A Successful Mother

(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.