Pray

A couple of long quotes today

"We shall prosper and build up Zion upon the earth; for this is our mission, and the work of your mothers and daughters of Zion - the mothers now, and by and by the daughters, who will, in turn, be mothers in Israel. Great responsibility rests upon you. Upon you depend the training and the direction of the thoughts and the inspiration of the hearts of your children, for they drink into the spirit of their mothers, and the influence of the mother over the children is the most enduring impression that can be made. There is nothing so imperishable as the influence of the mother; that is when she is good and has the spirit of the Gospel in her heart, and she has brought up her children in the way they should go."

--Joseph F. Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 33

A lot of responsibility is set upon mothers. We can teach our children, but they still have their agency & can choose what they want to do. And so this excerpt from President Hinckley's talk is so good.

"Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the Lord. Never hesitate to get on your knees in some private place and speak with Him. What a marvelous and wonderful thing is prayer. Think of it. We can actually speak with our Father in Heaven. He will hear and respond, but we need to listen to that response. Nothing is too serious and nothing too unimportant to share with Him."

--Gordon B. Hinkley "Stay on the High Road," Ensign, May 2004, 114

We also need good friends & communities. It takes a village to raise a child. Let's hope it's a righteous village.