There are a lot of reasons why I love my mom: she loves movies like "Babe," and we both cried at the new "Charlotte's Web"; she's still following the Jazz closely even though I've moved away and we talk about the Jazz when she calls; she's saved the program from every performance I've done since junior high; she loves to find any excuse to go to "The Mandarin" (one of the best Chinese restaurants around, conveniently located in Bountiful). But the thing I love most about her is her unshakable faith in the Savior. She is a great example of someone who lives her life according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I owe everything that I am to the and lifestyle she passed on to me.
I went to a baptism yesterday for Dore, a freshman at the U of M who is a music student like me. This was actually the third baptism our ward has had in the last two months, and all three people are female students around 20 years old (or so I would guess). They have all been great additions to the ward with their strong testimonies and active participation in church services. All three of them were present at the baptism yesterday, and as I listened to the speakers I scanned the room and looked at Dore, Wei, and Mackenzie, I thought about my mom.
My mom also joined the church when she was in college, and like my new friends in the ward, she had no other family members who were part of the church. At the time she was baptized, it may have seemed like a relatively small thing for a lone 20-something girl to decide to join the church, yet it is by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. Flash forward to the present, and that lone girl is a mother to four children and a grandmother to ten (well, nine right now, but it will be ten really, really soon) who are all strong members of the church.
Generations of faith - Mom and Dad + 9 grandkids at YellowstoneI love you, Mom. Have a great birthday.
3 comments:
Wow, what a tribute! She is wonderful, isn't she. Glad that she is my sister. Thanks for writing so well about her.
Congratulations on the part in the opera. Wish it were just a little closer and I would come (and drag Rulon with me).
Happy Birthday Mrs. Tanner! And my second thought was, Brian have you asked any of these three young ladies out? Is there one that's fun and likes Tai food? Can one be converted to the Jazz?
Also, congrats to Deron Williams for winning the skills contest.
Boy, you sure know how to make a mom cry! Your words were so meaningful and joyful for me. They were one of the best gifts I have ever received. Thank you, Brian!
I have wanted to write before now, but time has not allowed such an “indulgent” activity. But, I have been thinking a lot about the circumstances of my decision to join the Church and how it relates to your three friends. It does sometimes seem like a small decision, maybe because it was so long ago, but maybe because it was such a “no-brainer.” I was truly directed, my heart was prepared, and the truth struck a chord that resonated so completely that it consumed me and filled my soul with so much light and joy that I could not give it up- even if it did mean that I had to leave my family and friends. It was scary and it was lonely, but it was right. There were times when I questioned whether I had done the right thing and there were times when others tried to convince me that I had made the biggest mistake of my life and that the Church was not true. It was then that I had to rely on the memories of the feelings I had when I knew without a doubt that the Church was true and the feelings I continued to have through the whisperings of the Spirit. Remembering feelings such as these will help your friends, as well.
I learned something at the very beginning that helped me during times of discouragement and testing. It has to do with focusing on that which is most important. So, my words of advice to your three convert friends- future wives, mothers, and even grandmothers (imagine that!)- centers on that which will keep them strong and safe. It is a simple formula that is repeated each week as we partake of the Sacrament. It is that we must always remember our Savior Jesus Christ and keep his commandments that he has given us. If we do, we have the promise that we may always have his Spirit to be with us. With the guidance of the Spirit, we will be prompted to make correct decisions that will influence our lives for good and keep us safe. If we do not always remember our Savior and keep his commandments, we have no promise and Satan can lead us astray, whether we are new members of the Church or we have been members for a long time or all of our lives.
Focusing on these things has always blessed my life. It will bless their lives, as well. I have been guided in so many ways and I can truly say that all the greatest blessings in my life have come from the decision to embrace the truth of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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