Giving Christ My Son

I ran across this poem today and it expresses my feelings this year so well. This originally looked like it would be the worst Christmas ever as I will have hugged and sent 3 kids off to new lands since August and they will not be home for Christmas. One got married and moved and isn't coming home for Christmas. Another is moving with her family to the opposite coast for several years for her hubs to finish grad school the week before Christmas and my baby is serving a  2 year mission for our church, so the only contact I have with him is through a weekly email on Monday and I get a phone call from him on Christmas and Mother's day. It's already hard enough that we also have a child that lives in Texas with 4 grandbabies that we hardly ever get to see. Thank heavens one child is still here so I can get hugs and a grandma fix now and then from him!!!  I thought my heart would break at the thoughts of the emptiness in our home for Christmas and the fact that our traditions would not be able to happen because of all this,  but instead, somehow my heart has been filled to overflowing with joy this year.  I have found different ways to still do some of the traditions, maybe not on the exact day we usually do them and maybe not in the same way, but by reaching out and involving others, some of the traditions will continue. Others will be put on hold temporarily until the sweet day when we are all together again! Maybe this joy I feel is because I had nothing else to do but serve others and maybe it's the blessing of giving Christ my son for two years. Either way, as lonely as it seemed, this has been a most amazing Christmas season so far!

A MISSIONARY CHRISTMAS
I skipped the sales after Thanksgiving. The thrill just wasn’t there.
No pictures taken with Santa Claus. My decorating has no flair.
His presents are shoes, shirts, and ties, two suits and socks… no fun.
I’ve bought him all white clothes because this year I’m giving Christ my son.

I’ve spent more time in the temple, my testimony stirred.
I’ve re-read November’s Ensign, felt strength come from His words.
Our family prays more frequently. My tears are quick to run.
Abraham seems closer because this year I’m giving Christ my son.

I wonder how those Lamanite mothers gave their sons to war?
Or how the pioneers chose Zion—their sacrifice was so much more.
My loss will be his presence. I’ll miss his smile a ton.
For two years we will pray for him. I’m giving Christ my son.

I stare at his face when he’s not looking. I memorize his eyes, their shine.
He’s always hungered for the part of him, that makes his soul divine.
The stories and lessons he always heard. His choice and mine are one.
I’ll put my faith in God’s hand. This year, I’m giving Him my son.

Past gifts have lost their glitter. I think I finally understand
Christ’s birth should be celebrated by giving Him a hand.
It’s because I know Christ lives and reigns that all his packing’s done.
My gift has taken years to make. This year I’m giving Christ my son.

I know there’s One who understands the sacrifice I’m making.
Who knows the gift I willingly give, the toll it will be taking.
For He has done it all before. Greater love — there could be none.
For years ago God gave to me His only begotten son.

The hands I washed, the hands I held, the hands I taught to pray—
Now knock on doors to find the ones who will listen to what he’ll say.
Because I know Christ needs him until all the gathering’s done.
My gift has taken years to make. This year I’m giving Christ my son.
— Author Unknown

Perils of the Deep Blue Sea

One time several years ago, Wayne and I were on a trip with some business associates to Catalina Island. On one of the days, most of the girls had gone shopping and the men had decided to do "water activities". Some went diving with sharks, some went deep sea fishing and some decided to stay close in case the girls needed something, so they went down the the water to do a little snorkeling.

Around lunch time, the shark divers got back and had some wild stories to tell to the snorkelers... As the story goes, some shark divers coaxed a seal on the back deck of the boat and a shark came up out of the water, onto the deck of the boat to grab that seal and eat it..... stories like this tend to put a person on high alert when they are doing "water activities".

Wayne  has chosen to be one of the snorkelers, and now that he was fully aware of the perils of being in the water, he was a little paranoid to say the least!!!

Someone got the great idea to purchase some frozen peas and "bait" the fish so that there would be more fish to enjoy watching while snorkeling. Someone was behind Wayne, tossing out peas in front of him.  (snicker, snicker)  With his head under water, he watched a pea start to sink through the water right in front of his face. (Keep in mind that a snorkel mask tends to make objects look larger than they actually are)  Just then a sea bass decided that particular pea would be a good snack and swam at the pea with it's mouth wide open. In went the pea and when it closed it's mouth, it was attached to the nose piece on Wayne's snorkel mask....

