When He instituted the sacrament, Jesus Christ said, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. #109 Rayloved the roller coaster quote on motherhood. If you want to deal in rose-colored platitudes, you are probably gunning for the high council, so save it until then. In return, the Lord renews the promised remission of sin and enables Church members to always have his Spirit to be with them (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77). But guess what?! I am infertile, though I now have three children through adoption. We were each handed full size chocolate bars that had been wrapped at the end of Sac Mtng. Im sorry too for the harshness In my expression in a previous thread regarding your views of sacrament meeting. I have suggested the donate-money-to-the-shelter thing for about four years now; it gets a blank stare, followed by a startled, oh! Nuts. I dont like the sappy talks about the perfect mothers. How can a father raise a happy, well-adjusted daughter in todays increasingly toxic world? I would be all for that. Yeah, it would be pretty late to be thinking about music now. Im not going tomorrow. What does it mean when we want to remove motherhood from Mother's Day? Usually chocolate, a plant or flower. Christian churchs teach that you are inherently bad, that it is not entirely your fault and that Christ has already saved you and after He gets around to telling you (if He hasnt already) that you forgiven and are His, you will do nonspecific good things he directs because you will naturally want to do them. 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. Speakers arent assigned to talk on mothers day, there is no gift, no refreshments, no day off from primary. It was part of the talk. lesson about prayer. Well give you an honest deal! I remember my dad saying it was one of the most powerful and real talks hed ever heard in a Mormon church meeting. Im sure that attendance in RS would be higher on that day though. I am aware of a seminary/institute teacher who is apparently of the firm and unshakeable belief that a pile of pizza must be provided each week without fail. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/wanted-hands-and-hearts-to-hasten-the-work?lang=eng. I also really like Kristenes suggestion and everything like unto it as EOR suggested. Alece, its usually when the admins sense that the conversation is no longer productive, or when we dont have time or patience to keep monitoring the thread. On this site you will find a variety of arrangements for ward choirs, solo piano, vocal duets and more. Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Environmental Stewardship and Conservation, Joseph Smiths Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women, Peace and Violence among 19th-Century Latter-day Saints, The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage, Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham. Weve had sermons based on bumper stickers, Willy Wonka, the Grinch, and quite possibly Chicken Soup for the Soul, etc. What are we trying to create? Some women think that you dont talk enough about mothers while other people think you talk too much about them. "The ordinance of the sacrament," taught then Elder Dallin H. Oaks in 2008, "makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church." 21 Accordingly, in 2015, Church leaders called for a renewed emphasis on Sabbath worship centered on partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Can I suggest NOT sending the youth out hunting all women? Last year, I did an arrangement of "I Often Go Walking" for the Primary children and our ward choir to perform together. However, the restored gospel is true and is a steady guide for us in nagivating the oftimes foggy seas of life. The rest of us mortals should stick with real.. My husband told me to stop focusing on myself and think about who mothered me instead. This is something better done away with. 1) Peanut butter sandwiches served with a smile tastes much better than the fanciest meal served with a side of stress. And this is all in addition to the everyday problems like getting the bills paid and the laundry done. XD. I remember something I was told many years ago by a young man in Provo, UT. I hope Sunday goes well for you. MD is a day I prefer to play hookey, especially now that my mother is currently lost in alzheimers disease. This year in my ward the emphasis was shifted slightly from being a mother to our mothers. If you want to hear from real women who haveread scriptures andheld FHEand family prayer, but whose son is in jail or whose 16-year-old daughter is pregnant or whose husband has left her, then you should meet in the cultural hall. Theyre all very good, and not being critical, but Hallmark w/ scripture would seem to be one way to describe the style of Pres. When I was bishop, my bishopric would always serve pie during the third hour and Id invite my mom to attend. Talking to other grownups while nice doesnt belong in 3rd hour. Rockpond, is this separate from a Primary Program? I find women in general to be compassionate and sensitive to other people and a joy to be around. You can still give the women the day off. This ordinance is an essential part of worship and spiritual development. I've done this in past years but always enjoy the new ideas from the participants here As I plan our Mother's Day Sacrament Meeting, what have been your favorite talk topics for Mother's Day? She used several stories from the NT about Christ & his mother Mary to illustrate principles that we can all use to improve our relationships with others. THE major Mothers Day talk in Sacrament Meeting in our ward this week, I have forwarded all of this discussion on to him! The other auxiliaries are free to do something, its just the bishopric that doesnt. Every week they strive to prepare for that sacred ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit (see 3Nephi 9:20). 