Since my mom has unacknowledged mental health issues, this is my oldest sister and a lady in L.A. who I still keep in contact with. It is the essence of who we are as women. Aim at earth and you get neither. Feel free to disagree with Lewis as well, but I feel like Im in pretty good company at this moment! I remember something I was told many years ago by a young man in Provo, UT. 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. The broken bread is a reminder of His body and His physical sufferingespecially His suffering on the cross. But I was not a mother, in spite of my tears and pleadings with the Lord. Get plenty HPs and Elders. Can I suggest NOT sending the youth out hunting all women? Mark did as well in his postminus the saccharine and accent. Classic! Today the sacrament is an ordinance in which Church members partake of bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice. I am a single (divorced) old man with no children. Our head count was 85 sisters which is super for us. One thing I would add is that somehow we need to stop telling LDS women that they need to do everything in 6 days and 90% income with smiles on their faces and do it better than their non-LDS peers. 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. Seriously, it would be nice to have some idea. Last year, I did an arrangement of "I Often Go Walking" for the Primary children and our ward choir to perform together. Oh, great. Why in the church is there such a strong, almost secular aversion to motherhood? She cares about your eternal safety and happiness. She was not worthy of any review from me. My grandmother is my ideal of both a woman and a mother, but she was married to an alcoholic so I understand if she is not the ideal for others. . 22 I remember long ago a young woman spoke on Mother's Day and described her mother as "the mean mother". I only wish my daughter could come in for graduation I am sure we would skip church together that morning! In the UK, my experience has been that sacrament has at least one talk and often a few. But I still think the Dove bars our bishop chooses rock the holiday. Variations included a verse for when mommy comes home stoned, with descriptions of bratty violent Mormon children and a terrible version only whispered with stifled giggles including titillating, lolita overtones. Required fields are marked *. Are you looking for the best LDS talks on motherhood? I have work enough to do, THE major Mothers Day talk in Sacrament Meeting in our ward this week, I have forwarded all of this discussion on to him! In the mean time, please, PLEASE, dont go hunting the sisters. Over the years, Ive heard some very good Mothers Day talks, but I have also heard some that were cringe-worthy. For years the tradition in my ward was a simple gift for all sisters 18 and older. After church we can give dear old dad a cookie in a baggie and a kick in the pants, call it good for another year, and send him home. Sorry I missed that. Just a thought. Thanks! Just to be clear - I meant 'written/given' by women (aka musical number "O My Father" written by Eliza R Snow, conf talk by Reeve/Oscarson/Okazaki). For the past two years, I have been passed over because other women tell the youth passing out the gift, that they need to take one for so-and-so, shes ill today,without looking for women in the room that havent received one yet. I recommend it highly: This! (http://dandelionmama.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/this-this-is-what-i-believe/). This blog post is the result of my musing. me) before deciding on these speakers. I have suggested the donate-money-to-the-shelter thing for about four years now; it gets a blank stare, followed by a startled, oh! I have to go home right after Sacrament meeting, because the Sisters all bring their flowers with them to the other meetings. Pertaining to gifts: #53 Im against handing out plants on Mothers Day. Based on the comments it seems to be prevalent everywhere in the US church. #16 They asked him to speak again?! The answer has been taught by the Lords prophets. This ordinance is an essential part of worship and spiritual development. Any suggestions as to what you would truly and realistically appreciate being presented? He chose to base his talk on To The Mothers In Zion, and used it to essentially chastise and condemn working women, and it sent half the ward fuming into the bishops office. What is the trigger to close the thread? Im grateful for it. I may have to borrow that. Elder Ballard mainly focused on young mothers in this talk from 2008. Ive lived in numerous family wards, and Ive never gotten as much as a crumb for Fathers Day, at least not from church. I only mentioned Mothers Day once, and I said how much my mom hated the hypocrisy of Mothers Day, and that we should treat women right every day of the year, not give platitudes one day of the year. To be fair, diabetics can eat chocolate. we have never ceased head-shaking about his, well, completely horrific timingand choiceoif topicand general ignorance and intolerance (and sheer bovine stupidity). By Alece, For those in Europe, is Mothers Day celebrated to the same awful-gut-wrenching extent? Oh and starting with Anthropologist Hrdys observations on what a plane full of chimps rather than humans would look like. Can they not celebrate their own mothers? Maybe the Hallmark channel should use some of his conference clips as fillers when movies end early. I must let my voice be heard, But I realize others prefer plants. We teach that you are basically good or even great (gods in embryo), that you are responsible for your actions and that you can actually make other people do what is right through prayer and works especially your children, that the sins you accumulate both those of commission and omission are entirely your fault, that Christ is not really in the middle of the picture until you really screw up and commit something unforgiveable like adultery and that you need to try harder to keep every one of those commandments or you are going to lose your reward of having a planet & of having eternal sex , and the celestial DFAC will snatch your children from you and destroy your perfect family sprouting from the buried nuts of polygamy where mother valently hoisted the impossible burdens. I give, is it supposed to be about mothers or not? Topical Guide, Assembly for Worship, Index to the Triple Combination, Assemble, Meetings in the Church, Handbook 2, 18, Speaking in Sacrament Meeting? youth.