Mother's Exemplify Christlike Attributes

So fun "hanging out" with these two yesterday!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all the amazing mothers out there!!!

You might be able to guess what I'll write about today.....MOTHERS. I'm surprised they didn't ask me to speak in church yesterday actually. They always seem to put me on the program for mother's day. I spoke last year at BYU and I think 2 times before then. Must mean that I have a pretty good mom because who expects someone to talk on mother's day and NOT mention their own mom??

First off, I want to mention that missions are like spiritual bootcamps. You train yourself day by day to be more like Christ by consistently serving and loving those around you. Practicing and studying the characteristics of Christ turn us into our true selves or the person that God has intended for us to be. You know as I think of all the mother figures in my life and my own mother, I realize that mother's are the closest thing in this world to fulfilling this Christlike expectation. 

Just look at all the attributes of Christ listed in Preach My Gospel: faith, hope, charity, love, virtue, knowledge, patience, humility, diligence, and obedience. Every mother I've ever looked up to has always exemplified these qualities! 

I think about how hard I've worked on my mission to have these qualities. Also about how often I fall short or forget to keep them up...it gets a little discouraging. But mothers are naturally good at being Christlike. haha my original thinking on this was "hm. maybe I'll stop worrying and just wait to be a mother...seems like an easier path to quickly becoming Christlike." But I'm told it's not that easy.

Actually, I've even seen how hard it is for mothers. On my mission and throughout my life I've seen and observed how hard mothers work. I've watched a mother on the verge of a meltdown as she tries to shut out the "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" (D&D 19:5) from her 6 kids wreaking havoc around her. I've seen a mother silently wipe tears from her eyes as she struggled to keep her kids quiet in a church pew. I've watched a mother work the night shift to support her family and come to church on just 3 hours of sleep. I've watched a mother burst into tears admitting that she's been waiting for her life to get better for 14 years. I've comforted mothers who feel unhappy, who've been neglected and who feel completely lost and utterly alone. I've even sat with a mother in a delivery room, wiping her brow and whispering encouraging words as she struggled and strained to give birth to her first born child. Yet, in all the mothers that I've seen, not a single one of them has given up. Not a single one of them has ever decided to forget her family and selfishly go on with her life. Why? Because of the love she has for her kids. Not just any kind of love but a strong, unconditional, selfless love. As my good friend Neal A. Maxwell puts it: 

"We salute you, sisters, for the joy that is yours as you rejoice in a baby's first smile and as you listen with eager ear to a child's first day at school which bespeaks a special selflessness. Women, more quickly than others, will understand the possible dangers when the word self is militantly placed before other worlds like fulfillment. You rock a sobbing child without wondering if today's world is passing you by, because you know you hold tomorrow tightly in your arms."

TO ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE... specifically to the one that has 2 kids on missions and loves to quilt and is an awesome Relief Society President and whose name is Liz.... THANK YOU! Thank you for all that you are and all that you do. Thank you for the perfect example you set for me as I strive to be Christlike. Thank you for sharing your talents, your knowledge, your patience, your confidence, your courage, your comfort, your faith, your love, your life. 

I love you, mom!

Sister Hawkins

Pics:

District before our district leader got transferred :(

Happy Mother's Day! I hope this baptist church didn't mind me using their sign...

Note from the Mom: Love you too sweetie! Thanks for making me all teary-eyed! Not sure about that "Mothers are naturally good at being Christlike" bit, but it's sweet of her to think so. We had such a great time chatting with her and Sis P yesterday! And of course, I made them sing for me. :)