The work of motherhood

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great," D&C 63:33

If there ever was well-doing on the earth, it is the work of mothering. And if there ever were a common complaint from mothers (at least ones with young children!), it would be that they are weary.

Which is why I love this scripture. I need to remember that I truly am laying the foundation of a great work. My children are going to be the leaders of tomorrow, whether in a large or small capacity.

When I typed that, I thought, I don't really know or have control over whether they will be well-known leaders. But I may have more control than I think. Are my children going to be raised in a home where we study the scriptures every day? Will we have FHE each week where they have opportunities to bear their testimonies? Are we going to take General Conference seriously? Are we going to have a gospel-centered home? All these things will increase they likelihood that they will have strong testimonies and greater knowledge of gospel principles. I play a HUGE part in determining what kind of men my boys will become.

The next phrase says, "Out of small things proceedeth that which is great." All those things I listed are "small things." Teaching them to pray *morning* and night. Talking about Christ, and more than on Sunday or in FHE. Developing spiritual habits. All small things that yield great results.

So whenever I'm weary, I need to remember that the things I do directly affect the kind of people my children will grow to be. Instead of yelling when I get weary, maybe I should kneel with my children in prayer. When I grumble about cleaning up another mess or doing the dishes again, I should remember that having a clean home means the Spirit is more likely to be there, and I'm more likely to be happy.

I think this is a scripture I need to copy down and put somewhere I will see often.

p.s. This all made me think of Elder Ballard's talk from April 2008 about young mothers. It is one of my all-time favorites.