Mother's Day

It was a good day yesterday.  It started with phone calls from Mariah and Eliza, bagels, smoothies and presents--and my kids are starting to be awesome at giving me presents.  Willa printed out a bunch of pictures of my kids that she had taken (it even included Evan and McCall--my two extra kids!) and gave me a dark chocolate bar too.  AND the flower crown that makes me look like I live in a Snapchat filter. Wyatt gave me an Almond Joy and La La Land with a promise to see it together.  Griff and Evie made adorable cards for me in preschool.  Alan gave me flowers and LipSense and cooked breakfast and burgers for me.

Here are the notes from my talk in sacrament meeting (yes, I did this in 2015 too):

Mother’s Day Talk 2017

First I wished everyone a happy Mother's Day and noted that there were so many good women in our ward--and even young women--who inspire me to be a better mother and help me to mother my children.

I was asked to speak about Bonnie Oscarson's talk in the April 2015 Women's Broadcast about Defending the Proclamation.  I warned them that they may get more from me just reading them her talk or the Proclamation, but I don't think that's what talks are about.  I decided to structure my talk like hers--starting with a dramatic pioneer story and following with speaking about three truths we need to defend.

Story about Indians taking the baby.  (These are the words of my third great grandmother, Sarah Angeline Porter Leavitt.)

Then the Indians came; and they were more troublesome than anything else.  They wanted to trade for nearly everything they saw.  One old fellow wanted to buy Nancy, and they followed us several days trying to get Lydia to sell her.  He offered her 25 head of horses and a pile of buffalo robes as high as his head while he was on his horse;  and crowded up to the back of the wagon and put his hand through the hole where the cover was gathered down and threw her beads and other trinkets.   She was afraid of him, and cried when he came near.  One day we heard the Captain say, "Sister Porter, You will have to keep good watch on that child or that old fellow will take her in spite of us.  He is so determined."  That frightened Nancy so she did not sleep when he was near.

Then the Indians left for a few days, and we thought they would not bother us any more;  but one hot day here they came with their families.  We had come to a nice stream of water with green trees;  but the Indians headed us off--there were so many of them.   They took all the shade, and we had to stay in the hot sun.  But we found some green feed for the teams.

After we had eaten dinner, one of the squaws came up to Mother Lydia and said, "Let me see your baby".  Mother showed Warren to her.  Then the squaw said,  "Let me take it".  Mother let her take him.  As soon as she got hold of him, she whirled around and ran as fast as she could go to the crowd of Indians;  and they all hollered and laughed and made such a noise.  There was a big noise in our camp too.  I, Sarah, was screaming as loud as my lungs would let me.  Step-mother Lydia was crying; and Alma was scolding her for letting the squaw take the baby.  Some of the women were sympathizing with her, and others were chiding her for her carelessness.

In all the turmoil, the Captain got up on his wagon-tongue and called for order, and in a minute everybody was quiet.  Then he took off his hat and spoke in a loud voice,  "Let the Sioux Indians listen to the whiteman!  Bring that baby back or there will be war right here-- the whiteman will fight for their children!"   Then he said in an undertone,  "Every man to his gun"   In a minute every man had his gun and was in line.  Then the Captain repeated:  "Bring that baby back"!  In a short time, here came the squaw, running as fast as she did when she took it, and hollering,  "Here, take it".  The baby was laughing---his white hair flying in the wind.  I can see him in my mind just as he was then---he was 5 months old and was always laughing.

You may be sure we were a thankful family to get the baby back and to get started on the road again.  The people thought that was a scheme the old Indian had worked up to try again to get Nancy---to get the baby-- and then he thought Mother would give Nancy up to get her own baby back; but he was not counting on a fight.  Since I have come to years of maturity, I have come to the conclusion that it was a quick answer to prayers, for a silent prayer went up from that company that everything would come out right without serious trouble; and it did.  There were three times as many Indians as there were white people in our company.  We were not troubled by them any more after that.

Then I told a story from 1995 when we had just started our family and I took our twin babies to the Durham County Health Department for immunizations because I couldn't afford a doctor's office visit.  There was a woman there waiting who was interested in my babies and asked to hold one.  I let her hold Eliza, but soon regretted handing over my baby to someone I didn't know.  It dawned on me that she was probably there for mental health or addiction recovery services, because something was not right with her and she wouldn't give my baby back.  With the help of a nurse, I got Eliza back and learned how very careful we have to be not to let people we don't trust take our children.

In 1995 (two days before my first babies were born) Gordon B. Hinckley issued the Proclamation on the Family, which contains truths that will protect our children and save them from being taken from us.

