Wisdom of God

Noah had the unwavering faith to follow God's commandments. Something we need to emulate. When God speaks, we obey, from President Thomas S. Monson here.

President Howard W. Hunter wrote this:

"Because we are being constantly exposed to the world's definition of greatness, it is understandable that we might make comparisons between what we are and what others are - or seem to be - and also between what we have and what others have. Although it is true that making comparisons can be beneficial and may motivate us to accomplish much good and to improve our lives, we often allow unfair and improper comparisons to destroy our happiness when they cause us to feel unfulfilled or inadequate or unsuccessful. Sometimes, because of these feelings, we are led into error and dwell on our failures while ignoring aspects of our lives that may contain elements of true greatness.

"In 1905, President Joseph F. Smith made this most profound statement about true greatness:

" 'Those things which we call extraordinary, remarkable, or unusual may make history, but they do not make real life.

" 'After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, is the truest greatness. To be a successful father or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman.' (Juvenile Instructor, 15 Dec. 1905, p. 752.)"

--Howard W. Hunter, "What Is True Greatness?" Ensign, Sept. 1987, 70

No other success can compensate for failure in the home …

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.