Taking Care of Ourselves, Our Families, and Our Eternal Responsibilities

A 45-minute Sacrament Meeting Talk

Prepared for Mother Creeker — CK Kirton-Niner

Opening — Our First Responsibility (5 minutes)

Good morning, brothers and sisters.

Today, I would like to speak about something I have spent much of my life learning, sometimes through happiness, sometimes through hardship, and sometimes through experiences I would never have chosen for myself.

I want to talk about service.

Not just service to our neighbors. Not just service to our families, our communities, or the Church.

I want to talk about something that I believe we sometimes forget.

When we are in service, even to ourselves, we are in service to God.

I have been teaching my youngest son, Jay, something that I hope he will remember for the rest of his life.

Take care of yourself.

Do things for yourself.

Learn to recognize what needs to be done, even when nobody asks you to do it.

Don’t only work because somebody is paying you.

Don’t only help because somebody is watching.

And don’t spend your entire life taking care of everybody else until you have nothing left to give yourself.

I want Jay to understand that his life is a gift from God the Eternal Father.

His body is a gift.

His mind is a gift.

His time, his talents, his abilities, and even his opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them are gifts.

And with those gifts comes responsibility.

We often talk about stewardship in terms of money, property, Church callings, and our responsibilities to other people.

But what about the stewardship of ourselves?

What about the responsibility we have to the very life God has entrusted to us?

In Mosiah 2:17, King Benjamin says:

“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

I love that scripture.

But I have been thinking about it from another perspective.

Am I not also one of God’s children?

Is my life not also worth caring for?

If I am expected to recognize the needs of my neighbor, should I not also recognize my own needs?

If I am supposed to feed the hungry, comfort the sorrowful, and care for the sick, should I neglect myself when I am hungry, sorrowful, or sick?

Of course not.

I believe our Eternal Father wants us to understand that caring for ourselves is part of our responsibility to Him.

Not because we are more important than anybody else.

But because we are not less important, either.

And I believe that understanding changes how we serve.

It changes how we parent.

It changes how we love.

It changes how we establish boundaries.

And it changes how we understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Today, I want to share what motherhood, family, hardship, and my testimony of Jesus Christ have taught me about standing tall in service to God.

Part One — My Mother Marie and the Gift of Treatment (6 minutes)

I want to begin with my mother, Marie.

When I think about the lessons my mother gave me, I think about something that happened when I was a child.

I experienced sexual assault during my childhood.

That is not an easy thing to say in a Sacrament Meeting, but I believe there is a reason to speak about difficult things with dignity and reverence.

Because sometimes the most important lessons we learn come from understanding that people need help.

When my mother learned that I needed help, she sought treatment for me.

And I am eternally grateful for that.

I cannot tell you what my life would have been without the opportunities for treatment that I received.

I cannot know everything that might have happened differently.

But I can tell you that receiving help mattered.

It mattered that someone recognized a need.

It mattered that someone took action.

It mattered that I was not simply expected to forget what had happened and move forward without support.

I have learned that recognizing suffering is not the same as treating suffering.

And I have learned that treatment is not something to be ashamed of.

It is something that can help us understand ourselves, develop skills, and move forward with greater strength.

Sometimes people hear about childhood trauma and assume that those childhood experiences must have been the most difficult years of a person’s life.

But that was not necessarily my experience.

My twenties were harder for me than many of the years that came before them.

In my twenties, I found myself at what I describe as the bottom of my barrel.

I was doing what I believed I had to do to survive.

I was trying to find my independence.

I was trying to understand relationships, responsibility, family, and what kind of life I wanted to build.

There were times when survival seemed to take all the energy I had.

And there were times when I needed to understand that survival was only the beginning.

I still had to learn how to live.

How to trust.

How to establish boundaries.

How to recognize when something was harmful.

How to recognize when I needed help.

And how to accept that needing help did not make me less capable.

Brothers and sisters, we do not all experience hardship in the same way.

We do not all recover on the same schedule.

And we cannot always look at someone else’s life and decide which experience should have hurt them the most.

Our Eternal Father knows our individual experiences.

He knows the things we have survived.

He knows the things we are still trying to understand.

And He knows what we need, even when other people do not.

In Alma 7:11–12, Alma records that Jesus Christ would suffer pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind.

He would take upon Himself the pains and sicknesses of His people.

And He would know how to succor His people according to their infirmities.

