Faith Value Experience 2

Discover the principles of faith taught by the mothers of Helaman's stripling warriors. Read Alma 56:45-48 and Alma 57:21. Review what "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" says about a mother's role. With a mother, grandmother, or leader, discuss the qualities a woman needs in order to teach children to have faith and to base their decisions on gospel truths. How can these principles help you in your life today and help you prepare to be a faithful woman, wife, and mother? Record your thoughts and feelings in your journal.

This is what stuck out to me as I studied these references:
Alma 56:45-48 - The Stripling Warriors' mothers KNEW. They had testimonies.
Alma 57:21 - They taught their sons obedience, so they recognized the need to obey, but ALSO - their sons had FAITH to obey. That means they learned - probably by example - that when they obeyed, they were blessed, there were good consequences. Therefore, they obeyed & observed to perform "every word of command with exactness," - and because of their faith, it was "done unto them."
"The Family: A Proclamation to the World" - Happiness in family life is most likely achieved when founded on the teachings of Jesus. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. It is important to establish and maintain principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. These opportunities come up frequently in family life. I need to be more aware of these opportunities, I know they are important.

I remember times when my own mother would bear her testimony. These are not only memories when she has born her testimony in church, but in the ways she taught us to treat others.
My Mom has always worked outside the home, and I know at times she has felt she could do better as a mother. But let's face it - we can all sympathize with feeling like we could have, should have done more.
Here, not so much in a nutshell is what I've learned from her. Almost entirely by the example she has set.
Two "Mom" phrases - THE two that come to mind when I think, "Mom always used to say. . ."
-Everybody plays or nobody plays.
- If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. (That one might be borrowed from Thumper in Bambi. . .)
Always, growing up, when I wanted to vent about something that really upset me, inevitably I would vent to Mom, who would then, by just a word or two, point out another side to the story. Drove me CRAZY - and it never helped me feel better. Not only would she not just let me express frustration and leave it at that, she easily and always simply showed me there are two sides to every story. I still did not come to recognize the value in this until years later, after a poignant experience taught me not to judge - there are always two sides to every story, every opinion comes as a result of someone's experiences - people have traveled a path to get to their point in their story and it is not the same path filled with the same experiences I've had (another story for another time). Even so many years later, I am just now recognizing that the gift that came out of THAT experience was made possible by the seeds of love and respect Mom planted and spent years quietly cultivating.
I had the opportunity in my much younger years to work in the same hospital that my mother was a director of one of the departments in. I had the unique opportunity to see Mom's work ethic on an almost daily basis OUTSIDE our home - away from family who we share, let's face it - our best AND worst with.
Guess what I learned? All of those "two sides to every story" moments I'd had growing up? She wasn't just blowing smoke, she really lives that way.
Indeed, I was in my late twenties before I ever heard her make a snide remark about another person. Ever. I remember being so surprised because it was so out of character for her and she knew it was out of character for her because she immediately apologized for saying it. Not because I had heard it, but because she knew it was wrong.
I could go on - my Mom is a great example in so many ways, but for today's purposes I'll just say (in a nutshell) that:
-Everybody plays or nobody plays; and
-If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
I learned these things because my Mom lives these things. She knew it and taught me by example to live this way.
Teaching children to live by faith and make decisions based on gospel truths means we have to live by faith and make decisions based on gospel truths.
Live by example. The kids'll get it, eventually.

Mom with our two youngest.