Hearts will Turn.

(Brie, Me, Mom, Grandma Robertson, Great Great Grandma Whiting)

Last Thursday for Young Women's we did a "Treasures in Heaven" activity.  Each of us was asked to find out about an ancestor (that we didn't know anything about), and to bring some sort of "treasure" to share with the group.  I called my Grandma and she told me about her Grandmother, Abby Ann Bird Whiting.  It was so neat to hear the excitement and love in her voice while she spoke of her dear grandmother.  Especially since that's the way I feel about her, MY dear Grandma.  And it's meaningful to hear of strengths and traits that she recognized in her Grandma that she internalized and passed to MY mom...some of which I am striving to pass on to my daughter.  There is such power in a positive influence!

At one point during our conversation she said, "You would have liked her and she would have liked you."  So neat that someday I will get to meet Abby Ann when I'm reunited with all of my ancestors!  In any case, the evening was a special one.  Stories were told, biscuits and popcorn were eaten, pictures, paintings, plants and drawings were showcased...but especially the sweet spirit of Elijah was felt as our hearts were turned to our distant families.  There were a few men that were honored that evening, but mostly women, and it struck me what perfect timing to be honoring these forbears...right before Mother's Day.

Speaking of womanhood in its purest form, I love what former Young Women General President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Margaret D. Nadauld so wisely stated ( "TheJoy of Womanhood"):

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

What remarkable women we each have to look to, whether it be great grandmothers, grandmas, mothers, sisters, aunts, friends... God has blessed each of us with strong, faithful, courageous, loving, women who we can look to.  I know that I am SO grateful for the women that God has placed in my life and continues to place in my life.  They each add to who I am and assist me in my personal strivings and efforts to be a disciple of Christ.  Thanks to each of you women in my life.  Happy Mother's Day!  (Especially you dear, Mom :0))