Opening Song: I Often Go Walking (Children's Song Book, p.202)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/i-often-go-walking?lang=eng
Opening Prayer:
Scripture: Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Read the following quote by President Nelson:
Mothers have always had an important role in the world. Her influence is needed more now than ever, especially since the adversary works so hard today to break our families. Satan tries to devalue a mother's sacred responsibility by undervaluing her highest and noble calling. The demand that it takes to rear children is not always easy, but with Heavenly Father's help, it is absolutely possible. President Thomas S. Monson shared the following on the partnership mothers have with God:
(Behold Thy Mother, 2019)
Video: While watching the following video ponder on the love your mother has for you.
Read: In The Family: A Proclamation to the World, it states,
"Husband and Wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are a heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live...
" 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. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners" (Church of Jesus Christ, 1995, para. 6-7).
Effective Mothering: A mothering scholar, Sara Ruddick shared ways in which a mother can be nurturing and attentive with her love. The first is preserving life. A mother's responsibility is to the well-being of her child's protection and growth. She nurtures her child by feeding, caring for, and keeping her child safe from dangers.
Mothers have a huge role in the healthy development of their children. As stated in The Family: A Proclamation to the World, mothers are nurturers (Church of Jesus Christ, 1995). Nurturing mothers create a healthy learning environment for their children in their daily routines from morning till eve. Another part of that healthy environment is a mother that meets the emotional needs of her children. It is important to teach children how to cope and feel their emotions, to know they are loved, listened to, and recognized as an important part of the family.
Teaching is also an important aspect of mothering children. The influences of mothers in this have profound effects on a child's development. Teaching in the home gives them tools to function outside of the home in society. Mothers have a huge impact on their children's well-being. Teaching the gospel in the home has a profound influence on children. Studies have shown that an LDS mother's quality of parenting is influenced by personal gospel-centered lives. Mothers who fast, pray, study their scriptures, and invite the influence of the spirit into their lives through religion will have more success in their homes. They will feel more love and are less likely to fall into unhealthy parenting patterns (Erickson, J.J., 1995).
Activity: As you pondered previously about your mother's love for you, make a list of those qualities and responsibilities you see she has. What are a few things you could do to support your mother in her sacred duties? Take time this week to notice all of the things your mother does for your family. Have your observations of your mother's role in your life changed your views or perceptions of her?
You will never find a perfect mother. Each is unique with different talents and abilities. She has different children and each circumstance is unique. What makes a good mother is a love she deeply has for them and the love she has for God.
Story:
There was a time in my teenage years I was not making good choices. No matter where I was I always knew that my dear mother loved and prayed for me. I know my choices worried her greatly. Looking back I know that it was through her prayers on my behalf I was saved in a lot of ways from further pain and circumstances.
My mother raised me in the gospel of Jesus Christ. She taught me the principles of the gospel. Although for a time I didn't follow them, I always knew where I came from. I knew I had a Heavenly Father to whom I could pray. My prayers were sparse at that time but I knew that when I did pray, He was listening. I felt heard and loved by God. My mother taught me about the Savior all my life. I knew His love for me was the same whether I was making good choices or not. I felt His love for me many times throughout those years living outside of church standards.
As I ran my course of poor decision-making, it was becoming a mother myself that led me back to Christ. My mother had laid the foundation for me in how I wanted to teach and raise my own children. I did not want to take on my role as a mother in any way other than how my mother raised me. My testimony is stronger because I had goodly parents who loved the Lord and followed the promptings of the spirit to love me just where I was until I chose to return.
Testimony: Experiencing a mother's love helped me know how to love my own children when I became a mother. I am grateful for her example because I feel as though I have been able to be a great blessing to the lives of my own children. Although not all my children are currently active in the church I know that my prayers for them are heard from a loving Heavenly Father. He loves them and is watching out for them just as he did me.
I am so thankful for a mother who loved me enough to not give up on me. Her example was where I laid my own foundation as a mother. I know that no matter where we go in life we have parents who love us. Whether for some of us that is our earthly parents or both, we are never alone because of their love and constant care for us.
Closing Song: I am a Child of God (Hymnal, p.301)
Closing Prayer:
References
Behold Thy Mother. (2019).
Churchofjesuschrist.org.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/generalconference/2015/10/behold-thy-mother?lang=eng
Erickson,
J., “Mothers are nurturers” (2012), Hawkins, A. J., In Dollahite, D. C.,
& In Draper, T., Successful Marriages and
Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
(1995). The Family: A Proclamation to the World.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng
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