Measure your words with that assumption in mind. The sacrament provides an opportunity for Church members to ponder and remember with gratitude the life, ministry, and Atonement of the Son of God. This post should be required reading for all Mothers Day speakers. I am on the Speakers Bureau for the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) and we would welcome the donations too. So, just an FYI to the LDS people here Non-denominational Christian churches focus EVERY day (especially Sunday) on God/Jesus Christ Generally the take home message (this would apply to mothers day s well) is that we are human so we are sinners and if we accept Jesus Christ as our savior then we can hand him our trials (very difficult to do) but when we dont and we are struggling He still loves us. However, I am concerned about the implications of a people where the female population dislikes the concept of motherhood or at least dislikes it enough that they do not want to celebrate Mother's Day. So this year we are setting up tables and chairs in the gym, hauling in meat and cheese and veggies and chocolate, and the Bishop will talk for five minutes and then we will let everybody socialize while I play the tuba for the entire primary. So how does tax exemption relate to churches, and especially churches that [], You are so much more than the worst thing youve everdone., http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/daughters-of-god?lang=eng, http://dandelionmama.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/this-this-is-what-i-believe/, Inside the UK's Mormon missionary bootcamp - BBC, Former mayor, LDS bishop gets prison for child sex abuse - Salt Lake Tribune, The anti-racist Mormon trying to teach his fellow LDS church members - NPR, Mormon Church fined over claim it hid $32bn of investments - BBC, Linda King Newell, Feminist Scholar of Mormon History, Dies at 82 - The New York Times. I think Emma and Naomi are very neglected women in our teachings (understatement considering the general neglect). Ive taken as the Ward Music Chair person and conductor to pick hymns and have a couple special musical numbers, but does anyone have any ideas for a small token we could pass out to the men? I know of no better answer to [the] foul practices that confront our young people than the teachings of a mother, given in love with an unmistakable warning.. More importantly, which meeting do you thinkwould be more likely to provide meaningful support? And, invariably, as soon as I would send one on his way, Im not a mother, thank you, another would pop up at my elbow, dutifully, kindly twisting the knife. Required fields are marked *. I have heard good talks and bad talks, and really dislike the sacralizing of the universal and perfectly average activity of mothering. It isn't in every country so I don't know why it has to be in just a few. I exchanged the word "guidance " for the word " mothers " in this verse to help it go with the Mother's Day theme. In the spirit of the quib in #21 we should just cancel these commercial holidays. Although I like the idea of them as well! Aleah Ingram May 3, 2021 Entertainment. Yeah. After a lot of thought and prayer I called two sisters to speak on some of the blessings and also the challenges of raising children in the gospel. Sometime in the mid-1990s, I went to the ward library after sacrament meeting to obtain materials for teaching a lesson. At my ward the angel mothers were to aspire to. And I did use some of the suggestions here. It makes my heart sad to see that the men arent recognized and given something however small it may be. Actually now that I do have children, the primary song Im so glad when Daddy comes home has taken on a new meaning for me. Because children can be wayward we should not celebrate parenthood. Doesn't it seem strange in a religion that supposedly is so family focused that we have people who ignore the cries of many of the women in church who want to be mothers and can't be or who sorrow over children who are not making good eternal choices? Oh, great. I remember long ago a young woman spoke on Mother's Day and described her mother as "the mean mother". My preference is for a talk focusing on women of the scriptures. Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Environmental Stewardship and Conservation, Joseph Smiths Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women, Peace and Violence among 19th-Century Latter-day Saints, The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage, Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham. Or any talk. All women should strive to be strong, and can become strong. Because I know the real story so it is distracting from the fake one that they are giving. Now, I detest it. Like many others, my wife and her mother have both always struggled with hearing sacrament meeting talks on Mothers Day. That bishop that moved his ward away from elaborate gifting was doing the right thing. