The Future is as bright as your faith...

Your Father in Heaven knows your name and knows your circumstance. He hears your prayers. He knows your hopes and dreams, including your fears and frustrations. And He knows what you can become through faith in Him. Seek to comprehend the significance of these doctrines.

Cherish your esteemed place in the sight of God. He needs you. This Church needs you. The world needs you.

A woman not of our faith once wrote something to the effect that in her years of working with beautiful women she had seen several things they all had in common, and not one of them had anything to do with sizes and shapes. She said the loveliest women she had known had a glow of health, a warm personality, a love of learning, stability of character, and integrity. If we may add the sweet and gentle Spirit of the Lord carried by such a woman, then this describes the loveliness of women in any age or time,every element of which is emphasized in and attainable through the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To my granddaughter and to every other young person in this Church I bear my personal witness that God is in reality our Father and Jesus Christ is in reality His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. I testify that this really is the Church and kingdom of God on earth, that true prophets have led this people in the past and a true prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, leads it now. May you know the unending love the leaders of the Church have for you and may you let the eternal realities of the gospel of Jesus Christ lift you above temporal concerns and teenage anxieties I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Holland Oct. 2005 "To Young Women"

Be assured that if you but hold on, believe in Him, and remain faithful in keeping the commandments, one day you will experience for yourselves the promises revealed to the Apostle Paul: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”²²

Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.

God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.

May we ever believe, trust, and align our lives so that we will understand our true eternal worth and potential. May we be worthy of the precious blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for us is my prayer in the name of His Son, even Jesus Christ, amen.

DIETER F. UCHTDORF Oct. 2011 You Matter to Him!

Top 10 Board Ideas

Top 10 Movies (We decided the best way to answer the Top 10 Movies was to ask if you could only own 10 movies what would they be?  Then applied this way of thinking to help narrow the thought  process.)

Top 10 Disneyland Rides
Top 10 "Heros"
Top 10 Books
Top 10 Reasons my Family is better than yours
Top 10 Restaurants (might break into fast food / slow food)
Top 10 Foods (Savory)
Top 10 Foods (Sweet)
Top 10 Dream Jobs
Top 10 Things I am most Grateful for
Top 10 Past Vacations
Top 10 Dream Vacations
Top 10 People I wish I could meet - living
Top 10 People I wish I could meet - dead
Top 10 Things I want (realistic)
Top 10 Things I want (unrealistic)
Top 10 TV shows
Top 10 Meals
Top 10 Things to do Before I die
Top 10 Super Powers

Stout Family Moto

Taken from the LDS "Handbook 2" 1.4.1 - "A Christ-centered home offers adults and children a place of defense against sin, refuge from the world, healing from emotional and other pain, and committed, genuine love."  Click Here 

We added "Our home is" to the begining, and "and full of fun" to personalize it to our family.  Find a statement that is your family and make it your motto.

 

Watch How You Spend Your Time!

"Parents should teach gospel priorities through what they do with their children" - Elder Oaks

Rely on HIM!

Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” ¹¹ You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” ¹² And it will make your children whole as well.

- Jeffery R Holland, "Because She is a Mother" General Conference April 1997   Click Here 

Plead to Parents from Pres Hinckley

President Hinckley has pleaded that we "work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it."  - Pres. Gordon B Hinckley, "Each a Better Person" General Conference Oct. 2002. Click Here

Belonging NO MATTER WHAT!

