RS Lesson 25 July 2010

Today's lesson was taught by Carol Heintz, and was taken from two different talks; "Mothers Teaching Children in the Home"
By Elder L. Tom Perry Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and "Mother Told Me" By Elder Bradley D. Foster Of the Seventy, both found in the May 2010 Ensign.

Sis. Heintz started with a story from Elder Foster's talk; "My good friend Don Pearson shared an experience that highlights this influence. One night his four-year-old son asked him to read a bedtime story. Eric had picked out his favorite book: The Ballooning Adventures of Paddy Pork, a story about a family who lived on the isles of the sea and traveled from island to island by hot-air balloon. It was a picture book that had no words, so Brother Pearson made up words to the story.
“Paddy is in a hot-air balloon. He is landing on an island now. He is dropping a line over the side of the balloon.”
Eric stopped him. “Dad, that is not a line. It’s a rope.”
Brother Pearson looked at Eric and back at the picture book, and then he continued: “Paddy is getting out of the balloon and climbing down the tree. Oh no! His coat is caught on a limb!”
Again Eric stopped him. “Dad, that’s not a coat. It’s a jacket.”
By now Brother Pearson was somewhat perplexed. He said, “Eric, there are no words in this book, just pictures. Why do you insist that it’s a jacket?”
Eric answered, “Because Mother told me.”
His father closed the book and said, “Eric, who do you think is the last word, the ultimate authority in this house?”
This time Eric thought carefully before he answered, “You are, Dad.”
Brother Pearson beamed at his son. What an exceptional answer! “How did you know that?”
Eric quickly responded, “Mother told me.” '

Sis. Heintz was one of the first teachers of "mother training" or "mother education" through the Church. She said that she could never use all the material she studied and prepared for the class, but her family got the benefit of the leftovers. About this, Elder Perry says that "Our teaching in the home prepares us to teach more effectively at church, and our teaching at church helps us to teach more effectively at home. "

Sis. Heintz continued with Elder Foster's talk telling the following story. Before I relate the story however, I think it bears mentioning, that halfway through this story, Sis. Heintz got choked up and was not able to control her coughing to continue. Immediately, her daughter, Susan Klippel, hopped up and offered to finish the lesson. The timing could not have been better to perfectly illustrate the lesson, which is the effect mothers have on their children and in their homes. It was a beautiful, poignant demonstration of love, respect, and the effect of a mother's teachings. Here is the story,
On one particularly hot spring day, I was helping with the roundup by riding at the back of the herd as it moved down the dusty road toward the corral. My job was to gather any calves that had wandered from the road. The pace was slow and provided me some time to think.

Because it was so hot, the little calves kept running off into the trees to find shade. My thoughts turned to the youth of the Church who are sometimes distracted from the strait and narrow path. I also thought about those who have left the Church or who may feel that the Church has left their hearts while they were distracted. I thought to myself that a distraction doesn’t have to be evil to be effective—sometimes it can just be shade.

After several hours of gathering up stray calves and with sweat running down my face, I yelled to the calves in frustration, “Just follow your mothers! They know where they’re going! They’ve been down this road before!” Their mothers knew that even though the road was hot and dusty now, the end would be better than the beginning.

As soon as we got the herd into the corral, we noticed that three of the cows were pacing nervously at the gate. They could not find their calves and seemed to sense they were back on the road somewhere. One of the cowboys asked me what we should do. I said, “I bet I know where those calves are. Back a quarter of a mile [0.4 km] or so, there’s a stand of trees. I’m sure we’ll find them there.”

Sure enough, just as I had suspected, we found our lost calves taking a nap in the shade. Our approach startled them, and they resisted our efforts to round them up. They were frightened because we were not their mothers! The more we tried to push them toward the corral, the more stubborn they became. Finally I said to the cowboys, “I’m sorry. I know better than this. Let’s ride back and let their mothers out of the corral. The cows will come and get their calves, and the calves will follow their mothers.” I was right. The mother cows knew exactly where to go to find their calves, and they led them back to the corral, as I had expected. In a world where everyone is granted agency, some of our loved ones may stray for a season. But we can never give up. We must always go back for them—we must never stop trying."

Elder L. Tom Perry's talk concludes by saying "God bless you wonderful mothers [and fathers] in Zion. He has entrusted to your care His eternal children. As parents we partner, even join, with God in bringing to pass His work and glory among His children. It is our sacred duty to do our very best."

As mothers we do the best we can, and then we ask the Lord's help, in raising the children we have been blessed with. I thank each and one of you for your example of love and kindness to me, and your helping raise me as a mother, and raise my children. Dede B.