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Father gave us.. I wish you were speaking in my ward! An ideal is fine to have in your own life, but imo it is dangerous to attempt to have one for a worldwide religious organization. It is Mother's Day and yet the day is supposed to about everything about women EXCEPT being a mother. I love her and think she did a great job with the limited resources she had. I am aware of a seminary/institute teacher who is apparently of the firm and unshakeable belief that a pile of pizza must be provided each week without fail. When her dad found out that there was a whole lottashakin goin on without him, he summarily divorced his adulterous wife and took the children to live with him. Her mother didnt come across as being perfect, but rather imperfect but faithfully trying, and her simple persistent efforts turned out to be eternally valuable. Book of Mormon Scriptures on Mothers. The other auxiliaries are free to do something, its just the bishopric that doesnt. Sorry I missed that. I haven't a clue about how to interact at times. Alece, its usually when the admins sense that the conversation is no longer productive, or when we dont have time or patience to keep monitoring the thread. We were utterly gobsmacked. Be patient with her imperfections, for she has them. Being Both a Disciple & a Daughter: Balancing Formality in Prayer. I am not sure what other words I can use to convey my meaning when I rely so heavily on tone. Well at least I know what not to talk about. I guess mothers also die, just like plants, but not usually at our own hands. I choose to stay away for most MDs and all FD. Ive never objected to any Mothers Day program, and in my ward, all women get a gift, married, single, divorced, widowed, with or without children. Our current Bishop decided not to do anything for mothers day. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/daughters-of-god?lang=eng, Ray (#58) Steve Ps post is evidence that a talk from 2007 which has been essentially corrected is still being recycled today. Speaking for myself, I think Fathers Day is much easier. Although with good intentions, speakers usually put mothers and motherhood on a pedestal ("Mothers are loving and caring and naturally nurturing", "A mother's love is the closest thing to Christlike love on earth", "No mother is perfect, except my mom, who is literally an . Have all the talks be by women. Nice meeting. What is the trigger to close the thread? Uchtdorf. *As I type this, I know for a fact that someone out there is going to respond that their ward gives men plants for Fathers Day every year. Thanks, kc! Evry cry of pity heeding, See also What to Expect at Church Services. Most seemed to realize bishoprics are trying and they appreciate any effort. Or better yet, teach their classes and let them attend RS for a day? Every year someone has to pick up the flowers for my ward. I would be totally okay if they did nothing for Mothers Day at church. Ugh.chocolate and cheescake.and NO TALKS!!! I was asked to speak 3 times on MD during my infertility phase. Speakers arent assigned to talk on mothers day, there is no gift, no refreshments, no day off from primary. #46 That is an awesome idea for your talk. Speechless. Nourishing their souls instead of feeding their bodies? Although the later version of Mothers Day in the US was to honor mothers, it retained its association with peace as carnations were given out as a symbol of peace (white if ones mother was dead, pink if alive). At a certain point, their best has to be enough. Bear in mind thatmost of women in the congregation havelives that havent turned out the way they expected. Sharon if that is our Sharon, please PM me. Support Epic Family Fun! Yet, we have a tendency to go to extremes, particularly culturally, forgetting that we are worshiping God, and that we are not God nor expected to be God in this, our mortal state. This is something better done away with. He had returned from his mission and married (as did I), and he was asked to give the main Mothers Day talk. Well give you an honest deal! It seems like every time theres a church scandaland especially one that concerns moneypeople start arguing that the scandal-ridden church (or even churches in general) should lose their tax exemptions. 2) If your outfit doesnt match, no one who matters will notice. Is this really the Mothers Day message I need? As a mother of six kids, Ive had some serious depression about motherhood in general over the years but not usually on Mothers Day. He also discussed the importance of placing motherhood first in our lives but not allowing the pressures of motherhood to sap us of joy. Why do *we* have to have an ideal? and read for the dayLOL, isnt that a nice dream?? Im against handing out plants on Mothers Day. Great, and I was just asked to talk on Sunday, I guess I will be very careful. Our HC speaker will be talking about forgiveness this Sunday at the special request of our Leadership. Many said not to assign "mother" or "female" focused messages in sacrament meeting, others said to keep your efforts simple as long as it is sincere. I actually feel it is not so dissimilar on fathers day, particularly since the disparity between them can demean men. Just wondering. I remember being confused by a few Mothers Day talks growing up. I actually gave two sacrament meeting talks on Mothers Day during our childless/infertile years. In this case it will likely be mothers, and the Primary kids will sing, too. on Mothers Day and donate it to a womens shelter. Drunk as he could be. This ordinance is an essential part of worship and spiritual development. There are diabetic men, arent there? The speaker described how she saw her mothertake stock of the smoking wreckage of her life, humble herself, and begin the heroic and difficult work of transforming her life into something she didnt need to be ashamed of anymore. It was a nice meeting. So He can be ideal AND real. Gods commands I must obey, So Im on for Mothers Day and have been assigned Julie Becks talk on the history of Relief Society as topic. I dont think sacrament meeting is such an inappropriate place to do that, either. This might be a useful reference in terms of stories about Christ and women (not saying to cite it, just to get scripture references and helpful context): http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2015-fairmormon-conference/christs-emancipation-of-women-in-the-new-testament. from Pres. That in no way shape or form precludes me from looking to Christ/HF/HM