That scripture has become increasingly meaningful to me.

The Savior does not merely know that suffering exists.

He understands suffering.

He understands what it means to need comfort.

He understands what it means to be misunderstood.

And through His Atonement, He offers us something that no human being can fully provide.

He offers redemption, mercy, hope, and the possibility of healing.

I am grateful for my mother because she helped me obtain treatment.

And I am grateful for Jesus Christ because His Atonement gives eternal meaning to healing.

Those two things are not in opposition.

Professional treatment and spiritual faith can work together.

A therapist can help someone understand trauma.

A physician can treat illness.

A family can offer love and support.

And Jesus Christ can help us find strength, forgiveness, and hope as we continue forward.

I believe God expects us to use the knowledge, abilities, and resources available to us to care for His children.

Including ourselves.

Part Two — The Responsibility of Motherhood (6 minutes)

When I became a mother, my understanding of service changed.

Suddenly, there was another human being whose needs were part of my daily life.

A child who needed food.

A child who needed protection.

A child who needed to learn.

A child who needed to know that someone loved him.

And as my family grew, so did my responsibilities.

I became the mother of three sons.

Tyler.

Kyle.

And Jay.

Each of them is an individual.

Each has his own personality, talents, challenges, and agency.

And each has taught me something different about motherhood.

One of the most important things I have learned is that being a mother does not mean being able to control everything that happens to your children.

I can teach.

I can protect.

I can prepare.

I can establish rules.

I can explain consequences.

I can share my testimony.

But I cannot live another person’s life for him.

And I should not have to.

In 2 Nephi 2:27, Lehi explains that men are free to choose liberty and eternal life through the great Mediator of all men.

Agency is fundamental to our Heavenly Father’s plan.

But agency does not mean that choices have no consequences.

And it does not mean that parents have no responsibility to teach their children how to make wise choices.

I have taught my children that with age comes responsibility.

And I have a particular way of describing responsibility.

Responsibility is seeing what needs to be done.

It is noticing that the trash needs to be taken out without waiting for someone to ask.

It is recognizing that the dishes need washing.

It is understanding that a younger sibling needs protection.

It is knowing when someone needs a friend.

It is seeing that a parent is tired and asking how to help.

But responsibility also means recognizing when we need to take care of ourselves.

It means knowing when to rest.

Knowing when to eat.

Knowing when to ask a question.

Knowing when we need medical care.

Knowing when we are overwhelmed.

And knowing that we have a responsibility to learn how to manage our own lives.

When I teach Jay to take care of himself first, I am not teaching him selfishness.

I am teaching him stewardship.

I am teaching him that he should not wait until somebody pays him to develop his talents.

He should not wait until somebody praises him to do something worthwhile.

He should not wait until somebody gives him permission to become responsible.

He should learn to take initiative.

To recognize his own needs.

To develop the ability to care for himself.

And then to use those abilities in service to others.

There is a beautiful balance in this.

A child who learns to prepare his own meal is learning independence.

A child who learns to prepare a meal for someone else is learning service.

A child who understands that both activities matter is learning stewardship.

And I believe that is what our Eternal Father wants for us.

Not helplessness.

Not endless dependence.

Not isolation.

But growth.

The opportunity to become capable, responsible, compassionate individuals who understand how to care for ourselves and one another.

In Doctrine and Covenants 58:27, we are encouraged to be anxiously engaged in a good cause and to do many things of our own free will.

I want my children to understand that principle.

I want them to recognize opportunities to do good.

Not because I am standing behind them.

Not because someone has offered them money.

But because they have developed the ability to see a need and respond.

And sometimes that need will be their own.

Part Three — When a Family Needs More Than Love (7 minutes)

There is another part of motherhood that has taught me lessons I never expected to learn.

My oldest son, Tyler, lives with schizophrenia.

For years, I have watched him struggle with symptoms that affect his thinking, his understanding of reality, his relationships, and his ability to maintain stability in everyday life.

And for years, I have tried to obtain appropriate treatment and support for him.

This has affected more than Tyler.

It has affected me.

It has affected my mother.

My siblings.

My children.

My husband, Corey.

And members of his family.

When one person experiences a serious illness, the effects can reach across generations.

Families worry.

Families disagree.

Families become exhausted.

Families sometimes struggle to understand what is happening.

And families can find themselves trying to provide care that requires professional knowledge and resources.

