Dear Family,
Yesterday I was asked to give a part of the lesson that talked about my mother. I woke up thinking about her and jotting all the ways she has influenced my life. Before I knew it I had way over a page of small type written. I thought I would like to share some of my thoughts with you about your mother and grandmother. I didn’t have enough time during the lesson to say all of the things, I had to pick and choose but I want to express to you what I would of said if the time allowed it. Mother My mother was born in a small town of Enterprize, Utah on December 7, 1919. She was the last child of her family and because her mother was older when she was born, mother grew up afraid that her mother might die before she was raised. In her mind she vowed that she would ease the burdons in her mothers life. How could she do this? She decided that if she did the cleaning that would help. So mother worked very hard. When she grew up it was during the depression, and they didn’t have alot of the modern conveniences that we have today. To mop a floor it was on you hands and knees, there was coal stoves to be polished, furniture to polish, pictures on the wall to wash, I don’t know if she had a vaccum but she surely know how to use a broom. Wash day was a big one. She didn’t just load a washer that did things automatically, she had to heat the water and scrub on a board. It took all day. Now even when she went to school, she got up early and washed the clothes and hung them on the line to dry. Enterprise was cold in the winter and you can imagine how her fingers must have frozen when she was hanging out clothes. She would then come home and gather in the clothes, sprinkle them down so that the next day she could iron. We don’t have it so tough do we. If you were to ask any of her neices and nephews they would tell you of the cleanliness of mother. They would tell you that she even chased them out of the house with a broom. Well wouldn’t you if you had scrubbed all day long only to have muddy feet track throughout the house. Her own mother told her future husband, our father, “Ferren you will have a clean house, but I am not so sure you will eat.” She proved her wrong, because not only did mother keep a spotless house she was and is a very good cook.
Because of her abilities as a homemaker mother made our home a place of beauty and peace. I can remember coming home for lunch when I was a girl and you can be sure things were neat and tidy. I remember one time finding her resting on the floor with the vaccum want still in her hand. It must of been on a Friday because that was the day the living room was thoroughly done. Our home always smelt so good. During Holidays our home took of a festive look and the smells in the kitchen was a promise of good eating.
Mother taught us all how to clean. Some learned easier than other, and still to this day she is teaching us little tips to use to make our own homes shine. When she was Relief Society president she would often comment on the young mothers in the ward that was having trouble at home and most of the time it was because they were bogged down with all the things that they needed to do at home. She taught us that we could be a real helpmeet to our husbands. Mother was frugil. She canned, and cooked and always had yummy tilings to eat in the freezer, you know she was always prepared for company and no one ever left out home hungry. They didn’t have alot of money in those days but she would make do with all she had and we never went without. She taught us to respect the things our father would provide for us. He worked very hard and She would say that a wife can throw out more out the back door than her husband can bring in the front. In other words, take care of the things your husband provides for you. You all know how long things lasts in our home. I am so grateful for the training she gave me as a girl, because I wasn’t afraid to get married. I could cook, do some sewing, and yes, I could clean.
Now lest you think that the only thing mother taught me was to clean it would be far from true. My mother was not only clean in her home but clean of mind and spirit. Mother taught me the principles of honesty and virtue. She taught me that my body was a temple of God and that I must keep it clean. She certainly did this. I can’t remember my mother ever looking dirty. Her hair was always combed, her face washed, makeup put on and clean clothes on her body. She even to this day looks wonderful. She fools many people into thinking she is well because of the way she takes care of herself. My girls call her an elegant woman and this is true, she is. She has taught us all to look like who we are, a daughter of God. You won’t find any torn, or unpressed things on her and we can pattern our lives after her in this. She taught us to keep our mind clean. We never found bad books or things that would hurt our minds in our home. We were taught to keep wholesome thoughts there.
