No role in life more essential. . .

than that of a mother.


Let me tell you about my mother. She is the most amazing person I know. A close second is my grandmother, her mother. My mom taught me everything I know. She has been the single greatest influence in my life save Jesus Christ.

Growing up she supported us in everything we wanted to try to do. She believed that we would figure out what we weren't good at. She allowed us to try all sports, music lessons, dance classes, all the school fairs and contests that came along. She believed in us. We were never not good enough for anything in her eyes. It's because of her that I have an amazing sense of self worth. I am strong willed, determined, and motivated. Thank you mom.

Every year my mom let me do the Economics aka Free Enterprise Fair at school. Every year she helped me come up with a new business idea, something I could make and sell at school for several weeks. Every. Single. Year. Every year I won first prize.

My mom is a true homemaker. She baked bread, cooked real food, sewed, did crafts, gardened and tried to keep a clean house despite our efforts to destroy it. At one time she was even the Stake Cooking Leader and taught hundreds of women in our area how to bake and cook for their families. She is so talented she can make almost anything without a recipe. My mom is one of the best pie makers in the area and her talents were even solicited by an area restaurant and caterer to make pies for them. She also makes every kind of candy which she sold for many years at the holidays. By the time I was 8 years old I could cook a pot roast dinner with several side dishes all by myself because of her love and patience in teaching me to cook from a very young age.

My mom helped us to grow a huge garden. Not only did she grow vegetables but she hybridized iris and still has gorgeous flower beds today. Each fall we would can all kinds of vegables from our garden and the fruit from our fruit trees. She instilled in me the spirit of self-reliance.

My mom is one of the most charitable people I know. She shares everything with everyone. She goes without in order to provide for people who stand in greater need than herself. I still remember every year how she would provide Christmas for another family in our neighborhood She and another neighbor would even go to great lengths to sew each child in the family matching Christmas jammies. To this day whether she knows the people or not she gives and gives and gives.

My mom serves others. She is continually serving her mother, my grandma, who is 91 years old. She keeps grandma busy by having her be her ebay partner. She visits grandma every day, takes her shopping and to all her appointments and always makes time for her. I remember a talk by President Monson in it he related the following story:

"I recall talking to the proprietress of a nursing home. From the hallway where we stood, she pointed to several elderly women assembled in a peaceful living room. She observed, “There’s Mrs. Hansen. Her daughter visits her every week, right at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. To her right is Mrs. Peek. Each Wednesday there is a letter in her hands from her son in New York. It is read, then reread, then saved as a precious piece of treasure. But see Mrs. Carroll: her family never telephones, never writes, never visits. Patiently she justifies this neglect with words that are heard but do not convince or excuse: ‘They are all so busy.’ ”

Shame on all who thus make of a noble woman “mother forgotten.”

I admire her for ensuring her mother is never forgotten.

My mom is an awesome grandma. Just as her life used to revolve around us when we were little it now revolves around her grandchildren. She cares for them as she would her own. She spends every spare minute she can with them. They love her too.

I could go on and on. . .

My mom taught us to be free thinkers.

She trusted us enough to make our own choices and learn from our mistakes.

She values education and all three of us ended up graduating from college.

She taught us to be hard workers and all three of us paid for our own educations.

She taught us to love the Savior and is a shining example of someone who has an awesome testimony of Jesus Christ and the Restored Gospel.

When I was little I memorized this poem:

Which Loved Best?

“I love you, Mother,” said little John;

Then, forgetting his work, his cap went on,

And he was off to the garden swing,

And left her the water and wood to bring.

“I love you, Mother,” said rosy Nell—

“I love you better than tongue can tell”;

Then she teased and pouted full half the day,

Till her mother rejoiced when she went to play.

“I love you, Mother,” said little Fan;

“Today I’ll help you all I can;

How glad I am that school doesn’t keep!”

So she rocked the babe till it fell asleep.
Then, stepping softly, she fetched the broom,

And swept the floor and tidied the room;

Busy and happy all day was she,

Helpful and happy as a child could be.

“I love you, Mother,” again they said,

Three little children going to bed;

How do you think that Mother guessed

Which of them really loved her best?

Now at one time or another I was each of these children. I know even when I was like Nell and John my mom still loved me. Her love is unconditional.

I love you mom!