Ode to Mothers

My beautiful mother waiting outside

the temple on my wedding day.

"Everything that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."- Abraham Lincoln

"Yea, and they [strippling warriors] did obey every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they had said unto me that their mothers had taught them." Alma 57:21

"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw therefore his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman behold thy son!" St John 19: 26 & 27


I am ever so grateful for mothers. For not, none of us would exist. My adore my mother. Her sacrifices are many for each of her 4 children. Even through her life of turmoil and far more challenges than most will ever endure, she has remained kind-hearted and extremely generous. She is my angel. I love her so very much and wouldn't be the woman I am today without her influence.

I also love my stepmother, Cherie. It took me very many hard years to appreciate the things she has done for me and how she has watched out for me because of the whisperings from my dear mother. (My mother taught me not to hate and punish people for things they had no control over- i.e. Cherie having no control over the divorce between my parents, and many other things like that.) My stepmother has helped my father to be a better man, far more understanding and open than I ever thought or hoped he could be.

I am also so very grateful to my mother-in-law. She has opened her home and her life to us and so willingly provided things for us without even being asked. She is a good woman and it's no surprise why my husband has such a kind heart. Without her help, I don't even know where we'd be. I doubt we'd be living here in California.

There are also many other mothers who have influenced my life:

• Jeannie Douglass- a former co-worker of mine and a dear member of our ward (listening to me complain and being excited for me through my pregnancy and sharing her life happenings with me)
• Vickie Brown- my former boss from Ensign Books (allowing me to vent my frustrations about work, even if it really didn't matter in the large scheme of things and then laughing about all of it by the end of the day)
• Janet Larsen- for reaching out and MAKING me a part of the ward no matter how weird and out-of-touch it felt moving into my husband's home ward
• My young women's leaders down through the years- mostly because of their extreme patience to say the same things that came out of my mother's mouth and help it sound different so it sank in and for welcoming me back to church after a period of inactivity of self-discovery
• Chiemi Larsen- for giving me a much needed job to watch her oldest daughter when I was too scared to get to know my new surroundings and talking with me through the rough beginnings of marriage and constantly encouraging me it would get better (and it has)
• And of course my dear sweet friend Kellie Larsen- I love you very much and I feel like I've found a kindred spirit in you, there are very few people I click with so well and who understand me on a level I personally feel is beyond a casual friendship. You will be a wonderful mother.

I cannot close without a special reverence for Mary the Mother of our Savior. What strength of heart, spirit, and mind she must have had, "the most choice above all women." And a very special note for our Heavenly Mother. Her name is so sacred Father in Heaven has preserved it from the world so it may stay hallowed. She must be the most amazing person. Great will be the day when we shall meet again.

To my other dear friends who are mothers, I love you all. I hope this was a special day for each of you.