In fear for his life, with the shark attack stories fresh in his mind, he went on the offense and grabbed the bass and tried to remove it from his mask. Wayne thrashing around in the water, trying to remove the fish that is trying to suck his face off (or so he describes..lol) and attempting not to drown, was quite the sight. After a couple of minutes, the other guys on the shore that were watching this spectacle, yelled at Wayne, "Just stand up".

He nearly drowned and died of fear from this horrific fish attack while in knee deep water....hahahaha!

The Elk and the Wig

A few years ago, when we still lived in Idaho, we decided to take a trip up to McCall to feed the elk. We invited Wayne's mom to go with us. Let me just say, that it's ALWAYS an adventure when you are doing something with Wayne's mom!!
It was winter time and as the day grew closer, the weather got worse... especially in the mountains (which is where McCall is). We had made reservations and it was kind of difficult to get a reservation, so we decided that since Wayne had a very large 4WD truck, it shouldn't be a problem.... right?

WRONG!!!

We were ALMOST to our destination and we came to a part in the road where there is a pretty sharp turn and it's on a bit of a hill coming out of the turn. Those who live near our old stomping grounds will probably know exactly what part of the road I am referring to!!! Since it was early in the morning, the roads were still icy.... very icy....

You guessed it... we slip sideways off the road....and then stopped.... tilting sideways towards the ditch.
Since Wayne's truck precariously came to a stop right before it tipped over and because it was sooo big and because the road was icy... and on a hill... and on a corner.... no normal 4wd truck could have pulled us back onto the road...

We had no choice but to call a tow truck... or two! Did I  mention that it had been really bad weather? That meant that the tow trucks were very busy pulling other vehicles out of the ditch... about a dozen or so ahead of us on the list.
So we waited...for several hours... and tried to entertain ourselves inside the truck, since it was once again snowing. We would have gotten out and had a snowball fight or something fun, but because of where we slid off the road, we were afraid that someone else might slide off as well and that would be dangerous if we were playing along side the road.

The tow truck.. or two... finally arrived and requested that we all vacate the truck in case it tipped over while they were pulling it sideways back onto the road.(comforting thought... I was so glad they had confidence in their ability...NOT) They had to have a couple of policeman stop traffic both ways while they extricated Wayne's truck from the side of the road! So we stood outside, in a blizzard,  huddled together to keep warm,watching and holding our breath, and praying that the truck didn't slide even farther off the hill... or tip over!

Finally free, we all climbed back in the truck with lots of snow piled on top of our heads. By this time we had missed our scheduled time to feed the elk, so we got turned around and headed home. All of a sudden, the window in the back seat gets rolled down and it looked like Wayne's mom threw something out the window. I turned around to see what happened and she had taken her wig, hung it out the window to shake off the snow and plopped it back on top of her head.....hahahaha! I can only imagine what the car behind us thought... it must have looked like she was shaking the snow off a small animal or something....LOL!

We set out to have an adventure feeding the elk, but it turned into a very fun memory of a much different kind!

Pepper and Prostate

Cancer is no laughing matter. That is why I am always trying to avoid things that the committee of "they" say increases your chances of getting it.

With that said....

A few years back, we were on vacation and stopped at a fast food place... I know... kind of hypocritical for a person who is trying to be aware of healthy choices, but when you are on a 14 hour road trip, you do what you have to to get back on the road quickly!

My hubs and my youngest son are obsessed with putting LOTS of pepper on their food. Actually, to say they are obsessed is an understatement... they are addicted... as in needing-an-intervention addicted!!!

This meal was no different... they loaded up their fries with an obscene amount of pepper (I think Wayne started putting pepper on his fries, only because I don't care for that and by peppering his fries, it keeps me from eating them!!!!)