I have learned that love is essential, but love by itself is not a complete treatment plan.

I can love my son.

I can listen to him.

I can advocate for him.

I can remember the little boy I raised.

I can remember his talents, his laughter, and the things that made him happy.

But I cannot personally provide every form of treatment that schizophrenia may require.

I cannot be his entire psychiatric team.

I cannot be his therapist, physician, residential staff, case manager, and full-time companion.

Those responsibilities require trained professionals working together.

Tyler has experienced repeated court-ordered treatment, and I have serious concerns about the continuity and comprehensiveness of the care he has received.

I have asked for a second psychiatric opinion.

I have asked for specialized therapy.

I have asked for help with housing and daily living.

I have asked for professionals to listen to the family history and examine what has happened over time.

And I continue to believe that these concerns deserve careful attention.

Schizophrenia can require medication, but medication is not the only form of support that matters.

People may also need psychotherapy, rehabilitation, social support, family education, and help developing the skills required for daily life.

I want Tyler to have the opportunity to prepare a meal with someone.

To plan a grocery list.

To go shopping.

To learn routines.

To have someone qualified help him understand difficult experiences.

To build friendships.

To develop greater independence where possible.

And to live somewhere safe.

Not simply somewhere he can sleep for a few nights.

Not another temporary arrangement that ends without a plan.

I want him to have the opportunity to build a life.

And I want the professionals involved in his care to recognize his abilities as well as his needs.

Brothers and sisters, there is something important I have learned through this experience.

Helping someone does not always mean doing everything for them.

Sometimes it means helping them learn.

Sometimes it means standing beside them while they practice.

Sometimes it means connecting them with a person who has the training and experience to provide what we cannot.

And sometimes it means accepting that our love does not give us the ability to cure another person’s illness.

That can be a difficult lesson for a parent.

We want to protect our children from everything.

We want to make things better.

We want to know that they are safe.

And when we cannot make something better, we may begin to wonder whether we have failed.

But I have come to understand that a parent’s responsibility is not the same as having unlimited power.

I am responsible for the choices I make.

I am responsible for how I treat my children.

I am responsible for the love, teaching, and support I offer.

But I cannot control every outcome.

And neither can anyone else.

In Mosiah 18:8–9, Alma speaks about bearing one another’s burdens, mourning with those who mourn, and comforting those who stand in need of comfort.

I believe those words are especially important when we consider people living with serious mental illness.

Bearing another person’s burden does not always mean taking the entire burden onto ourselves.

It may mean helping that person find the care and resources they need.

It may mean listening to a parent who has spent years trying to explain what is happening.

It may mean making sure someone has transportation to an appointment.

It may mean offering companionship without judgment.

It may mean recognizing that a family needs support, too.

I have often felt that I was expected to solve problems that were bigger than any one person.

And I have had to learn to say that I cannot do everything.

That does not mean I have stopped loving my son.

It means I am recognizing the limits of what one mother can provide.

I want Tyler to receive the help he needs.

And I want to be his mother.

Those two things should be able to exist together.

Part Four — Boundaries Are Part of Stewardship (5 minutes)

One of the hardest lessons I have learned is that love and boundaries must sometimes stand together.

I love my family.

I love my children.

I want them to be welcome in my life.

But I also have a responsibility to protect my home, my well-being, and the people who live with me.

Sometimes people interpret a boundary as rejection.

Sometimes they think that if we truly love someone, we should allow anything.

We should give anything.

We should tolerate anything.

And we should never say no.

But I do not believe that is what our Eternal Father expects of us.

Jesus Christ demonstrated compassion, patience, and forgiveness.

He also taught accountability, repentance, and responsibility.

In Doctrine and Covenants 121:41–42, we read about persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, kindness, and pure knowledge.

Those are powerful principles for family relationships.

They remind us that righteous influence is not supposed to depend on coercion or domination.

Love does not require us to surrender every boundary.

And a boundary does not require us to stop loving.

I can tell my son that I love him while explaining that I cannot provide the residential care he needs inside my home.

I can tell my children that I want them to develop friendships while still establishing household rules.

I can tell my husband that I want us to stand together in our responsibilities while also expressing when I need his help.

And I can ask others to respect my boundaries without denying their right to make choices of their own.

Boundaries should not be used to punish people for being different.

They should help define responsibility, safety, and respectful relationships.