for ideals. Our head count was 85 sisters which is super for us. I know some women get upset because they arent mothers, but it doesnt bother me. Weve gathered this collection to help you study, write talks, and share powerful LDS quotes about mothers. I chuckled, but was not surprised when I saw that chocolate was the most popular! Ive endured (and thats the right word) too many Mothers Days that were awful, meaningless, and unrealistic. Elder Ballard lists three ways mothers can do that; first, is realizing joy comes in moments, second is to not overschedule children, and third, to find time to cultivate talents and interests.. For the injured interceding, I dont remember all 18 things, but two of them stuck with me, even 15 years later. Even now, 4 years after her passing, I miss her. Thank you. Excuse everyone after Sacrament meeting to spend the time with their mothers. It might be that it was a holiday originally conceived by the US Socialist Party and propagated by the Soviets. But I was not a mother, in spite of my tears and pleadings with the Lord. Let us take as self-evident that, in reality, not all women are naturally pure or spiritual. It was my missionary farewell, back when such things were acceptable. If you want to hear from real women who haveread scriptures andheld FHEand family prayer, but whose son is in jail or whose 16-year-old daughter is pregnant or whose husband has left her, then you should meet in the cultural hall. I agree Ray. You can still give the women the day off. I think mixing it up, at least every other year, from Mother I Love You, is nice as a mom. In the garden He said, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death (Matthew 26:38). Available Now: 2023 Temple Calendar. Maybe we should do it eucharistic-like so I dont have to feel guilty? Just a thought. When I was bishop, my bishopric would always serve pie during the third hour and Id invite my mom to attend. I must speak the loving word, I would say that my grandmother was like a second mother to us, but really she was like a first mother. What does this mean about women? I also have plenty of friends who are single sisters and they mourn growing older and menopause because they wont be able to have the children they want to hold and love. We are an outlandishly weird, mixed up bunch of folk. Actually..mother's day should be everyday. Forgive me for not understanding the blessing part of it. Ere the sun goes down. Flowers were also given to anyone who wanted to wear one in honour of their mothers. Why can't we let women celebrate it how they want at home and focus on Christ at church? And, as your mother, I will miss the delicious pie during a relaxing third hour of church. But I see where you are coming from. The men work. Saw the survey and didnt reply, but one suggestion-Please have enough for EVERY female in the ward or branch. Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Environmental Stewardship and Conservation, Joseph Smiths Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women, Peace and Violence among 19th-Century Latter-day Saints, The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage, Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham. It spoke to the special importance of mothers to their children, but also made clear that as with other mistakes, the effects of mothers failings can absolutely be healed by the Atonement. Mothers Day was open so I said ok, I will come up with something appropriate. After the explanation, both seemed excited and accepted the challenge willingly. 1 Dead, 1 Injured in Shooting During LDS Sacrament Meeting in Nevada. A break from the primary room!) I struggled with infertility for nearly a decade. Your ward contains women at various stages of their lives, including some who dont have children and never will. Well, you dear women, I say thanks to you. There have been one or two General Conference talks in the last couple of years that briefly addressed that situation. The Barker Brothers' Projects These videos were created for Latter-day Saint parents and allies to voice their love for their LGBT brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. You dont come, you dont get one. Avoid speaking of angel mothers. I miss her something terrible, and being at the grave-site really brought all of those emotions to the surface. Mark, This post was positively Uchtdorfian! As for me, I will be sitting this Mothers day out. I dont know how that worked out for him. Im even okay when they hand out plants. That feels a little thin still, so Im glad this post exists. But I love my mother, and I miss her, so Im hopeful that the experience will be a good one. Crowd-sourcing request each year when I plan the Mother's Day sacrament meeting I feel an extra bit of pressure to make it special for our wives and mothers. It is awkward for those who are NOT mothers and I don't think fathers get their due comparibly. Thank you for writing this blog post. Some of the stories were simple acts of kindness and some were extraordinary examples of love and sacrifice. You then leap to classifying it a family celebration rather than a national holiday. One of my favorite talks ever wasnt a Mothers Day talk but was given by a mother talking about mothering (we were on vacation, so didnt know the woman speaking). Id also like a break from a poem in the EFMormons which says that no painting, no book, no song penned by a mother could be as great as a worSocrates by their children in the future, so spending your time raising the next generation is the greatest thing you can do. I think she says that just because she is my mom. I would say that since Christ is supposed to be the express image of his Father that we do know quite a bit about the Father. She