Mother has a wonderful sence of humor. She loves a good joke and often tells us one. No one leaves her home with out a smile on their faces. In our home mother was the one who could lighten a situation. Father is a loving and good man but he is often serious and I think mother balanced things by her humor. People like to be around mother because she is fun. I loved to play games with her and just talk with her. I remember times in my youth when mother and her sisters would visit. I always sat and listenend to them talk about their childhood and we would laugh and laugh because they were so funny. Humor can help many times in our lives when things get pretty tough.
Mother loved us. There was never any doubt about this. I don’t know anyone who worked harder for us and strived to give us the things that were good for us. Many hours were spent sewing dresses, or costumes for us when sewing was not so easy for her in the beginning. She would pick out and put in again and again but you can be sure when it was finished it was beautiful. I remember one fourth of July mother made us all “Squaw Dresses” This was a blouse and a skirt that had many ruffles. My skirt was purple and had 6 yards in it. Talk about full, and all thoses layers gathers. We always had Easter and Christmas dresses and even our dolls got a new dress one Christmas. I admire her persistance to excellence. Mother was always taking classes to learn a new tecnique, a better way to do something. I learned from mother that I to could learn and not to be afraid to try.
Mother believes in education, she was a very smart student, graduating salutitorian in her class and she worked to have us learn too. She helped me learn to read and do math when my teachers intended to hold me back. They had not been honest with her and father, and when they found this out they championed me and helped me to accomplish what the teacher hadn’t. Mother knew what it would have done to my spirit and she saw to it that I learned. The very next year I was at the top of my class and I credit this to my parents. I know that she has helped all of her children to learn. We did alot of homework, but she was there to help, She wouldn’t do it for us but helped us to learn how to do it ourselves. Mother never stopped learning. She took many classes that enriched her life.
Perhaps one of the most valuable things in my life my mother gave to me. The gift of Music. I loved to hear her play, she was a very gifted musician. She could of been a concert pianist but sacrificed her own college so that her brother could go on a mission. Mother was never selfish. She gave hours of service to the Lord and the community playing the piano and organ. She again never was satisfied with mediocrity. She would practice hours to make sure the pieces were just right. I loved to hear her practice with the band she played with before they had a New Years Dance etc. Music filled my life. She taught me how to play the piano, and it has blessed my life. You could say that this is one way mother and I are alike. We both have served the Lord from the time we were young girls by curch callings in music. I started when I was in the sixth grade and I think mother was that young too. Mother has a rare gift with her touch on the piano and she could really accompany people. She taught me this skill. She let me play for father to sing many times. I am sure that I played pretty badly when I began, but she didn’t say” here let me do that” She let me learn, and I am so grateful for her patience with me.
Mother is a woman of God. She loves the Lord and has served him all the days of her life. She lived her life to emulate the qualities He would have wanted. Mother taught us the principles of the gospel. One of the things I think she taught us the most was to honor the priesthood. She respected father and always supported him in his church callings. When I was born father was the Branch President, and later in my youth he was called to be a bishop twice. This ment that mother was often alone, because he was doing the Lords work. It was her that threw the balls for us to hit, and read to us and listened to our school work. She taught us to pray and to have faith and to love the Lord too. She and dad were a wonderful team, he loved the Lord completely too. I never once heard her complain about his church work. She taught us that father was the head of our home and we were to respect him. He in return taught us that mother was his queen and wife and I remember one of the few spankings I recieved was when I sassed my mother. He let it be known that she was our mother and was to be respected at all times. Home was a wonderful place for me. I knew that my father loved my mother and she loved him. I had security and peace and couldn’t imagine others not having this kind of home. Mother was a wonderful teacher of the gospel. She had many callings and I can close my eyes and see her studying to prepare a wonderful lesson. She always did the very best she could.
