I Will Be Found of You

Dear Mom,

I chose to share this talk with you today because it was extremely helpful to me just a few minutes ago. I'm going to sound like a broken record when I tell you that there has been a lot on my mind recently. These personal things have caused me more grief than they should. They have brought me to my knees seeking an answer to several questions, seeking closeness to the Lord. This talk was given to me to read by a friend and turned to be all the inspiration I needed. Hope it'll do the same for you.

“I Will Be Found of You”

At the conclusion of our Sunday School lesson, Sister Hart asked us to turn to Jeremiah 29. She said she would read verses 12–14 aloud, and she asked us to ponder the meaning of the words.

“Then shall ye call upon me,” she read, “and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

“And I will be found of you, saith the Lord …”

Sister Hart went on, finishing verse 14, but my thoughts lingered happily behind, savoring the promise “I will be found of you.” I was reminded of the times when my wife, Emma, and I played hide-and-seek with our young children. When it was our turn to hide and their turn to seek, we always made ourselves easy to find. Sometimes we made noises or left a foot in plain view so they would find us quickly. Sometimes we hid in the same place repeatedly. We wanted the children to search for us, but we also wanted them to find us. We looked forward to their hugs and their joyful, unrestrained giggles of triumph.

This memory deepened my understanding of our Heavenly Father’s love for us. He wants us to search for Him, but He also wants us to find Him—He knows how happy we will be when we do. He does not try to trick us. Rather, He does all He can to help us know where and how to search: He gives us the scriptures, calls prophets, listens to our prayers, guides us by the power of the Holy Ghost, blesses us with temples and priesthood ordinances and family and friends. And if we have found Him somewhere once, we are sure to find Him there again if we are willing to renew our search.

“I will be found of you, saith the Lord.” What a comforting promise! In a world where trouble and temptations seem to find us so easily, it is reassuring to know that our greatest source of strength is so easy to find.
Aaron L. West.
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2010/01/i-will-be-found-of-you

Sincerely,
Chris

Sacrifices and Blessings

We can learn a great many things from the sacrifices of others. The faith and perseverence of those who should never have been able to accomplish the things they did, serve as inspiration and courage for those of us who struggle with similarly difficult tasks. Thomas S. Monson told the following story in a talk entitled "The Holy Temple—A Beacon to the World" in the April 2011 General Conference:

"One of the temples currently under construction is in Manaus, Brazil. Many years ago I read of a group of over a hundred members who left Manaus, located in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, to travel to what was then the closest temple, located in São Paulo, Brazil—nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Manaus. Those faithful Saints journeyed by boat for four days on the Amazon River and its tributaries. After completing this journey by water, they boarded buses for another three days of travel—over bumpy roads, with very little to eat, and with nowhere comfortable to sleep. After seven days and nights, they arrived at the temple in São Paulo, where ordinances eternal in nature were performed. Of course their return journey was just as difficult. However, they had received the ordinances and blessings of the temple, and although their purses were empty, they themselves were filled with the spirit of the temple and with gratitude for the blessings they had received."

In a place so poor, this people gave up things that are precious to them to go to the temple. These are the things they need to survive: time and money. I served a mission in the Philippines. While there I learned that a lot of families in third world countries (or third world-esque financial situations) subsist from daily salaries. At quitting time, they take home the money they earned and use it on their family's needs for the day. Mostly it is barely enough for everything they need, but rarely is it enough to pursue their wants. If a family misses a day of work, the family has to subsist on what they have. The Manaus Brazilians travelled for about 23 days without working on what must have been mere scraps of a savings account. They took a huge risk that could have endangered their livlihood, but they did it anyways because they knew the importance of what they were doing. They saw the end result and did what was needed to reach their goal. They gave their all, trusted in God, and walked forward with faith every step of the way.

Mothers that sends off missionaries can be likened to these families. Although they are not often asked to give all their money and time to the cause, their emotional sacrifice of giving their son or daughter can sometimes feel just as great. It's a legitimate sacrifice for these mothers. It is not easy to see your beloved son or daughter leave to serve a here-to-fore unknown people who won't appreciate him or her like you do. Imagine all the grief they'll be put through. Will the people treat her with the respect she deserves? Will $100 a month be enough for him to live off of, or should he get more? Will she be safe? The prospect is frightening. These and many more worries crop up from time to time.

But like the people of Manaus, mothers can make a major sacrifice with an eye of faith. They can hold on to hope that it will be worth it in the end. Your missionary embarks in the service of God. He will have the opportunity to change the lives of entire nations to come. Even if he gives his all every day, but only manages to plant one small seed. That seed will grow and the work will have been worth it. Multitudes will be grateful for his service and thank him in the eternities. Mothers and missionaries alike can look toward the end result in faith that the next two years will bring blessings of an eternal nature to both those who serve, and those who stay home and wave their banners of support from home.

Temple

I was in the temple today when I ran into a dear friend of mine. He just went into the MTC this last week. He was so happy and wanted so much to be there. As I saw him there I though about the importance to getting our friend and family ready to go to the temple, not just on missions.

I found this amazing talk by Carol B Thomas about getting ready to go to the temple.

It is amazing the blessings that can come into our lives as we get ready to and go to the temple.

Preparing Our Families for the Temple

Brothers and sisters, I think I am happy to be here today. My assignment with the Young Women presidency puts me in many happy situations. One month ago a training assignment took me to Guayaquil, Ecuador. I arrived at the hotel after dark. The next morning I opened my curtains, and there across the valley was a beautiful granite building standing majestically on the Santa Ana Hills. Its stunning beauty was evident, but it wasn’t until I saw the angel Moroni on top that I, with tears in my eyes, realized that here was a temple, a symbol of the glorious blessings that will come to the members of the Church in that part of the world.

“Temples are unique among all buildings. … They are places of covenants and promises. At their altars we kneel before God our Creator and are given promise of his everlasting blessings” (Gordon B. Hinckley,Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 632–33). Wherever we went, we found that temples are being built, temples that will lift the Saints of God and change the face of countries, whether in South America or throughout the world.

Has it only been one year since our beloved prophet announced the building of 32 more temples? President Gordon B. Hinckley has said, “This is the greatest era of temple building in all the history of the world” (Teachings, 629).

Our youngest son, Spencer, now serving a mission in Mongolia, wrote that his mission president was addressing the missionaries and members concerning their duty in building up the Church there. “As President Cox opened the discussion for questions, the first response was, ‘When is Mongolia going to have a temple?’ These people,” Spencer said, “are hungering for the gospel to play a greater part in their lives. They don’t even have a Book of Mormon yet, and they want a temple.”

Why all this fuss about temples? Simply put, the purpose of temples “is to redeem all mankind who are obedient to the laws and commandments of God. The gospel in its fulness was revealed to Adam. … [And] Saints of all ages have had temples in one form or another” (David B. Haight, “Personal Temple Worship,” Ensign, May 1993, 23–24).

Joseph Smith said, “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead” (History of the Church, 6:313). If this is true, then as parents and family members our greatest challenge is to prepare our families for the temple. Parents have the primary responsibility, but grandparents, aunts and uncles, even brothers and sisters all may teach the family.

When my husband and I were married in the temple, we understood the importance of never discussing the temple outside the temple, not because the ceremonies were secret but because they were sacred. “They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared” (Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple [booklet, 1982], 2). But in a family setting, there are many precious truths that, with sensitivity and common sense, will help prepare our children for the temple.

Consider:

• The sacred nature of the temple clothing. In the temples all are dressed in white. White is the symbol of purity.
• The temple is the Lord’s classroom. President Hinckley has said, “[The temple] becomes a school of instruction in the sweet and sacred things of God” (Teachings, 635).
• What it means to be worthy for the temple. Can we teach our children that receiving one’s endowment and the wearing of the sacred garment will not require a change of wardrobe or lifestyle if the principles of temple worthiness are understood and lived in their earlier years? A young woman who wears knee-length skirts will not have to buy a new wardrobe after she receives her endowment in the temple. A young man who anticipates going to the temple will respect the Church’s moral standards in his social behavior.
• Understanding gospel language. What do the words endowment, ordinances, sealings, and keys really mean? The story is told of a little boy who overheard his parents discussing doing temple sealings. He asked, “Are you going to do the walls next week?”

Where may we teach our children? Family home evening is the formal setting, but there are so many more places where we may talk about our spiritual feelings for the temple. One of my favorite times was when my children were in bed at night. Occasionally I would lie on their bed and tell them of spiritual things. There in the peace and the quiet, the sweet Spirit can bear testimony to their heart and soul that the things you are saying are true.

We may assume that Joseph and Mary taught their family about the temple. As Elder Perry has discussed, when the Savior was a 12-year-old boy, His parents took Him to the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. When Jesus was left behind, He was not found in places or entertainments for a boy His age. His parents found Him in the temple. Perhaps when Mary tucked Him in bed at night, she shared her testimony of these sacred and precious truths.

My first memory of temples was when I was a little girl. I knew the temple must be a pretty wonderful place because my parents faithfully attended, and they always came home together in such a good mood. I understood the sacred nature of the temple clothing by the way my mother spoke about it with love and respect.

President Howard W. Hunter has said: “Let us share with our children the spiritual feelings we have in the temple. And let us teach them more earnestly and more comfortably the things we can appropriately say. … Keep a picture of a temple in your home that your children may see it” (“A Temple-Motivated People,” Ensign, Feb. 1995, 5). I noticed every home I visited in Africa had a picture of a temple hung simply and beautifully on the wall.

New understanding comes as we prepare our families for the temple. May I share a few things I have learned:

1. 1. Going to the temple often provides balance in our lives. After returning home, we have an increased sense of well-being; the influence of the Spirit can shield us from the frustrations of the world. Listen to this promise by President Hinckley: “If there were more temple work done in the Church, there would be less … selfishness, less … contention, less … demeaning [of] others. The whole Church would increasingly be lifted to greater heights of spirituality, love for one another, and obedience to the commandments of God” (Teachings,622).
2. 2. The spiritual atmosphere of the temple curbs our appetite for worldly things. When we attend frequently, we no longer have such a need to wear the latest fashion, and we are not so easily drawn to the entertainment of the world.
3. 3.The temple is a place of revelation. Many years ago I was walking into the temple and in my mind I heard the words, Learn public speaking. I thought to myself, When will I ever have need for public speaking? Over several months’ period of time I tried very inadequately to conjure up some enthusiasm to obey the prompting I had received. I even checked out a tape from the local library by a public speaker who admitted that his goal was to someday speak in the Mormon Tabernacle. I thought at the time, I’ll never be speaking in the Tabernacle!
   Elder John A. Widtsoe has said, “At the most unexpected moments, in or out of the temple will come to [us], as a revelation, the solution of the problems that vex [our lives]. … It is a place where revelations may be expected” (“Temple Worship,” Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, 63–64).
4. 4.One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that Satan will try to keep us from going to the temple. During a discussion with friends once, they shared with me that whenever they attend, they don’t tell anybody they are going. They just jump into their cars and go, because if they don’t something is sure to happen to keep them away.
   I remember reading of a warning given by the president of the Logan Temple that Satan and his followers will “whisper in the ears of the people persuading them not to go to the Temple” (“Genealogical Department,” Church News, 12 Dec. 1936, 8). “Temple work brings so much resistance because it is the source of so much spiritual power to the Latter-day Saints” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Holy Temple,” Ensign, Feb. 1995, 36).
5. 5.The Spirit of Elijah is brooding in the land. As we work with youth of the Church, we see they are being drawn to their temples.
   In Nicaragua, Central America, a group of 49 young women and their leaders took 2,000 names to the Guatemala City Temple. It took each girl a year to save enough money to go. These faithful young women rode a bus almost two days’ journey through three country borders and spent two or three days at the temple before returning home.
   In another ward, young people have located the names of 10,000 ancestors as they have turned their hearts to their families. Where temples are available, we see youth doing baptisms for the dead, sometimes on an individual weekly basis.
6. 6. In the temple the Spirit of the Lord provides comfort and peace, especially during moments of despair. Recently I met a 35-year-old woman in the temple. As we visited, I asked if her husband was with her. With a look of tenderness in her eyes, she shared with me that he had died of a brain tumor three months ago. The temple is her anchor; the Spirit found in the temple gives her comfort and peace, and perhaps her husband was there.

Each of us may ask ourselves, “How often should I attend the temple?” Our leaders will never tell us how often we should attend, because it is different for every person. Many women of various ages who live close to a temple try to go once a week. When one of my friends worked full time, she spent one day a month in the temple, attending several sessions. These women are obedient, but they also understand the strength of priesthood power that comes into their lives.

For young parents, attending the temple may be a once-a-month date. President Packer has said: “Perhaps you will understand … we are trying to establish family history as … a ‘cottage industry.’ … Couples raising little children should not feel inadequate or guilty … if they cannot afford the time or money to attend a distant temple frequently. Mother makes a contribution by noting important events, collecting pictures, bits of memorabilia, … all as it fits into the schedule of a busy mother” (“A Plea to Stake Presidents,” leadership training meeting, 1 Apr. 1988).

My own mother didn’t do scrapbooks, but she gave me a love for my heritage. She told me story after story about my ancestors as she taught me to love them.

President Packer continues: “Father and mother can speak of ordinances and covenants. By the inflection of their voices, they can italicize the word ‘temple’ every time they say it. … In proper season, family obligations will be a bit less and income a bit more. Then members can and should give more to this sacred [temple] work” (“A Plea to Stake Presidents”).

We plead with you mothers and fathers to teach your sons and daughters the meaning of the temple covenants. Teach them that “wearing the garment is a sacred privilege. … [It] is an outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus Christ” (First Presidency letter, 5 Nov. 1996).

Brothers and sisters, as servants of the living God, we shall press forward in this sacred temple work. May we teach our children that as they spiritually prepare themselves for the temple, they may stand in the presence of the Lord, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Pep Talk Tuesday: Fathers and Sons

Dear Mothers,

Grab your husbands for this one. In honor of Father's day last Sunday, I wanted to post one of my favorite talks, Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship by M. Russell Ballard for you to reread. If you are the mother of a daughter serving, you should check out M. Russell Ballard's sister's equavelent talk entitled Mothers and Daughters. You'll find the same blessings as those promised in this fathers and sons talk.

The words of this talk are heaven sent and the promised blessings are true. After reading this talk and following the three steps given, I noticed an immediate change in my relationship with my own father. I find myself seeking his advice more often in the difficult decisions I face. I find in him a strong man. A man who has not only been through what I've been through, but one who offers me some of the best advice available to help me make these decisions. I am so thankful for my relationship with my father and appreciate it better because of the steps that I took to get to know him better.

That being said, I want to direct you fathers to read the three step that Elder Ballard suggested for you. After that, I want you to promise to try and emulate one of these steps in every letter you send to your son. Now, I understand that some of these are harder to do than others because of distance, but I promise you'll see a change in your relationship with your son, and he will too.

I have relisted the steps and some of their finer points here:

1) Fathers, listen to your sons—really listen to them. Ask the right kind of questions, and listen to what your sons have to say...Don't assume that you know how he feels just because you were young once. Your sons live in a very different world from the one in which you grew up. Listen very carefully and without being judgmental....Don't think you have to try to fix everything or solve everything during these visits (in this case, their letters). Most of the time, the best thing you can do is just listen.

