Category: Motherhood

Parenting through the veil

I am remembering the anniversary of my grandmother’s passing, Rebecca’s passing, and now my counselor’s husband’s passing. My friend shared a quote with me and I have reflected on it a lot this week. President Nelson said this at his daughter’s funeral, directed to her children. So, this is not something he shared at General Conference. I find it very comforting and it affirms my faith that familiar angels minister to us.

“She can minister to you in what I call ‘parenting through the veil.’ She can see us more clearly than we can see her. We cannot forget her. We do not cease to love her. We are sealed to her by eternal ties. She loves us now more than ever. Her desire for our well-being will be even greater than that which we feel for ourselves. So, dear family, stay tuned.”

Russell M. Nelson

Children’s Book Illustrator

Little Baby McLaughlin will be lucky to have Paige as a mom for many reasons. She knows how to raise boys, she is patient and gentle, she is a woman of faith, and she is an artist. It is fun for children to watch a parent draw something well. I bet he will ask her to draw all kinds of things and he will be delighted with the results. Lucky baby.

These children’s books were illustrated by Paige and they were privately published, so they are not available for sale. They were my Christmas presents. I am such a fan of Paige’s work. 💕

To see some of her work, you can look at her website, paigemclaughlinart.com.

A tender day

Today I have some tender feelings about Tim leaving home again. This morning I helped him carry out a couple of boxes and a duffel bag he is taking to his new apartment and we said goodbye in the dark street before he left for work. I’ve had some tears throughout the day, but I’ve also felt gratitude for the tender mercies that led to this moment.

We’ve loved reconnecting with Tim these past 3 months since he returned from his mission. He is delightful company, so funny and musical and capable, so we will miss him. But hello, since we live close to Provo we will see him soon.

For the first couple of months after his mission he worked some odd jobs, including raking leaves, moving furniture, building shelves, building and selling Christmas trees, and shoveling snow. Since early January he has worked full-time in a cabinetry shop in Provo. He builds custom cabinet doors. This move to an apartment in Provo is more progress in his search for the next right step after his mission.

Tim will attend BYU in the fall, but since he would like a career in cabinetry, he is taking time to explore that career before he launches into college. Tim thinks through decisions thoroughly and chooses his own sequence and pace. This has been his pattern since he was a little boy, and he is a remarkable person because of it.

I am so proud of our Tim.

New places

In mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I had never before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.

1 Nephi 11:1

I’ve heard it said that when the Lord has something to teach you, he needs to separate you from what you know. This has been true for me.

Removed from the familiar and the comfortable, we are in a position to level up in our understanding and even our joy.

So often I catch myself praying for my family to be protected from pain, when I should be praying that they will know God better because of their experiences.

Work in progress

I am getting pretty close to finishing this little project, which is based on a very famous painting. I know what it will look like when it’s finished, but it’s still a mystery to me how this is all going to come together. What a metaphor for my life.

I planning for a few months of ward conferences, so despite winter telling me to rest, I have a very full season ahead. My first counselor, on whom I depend so much, is carefully watching over her husband in his final days on earth. These years of serving in our stake callings have not shielded us from life’s challenges. My second counselor Susan passed away suddenly in 2022. Among the women in my presidency, which have changed over time, we have faced milestones along with the challenges. We’ve sent 5 missionaries into the world, had 3 children get married, and had 1 grandchild and one great-grandchild born. We have led during a pandemic and experienced two major surgeries with long recoveries. And now, my counselor’s husband is in hospice care.

There are some challenging days ahead, but if I have learned anything through my service, it is that my Heavenly Father will give me the strength to do what he has called me to do. He is doing the same for my presidency and for you.

Lessons from a mission

We listened to Tim speak in church, and here are a few lessons that I wrote down from his talk.

Righteous examples are important.

Prophets are important guides to help us find joy.

And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy,

Mosiah 3:13

Joy comes from inviting people to Christ.

Focus on the rulegiver, Jesus Christ.

Remembering personal and family spiritual experiences can help us during trials.

Spiritual preparation helps during physical trials. He saw people who lost everything in a typhoon, yet they trusted in God and remained strong.

The temple is a beacon of hope.

The Church is more than a building or a unit, it is the people. One one island where he served, there were 3,000 people, and only 5 members, and the Lord was with this tiny gathering of Saints, working miracles in their lives.

The Lord blesses us as we turn our lives to him.

As we give more of ourselves to the Lord, we will have joy.