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, Is Sacrament Meeting a Top-of-the-Mountain Experience for You? ChurchofJesusChrist.org blog, Frequently Asked Questions, Music Callings, Appropriate Music for Church Meetings, Music Callings, Worship with Us, ComeUntoChrist.org, The Longest Sacrament Meeting, Ensign, September 2013, Idea List: Getting the Most Out of Sacrament Meeting, New Era, June 2007, Church Leaders Call for Better Observance of Sabbath Day, Church News, Learn Steps for Giving Better Sacrament Meeting Talks, Church News, First Presidency Letter: Testimonies in Fast and Testimony Meeting, Church News, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, chapter 6, Speaking in Sacrament Meeting, Media Library, Bearing Testimony in Sacrament Meeting, Media Library, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square App Icon, Teachings of Presidents: Joseph Fielding Smith Manual, 2014, Index to the Triple Combination, Assemble, Is Sacrament Meeting a Top-of-the-Mountain Experience for You?, Appropriate Music for Church Meetings,, Idea List: Getting the Most Out of Sacrament Meeting,, Church Leaders Call for Better Observance of Sabbath Day,, Learn Steps for Giving Better Sacrament Meeting Talks,, First Presidency Letter: Testimonies in Fast and Testimony Meeting,. As for me, I will be sitting this Mothers day out. Latter-day Saints to Attend Sacrament Meeting Only on Christmas Day Church Newsroom November 10, 2022 Church The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has. Women focused or mainly about Christ too. I have seen, heard and experienced much of the imperfections, joys and sorrows in life, and know that reaching out for and holding on to the Iron Rod brings souls closer to the ideals with every step. For those who disagreed with my thoughts (above) about our needing ideals to aim at in our lives, I fell upon a quote from C.S. Just after she became a beehive, her mother had an affair. To the light the lost ones leading, Why was she an ideal? Then I served in a Branch with 90% women who had absent husbands and who also grew up with absent fathers. Even now, 4 years after her passing, I miss her. Celebrating motherhood somehow demeans mothers by making them feel guilty for not having been "good" mothers. I exchanged the word "guidance " for the word " mothers " in this verse to help it go with the Mother's Day theme. This talk by Elaine S. Dalton helps fathers understand the importance of loving and cherishing the women in their life. Ere the sun goes down. Talk topics could be: - examples in the scriptures (Eve, Ruth, Naomi, Esther, Sarah, Mary, Sariah, etc), - early Saints (Lucy Mack, Emma, Eliza R Snow, Aurelia Rogers, etc), - influence of (teachers, nurses, aunts, grandmas, etc). Why shouldn't women be those who teach about the glory of god that is woman? Make it a FUN day!!! It might be that it was a holiday originally conceived by the US Socialist Party and propagated by the Soviets. Excellent suggestions, Mark. (Sorry to barge in madhousewife). 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. When He instituted the sacrament, Jesus Christ said, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. I agree! On the other hand, women tended to speak about motherhood as the most emotionally-exhausting and time-consuming chore imaginable. It was both simple and profound. Especially since whoever asked him to speak didnt learn their lesson and he said the exact same talk a year later. I also really like Kristenes suggestion and everything like unto it as EOR suggested. It will easily demonstrate the weaknesses in the position: The logic is faulty. Im thankful for ideals even when I dont measure up not even often let alone all the time. And this is all in addition to the everyday problems like getting the bills paid and the laundry done. So that no woman felt left out. I wanted to know more, so here are his thoughts. Its a complete set-up for failure. But Ive also read this: 40 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Someone explain this. Is this really the Mothers Day message I need? Not an official website of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are diabetic men, arent there? Thanks for the reminder. Some few are probably actively trying to avoid the gifts, trying hard to not remember the lack thats been rubbed in her face all day long. Our old ward in NY would take the funds normally used to purchase flowers, chocolate, etc. So our ward did 3 talks on Christ with each one saying one sentence of gratitude about their individual moms right before bearing their testimony. I already have felt many of the concerns expressed, and approach this assignment with fear and trembling. Mothers, we acknowledge and esteem your faith in every footstep. I meant to type rebellious children in #90. please please please please dont pull us teachers from Primary for pie or talking. 