Ideas to create a family team feeling:

• Think of a team/gang.. what do they do to mimic "family" - they build each other up... are we doing that ? are we doing that? They are there for each other no matter what.  They have each others back!  They are great familyers, but can never compare to the family unit designed by our Heavenly Father!  
• Give Responsibility... do chores TOGETHER - some of my greatest childhood memories come from the after dinner dishes.  It was a full team effort & there were often bubbles, and laughter involved.  Once even a kitchen sink sprayer that sprayed all the way across the kitchen... by my (very serious) dad!!  
• Give Acknowledgement - One of the basic human needs is Acknowledgement!  We need to show our kids that they are good at doing things!  I have a friend in her late 50's and to this day when we have gone to serve by cleaning houses, she will pipe up,  "I will clean the bathrooms!  I know I can do that well because my mom told me I am the best bathroom cleaner!"
• Sit at the table for a while after dinner.  Growing up our best conversations & honestly by testimony started at the dinner table.  We sat at the table every night, and then my tired mom would stay there, usually someone (even my 16 yr old, very cool brother) would sit on her lap and we would talk for a little while.  This was our dessert, and it was a sample of heaven.  
• Get to know each other... like friends do. Sister Feinhauer taught the three F's 1. Food 2. Fire 3.Fanny.  Each of these bring the kids. especially teenagers together.  1. Food - build it and they will come! 2. Fire - what is it that draws us to fire, but try one in the back yard... it drives away flies and drives in family members (especially if roasting things is involved). 3. Fanny - If my sits her fanny down, the kids will gather, IF there are not any "screens" turned on.
• Make Top 10 Lists - We have a white board that changes each month with different Top 10s to be filled out by each family member.  It is a fun way to get to know a little about each other.
• Create a family motto/logo/mission statement - It will help you define how to family each other.
• Call yourself a team - a friend from out of town called, can she come over?  AAAHHH, 10 minutes until company! " Team Stout, all hands on deck company in 10 minutes!"  My kids know that means all hands on deck right now, and get an area in the house ready for company.  If they are spending the night, sheets on a bed, towels ready for them.  Make sure the kitchen is clean... you know the drill.  OR - It is 6:45am and I hear the garbage man on other street and I realize I forgot to take the cans out to the street.  "Team Stout!!  Garbages!" Then in life when there are real challenges there is a Team Stout!  It is fun to to have Team awards, or a surprise trip to ice cream... 
• Have family (private) jokes, stories, words... that you repeat to belong. 
• Play Mom always said..., Dad always said.... Simply ask your kids, "What does Dad always say?" Or "What does Mom always say?" It is eye opening!  And bonding!
• Play "Remember When..."
• Traditions - Make them, then keep them!  Even when they seem stupid, do it anyway!
• Write heart felt letters and then go and read them out loud to the family member, then leave it for them.
• One-on-one time/dates/talks - pray pray pray, have an open heart/mind, treat as friend.
• Mom Daughter Journal - get a cute note book and start it with a note to your daughter saying you would like to have a chance to get to know her better, so you will be writing notes (like the ones you used to pass in school)  to her, and then she can write you back, ect.  I know one mom that says anything she needs to vent about in their journal, she will not get in trouble for saying.  It is the safe place. 

FHE - Ideas

PLAN AHEAD....If you have the idea already in place it is much easier to implement the plan! When you involve the family in planning, they will have a vested interest in making it successful.

General Conference

• Develop a story to learn the names of the brethren   - a "picture" our family has developed to learn our leaders names, in the order of authority. 
• Quote the Quotes - Assign each person a talk and they pick out  every time a prophet quotes a prophet (if they think it is worth repeating we might want to listen) and then they read those to the family. 
• Find the Gem - Assign each person a talk and have them choose 2 "quotables" then read them to the family. 
• Set a Goal - the Monday after General Conference have each person come up with their own goal to achieve for the next 6 months.  (Awards for success are always fun.)
• Play a Match game of the name/picture of the prophet & apostles. 

Memorize Something

• All the words of a Hymn/ Primary Song
• Favorite scriptures
• Living Christ

Practice is Perfect

• Testimony night
• 2 1/2 min talk...each person gives a talk . It can not be read, just notes (except exact quotes can be read) allow 15 min for prep.
• Gospel object challenge -give each person a random item and they give a 1 minute parable. i.e. a light bulb can be us in the gospel, if we are screwed in to the power (scriptures, prayer, then you can light the way for yourself and those around you.    

