Heavenly Mother and making a home

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Women's Session of the October 1978 Conference.

My favorite talk in this session was President Kimball's beautiful talk on "Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters." President Kimball is so interesting. Sometimes he seems so forthright and blunt! Other times, he's gentle and sensitive. Both sides come out in this talk.

There's one quote from this talk which I've heard multiple times (and have always loved), but there's more to the quote than I've usually seen. Here's the whole paragraph:

Each of you should be grateful to be a woman! Self-pity is always a sad thing to see and especially when there is no justification for it. [There's the forthright side! Haha.] To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society’s basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife.

The part of the talk that has been sticking with me most, though, is President Kimball's hint at some of the attributes of our Heavenly Mother. She was clearly on his mind, and he mentions Her explicitly here:

God is your father. He loves you. He and your mother in heaven value you beyond any measure.

Then President Kimball talks a lot about the traits women need to develop if they are to be guardians of the home:

We should be as concerned with the woman’s capacity to communicate as we are to have her sew and preserve food. Good women are articulate as well as affectionate. One skill or one attribute need not be developed at the expense of another. Symmetry in our spiritual development is much to be desired. …

Home is a place for all that is good and enlightening and true. It should provide a climate for constant growth and learning for all who live there—father, mother, and children. …

Much is said about the drudgery and the confinement of the woman’s role in the home. In the perspective of the gospel it is not so. There is divinity in each new life. There is challenge in creating the environment in which a child can grow and develop. There is partnership between the man and woman in building a family which can last throughout the eternities. 

I liked all of that, but here's the part I liked most:

The women of God in all ages have been able to reflect with awe upon the handiwork of God in the heavens without neglecting the practical skills needed not only to survive on this planet but to live an abundant life. There is more of a connection than many realize between the order and purpose of the universe and the order and harmony which exists in a happy and good family.

Did that strike you as it did me? Here President Kimball is, talking about how a woman can bless a home: by providing a climate for learning, fostering an environment ripe for growth and development, and making sure her children have a safe and happy place to become who they are meant to be. And then he compares our universe to such a home—a home that is orderly and purposeful and a wonderful climate for learning!

And who did he just say was specially in charge of "enriching, protecting, and guarding the home"?

Women and mothers!

Maybe it's because I've been wishing to know more about Heavenly Mother's role in our lives. Or maybe it's because my thoughts already went this direction a few months ago. But to me, this whole passage seems to imply that Heavenly Mother—just like earthly mothers—has special charge over creating a purposeful, loving environment where Her children can constantly learn and develop. She apparently has a particular ability to combine the "handiwork of God in the heavens" with the more hands-on, down-to-earth ministry of creating "an abundant life" for her children. At least I think that's what this must mean! If we, as daughters, are meant to cultivate an ability to mix spiritual contemplation with practical action—then surely our Mother demonstrates that ability perfected! And if we, as daughters, are supposed to learn that the personal, practical, cyclical tasks of homemaking are not confining, but challenging and full of purpose—then surely our Mother loves to find purpose and joy in carrying out the "practical" and "personal" homemaking tasks in Her own sphere!

Obviously I don't know how, exactly, our Heavenly Mother makes our heavenly home safe and happy and "a climate for constant growth and learning." Maybe Her ways are wholly different than my ways. But as an earthly mother, I try to embrace cycles; to create repetition and familiarity and tradition along with gradual growth. I try to bring in light, physically and spiritually. I try to foster kindness and attentiveness and connection between my children. And I try to see and find beauty in the smallest of details. So…maybe some of those things are what She does too, for us? Maybe what She is doing for us even now?

"There is more of a connection than many realize."


Other posts in this series:

• Eternal Hope in Christ by G
• Women With Eyes to See by Jan Tolman