Misty Mother

I gave a talk in Sacrament today on Mothers.

"I'd like to share a story about a girl, that is near and dear to my heart.

When she was two or three, in nursery, she was the 'little mother.' She was always cheering other kids up and helping take care of them. She was learning how to nurture. She was becoming a nurturer.

As a young child, she would go Trick or Treating during Halloween, come home, and divide her pile up to share with her parents and siblings. She was learning how to share. She was becoming selfless.

As a youth, she received her Patriarchal Blessing and was told she would be a source of knowledge and a teacher to those around her. She was learning how to teach. She was becoming a teacher.

As a young woman, she was valiant in her participation of the Young Woman's program. She was learning how to obey. She was becoming obedient.

As a young woman, she was successful in her studies throughout high school and accepted to a prestigious university. She was learning how to learn. She was becoming intelligent.

As a young woman, she dated several young men from diverse backgrounds. She was becoming experienced.

She interrupted her studies and her dating life to serve an honorable full time mission for the Lord. She was learning how to heed. She was becoming valiant.

She returned from her mission a woman. She continued her studies and her dating life. She was learning how to be diligent.

She worked and paid her own way through college. She was learning the meaning of hard work. She was becoming a hard worker.

She found a handsome, dashing, charming, intelligent, athletic, caring, and sensitive man to marry in the temple of the Lord. She was learning how to apply her knowledge. She was becoming wise.

After a couple years of blissful marriage, she was unsuccessful in becoming pregnant. She was learning about patience. She was learning how to become patient.

After several unsuccessful attempts at infertility surgeries, she was told she would never have children. She was tested.

A few months later she would learn that she was pregnant, with no infertility surgery. She was learning about gratitude. She was learning how to become grateful.

Several weeks into her pregnancy she would learn that she was having twins. She was learning to believe in miracles.

Shortly before her twins were born, her husband quit his job, moved her out of state and away from her family, and began law school. She was tested again.

During her husband's first year of law school, he was gone from 6am until 9pm, leaving her to take care of the infant twins on little to no sleep. She was learning how to sacrifice.

During her husband's second year of law school she would learn that she was pregnant again, no infertility surgeries needed. She was learning about joy. She was becoming joyful.

Over the next year she would spend her days taking care of three children under the age of 2. She was learning how to be selfless.

Shortly after her husband graduated she would learn she was expecting her fourth child, no infertility surgeries needed. She was learning to be careful what you pray for.

Shortly thereafter her husband lost his job, and she would be a rock and a strong example for her little family. She was learning to persevere in faith.

She currently spends her days taking care of 4 kids under the age of 3, running a home-based business, and supporting her husband in all that he does and doesn't do. She is learning how to love. She is becoming charitable.

She is Nurturing; she is Selfless; she is a Teacher; she is Obedient; she is a Hard Worker; she is Intelligent; she is Experienced; she is Faithful; she is Diligent; she is Valiant; she is Wise; she is Patient; she has been Tested; she is Grateful; she Believes in Miracles; she continues to be Tested; she has Sacrificed; she is Overwhelmed at times; she Perseveres in Faith; she is Loving.

She is my wife and the mother of my children and I am grateful for her and the Christ-like attributes she exhibits every day. Mothers are wonderful examples of these attributes that we all strive to attain. They are examples of Christ."