Service

• Random Acts of Kindness day, or month - one lady did 35 acts of kindness in one day, i.e. girl scout cookies for the post lady with a thank you note, treats delivered to the librarian, spare change in ziplock taped to a vending machine. with a Random Act of Kindness note....
• Pay It Forward - leave gifts for perfect strangers in odd places with a pay it forward note. i.e. a new baby toy in a shopping cart (make sure it has a bow and a pay it forward note) Or leave a book you enjoyed for someone to find (again with a note) 
• Make and Deliver Freezer Dinners to give to needy families (ie new baby, illness) or to the RS Pres to distribute.
• Make "Blessing Bags" to use through out the year.  Make gallon size ziplocks filled with things that would be nice for a homeless person... granola bar,apple sauce, candy bar, gum, deodrant, toothpaste and brush... then keep one in the car and give it anytime you see someone begging or homeless.
• Hearts - make 5-6 hearts/person - they do secret acts of service throughout the week and leave a heart behind, showing they love each other. 
• Super Server - make each family member a cape they wear to go do kind acts... rake leaves, shovel snow, go weed for a busy ward member... 

Gratitude

• "Things I Love" list or board
• Gratitude book - leave it out in the open with a pen for the family to add to it
• Hearts - collect 5-6 hearts/person and they leave the heart anytime they notice service done for them.
• You are my favorite... Write each persons name on the bottom of a paper, each person writes a note to that person sincerely writes, "You are my favorite because... " then they fold it down, and pass it to the next family member until everyone has written to each person.
• Make a Thanksgiving tree/wreath/falling leaves - everyone write something they are thankful for on a paper/silk leaf and adds it to the tree.

FHE - Families Held-fast Eternally

This is what our Family Home Evening looks like.....

This is what I hope and pray it will look like in 10 more years...

Georges Seurat 

"Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33). Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes." - David A Bednar "More Diligent and Concerned at Home" General Conference 2009. Click Here

Find Joy... Today!!

Give your child a compliment and a hug; say, “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.”   Click Here
-President Thomas S. Monson "Joy in the Journey" BYU Women's Conference May 2008

Scripture Study Ideas

"Do not merely QUOTE Scripture... LIVE IT!"

*The Wasp Story - Johnson's camping, "You need to be careful at what is on the other end of the stick."


*Mike's Video -  Homemade Book of Mormon videos


*Ore Story - "1 Ne 17:9


*Reading Ideas-

• Nugget Hunting read ahead - read ahead of the family and choose out the "Nuggets" and just read and discuss those. 
• Nugget Hunting as a family - have each person select their nugget from the scriptures that night.
• Tag (any time any place) - just read along until you feel like calling on someone.  Say their name, and they start reading
• If ... Then  - at the end of scriptures have each person find an if then statement in the scriptures.  Example:  3NE 17:8&9  If you have sufficient faith and it is the lords will you will be healed.
• If I Mess Up - read along, as soon as someone catches a mistake they start reading in place of you.
• Popcorn- read a set number of verses, then call on someone to read next. 
• Punctuation... at each punctuation mark the next person reads.  

*Teach like Pres. Eyring... Encourage, not preach.


Just as you promised God to become charitable, you promised to be His witness wherever you may be throughout your life. Again, the Book of Mormon is the best guide I know to help us keep that promise...
Parents who struggle to get a witness of the Savior into the heart of a child will be helped as they seek for a way to bring the words and the spirit of the Book of Mormon into the home and all the lives in their family. That has proven true for us.
 - Pres. Henry B Eyring  "A Witness"  General Conference October 2011 

Like Mother Like Heavenly Father

"Perhaps the reason we respond so universally to our mothers’ love is because it typifies the love of our Savior. As President Joseph F. Smith said, “The love of a true mother comes nearer [to] being like the love of God than any other kind of love” (“The Love of Mother,” Improvement Era,Jan. 1910, 278)." 
- Elder Bradley D. Foster, "Mother Told Me"  General Conference April 2010  Click Here 

"Mother Told Me" Story (Elder Foster)

One of the fun conversations we have had over the dinner table is "My mom always says..."  As a mom it is eye-opening to hear what the kids think I always say.  As a daughter it is enlightening what I feel my mom always said, and as a grand-daughter I love when my mom talks about her mom.  I sometimes feel we need to be aware of the power of our words, and influence.  I love the story Elder Foster told in General Conference a few years ago.


