And My Response IS......

Yesterday I read an article featured on businessweek.com.  It was called, "God's MBA's."  The premise of the article was that several men that have served missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have gone on to be very successful leaders in the business world.  The article was mildly interesting, however, it did not prove to be the most interesting part of this experience. 

 I decided to check the comments after the article.  This is generally a bad idea, yet I went against my better judgment and read several pages of personal commentary.  Most of the comments were all things that I had read before, including the one that I am about to talk about.  However this specific comment made my heart race, and after a day of quiet contemplation, I am ready to write my response.  On my own blog!  (My niece is starting a blog!  She is worried that people wont like it.  I told her,  "Addie, that is the great thing about a blog.  You write to NOBODY and NOBODY has to respond!") Back to the subject at hand….

The Comment:

 "I find it interesting that there are no Mormon women cited in this article."

My Response:

To that I say, You are wrong.

There is only a feature, an article, a story, because a mother took the time to nurture a child and a wife continued in the cause.  Speaking as a mother, I guarantee that the joy would have been somewhat diminished to have seen my own face on the cover, and not that of my child.

It must feel good to see your name displayed in lights or on the cover that millions will read.

To run or produce a company that crawls through the world with success and fame.  Buildings and Bank accounts untold. 

But to see a child, your child,  with integrity in his heart, and dignity guiding his actions, is true success. 

To see One that you nurtured become a CEO or President and, even greater , respectable enough to bear the name of "father" well...no amount of worldly lights or glittering words could ever compare. 

The only thing that this short-sighted feminist movement has done, is to foolishly convince us that trading lasting joy for a mess of pottage would be a "purposeful" life. 

Perhaps we could all take a lesson from David of old.  Most would say that his reign as king was BRILLIANT!  He united all tribes into a nation resting on a religious foundation, all the while securing the "undisputed possession of the country."  Yet as brilliant and as famous as he was, his family affairs were a MESS!  And in agony he cried out, "Have mercy upon me, O God!" 

In the end, David may have been a great warrior and a fabulous king.  However, everything enduring and eternal was in shambles.  How your family feels about you when you leave this mortal life, will be your greatest heartache or your greatest comfort. 

Sometimes I think....

Sometimes I think that Ally needs a sister.  This morning I overhear this conversation.  "Gary I am going to do your hair this morning."  Okay.  "We are going to do a mohawk!"  No Ally!  "Come on Gary!"  NO ALLY!  JESUS DOESN'T LIKE MOHAWKS!"  I am not sure where that came from, but it works for me.  I love my job!

It's the Little Things!

One time my mom told me about an experience that has changed my life.  She told me of a conversation that she and my dad had while they were engaged.  Although she didn't tell me where they were when it happened, I imagine them sitting in a car in front of a 7-11, perhaps just grabbing a treat for the drive, with the world bustling around them, yet having a life defining moment, acting like nobody else exists.  Only the type of conversation you can have when you are engaged. 
So, in her words, as I remember them, "When your dad and I were engaged, we had a talk.  We decided that in our house, we were always going to be obedient to the small things that the Prophets had said...no face cards,, fake swear words, caffeine drinks...It made sense to us that if we took care of the small things, the big obedience crisis would never come." 
Well, that makes sense to me too.  In Relief Society yesterday, the lesson was on obedience.  The manual contained two questions that I have been thinking about for the past 24 hours.  First, "Why are you obedient?"  I don't know if my answer is RIGHT, but if I am truthful, it is my answer.  GOD KNOWS BEST!  I have a testimony that he has provided the SAFEST and SUREST path to happiness through obedience to his commandments.  I just read a scripture this morning that really RINGS TRUE with me....."For ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity."  I think in our heart of hearts, we know that WICKEDNESS NEVER WAS HAPPINESS.   
The other question that has weighed on my mind was, "When have you received blessings as a result from your obedience to commandments that seemed small."  By the time I was through thinking about this, I realized that the Lord's blessings far outweigh our efforts.  I would like to share two things I thought of. 
#1 - A couple of years ago, President Eyering talked to us about journals and recording daily our thoughts and spiritual experiences.  I have tried to do that.  The blessings are COOL.  I now have volumes of thoughts that I want my kids to know.  Not only that, my sense of memory has heightened.  When  I write things down, I remember them.  To top that off, I can make connections!  When I hear or see something important, it REMINDS ME of something that I had already heard, seen, or experinced.  It deepens my testimony and adds layers to my life. 
#2 - Around the time I married Jared, I listened to a talk by Sherri L. Dew.  I really don't remember anything that she said specifically, however I remember her talking about the importance of General Conference.  Since that time, I have tried really hard to study and absorb all that I could from each 6 month conference.  It has literally changed my life.  I LOVE GENERAL CONFERENCE. 
The list goes on, and so does my testimony.  It is the SMALL THINGS, that make  the difference, and that makes sense to me.