May 4th Lesson Overview

Mother's Day Presentation

by Kelsey Livingston 

Welcome to Relief Society

Keep Trying. Be Believing. Be Happy. 

Don't Get Discouraged. Everything

Will Work Out -Gordon B. Hinkley

Honoring Women

• Not here to honor motherhood as much as to honor the pain we feel surrounding Mother's Day.
• Anyone can say Happy Mother's Day.
• Who ask's, "Why is it painful?"
• Who says, " I am sorry; It's hard for me too."

For Whom is Mother's Day Hard?

The " Outside Category"

• Those who are unmarried
• Those with no children 
• are infertile
• whose children have died
• Adoptees
• Adopted out
• Career choices
• Feel judged for being childless

For Whom is Mother's Day Hard?

The "Inside Category"

• Children are estranged / mothers are estranged
• Divorce / widower
• Mothers who feel inadequate
• Some feel like natural nurturers
• Feel inadequate compared to church contemporaries
• Not all women find happiness in motherhood

Quit Beating Yourself Up

• If we compare ourselves to other Mormon women walking the halls of the church building, Satan has destined us for feelings of anguish and failure
• God does not judge or compare us against anyone else. He compares us against our own potential given the current circumstances in which we live.

Celebrate Nurturing

• To nurture: To cultivate, care for , make grow
• All women have a nurturing quality that they bless the world with, whether or not they impart that with their own offspring.
• Sheri Dew: " Women are the regenerating force in the lives of God's children."

Elder John A. Widtsoe

• "Women who through no fault of their own cannot exercise the gift of motherhood directly, may do so vicariously."
• All around us are those who need to be loved and led 
• The blessings of Church Callings

To the right is Kelsey's Very First Calling.....

"What we celebrate about mothers is much more than a biological link. It's the desire to connect with others, to love and help other people. It's caring that helps a women enrich the lives of people around them"

Mother's Day Gift

• Flowers and chocolates are nice but...
• Forgive - Self and others
• Forgive yourself, Because when your feel guilt, sorrow and pain, your Heavenly Parents feel it too.

Try for a moment to see

 ourselves as God sees us - 

as loved children, regardless of our age

To the right is a picture of Kelsey and her Mom. 

I believe taken at her Mom and Dads 60th Wedding Anniversary this year. 

You are truly a royal spirit daughter of almighty 

God. You are a princess, destined to become a queen. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your " once upon a time" is now. 

                                                -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

presented by  Jackie Burnett