Thank You Elder Oaks

Every six months the LDS church has a General Conference during which the prophet, apostles and other church leaders address the members worldwide. It always amazes me that during every conference there always happens to be a talk that specifically addresses one of my worries, questions or concerns. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised though, because the messages come from God and He knows exactly what I am struggling with. This conference I really appreciated Elder Dallin H. Oaks talk on service, specifically these two paragraphs in which he mentioned the sacrifice mothers and fathers make in order to have children. He said,

A familiar example of losing ourselves in the service of others—this one not unique to Latter-day Saints—is the sacrifice parents make for their children. Mothers suffer pain and loss of personal priorities and comforts to bear and rear each child. Fathers adjust their lives and priorities to support a family. The gap between those who are and those who are not willing to do this is widening in today’s world. One of our family members recently overheard a young couple on an airline flight explaining that they chose to have a dog instead of children. “Dogs are less trouble,” they declared. “Dogs don’t talk back, and we never have to ground them.”

We rejoice that so many Latter-day Saint couples are among that unselfish group who are willing to surrender their personal priorities and serve the Lord by bearing and rearing the children our Heavenly Father sends to their care. We also rejoice in those who care for disabled family members and aged parents. None of this service asks, what’s in it for me? All of it requires setting aside personal convenience for unselfish service. All of it stands in contrast to the fame, fortune, and other immediate gratification that are the worldly ways of so many in our day.

I feet like this little tidbit of truth was for me. It was such a beautiful reminder to me that what I am doing as a mother IS a sacrifice and that God realizes that it is a sacrifice and that He is blessing me for it. I realize that the reason I am are here on this earth is not to gratify my own desires but to build up the kingdom of God on the earth-- I really have no other purpose, everything else is just distraction. I know that my job as a mother is essential to the building of God's kingdom on the earth and that there is no one else in the whole world who can do my job. This has been a comforting thought to me as I've changed poopy diapers, vacuumed the carpet 30 times a day because someone likes to dump food all over it, and have been snuggling a sick boy for the past few days. I realize that even though the world may not recognize what I am doing, God does and He knows that it is my personal sacrifice and contribution to His kingdom. So thank you Elder Oaks, I needed your talk.