It Was Dad

“Noble fatherhood gives us a glimpse of the divine.” ~James E. Faust

As I think about the words of President Faust, I can’t help but smile in memory of my father.  Much of what I have learned about God I have learned from my amazing dad!  He has taught me more than I could ever describe.

It was Dad who taught me to walk by faith and not by fear.  It was Dad who taught me to live my life with intention and to embrace everything that each stage of life has to offer.  It was Dad who taught me how to genuinely love others.  It was Dad who taught me to be functional, to be Christlike, to be generous, to be kind.  It was Dad who showed me how to give pure, selfless service to others with no thought of reward.  It was Dad who taught me how to put the important things first in life.  It was Dad who taught me to laugh when things are hard and to keep moving forward.  It was Dad who helped me believe in myself when I felt like I was failing.  It was Dad who taught me that I was enough, and that nothing in the world could compare with my personal worth as his daughter.

In my life, it is Dad who has typified the kind of love and grandeur that exist in the Great Deity above.

My friends, just like we all have an earthly father, ALL of us also have a Heavenly Father.  Yet unlike our earthly father, our Father in Heaven is perfect, has all power, and knows all things.  He is the most loving, merciful, understanding, patient, and compassionate being in the Universe.

“We are all literally children of God, spiritually begotten in the premortal life. As His children, we can be assured that we have divine, eternal potential and that He will help us in our sincere efforts to reach that potential.” (God the Father, http://www.lds.org)

We cannot even comprehend the amount of love of Heavenly Father has for us.  He wants the best for us– ALL of us.  He has a plan for our happiness!  He is there whether we recognize Him or not.  He knows us infinitely better than we know ourselves because He created us.  His whole work and glory is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”  (Moses 1:39)

This Fathers Day, remember: No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter what your religious background, no matter what your family situation, no matter how alone or forgotten you may feel, your Father in Heaven is aware of you and loves you deeply.  He will help you walk through this life and lead you to eternal joy.

Search after Him through prayer and study, and I know you will feel that that is true.

And then, catch a glimpse of that noble fatherhood through this incredible video!

Happy Fathers Day!

Also check out this amazing website about fatherhood 🙂

 

The Divinity of Motherhood

When I think of motherhood, I think of sacrifice.  I think of love, encouragement, compassion, charity, and selflessness.  I think of virtue, purity, empathy, understanding.  I think of a warm welcome home, a listening ear, a helping hand, and countless other tender memories that bring a smile of gratitude to my face.

Why do I think of these things?

Because these things are everything my mother is!  Because these are attributes of Christ, and this is the way that He has shown all mothers everywhere to raise their children in the light.  Why is that significant? Because Motherhood is the highest and holiest calling assumed by humankind!

I love my mother for numberless reasons that could never be written (thank you, Mom!!♥), but I will tell you one of the most influential:

I love my mother because she has shown me the way to Jesus Christ.

And that has made all the difference.

She has been my example through thick and thin, through good and bad, through hard and easy, through darkness and light.  Her Christlike characteristics have led me to become who I am.  Her motherhood is in great part the reason why I am a missionary.

You see, as someone told me today: “You can’t remember Christ and forget mothers, and you can’t remember mothers and forget Christ.  They go hand in hand in creating and fostering life.”

So all you women out there: YOU MATTER.  You make a difference!  You inherently have the power to influence generations for good.  YOU can lift, help, strengthen, edify, and inspire others in a way that no one else can.  The prophet Gordon B. Hinckley once said, “When  you save a girl, you save generations.”

And oh, was he right 🙂

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

(Click HERE for the cutest two minute film to honor your mother with!)