Anyway,  I had recently heard that eating a lot of pepper has been linked to developing prostate cancer. Not sure if that is actually true or not, but why take the chance, right? So I decided to take the opportunity to "scare" them into using pepper a little more sparingly. I announced to our little group, specifically calling out B and Wayne and telling them that they should be more conscious of the potential consequences and not eat so much pepper... moderation in all things, right?

Then S announced (in her not so quiet voice) that that is EXACTLY why SHE doesn't eat pepper.....hahahahaha!

E, the resident anatomy expert in our family, asked her if she even knew what a prostate was...

Pretty sure the people in the booth behind us, spewed their drinks out their noses when they heard this convo...:)

S, I'm pretty sure you don't have to worry about getting prostate cancer, but I applaud your decision to use pepper more sparingly...LOL!!!

The Intruder and the Martinelli's

A few nights ago, S was home alone with a friend after dropping her brother off at the high school to attend a ball game. They were upstairs in her bedroom when it occurred to them that they could hear the TV on in the room downstairs. Since they didn't remember it being on before, they thought someone had broken into the house (because if there was an intruder, the first thing he would think to do is sit down and watch TV)

They decided they needed to defend the fort so they were rummaging through the bedroom to find something to use as a weapon in case they needed to whack the intruder. The first thing S grabs is a stand alone oscillating fan... Can you just picture her swinging an oscillating fan as big as she is, at an intruder? Ya... me neither...LOL!!!

Keep in mind these are two very loud, very giggly girls upstairs in a home where you can hear EVERYTHING in the room below... but of course, the intruder wouldn't be paying attention to all their noise above, since he was intent on robbing us of our TV time!!!!

She quickly came to the same conclusion, so they went back in the room to find a more practical weapon.....

A full bottle of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider (I didn't ask why this was in her bedroom... some things a mother just doesn't need to know!!!).... Much better option... I mean they use a bottle in the movies all the time to whack someone on the back of the head... especially if it's an intruder... sitting in dad's chair... watching TV!!!

So they creep part way down the stairs... Did I mention we have a yappy little dog... that doesn't like it when people SNEAK? He heard them "sneaking" and started barking, which scared them so they turned around and scrambled back up the stairs and lunged into the safety of the bedroom... tripping and falling onto the bed.... The neck of the bottle was in S's hand and hit the bed, bounced from the force and smacked her in the forehead, nearly rendering her unconscious....HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I guess there is some truth to knocking someone out by hitting them in the head with the bottle....!!!

I suppose you are wondering about the intruder, right? As it turns out, her brother left the TV on before he went to the ball game. The girls had just been being to loud and silly to hear it. When they finally quieted down for a moment, they finally noticed the noise....LOL!

Thankful

I am going to attempt to do the month of thanks this year...

Here goes!

Day 1

I am thankful that i don't have a job so that i could come visit my momma without having to ask permission from a boss (and yes, I did ask Mr. Gunn first)

Day 2 &3

Since i am a couple of days behind, today, I am also thankful for a cozy fire to snuggle up next to and most importantly for those who continue praying for people like my brother who are still without power back east!

Day 4

Today i'm thankful for family.... a brother that lets me spend the night with only a few hours notice, a brother that sends me thought provoking emails at just the right time, a brother that takes care of my momma when i cant be here, and for their amazing wives who have become my sisters.... and for a second dad (not many girls get to have two amazing daddys!) ?..and for two more brothers that showed up in my life....And of course for my momma .... I just cant put into words how i feel about her!

Day 5

Today i am thankful for all the people who have worked hard to restore power

 to the people that were affected by hurricane Sandy.

Day 6

Today I am thankful to live in a free country, where we have the privililege to vote for our lesders and shape our own future. Please use that freedom wisely!!! And ESPECIALLY today....may God bless America!

Day 7

Ahhhh.... there's NO place like home!!!! Today I am thankful for an amazing hubs (Wayne Gunn)who understood my need to take a week long road trip with only five minutes notice. Watching TV last night as, I was angry and afraid, I realized how much I love him and have come to depend on him.... Thanks for taking such good care of me babe!

