I have no aversion to motherhood being spoken of in church. Ideals ALL! Im against handing out plants on Mothers Day. I mean big ol gnarly wretch. Somehow those who are not mothers are incapable of celebrating motherhood and thus it is painful for them and thus no one should celebrate motherhood as a church. Enter your email address to follow BCC and receive new posts by email. I am 70 years old and have never been a mother, but I had one. It might be that it was a holiday originally conceived by the US Socialist Party and propagated by the Soviets. Along with activities and programs during the week, Latter-day Saints gather on Sundays for an approximately hour-long "sacrament" meeting, where men, women and younger members offer prayers and give sermons, sing hymns and partake of the sacrament (similar to receiving communion). I still dont understand it, which is probably why Im still very nervous about having kids. It seems like every time theres a church scandaland especially one that concerns moneypeople start arguing that the scandal-ridden church (or even churches in general) should lose their tax exemptions. You can guess how well that went over. This might be a useful reference in terms of stories about Christ and women (not saying to cite it, just to get scripture references and helpful context): http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2015-fairmormon-conference/christs-emancipation-of-women-in-the-new-testament. Ere the sun goes down: Mothers Day was pure torture and the only time I ever serious entertain thoughts of staying home. I just spent two hours reading all the comments, viewing the video mentioned in #90, and taking notes. Please know that it is worth it then, now, and forever.. Church meetings Sacrament Meeting Overview To find a ward near you, try the Meetinghouse Locator, which will also provide sacrament meeting times, driving directions, and contact information. Questions & Answers: What am I supposed to think about during the sacrament? It is not a bad thing and it might be the one day that young mothers will remember and enjoy the most. The main message I gathered from reviewing this survey is, keep it simple, dont try tohave specific female messages during the meetings, and then serve a fun refreshment in the third hourjust because. For the injured interceding, Why Women, Especially Mothers, Working Outside the Home is an Abomination Unto the Lord. Even though Mothers Day is now a reasonably happy day for me personally, I still find that my mind is focused on how other women in my ward might be experiencing it. Thanks, kc! "We express our love to those in this congregation and our prayers for the victims and their families. Especially since whoever asked him to speak didnt learn their lesson and he said the exact same talk a year later. The first speaker was a single father, then the bishop spoke, then the stake president spoke. I struggled with infertility for nearly a decade. On this site you will find a variety of arrangements for ward choirs, solo piano, vocal duets and more. May your prayers be answered and your hopes and dreams become realities.. I guess mothers also die, just like plants, but not usually at our own hands. http://mormonartist.net/2012/02/day-three-jeanna-stay/. So far, so good. Kind of it takes a village/ward to raise a child philosophy. For the third verse, I composed a counterpoint for the choir to sing while the kids sang the melody. I dont like the sappy talks about the perfect mothers. Did they not have mothers? This reflects a very different image than the one we portray to the world about our values and what we say means the most to us. One of her favorites: Im so bad when daddy comes home, I had some ideas but didn't want to repeat anything that had already been done from the Primary. She has your best interests at heart. I dont think sacrament meeting is such an inappropriate place to do that, either. More importantly, what impact does this conscious attempt to devalue motherhood within our community have on the future of the family? The only thing I might try if I were in charge would be to put out pink, white, red carnations and safety pins and invite everyone in the ward to wear a carnation to honor their mother pink/red if shes living, white if shes passed away. Yea like all of you My Mother sucked too. Its never the men. I am infertile, though I now have three children through adoption. But from my description, it sounds like the typical platitudinous MD talk. In order to equally celebrate Fatherhood , the males (12 years+) all get Nachos on Fathers Day (served up by the RS Presidency.). Mrs. Gui, All the little Guis and their little Guis, the violin, photography, Prokofiev, Mahler, Terry Pratchett, Patrick OBrian, Umberto Eco, sci-fi and fantasy, Brigham Young, playing Bluegrass with real Kentuckians. At least half the ward was so embarrassed