Motherhood-What LDS Women Do Best

I am at a time in my life were everything is magnified the sorrow is more sorrowful, the joy more joyful etc. I have had friends and family all seem to be going through times in there lives that make them think ponder and maybe move forward. Yesterday was one of those moments in my own life that even during my day I found myself being full of Joy yet very reflective. So when one of my dearest friends asked me a question about this months VT message we started chatting and when we had to go I felt that I had to push forward with some thoughts. These thoughts have become my Lesson of Life.

The Question that got it all started is from Ensign Oct 2007 Visiting Teaching Message. How can I prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ? Does "prepare" mean spiritual or temporal? I read the lesson and took it to mean spiritual.

Kathleen H. Hughes, former first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency:
" 'Ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small
things proceedeth that which is great' (D&C 64:[33]; emphasis
added). . . . The great work we wish to do will proceed from 'small
things.' One of those small things, I have learned, is that I must find
the time to fill my own spiritual reservoir each day" ("Out of Small Things," Liahona, Nov. 2004, 109).

I love the thought of filling my own spiritual reservoir. After I read that I wondered how my friend and I talked about how this applies to motherhood.

What is Motherhood. I have come to believe that children are an important part of Motherhood but a small part of the bigger picture. Why, you wonder. The only way I can describe it is to talk about Priesthood. Is giving blessings the most important thing the Priesthood does? Is there one thing more important than another? I would say no every aspect of the Priesthood is equally important just some aspects are use more often than others. Motherhood is like this too. Children and the bearing of them are a very important part of Motherhood. What are the other aspects?

To answer this I turn to what seems to have given the LDS blog world much to talk about. I am talking of Sister Beck's talks from RS General Conference and October's General Conference. I am never read or heard more concise talks on Motherhood. I will also use some quotes from Elder Dallin H Oats talk from the same conference titled Good, Better, Best.

Sister Beck states "I believe that the women of this Church are the finest, most capable women in the world.", "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.", "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)." as well as talking of a conversation with the prophet "I have expressed to him my confidence that the women of this Church
will stand strong and immovable in our faith in Jesus Christ and His
restored gospel; strong and immovable in upholding, nourishing, and
protecting our families; and strong and immovable in providing relief."

Isn't that just amazing I love that little booster shot.

Taking from her two talks Motherhood is
1. Bearing Children
2. Honor Sacred Ordinances and Covenants
3. Being Nurtures
4. Being Leaders
5. Being Teachers
6. Doing Less
7. Standing Strong and Immovable in Faith
8. Standing Strong and Immovable in Family
9. Standing Strong and Immovable in Relief
10. Elder Oaks Knowing Good, Better, Best


From this list you can see there is much more than child bearing although it does carry a lot of wait in our lives. Most of these will be can be learn with children around us. but I have been asked to understand the meaning of Motherhood and so by looking deeper into this topic and reading these talk with a different pair of glasses I have found that Motherhood is beautiful and something to truly cherish with or without children. One of my greatest examples of Motherhood is one of my good friends without children. She has shown me a love for motherhood that is just incredible to me she is the Greatest Mother I have ever met yet through no fault of her own she has yet to be bless with children in this mortal experience.

So I thought I would use her example to explain my thoughts. I'll call her Jane. I'll only touch on a few because each could be a lesson of life.
1. Bearing Children- "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." I love this quote. I learned the other day that the word hope in the spiritual since means absolute. It will happen. Jane has Hope in this promise. I know this because of her example.
2. Honor Sacred Ordinances and Covenants- "Mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants." I have see Jane cherish her covenants I have seen her morn with those that needed to morn even with her heart was broken in two.
3. Nurtures-"To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow. 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." When Jane was RS Pres. I got to witness this Nurturing side and I got to see her differently and how her home truly was becoming a house of order. I found myself wanting that and although I am not anywhere near getting it I have seen a goal and been touch by it.
4. Leaders-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. Time Management is not my best suit but I have watched Jane tell me I only have ten mins to talk on the phone talk and get off. So that she could get off and make dinner for her husband or be able to help him do something he needed. She knows and tries to achieve what matters most in her life.
5. Standing Strong and Immovable in Family- "The only place Latter-day Saint women will learn the whole and complete
truth about their indispensable role in the plan of happiness is in
this Church and its doctrine." "...to preserve our potential to belong to eternal families." "Women find true happiness when they understand and delight in their unique role within the plan of salvation." "Much of the great work of this society in the past has been centered in
helping Latter-day Saint women strengthen families, with emphasis on
improving our nurturing skills—homemaking skills, parenting skills, and
marriage skills. Families mean work, but they are our great work—and we
are not afraid of work.""We uphold, nourish, and protect them." Jane and any other women in my life have shone me the important of families. Have given me the chance to be apart of something to be apart of there families to help me learn skills I needed to develop my own family.

I am trying to learn Motherhood and all it's meanings and jobs but I think the biggest think I am learning is to love and cherish all those you love around you. Just as the Priesthood Holders are learning what it truly means to hold the Priesthood of God so must I learn what is means to have Motherhood.