It isnt uncommon for LDS women to be dealing with some combination of the following factors: a difficult marriage, no marriage, no children, difficult children, health problems, loss of faith. Again, its about building testimony and gaining faith. For the injured interceding, 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. Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Is this our Sharon Haynie from DN branch? Part of this ordinance is a promise to remember Him always and a witness of individual willingness to take upon oneself the name of Jesus Christ and to keep His commandments. The only thing I might try if I were in charge would be to put out pink, white, red carnations and safety pins and invite everyone in the ward to wear a carnation to honor their mother pink/red if shes living, white if shes passed away. Ugh ugh ugh. On the other hand, women tended to speak about motherhood as the most emotionally-exhausting and time-consuming chore imaginable. 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. 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. I havent had a bad Mothers Day since I divorced my ex and the day stopped being about making my kids miserable so that he could appear to be a good husband. I am a single (divorced) old man with no children. Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. My favorite Mothers Day talk was my own talk. Women focused or mainly about Christ too. Im not going tomorrow. Actually..mother's day should be everyday. She used several stories from the NT about Christ & his mother Mary to illustrate principles that we can all use to improve our relationships with others. Get plenty HPs and Elders. I think she says that just because she is my mom. Why does the church HAVE to be a part of it? Why was she an ideal? If they give out a plant that I can put in the ground, Ill be sad to miss that, though. 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. The rest of us mortals should stick with real. . "The ordinance of the sacrament," taught then Elder Dallin H. Oaks in 2008, "makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church." 21 Accordingly, in 2015, Church leaders called for a renewed emphasis on Sabbath worship centered on partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. I know that traditionally it has been men and children who honor mothers. The best MD talk I ever heard was given by my neighbor. Nourishing their souls instead of feeding their bodies? She has your best interests at heart. Mothers day will likely be about Gods unconditional love for us and how it pains Him to see us struggle And how even mothers cannot quite reach that level of love, but we understand the concept because most of us love our children in much the same way (but n, Focus your talk on how much we ALL need Jesus (even mothers) because we are all sinners (read the Bible It tells us so). Which meeting do you think would be more meaningful to the participants? Elder Perry uses personal stories and memories of his own mother to illustrate the importance of teaching the gospel inside the home. I just pray that the spirit can convey the message that seems so exciting in my heart. Classic! Flowers were also given to anyone who wanted to wear one in honour of their mothers. I did live in one ward where the mothers always got plants but the fathers always got cookies. anon, pretty sure hearing about an old guys non-existent sex life is worse. A friend once proposed a thought experiment. I agree Ray. Well we could have it like the Sacrament Meetings for Father's Day and have it be your usual every Sunday meeting and not even talk about women or mothers. We can only celebrate the nonentity because we are afraid of hurting those who are not being celebrated "today". The US holiday was only adopted in 1870 and was also used to protest the sacrifices mothers had made when their sons were killed at war or killed the sons of other mothers during the Civil War. Speakers arent assigned to talk on mothers day, there is no gift, no refreshments, no day off from primary. This is a tradition of man, and sometimes it is just a bad idea. At one point they cut down a tree and paraded it into town to symbolize the mother of the Gods (Asherah, anyone?). As a mother of six kids, Ive had some serious depression about motherhood in general over the years but not usually on Mothers Day. Mormon women are harder on themselves than any other group of ladies I have associated with. It was a great idea and something I will always remember and a great way to honor mothers on Mothers Day. Loverboy was gone, she was outside of the church, and she had no means of support. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/wanted-hands-and-hearts-to-hasten-the-work?lang=eng. The average of the survey said their bishopric probably spends about $1 per sister for Mothers Day gifts. This morning I decided to Google search Mothers Day LDS talks and came upon this article. (did I mention he and his wife were not parents yet?). 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 am actually traveling with my mother and other members of the family this weekend and showed her this in church to get a laugh. Book of Mormon Scriptures on Mothers. 22 Keep in mind, this is from a male perspective, andmy opinions might be worth exactly what you paid for them. You then leap to classifying it a family celebration rather than a national holiday. The fathers dont seem to feel as guilty about things as the mothers do,,,. Next, it is always very specific so as to not offend anyone. Alece, I also love CS Lewis, and agree that we should look to higher ground in our mortal journey. They do not need to be perfect in order to partake of the sacrament, but they should have a spirit of humility and repentance in their hearts. I plan to skip church on Mothers Day morning to visit my mother in the home and I will receive my Masters Degree that afternoon! Sorry for the sacrilege I think all women want massages but not sure the church is the right place for it. Honoring Fallen Parents: The Fifth Commandment and Romans 3:23 The Fifth Commandment enjoins: "Honor thy father and thy mother." Could someone remind of what the day is for after all? Thats why youve been my cyber-crush for years. Thats the last thing a mother needs, responsibility