for her at this point that they looked as if they wanted to crawl under the benches. How can a father raise a happy, well-adjusted daughter in todays increasingly toxic world? What does this mean about women? Based on the comments it seems to be prevalent everywhere in the US church. With a purpose firm and willing, Not all women can become real mothers. The US holiday was only adopted in 1870 and was also used to protest the sacrifices mothers had made when their sons were killed at war or killed the sons of other mothers during the Civil War. Can I suggest NOT sending the youth out hunting all women? That wouldn't let her do such and suchall things in the end that weren't good for her daughter to do, one way of looking at it. Gospel Q&A: Do We Really Have the Spirit With Us All the Time? I would love to avoid Mothers Day meetings, just because they are usually tedious, but I love to go for the sake of seeing my kids sing. I like the idea of a simple gift for those in attendance. After a lot of thought and prayer I called two sisters to speak on some of the blessings and also the challenges of raising children in the gospel. May 2011 was the best mothers day sacrament mtg Ive ever attended. And dont even get me started on the Are We Not All Mothers tripe. I have to say that I was almost offended that there would be an assumption that FD would be a piece of cake. iPad. Many said not to assignmother or female focused messages in sacrament meeting, others said to keep your effortssimple as long as it is sincere. Now, I detest it. I didnt realize Mothers Day was so close. While it addresses questions about how to raise a girl, the talk also discusses the nobility of fatherhood, the influence fathers have on children, how to cherish your wife, and why virtue is so important. Although I have the suspicion that he had an ulterior motive of hoping never to be asked to speak again. Please Please Please! When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children.. Mothers Day theme, is the spirit is trying to witness to us at what a dumb idea it is. Mark did as well in his postminus the saccharine and accent. I thought my husband (Sonny) had already posted this, but maybe not, or Im just blinder than usual. We got there at about 7:30 AM and one of my Aunts had already been there and left flowers for her. Ugh ugh ugh. Your ward contains women at various stages of their lives, including some who dont have children and never will. It was perhaps the best talk I gave as a bishop. don't get me wrong, I'm not bragging. Tony, thanks! It is even worse when women are so enthused with Father's Day that they want to ignore it completely - as in absolutely not mention it. How about honoring our mothers by not just focusing on what they do or have done for us (guilt trip for those that feel they never do enough) but focus on ways the members can help their mothers throughout each stage of their life. We can only celebrate the nonentity because we are afraid of hurting those who are not being celebrated "today". Ill be checking back! I dont recall what the men are given on Fathers Day, but at one time in my ward they gave them nice ball point pens. As far as Jesus is concerned, he was sinless so is able to stand as an ideal. We need ideals especially ones who arent ideal, so we can redefine ideal. Ive decided to speak on how motherhood allows me to develop Christlike attributes (knowledge, patience, temperance, etcref 1 Peter 1:4-8) through daily struggles and reliance on the atonement and then finish with how wonderful it is that mother is only one of the facets of who we are as we strive to become strong women of God. It was an emotional rollercoaster of raised hopes and disappointments. Worst Moms Day talk ever: when we (and most of our friends) were newlyweds, one of our friends (a guy) was asked to give the big glory of motherhood talk. Crowd-sourcing request. I am not sure what other words I can use to convey my meaning when I rely so heavily on tone. Because disciples can be wayward in their faith we should not celebrate Christmas because it causes too much pain in those who remain more faithful. THAT is what non-denominational Christian churches do :). Can anyone say overdone? Someone explain this. Thanks for reminding me so I can stay home. But these are good points. The reminder was given to visit those sisters unable to attend on Mothers Day. The bad ones tend to deal withthe big generalities, praisingmotherhood without even pausing to define whether we are speaking of women who have given birth, or womanhood in general. I do look forward to handing the kids over to my husband for the day, but Ill take a pass on sacrament meeting. In the mean time, please, PLEASE, dont go hunting the sisters. I am glad you had a good father, but honestly, that attitude is what keeps me away. After His Resurrection, He instituted the sacrament