Mothers Who Know

Access the talk, Mothers Who Know

(I LOVE the above message from Elder Holland!  Precious, for very difficult days!)

In the Book of Mormon, Laman and Lemuel say to Nephi (as he is beginning to build the ship), "Thou canst not accomplish so great a work...."  Isn't that just like the world???  Those are the words we hear.  You cannot do it!  That is ridiculous! You are lacking in judgement!

I not only hear these words from people---sometimes I hear them in my own head.  I certainly heard them when I was considering home schooling our middle-schooler.  I heard them again when I got pregnant with number nine, at 41.  I hear them while I am trying to teach my children how to swim.

That may not seem like such a big deal to you, but I learned to swim late and I was never a very good or very confident swimmer.  I can swim, but I hate it.  It is ugly and I certainly will not win any awards.  I believed my ability to teach others that skill was extremely lacking.  No one else is teaching them and we cannot afford to hire someone to do so.

But I take courage in this statement:  "Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children."  That is the language of The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  What does that mean exactly?  What is the nurture of our children?

In my mind, it is helping them feel safe, happy, loved, and understood.  It is helping them to make sense of the world around them through educating them, teaching them, and explaining it to them.  It is listening to them, feeding them, clothing them, bathing them.  It is laughing----A LOT of laughing and occasionally disciplining them.

The relationship between a mother and a child makes me their perfect and ultimate teacher, regardless of the topic.  Not because I am an expert, but because they trust me.  They love me.  More importantly, they know I love them.  They will do what I ask.  They will believe what I say, even when it is hard.  And when the time comes that they are old enough to question me or not always do what I say, they will still listen---because their experience has taught them where they can turn and that most of the time.....Mother knows best.

I hope our relationship helps them feel confident in turning to the Savior.  I hope they hear His voice through me and feel His love.  But that is a post for another day.