I believe that is part of stewardship.

If our Eternal Father has entrusted us with a home, we have a responsibility to care for it.

If He has entrusted us with children, we have a responsibility to teach and protect them.

And if He has entrusted us with our own bodies and minds, we have a responsibility to care for those, too.

In Mosiah 4:27, King Benjamin reminds us:

“It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.”

That scripture is especially meaningful to me.

Sometimes we become so focused on what other people need that we forget we have limitations.

We forget to rest.

We forget to eat.

We forget to enjoy the things that bring happiness into our lives.

We forget that our own families need time together that is not consumed by crisis.

And sometimes we forget that we are allowed to have peace.

I am learning that standing tall does not mean refusing to rest.

It means knowing what I stand for.

And knowing when I need help standing.

Part Five — The Eternal Family and the Responsibility of Every Generation (5 minutes)

Family is one of the most important parts of my testimony.

I believe in eternal families.

I believe that our relationships carry responsibilities that extend beyond the circumstances of any one day.

I am the daughter of my mother, Marie, and my father, John.

I am a wife.

I am a mother.

I am a sister.

And I am part of generations of people who came before me.

Each generation receives something from the generation before it.

Sometimes we inherit traditions.

Sometimes we inherit knowledge.

Sometimes we inherit opportunities.

And sometimes we inherit problems that previous generations did not know how to solve.

I believe we have a responsibility to recognize what is worth preserving and what needs to change.

My mother helped me receive treatment when I needed it.

That example became part of how I understood motherhood.

Now I want my own children to understand that seeking appropriate help is an act of responsibility.

I want them to know that treatment is not shameful.

I want them to know that learning to care for themselves is important.

And I want them to understand that love is demonstrated through action.

When I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, I think about the responsibilities of motherhood.

I think about a mother caring for her child.

Watching Him grow.

Learning about His purpose.

And experiencing sorrow that no mother would ever willingly choose.

My own mother, Marie, is not Mary, and our lives are not the same.

But I recognize something sacred in the shared responsibility of motherhood.

Mothers give.

Mothers teach.

Mothers worry.

Mothers hope.

And mothers must also learn that their children have lives and responsibilities of their own.

In Luke 2:52, we read that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

I love that description of growth.

Wisdom.

Stature.

Our relationship with God.

Our relationship with others.

Those are all important dimensions of development.

And I believe we should consider them when teaching our children.

Are we helping them develop wisdom?

Are we teaching them to care for their bodies?

Are we helping them develop relationships based on respect?

Are we teaching them to seek God’s guidance?

Are we preparing them to become responsible adults?

These questions matter.

Because the goal of parenting is not to keep our children dependent on us forever.

It is to help them grow.

And when illness or disability affects that growth, the goal should be to provide appropriate support while honoring the individual’s dignity and abilities.

We should never confuse needing assistance with having no value.

Every child of God has value.

Every person deserves dignity.

And every generation has an opportunity to become more compassionate and knowledgeable than the one before it.

That is part of what I hope to leave my children.

Not merely possessions.

Not merely memories.

But understanding.

Part Six — Jesus Christ and the Meaning of Sacrifice (5 minutes)

I want to return to the Savior.

Jesus Christ is central to my testimony.

As a daughter of God the Eternal Father, I understand Jesus Christ as my Eternal Brother and my Redeemer.

I am eternally grateful for His love.

When I reflect on my life, particularly the difficulties I experienced in my twenties, I recognize how often I have needed the blessings of His Atonement.

Again and again, I have needed mercy.

Again and again, I have needed strength.

Again and again, I have needed to remember that my life has purpose.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is infinite and eternal.

His sacrifice does not need to be repeated each time I struggle.

But the blessings of His Atonement can reach me again and again throughout my life.

That distinction is beautiful to me.

One infinite sacrifice.

An eternity of hope.

I do not have to pretend that I have never made mistakes.

I do not have to pretend that every choice I made was wise.

I do not have to pretend that every relationship has been easy.

I can acknowledge my experiences.

I can repent when I need to repent.

I can forgive where forgiveness is possible.

I can seek help when help is needed.

And I can continue learning.

In Ether 12:27, the Lord speaks about weakness and humility, promising that His grace is sufficient for those who humble themselves before Him.

I have thought about that promise many times.

Sometimes we want our weaknesses to disappear immediately.

Sometimes we want a problem solved before the day is over.