1) Peanut butter sandwiches served with a smile tastes much better than the fanciest meal served with a side of stress. Well at least I know what not to talk about. When we speak of mothers as people who are incapable of gross sin, they know we are lying. For the third verse, I composed a counterpoint for the choir to sing while the kids sang the melody. Sadly, though, it probably caused a lot of pain to the listeners. However, Uchtdorf also gets women and articulates that better than most. I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation.. Primary kids sang Im so glad when Mommy comes home refreshing change. Index to the Triple Combination, Sacrament, Jesus Christ Teaches about the Sacrament and Prayer, AaronL. West, Little Children and the Sacrament, Ensign, October 2016, Line upon Line: Matthew 26:2628, New Era, October 2016, Questions & Answers: What am I supposed to think about during the sacrament? New Era, June 2014, Renewing Covenants through the Sacrament, Ensign, June 2010, Marilynne Linford, Questions and Answers about the Sacrament, Friend, March 2008, Laurel Rohlfing, Remember Jesus Christ during the Sacrament, Ensign, June 2007, Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part1: Loss and Christian Reformations), Ensign, January 1992, Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part2: A New and Ancient Covenant), Ensign, February 1992, Pat Graham, Sharing Time: Be Grateful for the Sacrament, Friend, November 1987, JohnS. Tanner, Reflections on the Sacrament Prayers, Ensign, April 1986, June 1016: Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22; John 18, Come, Follow MeFor Individuals and Families: New Testament 2019, Viewpoint: The Sacred Ordinance of the Sacrament, Church News, Young Men, Teach about the Sacrament, Brother Beck Says, Church News, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, chapter6, Come, Follow MeFor Primary: New Testament 2019, The Sacrament Helps Me Think about Jesus Christ, Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual, lesson27, Jesus Christ Instituted the Sacrament, Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel Teacher Manual, lesson15, Sacrament, Lesson Helps for Teaching Children, As Now We Take the Sacrament, Hymns, no.169, The Sacrament, Childrens Songbook, 72, Before I Take the Sacrament, Childrens Songbook, 73, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square App Icon, Teachings of Presidents: Joseph Fielding Smith Manual, 2014, Primary Nursery Manual: Behold Your Little Ones, Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel Course (Religion 250), Children's Songbook, English, Hard Cover, Spiral. When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children.. Further, that it wasnt the wards responsibility to celebrate the day. 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). The woman described her family as she was growing up. Ziff, thank you. After His Resurrection, He instituted the sacrament among the Nephites (see 3Nephi 18:111). But since we have instituted Mothers Day as the day my family ditches church and meets my parents at Shoshone Falls for a picnic, I look forward to it every year. 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 just dont like when they push the plant on me after Ive politely declined it. 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. There have been one or two General Conference talks in the last couple of years that briefly addressed that situation. Where everyone else is happy and interested in celebrating motherhood - those terrible males and those rancorous children in particular - they need to be denied for "me" and "what I want". When chocolate is handed out, our children end up begging for it but its the one day I wont share. She told us that as a girl, she would sit in her room crying, with big welts on the back of her hands, but now that she was grown up, she understood why her mother did it, and she was grateful, by golly. In return, the Lord renews the promised remission of sin and enables Church members to always have his Spirit to be with them (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77). It was a nice meeting. The third tells of a mother who helped her daughter with a disability at a temple dedication. There are wrongs that need redressing on Mothers Day and donate it to a womens shelter. In my home ward, we once had a Mothers Day Sacrament Meeting the topic of which was the priesthood. We can only celebrate the nonentity because we are afraid of hurting those who are not being celebrated "today". This was very informative and interesting. April 24, 2016 in General Discussions. (Just what mothers need on an already stressful day . Their talks often included poems about the immeasurable amount of crap mothers had to deal with. However, I am concerned about the implications of a people where the female population dislikes the concept of motherhood or at least dislikes it enough that they do not want to celebrate Mother's Day. There there is the secular appeal - it causes a pain to those who are not mothers. With that in mind, there are great ideas in this discussion thread of ways to do exactly that. I didnt enjoy Mothers Day during my years of infertility, but Ive been surprised that I enjoy it even less now that I have children. Plus, I thought it was extra cool that the Bish consulted the RS pres. Do other Christian women struggle with church-going on this day? Or any talk. I pray the Spirit will be with me today as I give this talk. Cannot load blog information at this time. Actually..mother's day should be everyday. My bishop knows where its at, and we always get Dove bars, Milk for those of unrefined taste and Dark for the rest of us. Finally, Elder Holland offers his thanks to mothers around the world. especially when there are clear re-phrasings and clarifications. Although with good intentions, speakers usually put mothers and motherhood on a pedestal ("Mothers are loving and caring and naturally nurturing", "A mother's love is the closest thing to Christlike love on earth", "No mother is perfect, except my mom, who is literally an . Being there with my son was very nice. Thank you. She only did half the things a good mother would have done. Your comment was excellent, especially this part: Jesus the Messiah wasnt just sinless, He was God. There are sins that need confessing; Examples? It can be any of those. Just asking. 