As I reflected on President HInckley, who was president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose funeral is Saturday, and his life, I thought of what I'd learned from him. I wanted to share these three quotes which are my favorites from President Gordan Bitner Hinckley. Each touched me in some way, and made me feel like I was doing ok, and that things are going to be ok, that Heavenly Father is in charge. So here they are:
"No other work reaches so close to divinity as does the nurturing of the sons and daughters of God." I found this quote during one of the many late night feeding sessions when we first brought Elise home. It was challenging to be upbeat when I felt so sleep deprived and it felt like my life was full of feeding, and changing diapers, and very little sleep. I really appreciated the perspective this thought helped me have, that even the mundane seeming nurturing is important. It helped me view the many times at night it seemed hard to get up yet again as bonding time with Elise, and important for getting me outside myself and help someone who needed me. I don't think I really understood how selfless parents are until I had a child of my own, how truly divine that job, since you need godlike qualities like patience, and faith that everything will be ok even if you don't feel like you know what you're really doing. I felt like just one calm, loving day or diaper at a time and that's what nurturing is. And family is the most important thing, even though there are other good things in life. It made me feel like I was spending my time doing the best thing I could possibly be doing, even if my house isn't the spotless all the time, and I'm not making millions of dollars, spending time with family, especially with Elise and Logan is the most important thing in this life.
"Great are our blessings. Tremendous is our responsibility. Let us get on our knees and plead with the Lord for direction. Then let us stand on our feet, square up our shoulders, and march forward without fear to enlarge among people everywhere the righteousness of the Lord." That reminded me of the little saying "pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you."
"People wonder what we do for our women. I tell you what we do: we get out of their way and look with wonder at what they are accomplishing." I loved this one, because it made me feel like even though my personal accomplishments may seem small, when added all together we are doing something big!
I am grateful for President Hinckley's example, and have learned a lot from him.
"No other work reaches so close to divinity as does the nurturing of the sons and daughters of God." I found this quote during one of the many late night feeding sessions when we first brought Elise home. It was challenging to be upbeat when I felt so sleep deprived and it felt like my life was full of feeding, and changing diapers, and very little sleep. I really appreciated the perspective this thought helped me have, that even the mundane seeming nurturing is important. It helped me view the many times at night it seemed hard to get up yet again as bonding time with Elise, and important for getting me outside myself and help someone who needed me. I don't think I really understood how selfless parents are until I had a child of my own, how truly divine that job, since you need godlike qualities like patience, and faith that everything will be ok even if you don't feel like you know what you're really doing. I felt like just one calm, loving day or diaper at a time and that's what nurturing is. And family is the most important thing, even though there are other good things in life. It made me feel like I was spending my time doing the best thing I could possibly be doing, even if my house isn't the spotless all the time, and I'm not making millions of dollars, spending time with family, especially with Elise and Logan is the most important thing in this life.
"Great are our blessings. Tremendous is our responsibility. Let us get on our knees and plead with the Lord for direction. Then let us stand on our feet, square up our shoulders, and march forward without fear to enlarge among people everywhere the righteousness of the Lord." That reminded me of the little saying "pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you."
"People wonder what we do for our women. I tell you what we do: we get out of their way and look with wonder at what they are accomplishing." I loved this one, because it made me feel like even though my personal accomplishments may seem small, when added all together we are doing something big!
I am grateful for President Hinckley's example, and have learned a lot from him.
1 comment:
I love President Hinckley! That last quote that you mentioned was especially special to me too. As a church that has sometimes been looked down on as "using" its women and not allowing them freedom, this quote really puts a much better perspective on it! We are a powerful people and a powerful group of women!
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