Mother's Day Talk Ideas/Suggestions

[anatess2]

Hi guys -

I just got assigned to give the closing talk next Sunday.  The counselor advised me to be cognizant of women who don't have children or single women and make sure they are also included in the talk on Mothers.

I feel a bit... not sure of the word I'm looking for <unqualified? too small?> for the task as I've never given a closing talk before and the person speaking before me is the previous bishop of the ward who is super awesome at giving talks.  I feel  have to make this talk the best talk I've ever given in my life.

I've been pondering the topic and reading the talks the counselor gave me for ideas and so far I've come up with...

1.)  Juxtapose Priesthood and Motherhood.  All men are called to be Priests, all women are called to be Mothers.  Just like the Priesthood doesn't have to require that a person have their own children, the call to Motherhood also doesn't require that a person have their own children.  Eve was called the Mother of all creation before she even ate the apple that made it possible for her to have offspring.  "Adam and Eve were joined together in marriage for time and for all eternity by the power of that everlasting priesthood (Gen. 2:24–25; Moses 3:25; Abr. 5:18–19). Eve came as a partner, to build and to organize the bodies of mortal men. She was designed by Deity to cocreate and nurture life, that the great plan of the Father might achieve fruition. Eve “was the mother of all living” (Moses 4:26)".

2.)  What is Motherhood?  Who are we mothers to?  " The spiritual rewards of motherhood are available to all women. Nurturing the young, comforting the frightened, protecting the vulnerable, teaching and giving encouragement need not—and should not—be limited to our own children."

3.)  Motherhood is something we develop.  Some women have a natural ease and talent in their ability to perform the duties of Motherhood.  Other women have to struggle with it.  And still other women do not feel they are cut out for it.  “Men are, that they might have joy (2 Ne. 2:25). One of the means by which true joy is realized: rendering selfless service of worth to others."

That's all I have so far.  I was thinking about mentioning today's society having a lot of confusion on gender roles that is undergoing a large upheaval but that one gender role is certain and eternal - That men are to be Priests (to which Fatherhood is tied to) and women are to be Mothers.  But I'm not sure if this is too controversial for the pulpit.

I would be so grateful if you can give me some more ideas  and suggestions and warnings, etc.

 

Edited May 8, 2017 by anatess2

[anatess2]

I was praying about this topic and for some reason, my chickens came to my mind... so, I'm thinking I might open the talk with a story about my chickens.  I have 5 hens, currently, and they are providing us with eggs for our breakfast table.  My kid came home from my friend's farm with 3 fertilized eggs.  So, he put it in the chicken coop and my hens took care of the eggs.  The funny thing is they're not the same type of chicken - my 5 hens are all silkies and the 3 eggs are modern game bantams.  But that didn't seem to matter.  The hens took care of the chicks as if it were their own.  Meanwhile, in my friend's farm,  we observe her hens and the rooster who fertilized the eggs.  The hens all raise the chicks while the rooster do perimeter runs everyday chasing off everyone from tiny squirrels to big dogs.  This is an instinctive behavior in chickens that we can relate to our common natural instincts as humans.

Is that any good?

[Rob Osborn]

10 minutes ago, anatess2 said:

Hi guys -

I just got assigned to give the closing talk next Sunday.  The counselor advised me to be cognizant of women who don't have children or single women and make sure they are also included in the talk on Mothers.

I feel a bit... not sure of the word I'm looking for <unqualified? too small?> for the task as I've never given a closing talk before and the person speaking before me is the previous bishop of the ward who is super awesome at giving talks.  I feel  have to make this talk the best talk I've ever given in my life.

I've been pondering the topic and reading the talks the counselor gave me for ideas and so far I've come up with...

1.)  Juxtapose Priesthood and Motherhood.  All men are called to be Priests, all women are called to be Mothers.  Just like the Priesthood doesn't have to require that a person have their own children, the call to Motherhood also doesn't require that a person have their own children.  Eve was called the Mother of all creation before she even ate the apple that made it possible for her to have offspring.  "Adam and Eve were joined together in marriage for time and for all eternity by the power of that everlasting priesthood (Gen. 2:24–25; Moses 3:25; Abr. 5:18–19). Eve came as a partner, to build and to organize the bodies of mortal men. She was designed by Deity to cocreate and nurture life, that the great plan of the Father might achieve fruition. Eve “was the mother of all living” (Moses 4:26)".

2.)  What is Motherhood?  Who are we mothers to?  " The spiritual rewards of motherhood are available to all women. Nurturing the young, comforting the frightened, protecting the vulnerable, teaching and giving encouragement need not—and should not—be limited to our own children."

3.)  Motherhood is something we develop.  Some women have a natural ease and talent in their ability to perform the duties of Motherhood.  Other women have to struggle with it.  And still other women do not feel they are cut out for it.  “Men are, that they might have joy (2 Ne. 2:25). One of the means by which true joy is realized: rendering selfless service of worth to others."

That's all I have so far.  I was thinking about mentioning today's society having a lot of confusion on gender roles that is undergoing a large upheaval but that one gender role is certain and eternal - That men are to be Priests (to which Fatherhood is tied to) and women are to be Mothers.  But I'm not sure if this is too controversial for the pulpit.

I would be so grateful if you can give me some more ideas  and suggestions and warnings, etc.

 

,everyone has a mother. Everyone should cherish their mothers. Besides my wife, its my mother who I cherish and place at the top of whom I look up to and admire the most.

[askandanswer]

I think that no matter what the former bishop says, he or any other man won't be able to top any heart touching experiences you might wish to share that you have had as a mother. 

[askandanswer]

I'm struggling with the idea that there is a topic on which you are struggling to have something to say

Perhaps you could include in your talk a discussion on the idea of childless mothers. I'm sure that back home where it sometimes seems that all of  the children in a given neighbourhood belong to everybody there are many experiences and observations you could draw on to illustrate the point that you don't need to have children of your own in order to be able to do what mothers do.