Thank Heaven for Moms

AKK! So I just realized I never published this "Tribute to Mothers" post on Mother's Day weekend. Super tacky, for which I apologize. But I know many people are thankful for their mothers year round, and women love being appreciated spontaneously, so I figure and hope that this will be read and that mothers will feel special and others can be edified.


My companion and I had a unique opportunity the other day.


 We went to go visit this mother and daughter who we had not been able to get a hold of in a few months. Every time we did go things seemed to be quite perfect, the house in good order and were doing well leaning on each other. We loved to be around them and their good spirit and were excited for an opportunity to visit again.

Upon our arrival, we came upon a very different scene. The house was in slight disarray and the mother and daughter were somewhat in distress. We asked how they had been and if they were okay.

The mother opened up to us and asked us sincerely how we had gained such a good relationship with our mothers, how our mothers earned our respect and so on. We were so touched and for two different reasons. First, that they would open up to us so sincerely with something so personal but also something so special and important. And second that we could both say that our mothers were among our closest friends who we respect and love.

We had also been in similar situations where that relationship had its struggles and so we were able to help.

We both expressed that before our mom was our friend she was our mom. In small ways we were able to summarize what our mothers meant to us and briefly share experiences how our mothers greatly influenced where we are today.

I love  what Elder Ballard stated in the April 2010 General Conference:

 

"A mother-daughter relationship is where a daughter learns how to nurture by being nurtured. She is loved. She is taught and experiences firsthand what it feels like to have someone care about her enough to correct her while continuing to encourage and believe in her at the same time."

I am so THANKFUL for moms!!

My mom is my best friend and  I'd love to show you a picture, but  alas, she is allusive to the camera.  She has been my best friend, and though she has braved and endured many trials, whenever there was a sincere need, she was always there. And a big thing i never realized or appreciated till we were seeking to help this wonderful mother is what a huge sacrifice it was to her to have to follow through and play the bad guy. Looking back it was definitely harder on her than on me and I am so grateful for that and the many other sacrifices she made to help me learn, grow, and succeed.

We ended that meeting talking about the gospel and eternal families. We testified how the Restored Gospel of  Jesus Christ reveals to us truths concerning the eternal nature of the family. We assured them that for the labor of love we share now, we can enjoy the blessings of those relationships for eternity.
  I know that no good effort of my mother was ever wasted, for which I am so grateful.