Mother Dear

My children play a joke on me occasionally, which is of particular significance today. They will ask me "Dad, if you had to give up one of your children, which one of us would it be?" To which I respond that I could never give up any of them. Could another child be loved less? I think not. How could that be? It doesn't make any sense. Our love is not an account from which we can draw resources until it is depleted. On the contrary, our love is magnified and grows in size and depth as we give it away to others.

Perhaps that is what Jesus Christ meant when he said "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." He also said "This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortablity and eternal life of men." So it makes sense that if our Father's work and glory is directed toward his family, then our focus and happiness should be centered around our families as well. And as we give of ourselves to bring joy into the lives of family members, our happiness grows and develops beyond anything we thought possible.

That's the significance of today's message. Your mother loves you more than you can understand at this point in your lives. She gave you life and spends her days trying to make your life better and your joy complete. Fathers get a unique perspective on how much mothers suffer to bring children into this world. Their every moment is consumed with the welfare of their family and especially their children. And that sacrifice is why a mother's love is akin to God's love.

So my next message is to the men of the family: to my son, my son-in-laws, my brothers and all my nephews.  Like unto the counsel Nephi gave his own sons, I exhort you to be men of courage and a sound mind. Recognize the great gift and blessing your mothers are for you. I have always admired the Stripling Warriors for their courage, dedication, and commitment to do what is right despite unimaginable odds, because they listened to and believed their mothers. Then they fought to protect them from harm or shame, and they won. And so can you.

Keep your mother's and sweetheart's reputations untarnished. Be a strength and a great support to them. And most of all, love them and treat them like queens--because that is exactly who they are.




Quotes for mother