Day 8

Today, I woke up with a sore throat (which convinces me that I really AM getting sick and the scratch that I felt yesterday was not just from pretending to be Adele for 8 hours yesterday in the car).... so today I am thankful that I can stay home in my pajamas and sip warm beverages 

and do my online training and GET PAID for that!
Day 9
Today I am thankful that I have been taught to pray and for the peace and comfort that brings to my life!
Day 10
Today I'm thankful for medication and how it helps me feel like a "normal" person!
Day 11

Today I am thankful for a dad who served this country in the Army and taught me to be patriotic and also for all of the men and women who continue to serve our country and protect my freedoms!

Day 12

As I have been trying to exercise patience today and NOT bang my head against the desk while trying to do training modules, I have a new found appreciation for everything that Wayne has been doing past several months! Today I am thankful for the "opportunity" to learn new things.

Day 12 Thankful part 2: Thank you Greg Deputy for going to rescue the kids that were stranded on the side of the road in the rain, in the dark, and then for driving "Leapin' Lena" to safer ground!

Day 13

Today I am thankful that my work network WASN'T working. It gave me the opportunity to go VT without feeling guilty for not staying home doing training modules instead!

Day 14

Today I am thankful for friends and for the wonderful examples I have of unconditional love and forgiveness (especially when I do stupid things... which happens... a LOT). When I grow up, I want to be as amazing as you!

Day 15

Today I am grateful for a son who is cheerfully willing to serve others in need. B, you are a great example to those around you and I am SO lucky to be your momma!

Day 16

Today I'm thankful for a daughter who is missing home and family. It tells me that she understands what's REALLY important in life... and E I want you to know that I look up to YOU... you are an amazing example of someone who loves unconditionally and forgives freely! Can't wait to see you next week!

Day 17

Today I am thankful for a daughter that is a great friend... I love the heartfelt chats we have and the fun conversations when she can't tell me a story unless I can see her tell it because she needs to add animation...♥ you S!
Day 18
Today I am thankful for the opportunity to teach Sunday School. I have such a wonderful amazing class and they inspire me with their knowledge every week. I so much enjoy being taught the Gospel by 16 year old kids! I am pretty sure that I have this opportunity, not for what I have to give, but more for what I have to gain!
Day 19
Today I am thankful for an amazing son and his ever more amazing wife and for the joy they bring to our family. Having them come over on Sunday afternoons for dinner is a highlight of my week!
Day 20

It has been just over a year since Wayne lost his job and I have thought a lot about that today.
I never would have dreamed where a year would take us.
So today, I am thankful for ALL of the tender mercies that our family has experienced over the past year.
So many people stepped up to bring us things at just the right moment....
fresh produce, thoughtful cards, kind words of encouragement, hugs,
many people stepped up to share their talents and resources to help us
 provide our daughter a wonderful wedding reception....
We have been so blessed to have a new opportunity to provide for our family
and there have been so many doors open to make that happen.
Wayne losing his job turned out to be such a blessing to our family in so many ways.
At the end of 2011, I was so happy to say goodbye to that year
 and look forward to 2012, with high hopes.
2012 has NOT disappointed.
As I look back over the past year and all the events..
big AND small...
that have transpired, I can't help but be grateful....
In fact, I am shamelessly filled with joy tonight
as I sit here typing this and all my family, including
a daughter-in-law and a son-in-law,
are all around me laughing and enjoying each other's company.
Life is indeed good!