among the Nephites (see 3Nephi 18:111). The perfect hymn for Mothers Day Sacrament meeting. For the past two years, I have been passed over because other women tell the youth passing out the gift, that they need to take one for so-and-so, shes ill today,without looking for women in the room that havent received one yet. Ere the sun goes down. It appears that we have adopted the perverted sense of inclusion to such a degree that we cannot mention our gratitude for our mothers and motherhood without "hurting" or "marginalizing" those who are not mothers. Finally, Elder Holland offers his thanks to mothers around the world. One of my favorite talks ever wasnt a Mothers Day talk but was given by a mother talking about mothering (we were on vacation, so didnt know the woman speaking). Plus, I thought it was extra cool that the Bish consulted the RS pres. What Can I Do? However, the restored gospel is true and is a steady guide for us in nagivating the oftimes foggy seas of life. Identifying ideals is somehow so treacherous for the psyches of women that that must never be mentioned? From all accounts, her talk was very well received. Speaking for myself, I think Fathers Day is much easier. It very gently re-addressed several of the points that were flying in the newspapers and throughout the church in the Mothers Who Know backlash. And the Uchtdorf talk on grace from last conference and his talk on the flowers might be good ones. Nothing, wakes people up in sacrament meeting like talking about chimpanzees dismembering each other. Sometimes its good, sometimes its bad. . Im asking this out of genuine curiosity/responsibility for handing stuff out. Why is that or is that just in my ward? Make sure you understand where that line is. Ere the sun goes down. Cannot load blog information at this time. Our head count was 85 sisters which is super for us. The Spirits constant companionship is one of the greatest gifts of mortality. It was part of the talk. Ive never objected to any Mothers Day program, and in my ward, all women get a gift, married, single, divorced, widowed, with or without children. So, I am assigned to give a talk next week. And, invariably, as soon as I would send one on his way, Im not a mother, thank you, another would pop up at my elbow, dutifully, kindly twisting the knife. I dont remember all 18 things, but two of them stuck with me, even 15 years later. Local leaders are ministering to them at this time," Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said. Some were difficult for metotell without choking up. The deacons hand out small potted plants to all women 12+ years, then the sisters eat cake in Relief Society (served up by the RS presidency.). You can still give the women the day off. Really perfect for MD! Gods commands I must obey, Some women think that you dont talk enough about mothers while other people think you talk too much about them. God still loves her, and her life still had value and meaningTHE END!! I'd suggest that women at various stages in their lives speaking about what the joy in womanhood, being a divine daughter of God means to them in different stages of life, would at least eliminate all that talk and honor of mothers who have lots of children and do everything right that cause so much pain to women everywhere. Ive decided to see if I can discern consistent reasons why the good ones are good and the bad ones are terrible. My favorite Mothers Day talk was my own talk. It isnt uncommon for LDS women to be dealing with some combination of the following factors: a difficult marriage, no marriage, no children, difficult children, health problems, loss of faith. Sacrament meetings include music, talks, testimonies and prayers. Products; . Gospel Q&A: How Can I Find and Foster Celestial Love? Your email address will not be published. You can still give the women the day off. Every year someone has to pick up the flowers for my ward. Why do *we* have to have an ideal? That said, I cant say I recall ever hearing a bad Mothers Day talk. He suffered for the sins, sorrows, and pains of all people, providing remission of sins for those who repent and live the gospel (see 2Nephi 9:2123). What is the trigger to close the thread? Let us also posit that, even if the average woman is more nurturing or righteous than the . Any Advice? The good news is, most sisters want chocolate from their ward family and most sisters usually get chocolate. kc I love me some Pres. There are sins that need confessing; Excuse everyone after Sacrament meeting to spend the time with their mothers. Some of the stories were simple acts of kindness and some were extraordinary examples of love and sacrifice. Im asking this out of genuine curiosity/responsibility for handing stuff out. Let's apply your logic standard to other holidays. Wards/branches can use this app to create and print traditional . Please use