talked about how when she was single she was very shallow, only cared about clothes and makeup and boys, didnt prepare herself spiritually, didnt have much of a testimony, and then upon marrying found herself extremely immature and woefully unprepared to be a spiritual leader in her home. On Mothers Day. This is a tradition of man, and sometimes it is just a bad idea. Latter-day Saint Life. I recommend that you take President Eyrings approach and assume that the women to whom you are speaking are doing their best, but that often their very best means just barely hanging on. Somehow those who are not mothers are incapable of celebrating motherhood and thus it is painful for them and thus no one should celebrate motherhood as a church. Women focused or mainly about Christ too. President Hinckley addressed all the women of the Church and thanked them for all the work they do in their families, congregations, and communities. With that in mind, there are great ideas in this discussion thread of ways to do exactly that. Dont twist the knife; let them come to you if they want it. I have had a lot of thoughts about Father's Day because my father passed away on May 23 about a month ago. I should clarify that my mother (and father) are wonderful and I have no complaints. lesson about prayer. I want to hear about the mother who lost all her children, because she made a lot of mistakes. When He instituted the sacrament, Jesus Christ said, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. The rest of us mortals should stick with real. I personally am skeptical of ever looking to people for ideals. The greatest Mormon blog in the universe. I would also love all quotes, conf talks, songs be from women to reinforce the value/insight/talent women have. Where everyone else is happy and interested in celebrating motherhood - those terrible males and those rancorous children in particular - they need to be denied for "me" and "what I want". One of my talks I focused on Moses and the 5 women at the beginning of his life and the different roles they played: Shiphrah & Puah, the midwives who saved his and countless other Hebrew boys lives, Jochebed his birthmother and what it must have taken to put him in the basket and shut the lid (shes a stronger woman than I am! After church we can give dear old dad a cookie in a baggie and a kick in the pants, call it good for another year, and send him home. Why? One of her favorites: Im so bad when daddy comes home, Nice post Mark, I think we do need to be careful about how we say some of the things we do in church, and elsewhere. I know they happened fairly regularly in my own adolesence and early adulthood, but I cant remember one Ive heard personally in quite a while. Elder Perry uses personal stories and memories of his own mother to illustrate the importance of teaching the gospel inside the home. It is a simple answer, and it is trueThe most important thing a father can do for his [daughter] is to love [her] mother.'. iPad. Im asking this out of genuine curiosity/responsibility for handing stuff out. Thats what insulin is for. Further, that it wasnt the wards responsibility to celebrate the day. Submitting to the will of the Father, He suffered more than we can comprehend: Blood [came] from every pore, so great [was] his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people (Mosiah 3:7). Thanks for reminding me so I can stay home. Women are saved in child bearing is good as always. My oldest, the musical and noisy one, composed parodies of many favorite primary songs about a decade ago when she was under the tyranny of those zealous but misguided young mothers. She was not worthy of any review from me. If it is unique to us, I wonder why we have a corner on the Mothers Day anxiety market. Have You Discovered the Love of The Everyday Christ? Which meeting do you think would be more meaningful to the participants? Then they would close by saying that it was the most wonderful blessing imaginable. Still, I think the flak about Sister Becks talk is nonsense. Or the best of both worldssend all women to RS and have the chocolate there so you get the women to walk through the door instead of to their cars, and so the kids arent begging for it? Were here to help! We are confabbing about how to turn the tables on Hallmark. Replies to my comments I dont like the sappy talks about the perfect mothers. Thanks for clarifying. A day focused on mothers is hard enough for many women, and much more so when thats all they hear about at church. All women were given a 'present' which looked like a flower or something, I didn't inspect it; many men and women took extra ones to give to any mother or lady in the neighborhood, single, mother, any sister or non member. I cant quite relate that to Motherhood but maybe he will. Thank you to everyone! Thanks for the reminder. In the mean time, please, PLEASE, dont go hunting the sisters. How about we don't celebrate either at church, but celebrate it in our homes with our mothers and fathers? Someone explain this. 3. Today the sacrament is an ordinance in which Church members partake of bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice. Have a variety of ages speak on ideas or what they've done to help their mothers and ways they've stayed close to their mothers. Id like to see the swords beaten into plow shares this mothers day And for once ( just once) the SAHM vs working mom verbal cat claws retracted. Ive decided to speak on how motherhood allows me to develop Christlike attributes (knowledge, patience, temperance, etcref 1 Peter 1:4-8) through daily struggles and reliance on the atonement and then finish with how wonderful it is that mother is only one of the facets of who we are as we strive to become strong women of God. Theyre all very good, and not being critical, but Hallmark w/ scripture would seem to be one way to describe the style of Pres. He emphasized there is no one perfect way to be a mother and that every situation is different. Ere the sun goes down. I already have felt many of the concerns expressed, and approach this assignment with fear and trembling. Your email address will not be published. What do you think when you see a used car lot with a sign like this: Honest Abes Used Cars! So He can be ideal AND real. In my nearly 40 years in the church that has borne true. Find another way to show appreciation to Mothers! Im also a High Councilor, who always tries very much not to speak in rose-colored platitudes that, sadly, you associate with High Council speakers. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Thank you. It is not that women want to be from Venus, but they want to be from Venus five universes beyond our own. Worst Moms Day talk ever: when we (and most of our friends) were newlyweds, one of our friends (a guy) was asked to give the big glory of motherhood talk. The first consideration is that you, the speaker, need to begin with your audience in mind. rockpond Sorry for the sacrilege I think all women want massages but not sure the church is the right place for it. The first speaker was my favorite. We were each handed full size chocolate bars that had been wrapped at the end of Sac Mtng. I hope none of you mind if I quote from this. Just asking. Integrate how Jesus takes care of his mother's future well being while hanging on the cross with the scripture John 19:26-27. Please add to the possibility of what LDS women are dealing with: they didnt have the best mothers themselves, they are the adoptive parents of mothers who, for whatever reason couldnt be a mothers, (adoptees and foster children or adults that have been in foster care could be particularly vulnerable as well); they work outside the home and love it, they work outside the home and hate it, they cant stand being mothers, the list could go on and on. I also really like Kristenes suggestion and everything like unto it as EOR suggested. I mean big ol gnarly wretch. Thanks for all your thoughts. This talk by Elaine S. Dalton helps fathers understand the importance of loving and cherishing the women in their life. Their talks often included poems about the immeasurable amount of crap mothers had to deal with. So I will be going to church on Sunday, even though I never go to church, so I can remember my mother, who was never a Mormon. Sabbath Day Scriptures Scripture References Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-12 Scripture Study Resources Topical Guide, "Assembly for Worship" There are wrongs that need redressing I was supposed to talk two weeks ago on the purpose of the Sacrament but ended up in surgery instead, and upon returning to church last Sunday was asked to reschedule. I think its good to have something to air at! Thanks! me) before deciding on these speakers. It is good to share personal stories, but be aware that your own family might be abit stranger than you think. So, yeah, how irritated the host is with the comments is pretty much it. Why are women so disenchanted with motherhood when we value it so highly? The hard part for me is when I hear talks about angel mothers where I actually know whom they are talking about. I wonder if this phenomenon is uniquely Mormon. Mother's Day became the hardest day of the year for me. Rockpond, is this separate from a Primary Program? For example, look at how Mothers Day and Mothering Day each have a religious as well as a secular component to them, and have even merged: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothering_Sunday. Index to the Triple Combination, Sacrament, Jesus Christ Teaches about the Sacrament and Prayer, AaronL. West, Little Children and the Sacrament, Ensign, October 2016, Line upon Line: Matthew 26:2628, New Era, October 2016, Questions & Answers: What am I supposed to think about during the sacrament? New Era, June 2014, Renewing Covenants through the Sacrament, Ensign, June 2010, Marilynne Linford, Questions and Answers about the Sacrament, Friend, March 2008, Laurel Rohlfing, Remember Jesus Christ during the Sacrament, Ensign, June 2007, Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part1: Loss and Christian Reformations), Ensign, January 1992, Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part2: A New and Ancient Covenant), Ensign, February 1992, Pat Graham, Sharing Time: Be Grateful for the Sacrament, Friend, November 1987, JohnS. Tanner, Reflections on the Sacrament Prayers, Ensign, April 1986, June 1016: Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22; John 18, Come, Follow MeFor Individuals and Families: New Testament 2019, Viewpoint: The Sacred Ordinance of the Sacrament, Church News, Young Men, Teach about the Sacrament, Brother Beck Says, Church News, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, chapter6, Come, Follow MeFor Primary: New Testament 2019, The Sacrament Helps Me Think about Jesus Christ, Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual, lesson27, Jesus Christ Instituted the Sacrament, Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel Teacher Manual, lesson15, Sacrament, Lesson Helps for Teaching Children, As Now We Take the Sacrament, Hymns, no.169, The Sacrament, Childrens Songbook, 72, Before I Take the Sacrament, Childrens Songbook, 73, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square App Icon, Teachings of Presidents: Joseph Fielding Smith Manual, 2014, Primary Nursery Manual: Behold Your Little Ones, Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel Course (Religion 250), Children's Songbook, English, Hard Cover, Spiral.