Day 21
Today, I am thankful that all my chicks are going to be in the nest tonight... ALL NIGHT! Slumber party at my house :)
Day 22
Today I am just thankful... shamelessly-filled-with-joy thankful... for everything I have been blessed with and for all the awesome people that I get to share my journey with!
Day 23
Today I am thankful for Thanksgiving leftovers!!!1 Especially since I spent the day shopping and Twilight matinee with my girlies! Good day :) (note to self: black Friday matinee.... AWESOME idea!)
Day 24
Today I'm thankful for hot chocolate and the sun burning through the fog!
(That means no buckets of rain, so Wayne can hang the lights!)
Day 25
Today I'm thankful for warm blankets, a fireplace, a comfy couch and a heating pad.... I hate being sick
Day 26
Today I am thankful for Kleenex!
Day 27
Today I am thankful for the miracle of T and her family coming back into our lives!!! I am hear to tell you that sometimes prayers take over 20 years to be answered, just don't ever give up!!!!
Day 28
Today I am thankful for my doggy who loves unconditionally no matter how much I tease him and when I don't feel well, is always a little extra snuggly!
Day 29
Today I am thankful for Christmas music and for the feelings of love and hope and charity that it brings into our lives!
Day 30
Today I am thankful for the community in which I live and for the people who make up my little corner of the world... church members, neighbors, friends, and new acquaintances that I continue to make along the way.

Fighting Back

For me, like most people, cancer is very personal...

 It is personal for every person who has been touched by it in some way. 

 Cancer stole my dad from me nearly 20 years ago, and so this year, 

on the 20th anniversary of my dad's courageous fight ending, 

I honor him, by FIGHTING BACK!!!

You all have a story of someone you love, who has fought the fight. 

Many of you have had the privilege of being caregivers

 for those you love as they battled with dignity and grace. 

And even more of you will continue to be affected in some way, by this disease. 

THAT is why I got involved in Relay for Life!

Cancer affected my dad at a time when there weren't many tools to fight with 

 that could have altered his fate... 

but there is so much happening now to offer new breakthroughs..

and hope!!! 

BUT ....

In order for that to happen, we all need to make a stand.... 

together....

and FIGHT BACK!

We are winning the battles, but the war is far from over.

Please help me honor the memory of my dad...

and YOUR loved ones...

and stand up for all those people who are not even diagnosed yet...

I need your help...

THEY need your help!

100% of the money that I raise will go 

directly to research and patient services,

so PLEASE help me make a difference!!!

You can make a pledge by going to

 www.relayforlife.org

Under the heading.. Find a Participant...

Type Wendi Gunn

and click search... then donate.

Every donation will make a difference and

PS...they are tax deductible!!!

Please help me 

Celebrate, Remember and FIGHT BACK!!!

Cancer is so Limited!

It can NOT cripple love!

It can NOT shatter hope!

It can NOT corrode faith!

It can NOT eat away peace!

It can NOT destroy confidence!

It can NOT kill friendship!

It can NOT shut our memories!

It can NOT silence courage!

It can NOT invade the soul!

It can NOT reduce eternal life!

It can NOT quench the spirit!

It can NOT lessen the power of the resurrection!

It can NOT overcome the power of God!

                                              

Author Unknown       

Grandma Maxine

I was cleaning out some old notebooks and I ran across the notes that I wrote for the life sketch that I gave at my grandma's funeral. So I thought I would post here, mostly so I can remember, but also for those of you who knew my Grandma Maxine. We sure do miss you!

Grandma's life taught us many lessons by the way she lived her life & by her example.

One Man's Junk is Another Man's Treasure

She gave new meaning to dumpster diving by purchasing the junk yard where she collected old bottles.

She also taught us about Consequences when certain grandsons (Jordon and Thad perhaps?), took their BB guns to the junk yard & shot up all her old bottles that she was aging in the sun.

Over the years her kids and grandkids learned what a "Scotch Blessing" was, but she always disciplined with love.

She taught us to be Competitive. She kept a  notebook which contained an official "Rummy Record" of the many, many games over the years... who played, who won (mostly her) and who lost (mostly everyone else).

She even kept score when she played solitaire.

she taught us the importance of Supporting one another and the importance of having a "fan in the stands" by making it a point to attend many ball games over the years of her kids and grandkids.

She taught us Moderation by warning against the "ginger quick step" if you eat too many of her famous ginger cookies.... trust me, I learned this lesson the hard way.... more than once!!!

She taught her kids to Work Hard & then Play Hard. If they got the cows taken care of and the housework done, they could go into town for iron port & cherry. Her kids in turn taught their kids the same lessons about balancing work & play.

