"God looketh on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7)

I am a mother. I am a stay-at-home mom. I am a homemaker. By the world's measuring stick  of "value", I am not worth very much. I don't make any money and there is not a real way to measure what I do. So, I am practicing  measuring myself by the Lord's standards and not the standards of the world. Some days it is easier than others to feel my own value and worth than others. I keep practicing. And I ask myself, "How do I measure up"?

For me, being a mother is part of who I am. I believe that it is a part of all women, whether or not we have children, and it is up to us to develop our mothering "skills". Someone once said to me that some women aren't "naturally inclined to being a mother". My response is that they can choose to develop those mothering qualities and abilities just as they would learn to work hard, learn to cook, learn to read. It takes time to develop the skills of a mother...and what are those skills? Honestly, I think the skills for being a mother or a good parent even, are to "...be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works. (Alma 7:23-24). As I type this list, I realize that none of these can really be measured at all. And some days I feel rather ungrateful...and I don't give thanks "for whatsoever thing [I] do receive." So I keep practicing, and it's hard work.

These skills are what will help me as a mother, as a wife, a sister, a friend, a neighbor. Do I dare ask, "How are you measuring up?"

The world would say I am nothing...God says he will make me great. I trust God.

I am not always great at working on these skills. Sometimes I get a little sidetracked and am slow to respond or decide I need to work on some other worldly aspect. But in the end, these are the skills that God wants me to develop. It's not popular to be submissive and gentle. If I did what popular media tells me to do I would seek for revenge and make sure everyone gets what I think they deserve- especially if they have hurt me or one of my loved ones.

God's measure of my greatness is about my heart. "God looketh on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). Man looks on the outward appearance. I like this thought about women working on building a home for their families and the contributions they make:

"Women who make a house a home make a far greater contribution to society than those who command large armies or stand at the head of impressive corporations. Who can put a price tag on the influence a mother has on her children, a grandmother on her posterity, or aunts and sisters on their extended family?
We cannot begin to measure or calculate the influence of women who, in their own ways, build stable family life and nurture for everlasting good the generations of the future. The decisions made by the women of this generation will be eternal in their consequences. May I suggest that the mothers of today have no greater opportunity and no more serious challenge than to do all they can to strengthen the [home]” (Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes [2000], 152). (Finding Lasting Peace and Building Eternal Families).

Another statement about measuring by Pres. Ezra Taft Benson says: "The best measure of true greatness is how Christlike we are" (A Christ Centered Life). That's a pretty high measuring rod. Are we measuring up?

This is the measure I practice living my life by. I make mistakes, but I am practicing and that means I will make mistakes.

I want to make a difference for my family. I want to strengthen our home so "that our children may know to what source they may look for the remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26). I want to teach and lead by example. I want to be a better wife, a better friend, a better woman, a better daughter of God. I must let go of the worlds measure and open my heart to God's measure. I am enough because I am God's. I will keep practicing these mothering skills. It's all in a days work.

"...a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (Introduction of the Book of Mormon)

I have a question ... and you don't have to answer it. Just ponder it.

If there was a way for you to be healed, spiritually healed, and it was pretty simple, say, reading a part of a book every day and doing what it taught, would you do it?

Here is what led me to these thoughts. In my scripture study today, I had started studying the Book of Mormon again (get your free copy here). I reread part of the introduction, which I rarely do. Well, Joseph Smith, who translated the Book of Mormon, said: "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on the earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (Introduction of the Book of Mormon). To get nearer to God by abiding by the precepts, which is "a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct" (precept) is a very powerful promise. I would love to get nearer to God by reading from a book and follow its teachings...sounds pretty simple.

Another question: If a prophet of God said you could be saved from a poisonous snake bite by just looking up at a serpent on a pole, would you do it? Well, in the Bible, Moses was told by God to, "Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live" (Numbers 21:8). The Israelites had been complaining against the Lord for the food they had, the location they were in, and the way they were going. Symbolically speaking, they were on a crooked path. So, the Lord "sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died" (see Numbers 21:6 (4-6)). In the Book of Mormon, we get even more of the story.

"And He did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten He prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way or the easiness of it, there were many who perished" (1 Nephi 17:41). All they had to do was look! And because it was so simple, some chose not to look and there were many who perished. How sad is that?

Well, I go back to my first question. If you could be healed by doing something simple, such as reading out of a book and then applying its principles daily, would you do it? We have been promised by a prophet of God that we would "get nearer to God by abiding by [The Book of Mormon's] precepts, than any other book". For me, drawing nearer to God heals me.  I have days where I murmur and complain about the food I have, or the place I am- whether it is spiritually or physically, I sometimes get discouraged. There are days when I feel like I have "fiery serpents" all around me, biting we with dark thoughts or negativity, and I am poisoned. But, to be healed...I just need to look. And some days, I have to look more than once.

And on those days when I look, which I try to do every day, I am healed. All the prophets, past, and present, testify of God's healing power and the reality that Jesus is the Christ. One prophet taught, "And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal" (Helaman 8:15). What a promise- if we would look upon the Son of God with faith we would live, even unto that life eternal. I want to live today. It feels so good!

As the Book of Mormon prophet Alma said to his son Helaman, I also say to you and to myself: "O my [friend], do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so it was with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we look we may live forever" (Alma 37:46).  I have learned from my own experience, that looking to God, even reading from The Book of Mormon on a daily basis will help heal and draw us nearer to Him than any other self-help or do-it-yourself book. This I testify.