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. To all of you giving talks, good luck on navigating the mine fields! I mean big ol gnarly wretch. My Mother will one day reach the godstage with my Father and will have there own planet. No, an inclusive talk will be about current and eternal womanhood, one part of which may including being a biological mother in mortal life. Not all women can become real mothers. Home & Family. Please Please Please! Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. One of my talks I focused on Moses and the 5 women at the beginning of his life and the different roles they played: Shiphrah & Puah, the midwives who saved his and countless other Hebrew boys lives, Jochebed his birthmother and what it must have taken to put him in the basket and shut the lid (shes a stronger woman than I am! No talk is necessary, but a simple acknowledgement of our love for all the women in our lives is nice. This blog post is the result of my musing. Measure your words with that assumption in mind. Avoid speaking of angel mothers. 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 believe he has mellowed and gained wisdom over the years and was a part of a later bishopric. Dont twist the knife; let them come to you if they want it. Not within an hour of reading this post did I get a call from a member of our bishopric asking me to speak on Sunday. Why do *we* have to have an ideal? But shes never experienced the horrors I have where the local ward nut case talks about how his wife isnt putting out thanks to menopause. May your prayers be answered and your hopes and dreams become realities.. A new Mother's Day song for Mormons - Religion News Service It is based only partially on a professional clergy with access to time-proven messages and more likely on fundamental theological differences. 1 Dead, 1 Injured in Shooting During LDS Sacrament Meeting in Nevada. LDS Hymn Arrangements - Latter Day Arrangements Trust her. Uchtdorf, but you have to admit he gets pretty Hallmark(y) sometimes. As far as Jesus is concerned, he was sinless so is able to stand as an ideal. I am a single (divorced) old man with no children. #37 Now that you mention it, Uchtdorf is pretty Hallmarky. Too often folks with food allergies, diabetes, and similar challenges are left feeling like second class saints in our food-laden church culture. Aim at earth and you get neither. Feel free to disagree with Lewis as well, but I feel like Im in pretty good company at this moment! My grandmother is my ideal of both a woman and a mother, but she was married to an alcoholic so I understand if she is not the ideal for others. For sacrament meeting, we can give the men a sternly worded warning about the danger of tehpernogriffiez. Well, counselor x/counselor y is in charge of May, I dont know what hes doing for sure . Personally, I like cookies. We are confabbing about how to turn the tables on Hallmark. Mark, very good advice IMO. You can still give the women the day off. From all accounts, her talk was very well received. But Ive also read this: 40 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. In partaking of the sacrament and making these commitments, Church members renew the covenant they made at baptism (see Mosiah 18:810; Doctrine and Covenants 20:37). For years the tradition in my ward was a simple gift for all sisters 18 and older. It spoke to the special importance of mothers to their children, but also made clear that as with other mistakes, the effects of mothers failings can absolutely be healed by the Atonement. Sabbath Day Scriptures Scripture References Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-12 Scripture Study Resources Topical Guide, "Assembly for Worship" Have You Discovered the Love of The Everyday Christ? I figure maybe in the next life I will be someones Heavenly Mother. 10 years after my first child was born, I still detest Mothers Day. There are diabetic men, arent there? Ancient Romans and Greeks would celebrate Cybele / Rhea, the mother of the Gods with festivals in the spring time. I have attended other Christian churches enough to realize why it is much less likely that they have painful mothers day talks. It was designed with ward choirs and Sacrament Meeting musical numbers in mind. But alas, Mother's Day 11 years ago will forever be known as the day I landed face down on the floor of the chapel, on top of my 3-year-old, in the middle of sacrament meeting, with my skirt flung over my head. Beautiful. Families are good about this but public acknowledgement is hard to come by. It hurts. I love her and think she did a great job with the limited resources she had. Part of this ordinance is a promise to remember Him always and a witness of individual willingness to take upon oneself the name of Jesus Christ and to keep His commandments. She has your best interests at heart. Mother's Day Sacrament Mtg - Mormon Dialogue & Discussion Board 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. He also shares ways a mother can become the first line of defense against the wiles of the world., RELATED: 30 Inspiring LDS Quotes About Mothers & Motherhood. It is the essence of who we are as women. Id like to see the swords beaten into plow shares this mothers day And for once ( just once) the SAHM vs working mom verbal cat claws retracted. 