She taught us to be Frugal by burning mail & tree clippings for heat. She saved melted ice to water the plants. Her most famous "recycling" was for old polyester fabric in the many quilts she made. She made nearly 100 quilts for family members, plus the many quilts she made for others and for the hospital auxiliary. Landis called her finished quilts the "mysteries of the basement". If you had ever been in her basement you will truly understand what that means..LOL!

 She taught us to be Self Sufficient. Many times she suffered in silence because she would do anything to NOT inconvenience others. when she was 90 years old, her furnace went out and instead of telling someone so they could have it repaired, she just built herself a fire to keep warm. When people would ask how she was doing, her favorite reply was "I'll be better tomorrow"

She taught us Dedication by decorating the graves of family members... even relatives she didn't know. She also taught this by her faithful church attendance and supporting meetings when she didn't feel well, just because someone made the effort to plan it.  

She taught us to be Creative  and what Imagination was all about by building small animal pens out of sticks in the dirt. She also mesmerized us grand kids for hours with matchbox cars, crayons and 

who can forget the marbles.....

She taught us to Share  by never taking the last cookie or piece of pie.

She taught us about Organization when she misplaced my parents wedding license by moving the day before their wedding.... ok, that was an example of what NOT to do :)

She taught us to be Fearless  and to Persevere with her saying "This too shall pass"

She taught us Determination  when she mistakenly brought a cow home from the bottoms

 to milk that turned out to be a range cow... but she milked it!!!

Grandma taught us to be Thankful & Grateful.  

Thankful is from the head and Grateful is from the heart.

She taught us about Patience & Reward  in the huckleberry patch. She picked berries until she was 89 years old and she somehow ALWAYS had huckleberries in the freezer.

She taught us the Law of Viva . That is the benefit of Viva paper

towels over a tissue....

 just as soft and much more absorbent!

She taught us the importance of Family.

She made a promise to Everett that she would keep the family close & she did indeed keep that promise. even though the family was scattered about the country, the cousins were able to become friends. It seems the more we lose, the closer we get. Her family and the church were so important to her & she proved this one Christmas by giving all the grandkids their own set of scriptures. I still use mine today over 30 years later.

I think the biggest life lesson she taught us was Unconditional Love by always standing by her family and fighting for them through the many trials and hard times. every member of her family - either by birth or marriage knows they were special to her in their own unique way.

Grandma, we continue to miss you every day, but your life lessons will always be with us.

Crash, Bang, Boom

E is an accident magnet!

If any altercation involving a motor vehicle is going to happen to one of my kids,
 it will happen to E.

(Except for the three bumpers that D replaced on the Probe)

She has had several incidents of "contact"... 5 to be exact!

The latest was the worse, since it pretty much totalled her car.

She was stopped at a traffic light with one car in front of her when
another car hit her from behind....

HARD.... like didn't even kind of slow down.

The freaky thing is, this is the SECOND time that has happened to her,
 so this time, she watched it happen in her rear view mirror,
since she is paranoid about that from the first time.
The other odd thing is that when she got in her car, she thought to herself,
"what if I get in an accident?"
Then a couple of minutes later, that very thing happened!

So the car hits her from behind, which propelled her into the car in front of her,
which deployed the air bags, which exploded the windshield!

She had three different impacts!

She doesn't remember the bags deploying, so she lost consciousness after the first impact and woke up in the middle of the intersection with the air bags deployed and the windshield in a million pieces.

The car she hit fled the scene... cowards or criminals.... not sure which!

And to make matters worse....

 the girl who hit her lied to her insurance company by telling them a contrary story to what she told the cops and what actually happened, so now there is a discrepancy with the insurance comp paying her which delays closure and that is a problem since they are headed back to Idaho in a few days :(

After seeing the car in person, I am absolutely convinced

 that there are guardian angels looking out for her

because she only ended up with a twisted pelvis that can be fixed with

 massage, chiropractic, and a little PT.

(I have to admit, I am a little jealous of the required daily massage part)

 But thankful that nothing was broken, nothing was bloody and nothing was worse!