Mother was a woman of her word. We knew that if she said it she ment it. She was careful to never say something she couldn’t do. I don’t ever remember my mother belittleing me. She was and is one of the most positive people I know. She incouraged us to try things we didn’t think we could do. When I was a girl and going to elementary school, sometimes kids do cruel things and they would say mean things to me and chase me home. Mother taught me to stand up for myself, she would say, never start a fight but never run from one. It took alot of courage but one day I did stand up for myself and had a real fight. I mean a hair pulling, socking with fists and everything, I don’t know who won but it was never teased and chased again. Sometimes you just have to stand up for what is right. Mother and father, too taught me this. Another time I remember when Dianne, Norma and I came home for lunch, we would eat the big meal at noon and then we had to do the dishes before we could go back to school. Well one day we deckled to fool around instead of getting right to work, mother told us we had better get busy or we would be late for school, we didn’t ever think she would let us be late, but we were wrong. She kept us home until our work was done and dad wouldn’t even drive us back to school, we ran all the way there and boy were we embarrassed but we never fooled around again with the noon dishes. She taught us to be responsible. She often said that teaching a child to be responsible was very important. It is, it has helped me often to meet obligations and I never once considered not doing something that I said I would do.
Mother is a woman of prayer, I love to hear her pray. She includes us all with such faith in Heavenly Father. The Lord listenes to her and loves her. When Terry was a baby, he swallowed a penny and it looked very bad for him. While in the Drs. office mother offered a prayer that her little boy would be saved. He gave a mighty caugh and out came the penny. I know that God heard the prayer of a loving mother. These last few years I have heard her sweet voice petition the Lord in all of our behalf. I heard her pray for her grandchildren by name and ask for help with specific things. She loves her children and grandchildren and always asks the Lord for divine help for them.
Mother is fircely loyal to her children. She is a wonderful listener. I could yack on and on about my boyfriends, and she would listen, when I got married she would listen and help me to understand many things in my life, but most of all she listened with a loving heart. Mother knows when we need help. Many times she would tell father, “Something is wrong with Janet, or Norma, Or Dianne, or Terry or Brent, depending on the situation, I could hear it in her voice.”She knows her children and could always be depended on to listen and understand. Brent could tell of her love and during a tragic time in his life it was his mother and father he came home to to be nourished and listened to and loved. He became whole again. Mother learned to forgive. It was not easy but she did and I admire her for that.
Mother is obedient. She does the Lords will. When it came time to go on a mission, it was hard for her. She loved her home and to leave it was a real sacrifice. She willingly went and served a wonerful mission. It was there that she overcame predijuce. It was hard for mother to get near Afro-Americans. I don’t know why, but on her mission she learned to teach and love these people. Today she wonders why people can’t overcome hatred. Mother also served many years in the temple. It is very hard work. I know. She couldn’t sleep before going there and it took a tole on her but being obedient to her Heavenly Father she served as long as she physically could. I love her for her dedication to duty.
I think these later years we are learning so much about mother. She has endured so much of pain and suffering. She has such a sweet spirit. I know that mother has suffered much in her life. I didn’t know this until oh, maybe ten years ago. Mother fought the battle of depression much of our growing up years. Not long after I was bom mother had to have an operation where they removed a poisionious goiter from throat, they had to take out her thiroid also. This caused an imbalance in her chemical system. She often felt depressed, but we children didn’t know this, she never let us see her in a sad situation. I ask her why she didn’t tell us. She said.” It wasn’t your fault, why should you suffer because of me.” Not isn’t that the epitimy of love. She didn’t want to ruin our childhood. Now she sufferes pain all of the time. She works so hard to get well, she never gives up trying. All of us has felt her spirit, her love and caring. I don’t know why she has to suffer but the Lord tell us in the scripitures and it is for our good. I am sure that after the trial the blessing will follow. We have been blessed. She has taught us to endure and not complain. I only hope that I can become the kind of woman she is.
I love mother, she is my hero. I want to be like her in all of her noble ways. I love her for the ways she enriched my life, all of my life. She truly is a queen to us alt, we who in her family are blessed to have her as an example. I know our heavenly Father loves her. He is proud of her efforts. She has been a good woman. She is a sweetheart to our father, she is a wonderful mother. I thank my Heavenly Father daily that she went through the valley of death to have me. I have always been nurtured and so have you. Thank You mother for you life of virtue, honor, humor, good works and diligence. We love you. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Love Janet