In honor of Mother’s Day celebrations around the world, several Apostles and General Officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have shared social media messages celebrating women and their divine roles and contributions.
President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, recounted the legacies of his mother, Mildred, and wife, Kathleen, before expressing “heartfelt gratitude to the mothers who love with Christlike charity, who strengthen faith, and who build the rising generation with hope and tenderness. You are the heart of the Lord’s work. (See Link)
“For more than twenty years, my dear mother wore a small pin inscribed with the simple yet powerful words “Charity Never Faileth,” a pin she would one day pass on to me. The enduring legacy my mother left her family was more than the pin. It was her love and the Lord’s love, which I saw and felt in the simple things she did.
“I saw the same divine love in my beloved wife, Kathleen. She displayed the Savior’s love through her compassion, her faithfulness, and her service. She embraced the sacred role of a mothering influence not only for our children, but for more than a hundred members of our direct family members and for many hundreds more whom she welcomed into her motherly heart.
“While I do not fully know all the Lord’s purposes in giving the primary responsibility for nurturing to faithful sisters, I believe it is because of their divine capacity to love. To love in such a way that the needs of others are felt more deeply than their own—that is charity. That is the pure love of Christ.
“This Mother’s Day, I express heartfelt gratitude to the mothers who love with Christlike charity, who strengthen faith, and who build the rising generation with hope and tenderness. You are the heart of the Lord’s work.”
In May of last year (2024), President Russell M. Nelson shared a social media video with the message “On this Mother’s Day, I have reflected about how our Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation was entirely dependent upon the heroic actions of two valiant women: Eve, the mother of all living, and Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“These heroic actions continue today, as women from all walks of life—and in every circumstance imaginable—give the precious gift of a mortal body to God’s beloved sons and daughters. How grateful I am for my own mother who impacted my life for good in more ways than I could ever describe.
“Because motherhood plays such a vital part in the success of our societies and in the fulfillment of God’s plan for His children, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continuously collaborates with dedicated leaders and charitable organizations to improve conditions for mothers and children around the world.
“Earlier this year, the Church participated with the Nursing and Midwifery Development Center to open a 36,000-square-foot training facility to train nurses and midwives in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. This facility will help women and children survive and thrive.
“In Memphis, Tennessee, USA, the Church has collaborated with the NAACP to create the MyBaby4Me initiative, designed to help equip mothers with the knowledge they need to care for their young children and reduce infant mortality rates.
“In both of these instances, the Church participated with extraordinary women to implement these tremendous efforts. The day-in, day-out influence women from every circumstance have as they lift, mentor, encourage, console, teach, and love others is remarkable. In other words, women mother us all.
On this Mother’s Day, I salute all women who give tirelessly of themselves to make life better for all of us.”
As I personally reflect upon President Russell M. Nelson and President Henry B. Eyring’s social media messages, I feel my heart swell with love and gratitude for my mother. The FamilySearch Memories app has provided an opportunity for me to ponder my mother’s great example of selfless sacrifices, compassion, unwavering love, and a nurturing spirit that instills in my heart and mind a desire to achieve these attributes.
My mother was a profound example to me, and it is through the FamilySearch Memories app that allows me to reflect upon my mother’s life history as well as my extended family’s life history. On this day, the Granite FamilySearch Center would like to wish a Happy Mothers’ Day to all of the remarkable women who have influenced many with their divine role to love, lift, and leave a legacy for us to live up to.
– Barbara Tubbs, communications, Granite FamilySearch Center