Book of Mormon: Day 102: Mothers in the Lord’s Vineyard


Today’s Reading:  Jacob 5: 64-77

72  “And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.”

A few years ago I heard one of my leaders speak about being laborers in the Lord’s vineyard.   He said that we are each called to labor in some way in the Lord’s vineyard – as a missionary, a visiting teacher,  a Relief Society president, or a parent.  Speaking specifically to mothers, he said that our children are the vineyard and that as mothers we are the servants laboring in that vineyard.  Our calling as servants and laborers in that vineyard is to teach, protect, and take care of those children that have been placed in our care.  We are responsible for that vineyard (our children) and as we “labor with our mights”, as the scripture says, and we “obey the commandments”, the Lord of the vineyard, our Heavenly Father, will labor with us and bless us and our children.

Mothers truly labor – physically and emotionally.  Sometimes the role and responsibility of mother, servant, and laborer in the vineyard we have been placed in can be daunting and overwhelming.    Speaking to mothers, Elder Holland said,

“You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you—He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.  Remember, remember all the days of your motherhood: “Ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.”  Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.”  You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.”  And it will make your children whole as well.”  (Because She is a Mother)

As a mother, I know I can’t do it by myself.  Being a servant in the Lord’s vineyard is hard work.  But I do know that as I do my part to labor faithfully and trust in the Lord, He will be beside me, laboring with me, blessing my efforts, and blessing my children.  It is His vineyard, they are His children, and I am blessed to be a mother – a servant and laborer – doing His work, in His vineyard.

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