"One night his four-year-old son asked him to read a bedtime story. Eric had picked out his favorite book: The Ballooning Adventures of Paddy Pork, a story about a family who lived on the isles of the sea and traveled from island to island by hot-air balloon. It was a picture book that had no words, so Brother Pearson made up words to the story.

“Paddy is in a hot-air balloon. He is landing on an island now. He is dropping a line over the side of the balloon.”

Eric stopped him. “Dad, that is not a line. It’s a rope.”

Brother Pearson looked at Eric and back at the picture book, and then he continued: “Paddy is getting out of the balloon and climbing down the tree. Oh no! His coat is caught on a limb!”

Again Eric stopped him. “Dad, that’s not a coat. It’s a jacket.”

By now Brother Pearson was somewhat perplexed. He said, “Eric, there are no words in this book, just pictures. Why do you insist that it’s a jacket?”

Eric answered, “Because Mother told me.”

His father closed the book and said, “Eric, who do you think is the last word, the ultimate authority in this house?”

This time Eric thought carefully before he answered, “You are, Dad.”

Brother Pearson beamed at his son. What an exceptional answer! “How did you know that?”

Eric quickly responded, “Mother told me.”"

- Elder Bradley D. Foster, "Mother Told Me"  General Conference April 2010  Click Here 

Time to Family - Survey,

I am happy to say I was not at all surprised at the results. The prophets have been telling us this for years!

#1 Favorite Thing about Family Growing Up  - Top 5 Answers
     30% Together time (family dinner, family games, FHE)
     20% Regular Family Trips (does this count at time too?)
     15% Relationship with Siblings
      5% Taught to Work
      5% Support
#2  Favorite Thing about Your Family Now - Top 5 Answers
     40% Time Together / Being Together
     12% Communicate Together
     12% Love
      5% Trips
      3% Support
#3 What We Want From Our Family That We Are Not Getting - Top 5
     28% Time
     15% Appreciation / Support (young parents)
     10% Nothing (On all of these the previous answer was Time Together.)
      5% Trips
     5% Better Communication


It was summarized well by a married 30 year old woman:
"Impossible questions! 
 I think the answer to all 3 is spending time 
but to  #1 I would also add having parents that are proud of you.  #2 - snuggling by the fire."

Bottom line?
All of us need to spend more time with our family.
The teens wanted more time (well except one).
The young adults wanted more time and communication - how do we communicate with out spending time???
Parents wanted more time.

The now famous Oct. 2007 Conference Talk by Elder Oaks entitled "Good, Better, Best" confirms that the prophets of God say the same thing.
The First Presidency has called on parents “to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles. … The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place … in … this God-given responsibility.” The First Presidency has declared that “however worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform.”
"Individual family members - especially parents - (must) vigorously act to increase family togetherness and one-on-one time." 
-Dallin H. Oaks Click Here

I once had a friend teach me to listen for prophets quoting prophets in general conference.  If it was important for the prophet to say it once, how much more important is it for the prophet to repeat it again, and what about again and again.  Here is the same quote by Robert D. Hales - again in General Conference.

"The First Presidency issued a call to all parents “to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church. The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward this God-given responsibility.”

In the February letter, the First Presidency taught that by teaching and rearing children in gospel principles, parents can protect their families from corrosive elements. They further counseled parents and children “to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform” (First Presidency letter, 11 Feb. 1999; cited in Church News, 27 Feb. 1999, 3)."  Click Here

Family is a VERB!