S2D Senior Pics

I love taking pictures.

Sometimes my kids just roll their eyes as I make them pose for the camera

but they have learned that if they humor me

the pain of it will end much sooner.

Recently I had a fun evening taking Senior pics of Nana 

and her friend...Nana...LOL!

I have often said that a network should do a reality show about them...

The Adventures of Savanah Squared!!!

Oh the episodes they could make...

They would run Duck Dynasty off the air...LOL!!!

Here are a few of my fav's

July 4th, 2012

My friend Mandi throws the best parties....EVER!

We got a coveted invite to their 4th of July party this year...

OH YA!!!!

Here are a few of the highlights...

Apparently S only needs to plug one ear!

 

I think they were acting out a movie scene, but it turned out hilarious on the camera!

Mandi has some fun props for a "photo booth"

 which turned out to be a riot at the party!

S in 3D....

Mother

Last year I was asked to speak in church on Mother's Day. In honor of Mother's Day this year, I thought I would once again share my thoughts that I shared last year at church.

(Some of my thoughts were from  the Ensign April 1998 "Behold thy Mother" by President Monson)

One day when I had small kids, my mother called me just to say hello. I had had a particularly bad day with several small children at home doing what they do, I was not feeling well, I had messy diapers to deal with, I had nothing planned for dinner and no desire to do anything about any of it. When she asked how I was doing I just started crying and my sniffled response was,

 “I am in the depths of motherhood and this is NOT what I signed up for”

Over the years, as my children have reached different stages in their life, I often reflect on how my own mother handled those stages when I was at that age. I try to remember the lessons she tried to teach me as I find myself struggling to teach those same lessons or principles to my own kids.

In preparing for this talk, my mother told me that you probably 

DON’T need to know most of the things she taught me...LOL!!!

There are, however a few lessons I have learned from my mother that I should share with you.

     It’s ok to rock your babies. It will not spoil them beyond repair.

     It’s ok to sing off key…in the shower.

         It’s ok to have milk & cookies at bedtime, but it’s much better to have banana bars.

         Dust is not mold (Although since living in Washington, I have come to doubt this wisdom)

       A pile of rocks and a creek bed are as much fun as Disneyland.

         You absolutely CAN live on love.

         It’s ok to grieve… families are forever

         Most importantly, it’s ok to forgive…

(I seem have trouble remembering this one)

One way we can demonstrate love for our mother is to live the truths that our mothers so patiently taught us. We are taught an example of this from the BOM by a brave and noble leader name Helaman who led 2,000 young men in righteous battle. He describes the activities of these young men:

 “Never had I seen so great courage … [as] they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall;

“Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; … yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

“And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: 

We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” 

At the end of the battle, Helaman continued his description:

 “Behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power.” 

Miraculous strength, mighty power—mother’s love and love for mother had met and triumphed.

 What lessons did the stripling warriors learn from their mothers?

 In Alma 53-58 we learn about these warriors:

         “They were exceedingly valiant for courage” (Alma 53:20).

“They were … true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted” (Alma         53:20).

“They were men of truth and soberness” (Alma 53:21).

 They had “exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe” (Alma 57:26).

They “put their trust in God continually” (Alma 57:27).

They “[stood] fast in that liberty wherewith God [had] made them free” (Alma 58:40).

They were “strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day” (Alma 58:40).

They kept God’s “statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually”(Alma ).

“Their faith [was] strong in the prophecies” (Alma 58:40).

    These young Ammonites had developed these characteristics in their youth, 

before they became soldiers.

I imagine that their mothers bore testimony, on more than one occasion to instill in them such belief and faith and courage.

The scriptures and the pages of history are replete with tender, moving, and convincing accounts of mothers loved and of a mother’s love. 

One, however, stands out to me reverently and beyond any other. 

The place is Jerusalem.

Assembled is a throng of Roman soldiers loyal to Caesar. The hour has come. 

The personal earthly ministry of the Son of God quickly moves to its dramatic end. 

Nowhere to be found are the lame beggars who, because of this man, walk; the deaf who, because of this man, hear; the blind who, because of this man, see; the dead who, because of this man, live. 

