"And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked..." (Mosiah 4:14)

A couple of weeks ago I was asked what I did all day. As I listed off my tasks it was a very simple list of things I did, this list is pretty similar everyday. I said I exercised, studied my scriptures, made breakfast for our children, did lots of laundry, did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, drove our children to school and picked them up from school. I made dinner for our family, and if I recall correctly, did more dishes. One friend got it and said, "Oh, you were the mom today". I am the mom every day and I have sometimes wondered if it is enough. I definitely don't get any accolades for doing what I do, and I don't earn any money for it. I seem to get little thanks, just more laundry and more dishes.

But there is one scripture that frequently goes through my mind when I am asked "what do you do all day"? It reads as follows:

"And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another" (Mosiah 4:14-15). 

I love these scriptures. My time spent cooking and doing laundry is important to God. I feed His children, who are under my care, daily. I also make sure they have clean clothes and are not "naked". I get lots of opportunities to teach them to love one another and to not fight and quarrel with each other. Great conversations take place daily about loving, serving, lifting, creating, working hard, chastity and many other gospel topics while we spend time in the car driving to and from school and other activities. These have become beautiful moments to teach by example and share my testimony of gospel truths. 

I am so grateful for the blessing of being able to "feed His sheep" (see D&C 112:14; John 21:16-17), to "lead, guide, and walk beside" His children on a daily basis (I Am a Child of God). I am helping God with His work, which is: "...to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). I don't need to worry about comparing myself with other women or if I am doing enough. I am doing His work, and that is enough. 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said this about parenting: "The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. He knows that your giving birth to a child does not immediately propel you into the circle of the omniscient. If you and your husband will strive to love God and live the gospel yourselves; if you will plead for that guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit promised to the faithful; if you will go to the temple to both make and claim the promises of the most sacred covenants a woman or man can make in this world; if you will show others, including your children, the same caring, compassionate, forgiving heart you want heaven to show you; if you try your best to be the best parent you can be, you will have done all that a human being can do and all that God expects you to do" (Because She is a Mother).

God lives. He loves all of His children and wants all of us to learn to "love one another and serve one another" (Mosiah 4:15). As mother's we are blessed with a special responsibility and opportunity to teach and serve, which includes "feeding the hungry" and "clothing the naked" (see Mosiah 4:26; Isaiah 58:9-11; Jacob 2:19; Alma 4:13); and thus, we grow and are doing enough.

Enjoy the video about being a mother...which is enough.