Sometimes we want an answer to a prayer to arrive in exactly the way we imagined.

But growth does not always happen that way.

There are lessons that require time.

There are responsibilities that require patience.

There are relationships that require communication.

And there are illnesses that require ongoing treatment.

Faith does not eliminate the need for responsible action.

Faith can give us the courage to take that action.

When I pray, I pray to God the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

I seek guidance.

I seek understanding.

And I seek the strength to recognize what needs to be done.

Sometimes the answer is to serve someone else.

Sometimes the answer is to apologize.

Sometimes the answer is to listen.

Sometimes the answer is to seek professional help.

And sometimes the answer is to recognize that I need to rest.

I do not believe that caring for myself diminishes my devotion to Jesus Christ.

I believe it helps me become more capable of practicing the principles He demonstrated.

Compassion.

Patience.

Responsibility.

Forgiveness.

Truth.

And love.

Part Seven — Teaching Our Children to Stand Tall (5 minutes)

I want to speak directly to the young people for a few moments.

You are growing up in a world that will constantly ask something of you.

People will ask for your time.

Your attention.

Your talents.

Your labor.

Your friendship.

And sometimes your money.

You will have opportunities to serve others.

You will also have opportunities to make choices that affect the rest of your life.

I hope you will learn to recognize the difference between serving someone and allowing yourself to be taken advantage of.

I hope you will learn to recognize when a friend needs help.

And I hope you will learn to recognize when you need help, too.

Learn how to prepare a meal.

Learn how to keep your living space clean.

Learn how to manage your money.

Learn how to communicate respectfully.

Learn how to apologize.

Learn how to ask questions.

Learn how to recognize when something is unsafe.

Learn how to seek medical care when you need it.

Learn how to be alone without feeling that you have been abandoned.

And learn how to be a friend without giving up your own identity.

These may sound like ordinary things.

But ordinary responsibilities are often where discipleship becomes visible.

A person who takes care of his home is practicing stewardship.

A person who treats others with respect is practicing charity.

A person who acknowledges a mistake is practicing accountability.

A person who asks for help when overwhelmed is practicing humility.

And a person who recognizes a need and takes appropriate action is practicing service.

In Alma 37:37, Alma counsels his son Helaman to counsel with the Lord in all his doings.

I love the word all in that scripture.

Not just our Sunday activities.

Not just our prayers.

Not just our Church callings.

All our doings.

That includes our education.

Our work.

Our relationships.

Our health.

Our homes.

Our decisions.

And the way we care for ourselves.

I want Jay to understand that.

I want him to know that his Eternal Father cares about the person he is becoming.

I want him to recognize that responsibility begins long before someone gives him a job.

And I want him to understand that a good life is not measured only by how much money he earns.

It is measured by the character he develops and the good he does with the life he has been given.

I hope my children will become men who recognize what needs to be done.

Men who can stand independently.

Men who know how to ask for help.

Men who respect others.

Men who understand that love requires action.

And men who know that they are accountable to God for their own choices.

That is what standing tall means to me.

Not standing above someone else.

Not making ourselves more important than another person.

But standing with integrity.

Standing with responsibility.

Standing with compassion.

And standing with the courage to do what is right.

Part Eight — Our Covenants and the Sacrament (4 minutes)

Every Sunday, we have an opportunity to gather and remember Jesus Christ.

The sacrament is especially meaningful to me because it invites us to remember our covenants.

In Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, the sacrament prayer over the bread includes the promise that those who partake worthily are willing to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments.

And the promised blessing is that they may always have His Spirit to be with them.

Think about that promise.

His Spirit to be with us.

Not only when life is easy.

Not only when our families are happy.

Not only when everything is going according to plan.

But as we strive to remember Him and keep our covenants.

I believe that promise matters when we are facing difficult decisions.

It matters when we are caring for someone who is ill.

It matters when we are trying to repair family relationships.

It matters when we need to establish a boundary.

And it matters when we are trying to understand our own lives.

The sacrament reminds me that I am not expected to become perfect through my own strength alone.

I need Jesus Christ.

I need His mercy.

I need His example.

I need the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

And I need opportunities to continue learning.

I also need to recognize the responsibility that comes with the covenants I have made.

I cannot expect other people to practice my faith for me.

I cannot expect my children to make every decision I would make.

And I cannot expect someone else to fulfill every responsibility that belongs to me.