Many years ago, as a young mom I sat in church listening to a 40ish single school teacher that had been asked to speak on "family." My first thought was "seriously?  How inconsiderate to ask her to speak!  I knew having children of her own was something she longed for.  However, I am very thankful! Her talk was very influential in my life.  I guess that is obvious, because I am still thinking about it almost 20 years later!

As she spoke, the message of her talk was "Family is a VERB!!" It is something we do, we family.  

One way to think is Family shouldn't say who we are, or what our nose looks like... Family is how we do things.

The definition could read like this:

fam.i.ly   v.  /ˈfæm ə li, ˈfæm li/ 1.a. to show great love to all involved  b. the act of charity 2. the act of keeping a group together for all eternity 3. to build a bond that can not be severed 4. the development of belonging to a unit of people 5. time

Used in a sentence: Oh, I am going to family the kids tonight.  They won't know what hit them!  

It will be great, we are going to family for the week in St. George!


So how does one "Family Effectively?" 
I conducted a very unscientific survey of the following questions:


1. What is your favorite thing about your family growing up?

2. If you have your own family now, what is your favorite thing about it?

3. What is one thing you would like from your family that you are not currently getting? (uhh, money does not count)

Christmas Date Questions

At Christmas time my husband and I take each child on a date.  They get to choose the restaurant, and during dinner we ask them the following questions, as they think of their answer we each write down our guess. Then, recording their answer, keep score who knows that child the best. For us the friendly, and it does stay friendly, competition is part of the fun and the kids love to see who knows them best.  They also like to hear about their likes 5+ years ago...  (After dinner we take them to buy their siblings gifts.)


Christmas Date Questions

1. What is your favorite thing to do?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What is your favorite book?
4. What is your favorite candy bar?
5. What is your favorite cookie?
6. What is your favorite sport to play?
7. What is your favorite church song?
8. What is your favorite movie?
9. What is your favorite subject in school (main subjects)?
10. What do you want to be when you grow up?
11. How many kids do you want when you get married?
12. What is your favorite temple?
13. Where do you want to live when you grow up?
14. What is your favoite thing about your mom?
15. What is your favorite thing about your dad?
16. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
17. What is your favorite cereal?
18. What is your favorite restaurant?
19. What is your favorite board or card game?
20. What is your favorite scripture story?
21. What would you do with $1,000?
22. What is your favorite color?
23. What are 3 adjectives that describe you?
24. How would your friend describe you to someone who has never seen/met you? (no guess)
25. What do you want to be doing in five years?
26. What do you want to be doing in ten years?
27. What is your favorite band/music group?
28. When you have an hour of free time, what do you like to do?
29. What is your most embarrassing experience?
30. What is your favorite non-Christmas family tradition?
31. What is your favorite vacation we have ever had?
32. What is your dream vacation?
33. To whom are you most excited to give their Christmas gift?
34. What is the one thing you want the most for Christmas, realistically?
35. If you could have anything for Christmas, rules and money were no issue, what would it be?
36. What is your dream mission destination?
37. What is your favorite TV show?
38. What is your favorite Christmas memory?
39. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

Enemy - Occupied Territory (Russell M Nelson)

In the Church, we stress the significance of marriage, children, and the family because we know the doctrine. And we, as leaders of the Church, know that the adversary incessantly aims attacks at the family. ... 

Our task to defend the family is not an easy one.  ... In reality, we are raising our children in enemy-occupied territory. The homes of our members must become the primary sanctuaries of our faith, where each can be safe from the sins of the world.  Our Master depends upon us to live according to His truth.  

- Russell M Nelson, "The Doctrinal Importance of Marriage and Children"   Worldwide Training, 2012  Click Here

Being a mom is REMARKABLE!

Check out this beautiful video with excerpts from "The Women of God" by  Neal A Maxwell.

