I really enjoy having what I like to call, "awesome mom moments." These are moments where I can see the influence that I have on my child and the ways that I am helping her grow and develop. Being a mom isn't like any other job in the world.

Most of the time, you can't see what you are "getting done" during the day. Sure, you can see when the dishes are done or when the house is clean, but I'm talking about something completely different. As a mom, my main job is nurturing my child and making sure that her physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental needs are met.

Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I feel like the outward evidence of the work that I am doing is rare but priceless. When I have those "awesome mom moments," I reach out and cling to them because they remind me that I am doing a good job after all. Luckily, I had one of these moments this last week, and it was a little tender mercy to me straight from the Lord.

Daniel and I took our daughter to a new park last weekend for some fun play time and a picnic. At one point, our daughter was trying to climb up onto the playground using a stair that looked much too tall for her to get onto. We, however, wanted to see if she could do it by herself. She tried but gave up quickly and turned to run away and play with something else.

Instead of letting her run away, I said to her, "Come on! You can do it!" To my surprise and delight, she turned right back around and tried again. Once again, to my surprise, she pulled herself right up onto that tall step! This may sound like a small accomplishment, but it was quite an accomplishment of strength and determination for such a little girl.

This experience was a little miracle for me because it reminded me of the power that I have, as a mother, to uplift and encourage my children. We have been given enormous power to help our children accomplish great things through our support and encouragement.  I couldn't help but think of my Father in Heaven when I had this experience.

I believe that our Father stands by watching, and just when we think we can't do something and turn to run away, He reaches out and reminds us that we can do it! For truly, there is nothing that we cannot do without His help. I am grateful for the sweet reminder that He gave me of the things that I am accomplishing, even if I can't physically see them happening most of the time.

With Easter weekend approaching, my thoughts have been turned more toward my Savior - His unmatched life, His sacrificial death, and His glorious resurrection.  I am so grateful to know that my Savior still lives, and that because of His atonement, I will also live again after I die. My thoughts, however, have been particularly drawn toward a different kind of new life that comes through the Savior.

Part of our experience here on earth consists of  trials, sin, and sorrow. There are times throughout our lives when we may feel like we've died inside. Just as the resurrection offers new life and hope to those who have physically died, the atonement offers new life to us as we experience spiritual death. I am in awe of the beauty and tenderness of this miracle! Isn't it a miracle that, if we take advantage of it, the Savior's atonement offers us a clean slate at the beginning of each day? The potential that we have been given is limitless - we can become perfect like our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:48, the Savior says,

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

I've heard some speak of how daunting this scripture seems. I think it is best understood when paired with Moroni 10:32:

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

This makes me think that the Savior's admonition in Matthew is more like a plea to us, asking us to use the atonement that He has so freely given to us. He is not just telling us to be perfect. It is impossible for us to become perfect on our own, but if we will utilize the atonement to repent and change every day, we will see a miracle: we will move closer and closer to perfection. This does not only apply to sin, but it applies to those times in life where we feel like sorrow or trials have brought on an emotional death inside of us.

In these cases, we may not need to repent of anything at all. In fact, it is likely just a matter of having faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ - believing that it can make up the difference and make things perfect for us in the end. It is a matter of accepting the Savior's sacrifice and understanding that things may not feel perfect or fair now, but that His sacrifice is enough and we don't need to demand anymore pain and suffering than was already given. I LOVE this quote by Ezra Taft Benson:

“Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible. …

“… For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. They are like the Lamanites, who the Lord said ‘were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not’ (3 Ne. 9:20)

It is a miracle to me that we have each been called to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ, in spite of our imperfections. I would not count myself worthy to stand on equal ground with the Savior; I have so far to go. And yet, He asks that we stand beside Him and testify of Him. As we do this, we become more like Him and move further along the road to perfection.

"People should be able to see in us something of Jesus Christ. The way we act, speak, look, and even think should reflect Him and His ways...It is within the capacity of each of us to become His witness." (D. Todd Chirstofferson)

As we stand of witnesses of Jesus Christ, miracles can happen in our lives. We can become reflections of Him, and this can be the greatest tool for bringing others unto Him. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and add my testimony to the many others that have been given of Him. I know He lives and I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Him this weekend.

I've been debating for a while as to whether or not I want to write about what I'm going to say today. Those who know me well know that I avoid confrontation like the plague. So, it is with caution and great care that I address the subject of a group of women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are protesting to receive the priesthood. With headlines and news reports popping up about the "inequality" among men and women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I feel like I have a duty to speak up! As a female member of the Church, I must stand up and say that I've been a member my entire life and I have never felt belittled or undervalued because I, as a woman, could not receive the priesthood.

If we take things back to the very beginning of this earth, we can see the critical and pivotal role that women have always played in the Lord's plan. When God created Adam, He knew that Adam needed a "help meet," as He puts it in the scriptures. And so, He created Eve. The role that Eve played in God's plan is magnificent, and in my opinion, often under-appreciated.

