Motherhood and the gospel

As it's Mother's Day, I would like to write a little about this topic.

First of all, it's fair to say that mothers don't get the notice or acclaim that they deserve in many places and perhaps that includes the scriptures. However, there are a few impressive stories that do involve mothers and show how vital they are in this world. Here's two:

1 Samuel 1:

2And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had ^ano children.

3And this man went up out of his city ^ayearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in ^bShiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

4¶And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.

6And her adversary also ^aprovoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.

7And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the ^ahouseof the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? amnot I better to thee than ten sons?

9¶So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a ^aseat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

10And she was in ^abitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

11And she ^avowed a ^bvow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine ^chandmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no ^drazor come upon his head.

12And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli ^amarked her mouth.

13Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have ^apoured out my soul before the Lord.

16Count not thine handmaid for a ^adaughter of ^bBelial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19¶And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to^aRamah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord^bremembered her.

20Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a ^ason, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

21And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the ^ayearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever.

The Lord honored Hannah's wishes and gave her what she desired. The Lord is no respecter of persons and does not answer a man's prayer better or more quickly than a woman's prayer.

Second, the stripling warriors noted that they were taught by their mothers to not doubt. I find it fascinating that they clearly had faithful fathers (the men covenanted not to fight in wars anymore) and some of those men died rather than fight against another Lamanite. They had incredible faith. However, the Stripling Warriors mentioned the following just before saying that they were ready to go into battle. This from Alma 56:

47Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the ^aliberty of their ^bfathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their ^cmothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

48And they rehearsed unto me the words of their ^amothers, saying: We ^bdo not doubt our mothers knew it.

While the Stripling Warriors clearly had faithful fathers, they emphasize the roles their mothers had in developing their faith. In fact, the Stripling warriors could not doubt the truthfulness of the gospel because of the great faith their mothers had and clearly expressed. Then, after this battle in which no warrior died, the Stripling Warriors had great faith of their own. (Oftentimes our first steps of faith only happen because of the great faith of those we try to follow.)

It's more clear in my mind today than it was previously why the 12 often counsel women to be mothers in the home if at all possible. Even if there's faithful fathers, mothers often have the greatest impact. They did in the case of the Stripling Warriors.

I'm grateful for my faithful wife. She, along with the gospel, is the best thing that's happened to me. I love you beautiful.

Have a good week.