Covenant Keeping Women

    Tonight I was preparing a lesson to teach my Beehives (12-14 yr. old girls) tomorrow at church and I felt so touched by the spirit that I had to share. The lesson I'm teaching is ,"Why are covenants important in my life?"  At the top of every lesson is a little box for the teachers that says, "Prepare yourself spiritually". In that box they usually pose some questions to get you thinking about that topic. The little box in this particular lesson said:

                         "How have your covenants influenced your life?
                           What blessings have you received as you have
                           made and kept sacred covenants?

                           How can you help the young women understand
                           the covenants they have made and will make in the
                           future? How will understanding covenants
                           influence the young women to live more righteously?"

   This must have been something I needed to review and reflect on because after reading just that first paragraph I was crying. I wish I could take everything I feel in my heart about the covenants I have made and just let everyone feel it through my heart. My heart feels so full of gratitude for the covenants I have made. It's almost impossible for me to explain the blessings I've received from making those covenants because they are indefinite.
    Despite my marriage ending, the day that I was sealed in the temple to Nic remains one of the most special days of my life. Never in my life have I felt more love from Heavenly Father than I did that day making sacred covenants. Every part of my being was engulfed in what I can only describe as the pure love of Christ. I cherish all of the covenants I have made and I have a testimony that as I strive to remember them and live them daily that I am blessed. I can feel it in the quiet moments when I have a chance to reflect. I feel those blessings fill in all of my cracks. Honoring those covenants keeps me whole.
    A few scriptures and talks are always listed as references for the lessons. All of the scriptures and talks touched me but a talk by President Henry B. Eyring titled, "Daughters in the Covenant" really touched me. In this talk he discusses the covenants we make when we are baptized. He references a scripture in the Book of Mormon about some of the baptismal covenants and goes on to reference it to women in particular.

Mosiah 18: 8-9

 8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

 

    Again tears openly flowed down my cheeks as I realized all of the faithful, covenant keeping women in my life. We promised at baptism to, "mourn with those that mourn" and "comfort those that stand in need of comfort". I have seen so many women keep this particular covenant through serving me.

     There's Amy who is an angel (pun intended, for those of you that know her you will get it). Multiple times Amy has watched my kids for extended blocks of time with nothing but a smile on her face while doing it. She has never made me feel like my kids were a burden.

     Janae who has always been so willing to help with my kids as well. She has always been such a positive person to be around. She lifts my spirits and cries when I cry.

     Diana who has been a voice of reason and wisdom. A friend that listens and understands.

     My friend Shannon has stocked my fridge and freezer while watching my kids so I could attend Young Women's. She didn't even say a word and still pretends she doesn't know what I'm talking about.

     Jaynee has brought me many dirty diet cokes. (God bless her). She has paid my utility bills when I didn't know how I was going to pay them. She has helped me paint and fix up my house into the late hours of the night.

     Julie, who doesn't even know how much it means to me that she is so patient with my almost four year old who won't go to sunbeams. Week after week she allows him to come into nursery and helps him transition into primary.

    There's a gal I'm quite fond of named Chantal who is so genuine and kind. I can count on her for a laugh every time I have a conversation with her. Her kiddos are also quite nifty.

     You've already heard me mention Tory and there are no words for the gratitude I feel for her services she extended to me those first few days. She dropped everything with the support of her family to be there for me day or night. She made my pain her pain.

     There are so many others that deserve to be mentioned. So many that support me through kind words and a smiling face. So many women who have mourned with me and taken the time to comfort me. I'm just scratching the surface. I haven't even touched on the women in my family yet!!
      My mom, who has always been an example to me of keeping covenants even through trials. She continues to grow in the gospel and is a source of light and knowledge for me. The time, sweat, tears, and money she has put into her service to me blows me away and I pray to keep my covenants as well as she does.
      My sister has spent hours serving my little family. She loves my kids like they are her own. She never wavers in her faith and is always there when I need her.
      Sister-in-laws have sent me uplifting thoughts and quotes regularly to help lift my spirits. One watched my kids for four days along with her four children who are similar ages. That makes 8 kids 11 and under!!!
      Aunts and more sisters have been a listening ear and have said many prayers for me. They have extended financial donations.

      Reading this talk I felt so uplifted and honored to have these covenant keeping women in my life. They are such examples to me!! They are God's hands and instruments and many of my prayers have been answered through them. I don't know what I ever did to deserve such generosity! I think that's the point, I didn't do anything to deserve it and they did it anyway just because that's who they are.

      I have been thinking a lot about compassion lately and pondering how one develops it. It's a topic I'm very intrigued by. I don't understand why some people so often don't seem to have that virtue? This lesson I prepared tonight helped me realize on a deeper level that compassion and service go hand in hand. To those women that have served me and to women everywhere who are serving those around them I say thank you! I want to be more like you! My hope is that I can be more aware of those around me and continue to fulfill the covenants I made at baptism.

    I highly recommend that you click on the link to President Eyring's talk above and read it! Truly it is a very powerful reminder of the blessings that we will receive if we keep our covenants. Further more, it was an excellent reminder of the divine virtues women have been blessed with by nature. I could feel the Spirit testifying to me that those things are true.