Dear Mother...

“And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.”

I remember growing up in the island of American Samoa, everyone looked forward to Mothers Day because the primary children (ages 3-11) took care of the Mothers Day program each year in sacrament. As a primary, we were each given short talks from the scriptures or inspiring quotes about mothers or personal testimonies to share with the ward. It was just so cute. I would be in my white dress with every other girl in the primary. Some dresses more poofy than others.We'd have our white dresses on and if you had one, a big white bow on your hair. I might've had one one year but I wasn't a big fan of those. We would look our cutest. I think we looked like little angels :) Primary presidencies prepared for months for this program and we had practices during the week as well. Songs were sang, beautiful things were said and the Spirit was felt. There is something about motherhood and divinity that hits the heart and brings out tears. Although I'm not between the ages of 3 and 11 anymore, I will always remember the feeling of standing on the pulpit, singing my heart out for my mom. I meant everything I said up there all those years and although I do not remember what words I spoke, the words of my heart are still heard and felt by her. At least I feel they are :)

A mother's touch is tender yet so deep. Much of my confidence and faith comes from my mother's unwavering faith in me. I would think most, if not all mothers do not doubt the potential of each of their children. My mother has first and foremost, no doubt in God her Eternal Father, and the Living Christ. Her testimony is a tangible as that of my right hand. I've heard it. I've felt it. I've seen it. I admire her powerful testimony because she lives it. She is in every sense a disciple of Jesus Christ.

LG :)

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. I think that was in a commercial I might have watched a long time ago. Now, I don't watch tv and life is good. I don't know that I know how tough I really am until I get to the end of a task, look back, and say wooow with a big smile on my face. The smile is to remind me that my achievements are not of my own. My efforts are but a size of a pebble. My reliance and strength, my virtue comes from the source of all virtue, Jesus Christ.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies" (Proverbs 31: 10). The word virtue is a synonym for strength not morality. It was virtue that had gone out of Christ which healed the woman with the issue of blood. We need strength from Christ to get through this life.

Change is the only constant we have. I like changing as long as it's for the better. President Henry B. Eyring said, "Time has taught me. As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient will not be enough. And whatever growth in spiritual strength we once thought was possible, greater growth will be made available to us. Both the need for spiritual strength and the opportunity to acquire it will increase at rates which we underestimate at our peril."

The strength that I have right now is not good enough to face the challenges I'll be facing next week. My bucket of virtue needs to be filled time and time again by striving to "always" remember Him who has it all and is willing to give it all. We have an unlimited supply of virtue from the Master Himself. Virtue received from the Savior, acquired and converted for our benefit and healing is promising. We need to constantly be drawing virtue from the Savior to heal us especially when the going gets tough. Life is good :)

I am a Child of God

I think it's very interesting that most people walk the earth not knowing who they really truly are. The world is a bossy place--it's confusing--it's demanding--it's deceiving. The world likes to define individuals. People think they need to be in the world to "find themselves". There is one sure identity for all who walk the earth and that is we are all children of God. This definition of oneself makes all the difference in the world.



 Do I know who I am? The answer is YES! Let me echo the words of a primary song we sing as children, young or old. Even if you're 78, you're still a child... a child of God.



"I am a child of God, and He has sent me here--
Has given me and earthly home, with parents kind and dear.
Lead me, Guide me, walk beside me. Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do, to live with Him someday".

and that's just the first verse. This is the foundation of all of life. When you come to know who you truly are, everything changes. Some or most people know this fact. They say they are a child of God, do they believe it? maybe intellectually. A conviction of this divine truth is required to experience true joy in this imperfect world. I think sometimes too as missionaries we tend to forget who we are as children of God--we get scared, we worry, we get discouraged, the natural man takes over. Of course that will be the endless battle of mortality but as we hold true to our identity as children of God, we'll come to feel His hands bearing us up. We see that when it rains it pours, it pours miracles. No matter what, you are a child of God--No matter what! If you can eat, sleep, cry, laugh-- you are a child of God.

The longer I have been out on my mission, the more convinced I am of the love for the "one". I'm not talking no significant other kinda one. I mean the worth of one soul in the sight of God. When we look around us we see tons of people, hundreds of thousands of people. In the world there are billions of people. That's what it seems like. When God looks down upon us He does not see groups, He sees individuals. He knows each one by name. He loves each one the same. He is the Father of all. How amazing is this truth? How loved are you by the most supreme Being of all the universe. How much you matter to Him. It's amazing! It's mind blowing! It's such a beautiful thing. No matter who you are in the eyes of the world, you are everything in the sight of God.