Moses and the Brass Serpent, by Judith Mehr

"He did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them" (3 Nephi 3:12)

In my scripture study today, reading about the Gadianton robbers and the Nephites who were trying to protect themselves from the robbers (see 3 Nephi 3) led me to ponder "robbers" in our day. We have robbers of all kinds, they sneak into our homes and rob us of virtue, peace, family, joy, liberty, and many other God given gifts. But there are ways to protect ourselves from these robbers.  Here are some thoughts about how to protect our families from the robbers in our day:

The Nephite governor, Lachoneous, "was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatening of the a robber" (3 Nephi 3:12). I love that the leader of the righteous people was not frightened by a robber. As a parent, and governors of our homes, we too, do not need to be frightened by the robbers who want to steal away our peace, safety, and freedom. Rather than succumb to fear, we can act as the governor did. "He did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them" (3 Nephi 3:12). I love this! We have been given great advice by our prophets to gather our families in prayer. "Never hesitate to gather your family around you for your prayers, especially in those times when more than morning and evening family prayer is needed. Extra needs require extra prayers" (Pres. Spencer W. Kimball). Crying unto the Lord for strength offers us protection against the robbers that are waiting to steal all that is precious from us.

United in learning offers protection 

Another point that jumped out at me was that the governor didn't just pray and then wait for God to do all the work. No, the governor then acted by "gathering together [his people], their flocks, and herds, and all their substance...unto one place" (3 Nephi 3:13). I see this as the same advice we have had from our leaders to protect our families by gathering together for Family Home Evening each week and teach correct principles that keep us safe from these "robbers". I like what Elder Scott had to say about gathering together for family home evening. "The structure of your evening is not as important as the time invested. The gospel should be taught both formally and informally. Make it a meaningful experience for each member of the family. Family home evening is a precious time to bear testimony in a safe environment; to learn teaching, planning, and organizational skills; to strengthen family bonds; to develop family traditions; to talk to each other; and more important, to have a marvelous time together!" (Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority). Gathering our families together offers great protection against those robbers who seek to destroy our homes. This gathering of our families can extend beyond our immediate family to the gathering of loved ones, friends, neighbors, and communities. Uniting together strengthens ties, bonds, and love for each other. When correct principles are taught, we gain the courage to govern ourselves when we are threatened by "robbers".

The next thing the governor of the land did was: "he caused that fortifications should be built round about them, and the strength thereof should be exceedingly great" and then "he caused that armies...should be placed as guards round about to watch them, and to guard them from the robbers day and night" (3 Nephi 3:14). We too must put "fortifications" around our homes and families and guard them against robbers. Putting filters in place helps with the robbers that come through the internet. But ultimately we must teach our children to be their own guards of their spirituality and purity by aiding them in gaining a powerful testimony of the saving power of Jesus Christ. Sister Linda S. Reeves taught this powerful truth. "Brothers and sisters, how do we protect our children and youth? Filters are useful tools, but the greatest filter in the world, the only one that will ultimately work, is the personal internal filter that comes from a deep and abiding testimony our our Heavenly Father's love and our Savior's atoning sacrifice for each one of us" (Protection from Pornography- A Christ-Focused Home).

We don't need to be afraid of the robbers that are waiting to "sally forth from the hills, and out of the mountains, and the wilderness, and their strongholds, and their secret places" (3 Nephi 4:1). No. We "cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against [us]" (3 Nephi 3:12)  and then we prepare. For "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30). I know that we are made strong as we govern our families in faith and press forward as we act upon the council that has been given to us from the Lord. It is a great comfort to me as a mother to know that I need not fear the robbers that are there, but that we will be strengthened, protected, guided, and aided through the wars that are ahead as we live the testimonies we have of the power of Jesus Christ. This I testify.

Gathering with family and loved ones...definitely good protection with this bunch!

Love gathering together with grandma and grandpa!

"Free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men" 2 Nephi 2:27

When we were in Washington D.C. recently we were able to visit the Arlington Cemetery, many historical monuments, and some of the war memorials. The Arlington Cemetery is a very quiet, sacred, and peaceful place. When I looked out over the white headstones it hit me that all these people (more than 300,000 people and their dependents)  sacrificed in some way for our freedom. It is mind blowing and very humbling for me to ponder this.

Walking through Arlington Cemetery  

The next day we were able to visit: The Jefferson, The Vietnam War, The Korean War, The Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr, and the Franklin Roosevelt Memorials. Memorial is defined as "something, especially a structure, established to remind people of a person or event" (memorial). All these memorials were there to help us remember these events and people, never to be forgotten, but always remembered. I also realized that all these people and events were part of defending freedom. In the Korean War Memorial there is a quote chiseled into granite that says, "Freedom is not free". It is placed next to all the numbers of whom were missing, killed, wounded, or prisoners of war. There is always a sacrifice that is made for freedom to be had, kept, and lived. I ask myself, "What am I willing to sacrifice that I may have freedom and others as well?"

"Freedom is not free". As I pondered all those who have sacrificed for our freedom in the United States and throughout the world, I realized there has been an atoning  sacrifice for all of us to have our freedom. It is the great and last sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), even Jesus Christ who sacrificed all so that we too would be "free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil" (2 Nephi 2:27). We have a memorial every week to remember this sacrifice. It is the sacrament (learn more here). It is a sacred reminder for all, that Christ gave His life for us so that we could be free to choose to follow Him. This I testify.

At the Lincoln Memorial

This is the Arlington Cemetery, a beautiful reminder for all that "He is Risen" and we all shall be, too! This is freedom from death given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ

Quote on the Jefferson Memorial. What a beautiful thing for us to remember!

"Freedom Is Not Free" - at the Korean War Memorial