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. My mom still to this day says it was the best Mothers Day talk ever. Mother's Day: My talk | Times & Seasons I too am irritated by mother-worshipping in MD talks, but at the same time, I think many Mormon women identify so strongly with being a mother and so many have sacrificed just about everything to focus on that specific role, that they really appreciate a little validation, a little boost of confidence that what theyre doing is significant and has meaning. He also addressed many different groups of women separately with distinct advice for their situation, including women with small children, older women, and women who never marry. Does this mean that finally..a talk could be about our Heavenly Mothers? I only wish my daughter could come in for graduation I am sure we would skip church together that morning! End of rant. Personally, I go to church to learn about Jesus and Christ like attributes. Latter-day Saint Life. Then the clincher, it is only for women to celebrate and they need to be left alone to celebrate it as they demand and see fit. 34 Ideas for LDS Sacrament Meeting Talks When People Don't Apologize: Forgiving and finding reconciliation with God Would borrow from Forgiveness + Tribulation, a talk I gave fall 2019. I found out the hard way after a long list of them declined to give the talk. I agree with the chocolate, lack of talks, and the third hour refreshments! By Elder Perry uses personal stories and memories of his own mother to illustrate the importance of teaching the gospel inside the home. Id really love to see the fathers acknowledged on Fathers Day. Alma 56:47-48. He discussed the tendency of many women to feel like failures and shared ways to overcome it. Even now, 4 years after her passing, I miss her. Nourishing both body and souls.Just my humble opinion. Thanks. What to Expect at Latter-day Saint Church Services Gospel Q&A: How Can I Find and Foster Celestial Love? I personally am skeptical of ever looking to people for ideals. Nourishing their souls instead of feeding their bodies? Mothers day will likely be about Gods unconditional love for us and how it pains Him to see us struggle And how even mothers cannot quite reach that level of love, but we understand the concept because most of us love our children in much the same way (but n, Focus your talk on how much we ALL need Jesus (even mothers) because we are all sinners (read the Bible It tells us so). Why is that or is that just in my ward? Through this ordinance, Church members renew the covenants they made with God when they were baptized. Best Mother's Day Topics, Scriptures, Conference Talks, Etc. Primary kids sang Im so glad when Mommy comes home refreshing change. My Sacrament Meeting Prayer - Rational Faiths | Mormon Blog So far, so good. Or any talk. Check out our selection of LDS church programs for baptisms, church activities, and sacrament meetings. So Im on for Mothers Day and have been assigned Julie Becks talk on the history of Relief Society as topic. I think its good to have something to air at! rockpond Identifying ideals is somehow so treacherous for the psyches of women that that must never be mentioned? She was not worthy of any review from me. Were here to help! I cant remember the last time I heard a bad sacrament meeting talk, period. LDS Hymn Arrangements. No fuss, no muss. Really? I issue a challenge to top this worst Mothers Day sacrament meeting talk. I want to hear about the mother who lost all her children, because she made a lot of mistakes. More often than not, his assumption is correct. Sometimes its good, sometimes its bad. Ere the sun goes down. They really did. Index to the Triple Combination, Sacrament, Jesus Christ Teaches about the Sacrament and Prayer, AaronL. West, Little Children and the Sacrament, Ensign, October 2016, Line upon Line: Matthew 26:2628, New Era, October 2016, Questions & Answers: What am I supposed to think about during the sacrament? New Era, June 2014, Renewing Covenants through the Sacrament, Ensign, June 2010, Marilynne Linford, Questions and Answers about the Sacrament, Friend, March 2008, Laurel Rohlfing, Remember Jesus Christ during the Sacrament, Ensign, June 2007, Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part1: Loss and Christian Reformations), Ensign, January 1992, Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part2: A New and Ancient Covenant), Ensign, February 1992, Pat Graham, Sharing Time: Be Grateful for the Sacrament, Friend, November 1987, JohnS. Tanner, Reflections on the Sacrament Prayers, Ensign, April 1986, June 1016: Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22; John 18, Come, Follow MeFor Individuals and Families: New Testament 2019, Viewpoint: The Sacred Ordinance of the Sacrament, Church News, Young Men, Teach about the Sacrament, Brother Beck Says, Church News, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, chapter6, Come, Follow MeFor Primary: New Testament 2019, The Sacrament Helps Me Think about Jesus Christ, Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual, lesson27, Jesus Christ Instituted the Sacrament, Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel Teacher Manual, lesson15, Sacrament, Lesson Helps for Teaching Children, As Now We Take the Sacrament, Hymns, no.169, The Sacrament, Childrens Songbook, 72, Before I Take the Sacrament, Childrens Songbook, 73, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square App Icon, Teachings of Presidents: Joseph Fielding Smith Manual, 2014, Primary Nursery Manual: Behold Your Little Ones, Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel Course (Religion 250), Children's Songbook, English, Hard Cover, Spiral. Maybe we should do it eucharistic-like so I dont have to feel guilty? Ere the sun goes down. I am actually traveling with my mother and other members of the family this weekend and showed her this in church to get a laugh. According to our teachings, Jesus the Messiah wasnt just sinless, He was God. But as for now no praise deserved but the praze to the heavenly Father. I just dont like when they push the plant on me after Ive politely declined it. Dont take us out of Primary to go eat Treats! Finally, Elder Holland offers his thanks to mothers around the world. On the night before His Crucifixion, Jesus Christ met with His Apostles and instituted the sacrament (see Luke 22:1920). 