simple things you can do to help your mother. You can pick up your toys when you are finished playing with them, and when you get a little older, you can make your bed, help with the dishes, and do other chores—without being asked. You can say thank you more often when you finish a nice meal, when a story is read to you at bedtime, or when clean clothes are put in your drawers. Most of all, you can put your arms around your mother often and tell her you love her. The last question: What can the Church do? There are many things the Church offers to mothers and families, but for my purpose today may I suggest that the bishopric and the ward council members be especially watchful and considerate of the time and resource demands on young mothers and their families. Know them and be wise in what you ask them to do at this time in their lives. Alma’s counsel to his son Helaman applies to us today: “Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6). I hope all of you dear sisters, married or single, never wonder if you have worth in the sight of the Lord and to the leaders of the Church. We love you. We respect you and appreciate your influence in preserving the family and assisting with the growth and the spiritual vitality of the Church. Let us remember that “the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”). The scriptures and the teachings of the prophets and apostles help all family members to prepare together now to be together through all eternity. I pray that God will continually bless the women of the Church to find joy and happiness in their sacred roles as daughters of God. Now, in closing, I want to add my witness of President Monson’s prophetic call. I have known him since he was 22 and I was 21. That’s 58 years. I have watched the hand of the Lord prepare him for this day to preside over the Church as the prophet and President. And I add my testimony, along with all of the other testimonies that have been borne through this conference, of his special calling as President of the Church, and add my testimony, along with all of the others, that Jesus is the Christ and this is His Church. We are doing His work, to which I testify in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
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About Me: Shauntell
Second and Fifth Week
I am a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I grew up in Washington, Utah then in 1994 moved to Logan, Utah. I was married in 1995 and in 1999 I became a mother and began a whole new journey in life. Here I am 12 years later with 3 beautiful children who have been a blessing and have been the cause of much of my growth! I hope that I am a person who brings hope and happiness to others. This year I am working on just being me and serving Jesus Christ. Ever since I can remember I have enjoyed learning about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I enjoyed all the classes and opportunities I have had to learn and grow in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For many years I based a lot of my studies on knowing who I am and what I am supposed to be. I am grateful for the things I have learned and desire so much for as many people as possible to know what I know and trust in what they feel in their hearts.
Contributors: Noni
First Week
I was born in Logan, Utah and spent my school years in Snowflake, Arizona. I met my awesome husband the second month I attended Ricks College. In June of 1985, after he returned from serving a mission, we married in the Logan Temple and I graduated from BYU in December of that year. We spent 8 of our first married years in Canada-- Magrath, Alberta and Hamilton, Ontario--where 3 of our sons were born. We moved to Utah 15 years ago. I am becoming a woman of Faith. I strive to live each day with eternal goals in mind. The past three years, I have grown immensely as I have been stretched and challenged. I have learned to rely on our Father in Heaven and the Savior as never before. Most of all, I have learned to trust Them and Their perfect plan for each of us. The days I let Them steer my ship, my life is much sweeter, despite the difficulties, than the times I rely on my own strength and insights. I know as we each allow Them to guide our daily activities, we can feel the peace and joy that come from being in Their service and doing exactly what They would have us do each day. I am daily striving to be more like Them and know that our joys increase as we do this. I am also learning to better hear and heed the Spirit and I am so grateful for His direction in my life. I know our safety depends on each of us developing this Gift. Most of all, I want to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to fulfill His purposes while I have the privilege of being here on earth. I love being a wife and mother to five wonderful sons, and my desire is that each person I have contact with each day feels better for the time we have shared and that somehow I might assist in bringing the light of the Gospel to them.
Sarah
Third Week
I am a mother, wife, daughter, friend, mentor and business owner. I grew up in a small town in central NJ and then in 1992 I moved to ID to attend college. I met and fell in love with the man of my dreams and we were married in the SLC, Temple on General Conference weekend. In 1996, I graduated from USU with a Bachelor’s of Science and a few weeks later became a mother. It’s been over 16 years since I was married and I now have 3 strong-willed and valiant children. I can honestly say that the last 7 years I have been on the steepest learning curve of my whole life. I have been blessed both temporally and spiritually in ways I never dreamed. Since I was a little girl I have listened to conference talks and the scriptures. My mom would play them on a small tape recorder while she hand-washed dishes, made dinner, or even while we were driving in the car. When I started my own family we started listening to the CDs of the scriptures as well as General Conference. Now we simply put them on our IPOD. Whatever the medium of listening, I have been strengthened throughout my life to hear the voice of the God. I know he loves each of us. We are his children and because we are His he blesses us each day and encourages us to lift, heal, edify, strengthen, love, learn and more.
Alida
Fourth Week
I am the daughter of a loving Heavenly Father who has blessed me in countless ways. I am a mother to 5 beautiful children, the wife to an amazing priesthood holder, a daughter of goodly parents, a sister and a friend to many. My journey began almost 19 years ago when I was just 8 years old and two beautiful sister missionaries knocked on our door in Bayside, Queens, NY. That day my life changed forever. Two short months later I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Our membership in the church led us to Provo, Utah when I was 12 years old. After graduating from Provo High School, I married my best friend on April 17, 1999. We were sealed together in the Bountiful, Utah Temple. Over the last 9 years, our life together has seen its share of ups and downs, including the birth of a child with Cystic Hygroma. Throughout our trials I have been able to stay close to the Lord through study and much prayer. The knowledge that we have a living prophet by which He speaks to us has sustained me. I know that I can always turn to Latter-day talks to build my faith and understanding. I always seem to find the right words at the right time when I seek to know more. Throughout this year I have been striving to learn patience and trust in the Lord and in his timing. I want to be an example of Christ-like love and to make Him the center of my home. I know that through the gospel of Jesus Christ those things are not hard to achieve if we put our faith in him. I am thankful that he guided those two sister missionaries to our house that September day in 1989 and that my parents chose to let them come in and share their message. I am dedicated to sharing that message with the world so that they to may know my JOY!
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In the Book of Mormon we read about 2,000 exemplary young men who were exceedingly valiant, courageous, and strong. "Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him" (
