(This selecton has been slightly adapted
from Preach My Gospel, A Guide to Missionary Service, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, p 10-11, under the
heading “A Successful Missionary.”
Remember that your children are the most important investigators you
will ever have!)
Your
success as a mother (parents) is measured primarily by your commitment to teach
your children the gospel in a way that they will desire baptism, and
confirmation, and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy
the presence of the Holy Ghost.
Avoid
comparing yourself to other mothers and measuring the outward results of your
efforts against theirs. Remember that your children have agency to choose
whether to accept your message. Your responsibility is to teach clearly and powerfully
so they can make a correct choice. Some of your children may not accept your
message even when they have received a spiritual witness that it is true. You
will be saddened because you love them and desire their salvation. You should
not, however, become discouraged; discouragement will weaken your faith. If you
lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease, your desire will
weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit.
You
can know you have been a successful mother when you:
Feel
the Spirit testify to your children through you.
Love
your children and desire their salvation.
Obey
with exactness.
Live
so that you can receive and know how to follow the Spirit, who will show you
where to go each day, what to do with your children, and what to say to your
children.
Develop
Christlike attributes.
Work
effectively every day, do your very best to bring these precious souls to
Christ, and seek earnestly to learn and improve.
Help
build up your family wherever you feel prompted to work and serve.
Warn
your children of the consequences of sin. Invite them to make and keep
commitments.
Teach
and serve other mothers and families.
Go
about doing good and serving your family at every opportunity, whether or not
they accept your message.
When
you have done your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you
will not be disappointed in yourself. You can feel certain that the Lord is
pleased when you feel the Spirit working through you.