Eve knew that unless they partook of the forbidden fruit, there was no way that they could keep the commandment that God had given them to multiply and replenish the earth. Eve had the courage to partake of the fruit, in spite of God's command not to do so, for the sake of the greater good. This courageous act was only one part of the marvelous role that Eve played in the Lord's plan of salvation. Heavenly Father's spirit children finally had a gateway into this life so that they could receive a body and learn what they needed to so they could return to God's presence and become like Him.

Thus, Eve started out on another grand task that Heavenly Father had given her: to provide physical bodies for His children and then to nurture and teach them. According to the accounts we have in the Bible, Adam received the priesthood and Eve did not. But do you think that Eve felt upset or undervalued? This is just my personal opinion, but I cannot imagine that she would! For she had her own great responsibilities and roles before her, and that was the focus of her time and effort.

The definition of equality has been morphed, making people feel like everything has to be exactly the same for every single person in order for equality to exist. I'll be blunt - I think this is completely wrong. I am a firm believer that there is such a thing as separate yet equal responsibilities. As women, we may not hold the priesthood, but the brethren have made it clear that we are on equal footing with our husbands as leaders in our homes.

The responsibility to give birth to, raise, love, teach, and nurture children is no small task. Women do not hold the priesthood, but they are still carrying out the grand part of God's plan that started with Eve and has continued with every generation of women who have lived on this earth.

Additionally, as women, we are given just as many opportunities to serve in the Church as the men are. We cannot serve in the offices that require us to hold the priesthood keys, such as Bishop or Stake President. But men cannot serve in the Relief Society, or in Primary or Young Women's presidencies. Is this another instance of inequality? No. Rather, it is an appropriate division and delegation of responsibility.

I am grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In a world where respect for a woman and her roles is on a slippery slope, I feel proud to be a part of an organization that praises and appreciates the importance of womanhood and motherhood. I know that God's plan values all of His children equally - men and women alike. As we work together and fulfill our separate but equal responsibilities, we can help bring to pass God's plan: "...to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)

For those interested, this is a link to a talk given by Dallin H. Oaks in the April General Conference. I thought it addressed the issue perfectly. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/the-keys-and-authority-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng#watch=video

It's been a while since I've been able to write a new post for my blog! It feels like a breath of fresh air to just sit down and write about the thoughts that are in my heart. My daughter and I have been enjoying the refreshing spring weather, and we've been celebrating by going on two or three walks every day. This winter felt so long and harsh, it was almost as if I'd forgotten what a pleasant sound it is to hear the birds chirping and see them hopping around as they search for worms.

This sudden spring has been so refreshing and such a blatant reminder to me of God's love for us. Do we ever forget that the very earth upon which we walk is a miracle? It truly was created by the hands of our God! Remembering this helps me feel of His love at every turn.

I've often thought that God didn't have to make this world so beautiful. He didn't have to take so much time working to create beautiful things. So why did He? It is my personal opinion that He did this because He loves us, and He wants us to have reminders of His love and His magnificence surrounding us! There's something so sweet and beautiful about the world around us. The sound of a small brook flowing, the great crash of a majestic waterfall, the sight of a small rosebud, the sweet fragrance of a fully bloomed rose, the magic of a star-lit sky, and the way a sky painted with a pink, purple and red sunset can leave you breathless - I could go on and on.

Watching my daughter discover the beauty of this world has been an important reminder to me of how awe-inspiring this earth is. Each new thing she sees is beautiful and exciting - even things like worms and ants. My first inclination is not to call a worm or an ant beautiful, but what is the definition of beauty anyway? Depending on our earthly eyes to detect beauty is a flawed system. Everything that comes from God is beautiful and good. Even the worms and ants are beautiful because they come from His hand and they work together with everything else in nature to make our world what it is. There truly is beauty all around us!

I find peace in the beauty of the world around me because it reminds me that Heavenly Father loves me. He knew that we would appreciate beauty, and so, He took the time to make this world lovely for us. He knew that we would each have times in our lives that are hard and downright ugly, but He gave us a home where we could always find beauty. I see His magnificence in things as large as the mountains and in things as small as the song of a bird. I love the lyrics for this primary song:

My Heavenly Father Loves Me

"Whenever I hear the song of a bird

Or look at the blue, blue sky,

Whenever I feel the rain on my face

Or the wind as it rushes by,

Whenever I touch a velvet rose

Or walk by our lilac tree,

I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world

Heav'nly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see

The color of butterfly wings.

He gave me my ears that I might hear

The magical sound of things.

He gave me my life, my mind, my heart:

I thank him reverently

For all his creations, of which I'm a part.

Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me."

 

 Remembering these little (yet not little) miracles brings a smile to my face and warms my heart. I am grateful for this earth that we have been blessed to live on - it truly is a miracle. I know that as we appreciate and search for beauty, we can be filled with greater peace and a sense of God's unending  love for each of us. The evidences of His love surround us and are just waiting to envelope us and fill our souls!