Before President Gordon B. Hinckley read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” at a general meeting of the Relief Society in September 1995, he said: “With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, rs, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history” (“Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World,”Ensign,Nov. 1995, 100).
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
1. “We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

Bonnie Oscarson:
"May I point out something obvious? Life rarely goes exactly according to plan for anyone, and we are very aware that not all women are experiencing what the proclamation describes. It is still important to understand and teach the Lord’s pattern and strive for the realization of that pattern the best we can.
Each of us has a part to play in the plan, and each of us is equally valued in the eyes of the Lord. We should remember that a loving Heavenly Father is aware of our righteous desires and will honor His promises that nothing will be withheld from those who faithfully keep their covenants."

Three truths to defend and people who inspire me to live them better: marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, the divine role of motherhood and fatherhood, and the sanctity of the home.

marriage-
Pres. Hinckley--I told the story from my parent's mission when President Hinckley and Marjorie visited Tonga and did all the meetings and all the things at the end of the day President Hinckley made sure his wife was settled and her needs were taken care of before he sat down and let his exhaustion show. (He must have been in his late 80's).
Mom and Dad- I talked about how my mom was an excellent mother, but we knew Dad was her first priority.  I talked about doing cartwheels for helicopters.  I meant to talk about how Dad was known as "No Thanks Fred", but I forgot.
Us- I talked about how Alan was raised by a man who took his wife out on weekly dates and how he doest that for me.
Eliza and Evan- I talked about my unique position being between generations and helping plan our first Wimmer Wedding and knowing that the important thing is the family that will be started in the temple on June 27, and knowing that Eliza and Evan know that too.  Even though there will be a really great party to go along with it.

role of mother and father-
amandajanejones (who grew up in KC 1st ward) posted on Instagram: It's funny, when you have your first baby you think - there's no way I could ever love anyone else this much! And then you meet number two... and your heart almost explodes. I had no idea how much motherhood would increase my capacity to love.   I think that's why we are commanded to have children--to learn to love as God loves.
Lehi and Sariah--such great parents.  They taught their children and gave them important responsibilities.
Mom and Dad--read the scriptures with us daily from the time I was a small child.
Us- we try to have FHE and give our children important responsibilities.  Willa took care of the brakes that needed to be replaced on her car this week.  Wyatt babysat our little ones while we went on a date this weekend.

sanctity of the home-
Bonnie Oscarson:
"The last principle we need to stand and defend is the sanctity of the home. We need to take a term which is sometimes spoken of with derision and elevate it. It is the term homemaker. All of us—women, men, youth, and children, single or married—can work at being homemakers. We should “make our homes” places of order, refuge, holiness, and safety. Our homes should be places where the Spirit of the Lord is felt in rich abundance and where the scriptures and the gospel are studied, taught, and lived. What a difference it would make in the world if all people would see themselves as makers of righteous homes. Let us defend the home as a place which is second only to the temple in holiness."

Kathleen Woffinden-(also grew up in KC 1st ward).  Told me as her 6th and 7th children, twins Adam and Aaron were the oldest ones at home, "My home is a mini-MTC right now."
Mom and Dad- I think I skipped telling about how my mom raised five children in a clean home.
Us-
What do we do at home?

Dad- eat, talk, laugh, pray, read scriptures
Mariah- eat, yard work, sleep, family movies, scripture study
Eliza- eat meals, do yard work, read scriptures, sleep, play games
Willa-
Wyatt-
Eve- clean up, help our mommy with the bed, wash dishes, get ready to go to Micah’s birthday party, play and have friends over.
Griffin- yard work, puzzles, movies, sleep, family night…and because Jesus said it’s okay to have fun we do birthdays, Christmas and Sundays.

Bonnie Oscarson:
"Heavenly Father has a mission and plan for each of us, but He also has His own timetable. One of the hardest challenges in this life is to have faith in the Lord’s timing. It’s a good idea to have an alternative plan in mind, which helps us to be covenant-keeping, charitable, and righteous women who build the kingdom of God no matter which way our lives go. We need to teach our daughters (and sons) to aim for the ideal but plan for contingencies."

Mission.  We hope our children serve missions because some of the wisest and most grounded people in the gospel have served missions.  But if not, we hope they have many chances to consider and learn about the gospel deeply.  We hope they have a chance to see the gospel change people's lives--especially their own.
Education.  We hope our children have a chance to receive and excellent education.  But if not, we hope they (like their grandma Wimmer, who is sometimes called Dr. Wimmer by professionals who mistake her as having a PhD) find opportunities to learn and educate themselves.
Marriage.  We hope all our children find worthy spouses and marry in the temple for eternity.  But if not, we hope they surround themselves with people who love and take care of them.
Children. We hope our children have the chance to have children of their own.  But if not, we hope they have the chance to teach Primary or nursery and have tiny people who love them without question.
Home- We hope our children each have a home of their own where they can: (D and C 88:119) establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;  But if not, we hope they find and make for themselves holy places where they can practice and live their faith.

Then I bore my testimony that I know these principles are true and revealed to prophets in our day to help us return safely to our Heavenly parents and closed in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen!