Adult Standards Night

This coming Sunday happens to be my ward's conference, and with that came the Adults Standards Night tonight. This was the first time that I was able to attend this and even though I am not 18 (sadly I still have to wait until May) my mom and I figured that I was close enough to go. I also happened to be the only person there that was 18 (and honestly I feel I was the only one there younger than late thirties). I found this a very interesting meeting. Many articles and documents of my religion (LDS) were brought up tonight. There were three talks that were talked about that I really enjoyed, two of which I remember from our general conference not too long ago. You can find links to these articles in my column of articles that I like on the right side.

The first talk/article that I enjoyed is titled Mothers Who Know given by Julie B. Beck. Although I do not appear to be a mother to people who are unfamiliar with my most current adventure, I still feel that in a way I am a mother. I happen to be what is considered in adoption termology the "birth mother" of a very special little boy. This talk interested when I first heard it back in October. There are a few key points that she brings out in her talk:

- Mothers who know bear children
- Mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants
- Mothers who know are nuturers
- Mothers who know are leaders
- Mothers who know are teachers
- Mothers who know do less
- Mothers who know stand strong and immovable

Although these points are all good and well, when I first heard them I was some what confused and slightly sceptical about them. In October, I was just beginning to flirt with the idea of placing my unborn baby for adoption. I had started to look at profiles but I had not yet made any set decision on what I was choosing to do. As I heard these things my first thoughts were how can be all of this for my child. I would've been able to nuture him, lead him, teach him, and spend time with him, but was that all honestly enough. I soon realized that it wasn't. She brings out points that by teaching, children learn from every action and word of their parents, particularly their mothers. I didn't know that I would be able to teach him proper feelings towards certain individuals that I should have. Luckily, I was able to find an amazing family that could raise him. I know that his mother will be able to do all of these things for him and in an amazing way. Hopefully, in the future when I am ready to have more children, I will also be able to do.

I was also happy to find that Sister Beck brings out the point in her section about mothers bearing children that even if a mother truely and righteously desires to bear children, that both on this earth and into the eternities that wish will be granted to them. I didn't totally get that from her talk the first time I heard it, but it jumped out more to me tonight. I no longer think of bearing children as a physical thing. I believe that to bear is a child is to ultimately love a child enough to raise it with only the intense love that a mother can. My little boy is so lucky, because he is able to have two mothers bear him and help him reach his eternity.

The other two talks/articles that I enjoyed tonight were Good, Better, and Best by Elder Dallin H. Oaks and What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and Immovable by Julie B. Beck. I enjoyed listening to the discussion of all three tonight, but I apparently gained the most out of Mothers Who Know Best.

Also in searching for the links to these talks, I found an older talk about standing steadfast and immovable.