As I listened to the special Missionary Broadcast yesterday, I heard one of the speakers talk about how mother's are the teachers of their children. I felt a strong impression that I should write a letter to you, defining what I believe I taught and how I obtained the knowledge to teach you those things.
I am not a "brainiac". I have siblings that are very smart, but I think I probably have some learning issues that made it so I didn't stretch as far as they did. Maybe I could have, but I didn't. I was successful in school, didn't feel that I was dumb, usually tried things I didn't know how to do and accepted myself without too much fanfare.
My parents instructed me concerning life skills, responsibilities, and gospel principles. They taught me how to work, how to play, to love family, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I, in turn, have tried to do the same. I would like to tell you what I tried to teach you and only you will know if I succeeded.
I believe that through my example I showed you that temple marriage is important and is not something to discard.
The eternal nature of our spirits is so defined within the walls of the temple. The population of the earth that I know about care more about today and what is owed them. I believe that the temple teaches the principles of gratitude, service, and selflessness. Through my life I had many opportunities to "dissolve" something that was hard. I obeyed many impressions to stick with the course, love as I go and accept the path God has given to me to work through.
As you know, my life has had many bumps and bruises, some severe. I have been very fortunate that God chose to give me gifts of the spirit that encouraged me to serve, to be patient, to love through adversity, and to ask God to give me the strength to continue forward. He has responded so many times, affirming my beliefs and trust in Him. I have learned that nothing is more important than maintaining an eternal family unit. I hope I passed this on to you.
I chose to serve as often and as much as I was called or impressed to do.
Through all of my years of marriage, service has been a hallmark of your dads and my marriage. If we could help, we were in the car helping, be it family members, church members, neighbors or people who we didn't know. We have never been afraid of stretching our necks out to do something different for someone else. Your dad is really good at this. He also helped me to solidify my own ability to serve into something worthwhile. I appreciate this from him and hope we have passed this on to you.
I read the scriptures everyday and hope I have shown you how important it is to stay in contact with the words of Christ and his followers which in turn allows the Holy Ghost to be my companion throughout my day.
I probably didn't do a very good job of this when you were young, but I hope that I have showed you as adults how important the scriptures are to me. I have learned so much through reading the Book of Mormon, most of which wasn't written on the pages of the book. There are many opportunities for personal revelation as you read the Book of Mormon. God gave us this book to help us to see the patterns that mortals or humankind have. Only through using our spiritual strengths to overcome the human foibles, are we allowed to really see what we are made of. Humankind is influenced by Satan in huge degrees. I see more every day how he has been "loosed" into the world and we must guard ourselves from his influences every day by reading His words, talking to Him about them in prayer, and immersing ourselves in spiritual activities so that the spirit of the Holy Ghost can manifest those truths unto us.
I don't watch much TV and in the past year have really slowed down. I see so much of Satan's influence in the shows that are "every day TV." They start out clean and intriguing, making you obsessed about watching them, then very gradually adding other components until you are watching filth and abusing your spiritual side until you are numb to satan's ploys. If I can offer any advice that may be something I haven't taught you in the past, is that you really look and listen to the shows you are watching and ask yourself if the Holy Ghost can be your guide as you watch. If you find there are things in the show that take Him away, you might want to consider changing your choices of entertainment.
I loved you through hardships and good times.
I hope I showed you that no matter what you do, you are my children and I love you. Sometimes I may not appreciate choices you make, but never believe that I would take my love from you. You are the children of my soul and there is not anyone or thing more important to me.
I have stretched my wings in many different ways, to explore, expand and create a new me.
I have never been reticent about diving into new projects, even when I didn't know how. I watched my mother as I grew up do many of those things I now do, and watched my dad work hard to support us and encourage us.
Sewing, baking, writing, wall-papering, singing, directing, composing, running, starting new food plans, etc. etc. Through the years I have been able to make myself over many times and I hope I have showed you that it might be hard, but its worth trying new things. Just because my mother showed me, didn't mean I was taught how to do all those things. But she did show me it was okay to try to do things, and that I hope I have passed on to you.
Life is a challenge but can be so fun and interesting. Even with depression for most of my life, I rarely let myself not try something new. I have no background in writing, may not ever sell a novel, but I really wanted to stretch and TRY. If I have taught you that its ok to fail if you try, and that you just try something more, then I feel rewarded for my efforts.
The most important thing I hope I have passed on to you is my love towards my Heavenly Father.
If I succeeded in letting you know how important He is to me, then my life has been validated. He is the ultimate goal I have, to be restored to His kingdom, with obedience and love, having washed my sins clean in Christ's flesh and blood. I want to reaffirm my love on a weekly basis as I renew my covenants with him in Sacrament Meeting and attend the temple weekly. There is not other place or goal that is more important than this and I hope I have shown and taught you this. I also pray that you take that example and strive to bring it to your own lives.
I cherish you and love you. Our missing member of the quartet is waiting for all of us to come back home. I hope we don't disappoint her or our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
I pray for you every day. Your names are very often in the temple prayer rolls. I hope you feel the power of those prayers.
Love, Mom.