There remained a few faithful followers. 

Among them was Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The following quote is from Jesus the Christ. P 660
"Jesus looking with tender compassion upon His weeping mother, as she stood with John at the foot of the cross, commended her to the care and protection of the beloved disciple, with the words,"Woman, behold thy son!" and to John, "Behold thy mother!"  The disciple tenderly led the heart-stricken Mary away from her dying Son, and "took her unto his own home," thus immediately assuming the new relationship established by his dying Master."

As we truly listen to that gentle command and, with joyful heart, obey its intent 

May we each treasure these truths; one cannot forget mother and remember God nor can one remember mother and forget God. Why is that? These two sacred persons, God and mother, are as one… 

partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, and in service just as God and Mary were.

I often ponder what it must have been like for Mary to witness the atrocities of her son being falsely accused, mocked, and tormented. She chose to be there for her child at the end, knowing it would mean witnessing a horrible agonizing death. She could not change His appointed mission , nor could she tend to His wounds or hold Him, but she could be there for Him to offer Him what little comfort she could; letting Him know that He was not alone in His suffering.

How ravaged her emotions must have been, knowing that she could not protect Him and knowing that even if she could have, He had to drink of the bitter cup alone.

I often wonder, as a mother, if I would have been able to watch all this happen. I imagine her heart breaking as she helplessly watched the events unfold.

Both Mary and the mother’s of the Ammonites lived in times where there were wars and rumors of wars, economic upheaval, and great exercise of power by the adversary…. 

Much like what we experience today.

As Mothers we may be called upon to send our sons to war 

or to a foreign land on an errand of the Lord.

We may have the unfortunate circumstance of outliving our children or watching them suffer from disease or from the consequences of their wrong choices; while we can do nothing more than let them know that they are not alone in their suffering.

There have been many instances when I felt prompted to immediately fall to my knees and plead for the safety of one of my children, not understanding why at the time. One such example happened a few weeks ago. I got home from work early but I felt very restless. Eventually the anxiety I felt was overwhelming, so I dropped to my knees to ask for peace. I found myself pleading with my Heavenly Father for the safety of Savanah who was in the drivers ed car at that very moment. When I picked her up from Driver’s ed, she informed me that someone had cut her off in traffic and nearly caused an accident. It was only her third time behind the wheel of a car and somehow she had the instincts to know what to do in that split second to avoid an accident. It may not have been a life threatening situation, but it could have been devastating to her. Perhaps that prayer offered her the protection she needed at that moment.

 To those who dearly want to be mothers and are not, I just want to mention that you have been promised that God will, in days that lie somewhere in your future, bring “hope to [the] desolate heart.” Prophets have repeatedly taught that ultimately “no blessing shall be withheld” from the faithful, even if those blessings do not come immediately. In the meantime, we can rejoice that the call to nurture is not limited to our own flesh and blood.

“To be a righteous woman during the winding-up scenes on this earth, before the Second Coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society’s basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife” 

(The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball)

Through the depths of motherhood and the occasional tears, as I realize that I am an imperfect mother trying my best to raise my Heavenly Father’s children, I know with everything in me, that I am doing God’s work. In this time of worldly chaos, we have the opportunity to be in an eternal partnership with God and have the influence of the Gospel to help guide us by calling on the powers of Heaven. It is deeply moving to come to understand that God finds His ultimate purpose in being a parent, even if some of His children make him weep. It is this understanding that I try to recall on those inevitably difficult days when the chaos can be overwhelming. Some days, I just want to throw my hands up and even as a mother myself, cry out, “I need my mommy”. 

Perhaps I should, in those instances throw my hands up and cry “I need my daddy” 

...My Father in Heaven.

Not only do I need Him to comfort me and help me through the rough moments, but I need Him to soften the hearts of my children and teach them directly without resistance. I offer you the hope that if we are in partnership with God, His guidance to our children can be unimpeded. If we commit to this partnership, we will truly understand that our children are His work and His glory. We are merely the caretakers at the moment.