I have my own agency.

I have my own accountability.

And I have my own relationship with God the Eternal Father.

That is something I hope each of my children will understand.

Our family can teach us.

Our family can support us.

Our family can love us.

But each of us must ultimately choose how we will live.

And each of us can choose, day by day, to remember Jesus Christ.

Part Nine — Standing Together Without Losing Ourselves (4 minutes)

As I come toward the end of my remarks, I want to return to the lesson I am teaching Jay.

Take care of yourself.

Do things for yourself.

Learn what needs to be done.

And then look around and see where you can be of service.

I believe a family becomes stronger when each member learns those principles.

A marriage becomes stronger when both people recognize their responsibilities.

A home becomes stronger when everyone contributes.

A community becomes stronger when people recognize needs and respond with compassion.

And the Church becomes stronger when we remember that ministering is more than knowing someone’s name or offering a greeting.

Ministering is recognizing a need and responding appropriately.

Sometimes that means bringing someone a meal.

Sometimes it means providing transportation.

Sometimes it means sitting quietly with someone who is grieving.

Sometimes it means helping a family find professional resources.

Sometimes it means recognizing that a person needs companionship rather than advice.

And sometimes it means simply listening.

I have learned that being heard matters.

Being understood matters.

And having someone recognize that a problem is real can make a tremendous difference.

We may not always agree about what someone needs.

We may not always know the best solution.

But we can listen with humility.

We can ask thoughtful questions.

We can respect one another’s dignity.

And we can recognize that another person’s experiences may be very different from our own.

In John 13:34–35, Jesus Christ commands His disciples to love one another as He has loved them.

He says that by this love, others will know they are His disciples.

That is a powerful responsibility.

Love should be visible in the way we treat people.

In the way we listen.

In the way we speak.

In the way we serve.

And in the way we recognize that every person has needs, abilities, and responsibilities.

I do not want my children to grow up believing that love means surrendering their own well-being.

I want them to understand that love can be generous and responsible at the same time.

That service can be compassionate without being controlling.

That boundaries can be firm without being cruel.

And that asking for help can be an act of courage.

I want them to understand that standing tall does not mean standing alone.

Sometimes standing tall means allowing another person to stand beside us.

And sometimes it means becoming the person who stands beside someone else.

Closing Testimony — For All of You, I Stand (3 minutes)

Brothers and sisters, I am grateful for my life.

I am grateful for my mother, Marie.

I am grateful that she recognized my need for treatment when I was young.

I am grateful for the lessons I learned during the difficult years of my adulthood.

I am grateful for my husband, Corey.

I am grateful for my children, Tyler, Kyle, and Jay.

I am grateful for the generations of my family who came before me.

And I am grateful for the opportunity to continue learning what it means to be a mother.

I do not claim to have every answer.

I do not claim that every choice I have made has been perfect.

But I know that I have continued trying to understand my responsibilities.

I have continued trying to help my children.

And I have continued trying to practice the principles I believe Jesus Christ demonstrated.

I am grateful for His Atonement.

I am grateful that His love is not limited to the happiest moments of our lives.

I am grateful that He understands our sorrows.

I am grateful that He understands our weaknesses.

And I am grateful that He offers us the opportunity to repent, learn, heal, and move forward.

When I think about standing with Jesus Christ someday, I think about the kind of person I want to become before that day arrives.

I want to be someone who recognized a need and tried to help.

Someone who spoke truthfully.

Someone who accepted responsibility.

Someone who protected the people entrusted to her care.

Someone who knew when to ask for help.

And someone who remembered that her own life was worth caring for.

I want my children to understand that they are children of God.

I want them to know that their lives matter.

And I want them to remember that the opportunity to serve begins with recognizing the gifts and responsibilities our Eternal Father has given us.

When we are in service, even to ourselves, we are in service to God.

May we learn to care for ourselves without forgetting others.

May we learn to serve others without abandoning ourselves.

May we recognize that love requires both compassion and responsibility.

May we stand together in faith, in truth, and in charity.

And may we always remember Jesus Christ.

I testify that Jesus Christ is the Living Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer.

I am eternally grateful for His love.

I am grateful for His Atonement.

And I look forward with faith to the day when I may stand with Him.

Until then, I will continue learning.

I will continue loving.

I will continue serving.

And I will continue standing for the principles I believe are true.

I share this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.