for yet another living thing. lol! I had some ideas but didn't want to repeat anything that had already been done from the Primary. Honest! Isnt it reasonable to think that Abe is trying a little too hard, and might be overcompensating for something? I guess mothers also die, just like plants, but not usually at our own hands. Classic! I would love to avoid Mothers Day meetings, just because they are usually tedious, but I love to go for the sake of seeing my kids sing. Mrs. Gui, All the little Guis and their little Guis, the violin, photography, Prokofiev, Mahler, Terry Pratchett, Patrick OBrian, Umberto Eco, sci-fi and fantasy, Brigham Young, playing Bluegrass with real Kentuckians. Just as he was getting into how pornography helped him through the divorce, the bishop stepped up and escorted him from the podium. Oh yes, Ive read the scriptures to be like Him, to be perfect. I actually think its good to celebrate both Mothers and Fathers Days with the caveat to be sensitive to the feelings of those who have difficulty with that celebration. I also really like Kristenes suggestion and everything like unto it as EOR suggested. Families are good about this but public acknowledgement is hard to come by. My wife spoke on Mothers Day (which I originally thought was a bad choice, because she herself appears to the outside world to be the perfect mother) about her own mother and some of the simple things her mother had done for her that made a big difference in her life and how grateful she was. Latter-day Saint Missionary Hospitalized After Stabbing in Colombia, A Slam Dunk of a Service Project: The NBA and Church of Jesus Christ Feed the Hungry, All Missionaries Accounted for in New Zealand After Devastating Cyclone, New Zealand Latter-day Saints Urged to Prepare for Cyclone, Latter-day Saint Artists Paints Uvalde Shooting Victims, Delivers Portraits to Families, Tender Advice from President Monson Trends on Instagram Reels, Church of Jesus Christ Releases Statement of Support After Earthquakes in Turkey, Syria, Try Faith: A 30-Day Challenge Shows How Four Young Vloggers Built Faith in Jesus. The reminder was given to visit those sisters unable to attend on Mother's Day. It was the service ofthe sisters that made the talk memorable. *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. Said she, If you havent convinced your mother that you love her the other 364 days of the year, nothing you say on Mothers Day is worth a damn.. We already talk about the topic, motherhood, every Sunday. The woman described her family as she was growing up. Maybe. Glad as I can be I would be totally okay if they did nothing for Mothers Day at church. Especially for those women that aren't mothersbut, a big but, these women are mothers to villages, pets, and extended family all the time! The perfect hymn for Mothers Day Sacrament meeting. I recommend it highly: This! (http://dandelionmama.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/this-this-is-what-i-believe/). Mother's Day became the hardest day of the year for me. It is based only partially on a professional clergy with access to time-proven messages and more likely on fundamental theological differences. It seemed to strike just the right tone. Gospel Q&A: I Feel Guilty That I Cant Fast Because of Medical Reasons. Our new bishop, for the last three years, gave no gift or acknowledgement. It was part of the talk. Even though Mothers Day is now a reasonably happy day for me personally, I still find that my mind is focused on how other women in my ward might be experiencing it. Well, you dear women, I say thanks to you. Scriptural women are perhaps safer :-) And in our ward, the men get cans of Dads Root Beer or Sugar Daddy candies. Not necessarily mothersjust women. LDS Hymn Arrangements. So, yeah, how irritated the host is with the comments is pretty much it. I feel for how it hurts people to attend church and the sorrows they bear. Primary kids singing, oh, 12 songs, and then someone real standing up and talking about the incredible power of hope, even when we feel that we dont measure up, and the wonder of the atonement and Gods love for us. Might spark some interesting conversations. More often than not, his assumption is correct. I had assumed it was a greeting card holiday of commercial origins, but it is actually (like Christmas) based on Roman pagan traditions. Yes! If youre already perfect, who needs it? I think this can be especially true for women who feel theyre just holding on. Listen to her. Since I believe he (the Father) and my Heavenly Mother are probably equals, Id say we know a lot about her as well! That was the job of the family, and for single sisters, the home teacher. I dont know why that would be, unless people are just assuming we ache for something more to nurture. I spoke about her one year. However, the restored gospel is true and is a steady guide for us in nagivating the oftimes foggy seas of life. But I was not a mother, in spite of my tears and pleadings with the Lord. Those who are solely focused on their own selfish desires? The first one we did was a modified version of "Teacher Do You Love Me". 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). Let us also posit that, even if the average woman is more nurturing or righteous than the . Cannot load blog information at this time. It was my missionary farewell, back when such things were acceptable. Yes, the rhetoric has calmed down, but is certainly still present. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies. Set them up outside the chapel, or in the kitchen or sometime. " Cogito! Now we have a tradition that during the last ten minutes of priesthood meeting, they gather all the classes from deacons to high priests together in the multi-purpose room and present them with Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches. Uchtdorf. Some women think that you dont talk enough about mothers while other people think you talk too much about them. I would be all for that. at all.. It isn't uncommon for LDS women to be dealing with some combination of the following factors: a difficult marriage, no marriage, no children, difficult children, health problems, loss of faith. to hear my little kids sing and for my older kids to pass out a flower. 