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. Or should we just not celebrate anything or any role that a person may fulfill in life? Questions and Answers about the Sacrament, Remember Jesus Christ during the Sacrament, The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part1: Loss and Christian Reformations), The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part2: A New and Ancient Covenant), Sharing Time: Be Grateful for the Sacrament, Viewpoint: The Sacred Ordinance of the Sacrament, Young Men, Teach about the Sacrament, Brother Beck Says. Not a perfect example but I was striving for some other options besides stripling warriors moms. Last time I spoke on Mother's Day I was texting during my talk. All women should strive to be strong, and can become strong. at all.. Yea like all of you My Mother sucked too. And yeah, audience is important. That bishop that moved his ward away from elaborate gifting was doing the right thing. I dont want to hear Sister Becks controversial mothers who know talk, or president bensons talk come home talk. It worked well in my ward, I think. She loved us unconditionally heart and soul. Only for the second time he also included a segment about how if his wife was a better homemaker maybe his kids wouldnt have such screwed up lives. Nice post Mark, I think we do need to be careful about how we say some of the things we do in church, and elsewhere. . What does that say about us as a people? The water is a reminder that the Savior shed His blood in intense spiritual suffering and anguish, beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane and concluding on the cross. It was a very honest list, but emphasized that the things she would change had nothing to do with looking good, acting a certain way, or different callings. Motherhood as a path to choose to be a better disciple of Christ by caring for those Christ lives.feed my sheep, etc. 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. I dont see why having a Tiger Mom would be necessarily any more or less traumatizing than having a Don Draper Mom. This past Mother's Day we arrived late to sacrament meeting due to a cobbling mishap in the morning. Idealsno, no maam not for me. But shes never experienced the horrors I have where the local ward nut case talks about how his wife isnt putting out thanks to menopause. Why is that or is that just in my ward? Well give you an honest deal! Is it apeople incapable of focusing on the joy of others? And I did use some of the suggestions here. They would eat honey cakes and give flowers. A cookie in a baggie? I always had this huge chip on my shoulder about refusing the flowers because I wasnt a mom (I had kids later in life), but my own mother would force me to take it because it was a free flower. In the spirit of the quib in #21 we should just cancel these commercial holidays. Ere the sun goes down: Aleah Ingram 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. It was the service ofthe sisters that made the talk memorable. More often than not, his assumption is correct. By He did not have any high-profile ward or stake calling at the time, not that it matters. But arent mothers also sweet, like cookies? I'd suggest that women at various stages in their lives speaking about what the joy in womanhood, being a divine daughter of God means to them in different stages of life, would at least eliminate all that talk and honor of mothers who have lots of children and do everything right that cause so much pain to women everywhere. Well, counselor x/counselor y is in charge of May, I dont know what hes doing for sure . I dont think sacrament meeting is such an inappropriate place to do that, either. She talked about how when she was single she was very shallow, only cared about clothes and makeup and boys, didnt prepare herself spiritually, didnt have much of a testimony, and then upon marrying found herself extremely immature and woefully unprepared to be a spiritual leader in her home. Yes! Ours, like most, has its strengths and its weaknesses. Thanks for all your thoughts. She never got her kids back and they never forgave her, and she died of some incurable stress induced disease. I think it turned out great. 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. Still, I think the flak about Sister Becks talk is nonsense. This post should be required reading for all Mothers Day speakers. EOR, I would venture to say, even with being fairly new to BCC that few here mean to give offense. I was initially surprised he went that way, but I have to say although Ive occasionally heard people say they wish something were did, I heard many complaints every previous year that something was done about what that something was. Mormon women are harder on themselves than any other group of ladies I have associated with. Best Mother's Day Topics, Scriptures, Conference Talks, Etc. The other auxiliaries are free to do something, its just the bishopric that doesnt. Im asking this out of genuine curiosity/responsibility for handing stuff out.