2) Pray with your sons. This one is a bit harder to do since he lives so far away, but you can still pray with him about things that are important to him. Ask him for specific things to pray for. If he doesn't give you things, pay careful attention to the emails he sends home. They are often a vehicle from which you can divine the things he cares about most. Pray over specific people he mentions who are struggling or progressing. Pray they will be able to overcome any temptations or misgivings that may come their way. There are many ways you can pray together, without actually being together.

I don't know who needs to hear this, but I feel it is important: I am mindful that many of you fathers suffer heartache over sons who have strayed and are being captured by the world, just as Alma and Mosiah worried about their sons. Continue to do all you can to maintain strong family relationships. Never give up, even when fervent prayer in their behalf is all you can do. These precious sons of yours are your sons forever! Fathers, pray with and bless your sons.

3) Dare to have the "big talks" with your sons. Elder Ballard goes on to discuss having the important conversations about drugs, drinking, immorality, etc. These talks are much harder to have over email or through letters, but I would encourage you to pray for guidance on how you can have some of these "heavier" talks from such a long distance. Most missionaries might tell you they don't need these things, but they really do. They can be tempted there just as much as they are tempted here and they could use your supportive guidance when tough times come. So dare to have the big talks, even if they may feel awkward from a distance. Please don't shy away from them. If you don't have them, who will?

In closing, I would like to echo the words of Elder Ballard. I pray now that our Heavenly Father will bless all of us as fathers and sons that we will honor our priesthood and that we will love one another by making relationships with each other one of the great, eternal priorities of our lives.

For the full talk, please check the talk out at this link: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/mothers-and-daughters?lang=eng

Sincerely,
Chris

Cast not away therefore your confidence

Several years ago, a friend sent me this quote and it has stuck with me ever since:

"Beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now."

The quote comes from a devotional address by Elder Holland entitled "Cast Now Away Therefore Your Confidence". For some reason, it never occurred to me to read the full address until recently. I highly recommend it for anyone, especially those preparing to take a leap of faith.

Elder Holland discusses the opposition faced after revelation is received and specifically addresses the teaching process that missionaries go through with their new contacts. He likens it to the experience of Paul pleading with the new members of the church in his letter to the Hebrews.:

"Paul says to those who thought a new testimony, a personal conversion, a spiritual baptismal experience would put them beyond trouble—to these he says, 'Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.' Then this tremendous counsel, which is at the heart of my counsel to you: 'Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.'

I suppose every returned missionary and probably every convert reading these words knows exactly what I am talking about. Appointments for discussions canceled, the Book of Mormon in a plastic bag hanging from a front doorknob, baptismal dates not met. And so it goes through the teaching period, through the commitments and the baptism, through the first weeks and months in the Church, and more or less forever—at least, the adversary would pursue it forever if he thought he could see any weakening of your resolve, any chink in your armor."

For those of you supporting missionaries, I commend you. What a sacrifice for a family to make. In our culture it seems to be assumed that families will do this without a second thought, but it seems that the Lord is aware of our individual sacrifices and the struggle that this can be for families. Elder Holland offers these words that can bring comfort in any stage of life:

"With any major decision there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don’t give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

~Kelcie

Mothers Who Know

In the October conference of 2007 Sister Julie B Beck gave a talk entitled Mothers Who Know. I remember thinking that for then on this talk would be how we as a whole know if our children are ready to go on missions. Getting a child ready for a mission doesn’t start with doctors appointments or filling out paperwork, it starts every time we teach our children the gospel.  It is an amazing talk and can be found on lds.org, or below. 

There is eternal influence and power in motherhood.

In the Book of Mormon we read about 2,000 exemplary young men who were exceedingly valiant, courageous, and strong. “Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him” (Alma 53:21). These faithful young men paid tribute to their mothers. They said, “Our mothers knew it” (Alma 56:48). I would suspect that the mothers of Captain Moroni, Mosiah, Mormon, and other great leaders also knew.