41 Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; 42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.. On the road this week I attend Mother's day services with the fourth ward in St George Utah. Why do *we* have to have an ideal? Are you looking for the best LDS talks on motherhood? EOR, I would venture to say, even with being fairly new to BCC that few here mean to give offense. The primaries (100 of them? Saw the survey and didnt reply, but one suggestion-Please have enough for EVERY female in the ward or branch. They cannot eat it, and in fact just having the stuff around is a serious temptation to do so. That in no way shape or form precludes me from looking to Christ/HF/HM for ideals. I think it turned out great. Based on the comments it seems to be prevalent everywhere in the US church. The Spirits constant companionship is one of the greatest gifts of mortality. Why shouldn't women be those who teach about the glory of god that is woman? It might be that it was a holiday originally conceived by the US Socialist Party and propagated by the Soviets. Not within an hour of reading this post did I get a call from a member of our bishopric asking me to speak on Sunday. Motherhood as a path to choose to be a better disciple of Christ by caring for those Christ loves.feed my sheep, etc.https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/wanted-hands-and-hearts-to-hasten-the-work?lang=eng. I'm fascinated by these two suggestions because I was leaning toward only having youth and men speak so that all the mothers had the day off. I have some ideas of speaker topics but I thought I would start a thread for suggestions of topics, scriptures, conference talks, etc that would help make a great Sacrament Meeting that honors Motherhood while also keeping a focus on Christ. I know my own mother dislikes being called a good mother because she feels so awful about how she raised us from her perspective. We go to church to grow closer to the Savior, not to get treats or recognition. I dont envy you people who have been called togive talksnext week. Did they not have mothers? Until I see a longer lasting cease fire, Im staying home MD (with my mother and daughters). Well at least I know what not to talk about. 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. 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. 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. Thats what insulin is for. That feels a little thin still, so Im glad this post exists. I gave a MD talk one year and focused on Emma Smith, Naomi the MIL of Ruth and my daughter who was a young mother at the time. Thanks! And dont even get me started on the Are We Not All Mothers tripe. #28 Love the song choice of I Have Work Enough To Do as a tribute. Christian churchs teach that you are inherently bad, that it is not entirely your fault and that Christ has already saved you and after He gets around to telling you (if He hasnt already) that you forgiven and are His, you will do nonspecific good things he directs because you will naturally want to do them. More importantly, what impact does this conscious attempt to devalue motherhood within our community have on the future of the family? Really perfect for MD! I do think it is easy to understand my point and I appreciate it when others understand my position. While it addresses questions about how to raise a girl, the talk also discusses the nobility of fatherhood, the influence fathers have on children, how to cherish your wife, and why virtue is so important. 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. Thank you for being the kind of people you are and doing the things you do. Its hard to please everyone. There are a number of other conference talks on the subject (righteous traditions, family traditions, etc.). Im finding actual motherhood so exhausting that I just cant bear to hear about angel mothers right now. I miss her something terrible, and being at the grave-site really brought all of those emotions to the surface. THE major Mothers Day talk in Sacrament Meeting in our ward this week, I have forwarded all of this discussion on to him! Julie B. Beck reminds women what it means to be a mother who knows listing a number of attributes, including the principles of bearing children, honoring sacred covenants, nurturing others, doing less, teaching, and leading. On this site you will find a variety of arrangements for ward choirs, solo piano, vocal duets and more. Or better yet, teach their classes and let them attend RS for a day? I already have felt many of the concerns expressed, and approach this assignment with fear and trembling. We do need to have some kind of an ideal, even if we may not measure up to it occasionally, or even ever! Last year, I gave this talk. That we be a great subject for Mother's Day. Bear in mind thatmost of women in the congregation havelives that havent turned out the way they expected. May your prayers be answered and your hopes and dreams become realities.. Never heard it, but I would love somethingalong the lines ofwhat we can learn from Christ and his time with women. Integrate how Jesus takes care of his mother's future well being while hanging on the cross with the scripture John 19:26-27. On the night before His Crucifixion, Jesus Christ met with His Apostles and instituted the sacrament (see Luke 22:1920). Snickers. Through this ordinance, Church members renew the covenants they made with God when they were baptized. We all do., The relationship between mothers and daughters is at the heart of this talk from Elder Ballard. We should not celebrate anything unless it is universally acknowledged around the world. I am confident that a poll ofactive Mormons would show that Mothers Day sacrament meeting is, hands down, the one meeting of the year most fraught with difficulty for the people who attend. My own plan of attack: 1) lay some knowledge on people (see above), 2) talk about our own mothers and that they are real people who faced real struggles, 3) the Plan of Happiness (is that what were calling it now?) A day focused on mothers is hard enough for many women, and much more so when thats all they hear about at church. #37 Now that you mention it, Uchtdorf is pretty Hallmarky. That wouldn't let her do such and suchall things in the end that weren't good for her daughter to do, one way of looking at it.