Happy Mother's Day - May Message

Happy Mother's Day!! You are beautiful and I so love you. A few thoughts have occurred to me this week as I've contemplated being a mother ...
being a mother doesn't necessarily mean that you have children of your own. Kaitlin's sweet bus driver has never been able to have children. It is one of the things she has wanted most. She is a beautiful example of motherhood to me as she so gently, kindly and lovingly looks after the special kiddos on her bus. She is genuine and treats them with such love and respect. She has a "mother heart". Every woman that embraces her divine role as a nurturer will be a mother, regardless of bearing her own children. I am thankful for women in my life and the lives of my children who reach out in love and genuine interest in helping to raise this royal generation of youth.

Another thought ... anyone who says that being a mom isn't hard work has never been one. I think that being a mom has been the hardest thing I have ever done or ever will do. I have had the greatest ups and well as the greatest downs in my mothering. IT IS ALL WORTH IT as I contemplate and try to keep the eternal nature of my calling as a mother in Zion in perspective. Nothing I do will matter if I fail in the raising of my kids and returning them to their Father in Heaven. There are days I struggle wanting to do it all - yes, ladies we wear many hats - don't we?? Yet, the most important thing we do is done within the walls of our own homes with those who matter the most to us. A wise woman recently said to her teenage son, "Don't make me choose between being your friend or your parent because I will always choose parent." Let us remember sisters that it is our responsibility first and foremost to be our kids "mom" and as we do this friendships will happen, our kids will respect us more and there will be love at home. Parent first, friend second. Something to ponder.

Last thought, in our quest to return our kids to their Father in Heaven, we need to make sure we are teaching the gospel in our homes, literally and by example. The most important "investigators" we have are within the walls of our own home. We must be diligent every day in our reading of the scriptures - individually and as a family, praying - individually and as a family, serving others in and out of our home, keeping the covenants we've made at baptism and in the temple, keeping the commandments, and standing as an example of Jesus Christ - whose name we bear. As we do these things, our children will say of us as the stripling warriors said of their mothers, "We do not doubt our mothers knew it. " ( Alma 56:48) They had been taught by their mothers and had firm testimonies in God and Jesus Christ that if they relied on that faith and didn't doubt that they would be delivered. They were delivered - and our children will be "delivered" as well - IF WE DO ALL THAT WE CAN to instill in them faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in their Heavenly Father. We must help them build a firm foundation ... "upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God ... that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, WHY??? ... because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

More than anything else as a mother, I want for my kids to be safe and protected - to be strong in their convictions and firm in their faith. It is my prayer that each of us would rise to the occasion and be the mother the Lord wants and knows we can be. We cannot be lax in our quest ... if we want to win we must press forward, clinging to the knowledge we have and the faith we have built and lean on the Lord in all that we say and do. Being a mom is work - the best and most fulfilling work we do. I love you and support each of you. I am here for you and am with you in the charge to do all we can for those within our own homes or those for whom we have stewardship over. Nurture your "mother heart" and the Lord will be with you in this most important work. I love the work of the Lord ...

Sincerely,
Jennifer Hadfield