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. Geesh! We are an outlandishly weird, mixed up bunch of folk. Not at church anyway. Find another way to show appreciation to Mothers! Mormon women are harder on themselves than any other group of ladies I have associated with. Give the gift of time. . Should we have days for every type of individual? Elder Ballard lists three ways mothers can do that; first, is realizing joy comes in moments, second is to not overschedule children, and third, to find time to cultivate talents and interests.. I explained that I was not calling any men to speak, due to their tendency to give perfect mother talks, and felt they could do a better job giving an honest uplifting talk that could be of benefit to the mothers in the congregation. We were utterly gobsmacked. You can also subscribe without commenting. I cant quite get them right and they would certainly be expunged by the moderators anyway. Im asking this out of genuine curiosity/responsibility for handing stuff out. Latter-day Saints in a contemporary congregation partake of the sacrament. I do think a lot of Mormon women enjoy talks that validate their efforts at motherhood, and I think some of these talks get interpreted as angel mother talks when theyre really not. I like the idea of a simple gift for those in attendance. Well, count me among the lucky ones who are speaking this coming Sunday. This is the same reason we do not have missionary farewells any longer. Which also makes me wonder about why we Americans dont recognize International Womens Day. I did this for five years and the sisters seemed to enjoy sitting, chatting, and not having a child demanding a bit of their pie. So be kind to her. President Hinckley directly addresses mothers in this talk, commending them for the wonderful thing they have done by becoming mothers, but offering insights on their greatest challenge: to be able to answer the question How well have my children done? with happiness. American LDS women who attended Sacrament Meeting were told that they have a lot of innate qualities, such as being righteous, spiritual, pure, or nurturing. After the explanation, both seemed excited and accepted the challenge willingly. More importantly, what impact does this conscious attempt to devalue motherhood within our community have on the future of the family? It was a one day break from the 40 day Lent cycle to give a feast in honor of Mom with cakes and flowers and her grown children visiting from afar. Daughters of God Support Epic Family Fun! Nothing, wakes people up in sacrament meeting like talking about chimpanzees dismembering each other. With a purpose firm and willing, Or should we just not celebrate anything or any role that a person may fulfill in life? This past Mother's Day we arrived late to sacrament meeting due to a cobbling mishap in the morning. He also discussed the importance of placing motherhood first in our lives but not allowing the pressures of motherhood to sap us of joy. The talks are mostly bearable (though no picnic), but the worst is when the youth would spread out in search of women who were not holding whatever flower or chocolate. The Puritans werent big on celebrations, so they dropped it when they colonized Massachussetts. I accidently hit the quote button and so nothing is there..you guys can fill in the blank.. My wife and I will be on an Alaska Cruise. Being Mother's Day, that meant the soft seats up front were filled with grandmothers and other maternal figures visiting for the weekend, which meant latecomers like the Lemons got metal seats in the back this week. The Problem with Mother's Day Gifts at Church - LDS Living Alece, I also love CS Lewis, and agree that we should look to higher ground in our mortal journey. I didnt enjoy Mothers Day during my years of infertility, but Ive been surprised that I enjoy it even less now that I have children. She worked during the day and took classes at night, and created a home for her children where they knew love. Snickers. Not necessarily mothersjust women. At my ward the angel mothers were to aspire to. The sacrament provides an opportunity for Church members to ponder and remember with gratitude the life, ministry, and Atonement of the Son of God. Maybe, eventually, I will heal and that will change. Diabetic others, for example. Her mother didnt come across as being perfect, but rather imperfect but faithfully trying, and her simple persistent efforts turned out to be eternally valuable. I dont go to be honored or get a gift. Thank you for writing this blog post. But one thing is for sure, Ill be drawing on much of this. I wont be attending this Sunday either, but as always will honor my own mother by being the best mother I can be to my hurting children. I have nine children, eight grown, am temple divorced and remarried to a nomo. Until I see a longer lasting cease fire, Im staying home MD (with my mother and daughters). No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child.. Most seemed to realize bishoprics are trying and they appreciate any effort. The first speaker was my favorite. What does this mean about women? The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. Excellent suggestions, Mark. Mothers Day is celebrated, and increasingly commercialized, but my impression of the local situation is that ones obligation to honor ones mother is largely discharged at home. 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.