Mothers have influenced their children for good since time began. There
is no greater influence on children than mothers. Abraham Lincoln, one of the
greatest presidents of the United States, said, “All that I am or ever hope to
be, I owe to my angel mother.”
Today, we would like to wish you a glorious Happy Mother’s Day and pay divine
tribute to all the mothers of our missionaries!
Thank you for teaching them that
Heavenly Father loves them—If there is one principle which we hope all mothers
teach their children is this one. We do have a lovingly Heavenly Father who
wants us to return to live with Him and our Heavenly Mother, and He will
provide a way through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for encouraging them—Missions.
Are. Hard. Period. They need all the encouragement they can receive. Your words,
your letters, your conversations, even your admonitions propel them forward, to
help them become better. Please keep encouraging them in all that they do and
through their challenges.
Thank you for teaching them how
to work—While not all missionaries come to us knowing that missions are
hard work, they soon learn it is. They did learn that work is important. On the
mission, they learn that work is imperative for them to grow and develop and
become what they want and need to become.
Thank you for teaching them
respect—They understand how to say please and thank you. They respect
others, and they learn to respect their companions and those whom they serve.
Thank you for teaching them that
they can be better than they were—All mothers try to teach their children
this principle. Some missionaries struggle with this until they remember the
words their mothers have taught them. They can be better than they were.
Missions have natural tendency to imbue in them this grand principle.
Thank you for teaching them to
be clean and organized—Granted, many of them were taught to keep their rooms
clean with a bit of periodic cajoling. During the mission, they continue to
strive and learn how this is important for them now and in the future. Please
encourage them to enhance their organizational skills.
Thank you for loving them enough
to encourage them to serve a mission—This constant encouragement boosts our
missionaries to continue forward. We often say to them, “What would your
mothers say if….?” They instantly know what you would say to them, and they
strive to do what needs to be done.
Thank you for allowing them to
grow up and become independent souls with their own personalities—We love
to continue teaching them “spiritual self-reliance” to add to your teachings. We
know they want to learn to become independent and think for themselves, and we
encourage them to develop the all-important principle of spiritual self-reliance
on our Heavenly Father and His Son. They are so unique and individual when they
come to the mission. We want to keep those great qualities their personalities
bring.
Thank you for extending additional
love to them when they arrive home from their missions—Mission change
missionaries, mostly for the better. They return differently, thinking differently,
doing things differently. Most of them have changed for the better and need
space to continue to grow and develop. Continue to love them as never before.
Thank you for seeing the growth
and development when they return home from their missions—With their letters
and now the telephone/Skype calls home, you have begun to see the enormous
growth and development they have experienced. Please tell them and encourage
them to continue in, especially when they arrive home. They have gained so much
more capacity. Please continue to encourage them to keep moving forward, ever
onward.
Again, we appreciate you sending us such incredible young men and women
who love the Lord and who want to do everything in their power and ability to
serve Him and continue to grow and develop. Our greatest joy comes when we see
them climb out of some of the abysses they find themselves in, when they discover
they can teach well, when they realize that the Atonement of Jesus Christ can
really help them overcome any obstacle and challenge in their lives, when they finally
discover why they are here, and when they come to know who they are and whose
they are.
Thank you, moms, for what you have done, what you are doing, and what
you are about to do. We will continue to do our part in helping them enhance
all of these skills you taught while teaching them additional principles and
skills to help them during the post-mission life.
We love your sons and daughters!
Happy Mother’s Day!