Because She is a Mother

I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately, and I have had the great blessing of receiving personal revelation. It has been a sweet and tender thing for me.

In doing a little of my soul searching, I went to the Church’s website where I happened upon this MormonMessages video.

I bawled through the whole video, of course (as I am prone to do while watching Mormon Messages videos).

But then I looked up Elder Holland’s talk on the Church’s website.

I felt as if Heavenly Father was confirming the spiritual promptings I had previously received, and was preparing me for further inspiration that came later that night.

I love the things that I have learned. I love having that relationship with my Father in Heaven. I want to do His will, and I know that He reveal it to me as I become able to understand and act upon it, and as I prepare myself to receive it.

Motherhood is such a sweet gift.

I don’t need to feel pressure to teach my children the things the world pressures me to teach them. Elder Holland read parts of a letter he received from a young mother who said that “...she felt like the world expected her to teach her children reading, writing, interior design, Latin, calculus, and the internet – all before the baby said something terribly ordinary, like ‘goo goo.’”

I have often felt a lot like that. I feel a lot of pressure to teach my children these things. But then, when I sit back and reflect, I feel a greater need to teach them the gospel.

“...we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” (2 Nephi 25:26)

“Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)

The Proclamation to the World talks about successful families being established on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.

I find it interesting that the Lord doesn’t include “learning” as one of those principles – obviously he wants us to learn, as He has instructed us to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (Doctrine & Covenants 88:118) But when he talks about “successful families,” the emphasis is on teaching Christ-like attributes, not teaching our children their ABC’s.

I never cease to be amazed at the Lord’s mindfulness of me. When I actually come unto Him and humble myself and really ask for revelation, He gives it to me! Just for asking. I feel really blessed, and I kick myself for not preparing more fervently for that revelation. I could have done more, and done better a lot earlier in life if I had just kept in close contact with the Father. He has so much to teach me, if I’ll just open up and listen.