Mothers Who Know

This past Saturday I got to go to the General Relief Society meeting with my mom, sister Rachel, and sister-in-law Debi. While I was listening to all the great talks I was in awe of these awesome women, I mean you have to be putting in some serious work to be in the General Relief Society Presidency. On the car ride home we talked a little bit about President Beck's talk last year, "Mothers Who Know", and about how it ruffled some feathers. I remembered the talk and certainly didn't think it was offensive in any way but decided to reread it. I was touched by it even more reading it then I had been initially. I always have these big plans to become the women I would like to be but I always seem to fall short, here are some powerful quotes from President Beck that helped renew my determination to be the best mother and wife I can be- it will take work but I am willing to work for my family. I encourage all the moms to go back and reread this sweet talk.

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. 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 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.

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

I love being a mom and I'm so grateful that I have so many wonderful women around me, including the leaders of our church and I am so grateful for their testimonies of the divinity of our position, even though some days I feel like I'm only here to clean up messes and be spit up on I know I'm here for so much more.