All things ...even wayward children... can be for our good! ( Virginia H. Pearce & Elder Holland)

"I have a good friend whom I will call “Jane.”  Jane is a covenant-keeping member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Her life has many facets:  church service, full-time work, devotion to family, neighborliness, church callings.  She is smart and funny and faithful.  And, like all of us in mortality, she confronts heart-rending challenges—the greatest of which has to do with her family.  As her children matured, some of them began to choose different paths. She witnessed them making choices that she knew would lead to unhappiness, and she was heartbroken—even frantic.  She went over and over her parenting decisions of the past and was filled with guilt.  Maybe this was all her fault.  She found herself anxious and fearful—wondering what she could say and how and when she could say it so that the errant child would see the light and return.  She worried about every interaction with the child—her own, as well as her husband’s, the ward members’, the neighbors’—everyone’s!  To say she felt tormented and out of control would be accurate.


And she prayed.  My, did she pray!  Her heart was “drawn out in prayer unto him continually for [her own] welfare, and also for the welfare of [the children].”

One afternoon in fast meeting, she listened to a friend she admired describe how she had been troubled with a particular problem with one of her children and had determined to go to the temple once a week.  The friend then testified in gratitude that after many months her prayers had been answered, and the problem had been miraculously solved.

Jane was touched, she came home, kept praying, and felt inclined to make a personally ambitious yearly goal of temple attendance.  She felt sure that the Lord would honor such a significant personal sacrifice.  

Now I am going to interrupt our story here to point out some of the things we have talked about.  Jane had faith. She understood her relationship to her Father in Heaven.  She exhibited humility, an understanding that she needed divine help.  And she made an individual personal choice to pray.  As she continued her very personal conversation with the Lord, kept her covenants, and went to church, the Holy Ghost sent the words of her friend’s testimony deeply into her heart.  Continuing to pray, Jane acted on the promptings she received to attend the temple more often.  

Now let me continue with her story. Quoting Jane, “After 10 years of increased temple attendance and constant prayer, I am sorry to say that my children’s choices have not changed.” 


And then there was a pause…

“But I have.  I am a different woman.”     

“How?” I asked her.

“I have a softer heart. I am filled with compassion.  I can actually do more and am free of my fear, anxiety, guilt, blame, and dread.   I have given up my time limits and am able to wait on the Lord.  And I experience frequent manifestations of the Lord’s power.  He sends tender mercies, small messages that acknowledge His love for me and my children.  My expectations have changed.  Instead of expecting my children to change, I expect these frequent tender mercies and am full of gratitude for them.”  She continues, “I have a new openness and sensitivity to the Spirit and I no longer worry myself to death over what I will say and how I will say it.  If I feel inclined to speak, I don’t hesitate, and the words feel as if they are given to me.   
 
“All of my relationships are better, especially with my children and husband.  I can do and say things that I could never do or say before. My children are respectful of my temple devotion.  They are sweet and supportive of me, as is my husband.  He and I are cemented together by these difficulties rather than blaming and pulling apart.  Our marriage has never been more joyful. My ability to appreciate and enjoy the good things of my life is heightened.  I am simply more present.

“My prayers are changed.  I express more love and am more thankful.  I pray to be equal to the tasks before me.  I pray for an increase of charity and patience and faith. I am grateful for the trials that led me here. I wouldn't change a thing that has happened. The Lord works in marvelous ways and I truly am filled with the peace that passeth all understanding.”

Prayer and temple attendance are not dramatic, sensational, or one-time activities.   But repeated over and over, year after year, they are small and simple things by which great things come to pass.  In fact, this gradual process of change seems to be the way the Lord often works with us.  Yes, we have scriptural stories of seemingly sudden and complete change, but more often we become “new creatures"—like those in the city of Enoch—“in process of time.”


-Virginia H. Pearce, “Prayer:  A Small and Simple Thing” BYU Women's Conference April 28, 2011    Click Here

When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, “pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,” that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you.

You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you—He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.

Remember, remember all the days of your motherhood: “Ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.” ¹⁰

Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” ¹¹ You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” ¹² And it will make your children whole as well.

- Jeffery R Holland, "Because She is a Mother" General Conference - April 1997   Click Here