The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. Children are being born into a world where they “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). ¹ However, mothers need not fear. 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.

Mothers Who Know Bear Children

Mothers who know desire to bear children. Whereas in many cultures in the world children are “becoming less valued,” ² in the culture of the gospel we still believe in having children. Prophets, seers, and revelators who were sustained at this conference have declared that “God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.” ³ President Ezra Taft Benson taught that young couples should not postpone having children and that “in the eternal perspective, children—not possessions, not position, not prestige—are our greatest jewels.” ⁴

Faithful daughters of God desire children. In the scriptures we read of Eve (see Moses 4:26), Sarah (see Genesis 17:16), Rebekah (see Genesis 24:60), and Mary (see 1 Nephi 11:13–20), who were foreordained to be mothers before children were born to them. Some women are not given the responsibility of bearing children in mortality, but just as Hannah of the Old Testament prayed fervently for her child (see 1 Samuel 1:11), the value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection (see D&C 130:18). Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality. There is eternal influence and power in motherhood.

Mothers Who Know Honor Sacred Ordinances and Covenants

Mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants. I have visited sacrament meetings in some of the poorest places on the earth where mothers have dressed with great care in their Sunday best despite walking for miles on dusty streets and using worn-out public transportation. They bring daughters in clean and ironed dresses with hair brushed to perfection; their sons wear white shirts and ties and have missionary haircuts. These mothers know they are going to sacrament meeting, where covenants are renewed. These mothers have made and honor temple covenants. They know that if they are not pointing their children to the temple, they are not pointing them toward desired eternal goals. These mothers have influence and power.

Mothers Who Know Are Nurturers

Mothers who know are nurturers. This is their special assignment and role under the plan of happiness. ⁵ To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow. Therefore, mothers who know create a climate for spiritual and temporal growth in their homes. Another word for nurturing ishomemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home. Home is where women have the most power and influence; therefore, Latter-day Saint women should be the best homemakers in the world. Working beside children in homemaking tasks creates opportunities to teach and model qualities children should emulate. Nurturing mothers are knowledgeable, but all the education women attain will avail them nothing if they do not have the skill to make a home that creates a climate for spiritual growth. Growth happens best in a “house of order,” and women should pattern their homes after the Lord’s house (see D&C 109). Nurturing requires organization, patience, love, and work. Helping growth occur through nurturing is truly a powerful and influential role bestowed on women.

Mothers Who Know Are Leaders

Mothers who know are leaders. In equal partnership with their husbands, they lead a great and eternal organization. These mothers plan for the future of their organization. They plan for missions, temple marriages, and education. They plan for prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Mothers who know build children into future leaders and are the primary examples of what leaders look like. They do not abandon their plan by succumbing to social pressure and worldly models of parenting. These wise mothers who know are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most.

Mothers Who Know Are Teachers

Mothers who know are always teachers. Since they are not babysitters, they are never off duty. A well-taught friend told me that he did not learn anything at church that he had not already learned at home. His parents used family scripture study, prayer, family home evening, mealtimes, and other gatherings to teach. Think of the power of our future missionary force if mothers considered their homes as a pre–missionary training center. Then the doctrines of the gospel taught in the MTC would be a review and not a revelation. That is influence; that is power.

Mothers Who Know Do Less

Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord’s kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power.

Mothers Who Know Stand Strong and Immovable

Who will prepare this righteous generation of sons and daughters? Latter-day Saint women will do this—women who know and love the Lord and bear testimony of Him, women who are strong and immovable and who do not give up during difficult and discouraging times. We are led by an inspired prophet of God who has called upon the women of the Church to “stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper under the plan of the Lord.” ⁶ He has asked us to “begin in [our] own homes” ⁷ to teach children the ways of truth. Latter-day Saint women should be the very best in the world at upholding, nurturing, and protecting families. I have every confidence that our women will do this and will come to be known as mothers who “knew” (Alma 56:48). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.