The worth of a Mother is...

for now and for always. Pass the torch.

~The Influence of Mothers ~ by Sheri Dew.

The subject of motherhood is a tender one that evokes some of our greatest joys and heartaches. This has been so from the beginning. Eve was "glad" after the Fall, realizing she otherwise would not have had children. And yet, imagine her anguish over Cain and Abel.

Some mothers experience pain because of their children; others feel pain because they don't have children; and yet others live with the nagging feeling that they could or should have done better with their children. As women, we can be hard on ourselves.

I have had the joy of working with women and their families on almost every continent. From one culture to another and I have seen exactly what he described: When mothers are strong, their children — regardless of the challenges they face — tend to be strong. When they're resilient and filled with faith, their children are likely to be resilient and filled with faith.

It was no doubt curious to those at the American Mothers Convention that an unmarried woman without children would be invited to address them. But I care deeply about motherhood precisely because of my life experience. The doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which I am a member, are clear: that the family is ordained of God and that there is no pursuit for a woman more ennobling than motherhood. Period.

My faith means everything to me. So as the years have marched by and my hopes and prayers for marriage and motherhood have as yet to be answered, I have wrestled with what motherhood means for all women.

Why do I feel deeply about mothers? Because I know exactly how it feels to NOT have the privilege of fulfilling the foundational aspect of a woman's divine nature–which is bearing and nurturing children. For a woman of faith, nothing fills the void of not having children. Nothing.

Truth #1: Motherhood is a sacred trust from God.
Truth #2: We tend to define motherhood as maternity, but the word "mother" has layers of meaning.
Truth #3: Mothers can do more than any others to cure the problems that exist in our society.
Truth #4: Satan is real, and he has declared war on women.

• The adversary understands full well that those who rock the cradle are strategically positioned to rock his diabolical empire. Thus, today his destructive myths about women and mothers abound. Here are just three:

• Myth #1: Men are more important and have all the power, so if women want to have influence they should be more like men.

• Myth #2: A woman's value is based solely on size and shape.

• Myth #3: The only worthwhile validation comes from outside the home, and thus, motherhood is a waste of any talented woman's time.
  

Truth #5: Mothers have more influence than they realize.

On this Mother's Day, I pay tribute to my mother and to the other "mothers" in my life whose collective influence has been life-altering. And I thank Heavenly Father for giving his daughters the most ennobling gift of all: the privilege of motherhood.