the comments to make your own contributions. I must speak the loving word, Theyre all very good, and not being critical, but Hallmark w/ scripture would seem to be one way to describe the style of Pres. Further, that it wasnt the wards responsibility to celebrate the day. And chocolate. My mom still to this day says it was the best Mothers Day talk ever. Think about your message and how it will sound to the entire spectrum of your sisters in the ward. Their talks often included poems about the immeasurable amount of crap mothers had to deal with. If they give out a plant that I can put in the ground, Ill be sad to miss that, though. At one point they cut down a tree and paraded it into town to symbolize the mother of the Gods (Asherah, anyone?). I wonder if this phenomenon is uniquely Mormon. I just read that talk again; and I see nothing wrong with it. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. Nuts. Honest! Isnt it reasonable to think that Abe is trying a little too hard, and might be overcompensating for something? 2) If your outfit doesnt match, no one who matters will notice. My own plan of attack: 1) lay some knowledge on people (see above), 2) talk about our own mothers and that they are real people who faced real struggles, 3) the Plan of Happiness (is that what were calling it now?) Christmas is not a universal holiday and thus we should not celebrate one day a year, We focus on Christ every day and every Sunday so there is no need to celebrate on Christmas. What a nice gift for a Mom..hey, you guys have a great time!! This is brilliant, Mark. The speakers were: 70-year-old married sister w/ no children; mid-30s sister who works full-time, dh is the stay-at-home parent, and theyve adopted 2 children through the foster care system; and a single sister. Not until the 1600s did people start associating the holiday with their own actual mothers (Mothering Day in the UK). Mark, This post was positively Uchtdorfian! Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Thank you. They really did. I loved it! Although with good intentions, speakers usually put mothers and motherhood on a pedestal ("Mothers are loving and caring and naturally nurturing", "A mother's love is the closest thing to Christlike love on earth", "No mother is perfect, except my mom, who is literally an . Mothers Day was open so I said ok, I will come up with something appropriate. I meant an ideal not an idea! Mother's Day is a special time to say thanks to the women in your life. It is the essence of who we are as women. And this is all in addition to the everyday problems like getting the bills paid and the laundry done. Ugh. Honestly, considering how touchy this subject is (women w/out kids, abusive moms, separated/divorced men who don't want to be, moms who've passed, etc), I'd focus on Womanhood. The average of the survey said their bishopric probably spends about $1 per sister for Mothers Day gifts. Ive taken as the Ward Music Chair person and conductor to pick hymns and have a couple special musical numbers, but does anyone have any ideas for a small token we could pass out to the men? For those in Europe, is Mothers Day celebrated to the same awful-gut-wrenching extent? Latter Day Arrangements is a sheet music resource for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Christians. We got a response from172 females and 51 males. Topical Guide, Assembly for Worship, Index to the Triple Combination, Assemble, Meetings in the Church, Handbook 2, 18, Speaking in Sacrament Meeting? youth.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, Is Sacrament Meeting a Top-of-the-Mountain Experience for You? ChurchofJesusChrist.org blog, Frequently Asked Questions, Music Callings, Appropriate Music for Church Meetings, Music Callings, Worship with Us, ComeUntoChrist.org, The Longest Sacrament Meeting, Ensign, September 2013, Idea List: Getting the Most Out of Sacrament Meeting, New Era, June 2007, Church Leaders Call for Better Observance of Sabbath Day, Church News, Learn Steps for Giving Better Sacrament Meeting Talks, Church News, First Presidency Letter: Testimonies in Fast and Testimony Meeting, Church News, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, chapter 6, Speaking in Sacrament Meeting, Media Library, Bearing Testimony in Sacrament Meeting, Media Library, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square App Icon, Teachings of Presidents: Joseph Fielding Smith Manual, 2014, Index to the Triple Combination, Assemble, Is Sacrament Meeting a Top-of-the-Mountain Experience for You?, Appropriate Music for Church Meetings,, Idea List: Getting the Most Out of Sacrament Meeting,, Church Leaders Call for Better Observance of Sabbath Day,, Learn Steps for Giving Better Sacrament Meeting Talks,, First Presidency Letter: Testimonies in Fast and Testimony Meeting,.
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