Leila's Mothers Day Talk

  Kia ora everyone and Happy Mother’s Day, my name is Leila Wihongi. I was given the topic of Christlike attributes that I’ve received from my mum and they gave me 5 minutes but this should only take 30 seconds. That was my dad’s joke. For those of you who don’t know my mum, she’s the woman with a cool accent. She gets her accent from Hastings, New Zealand where she grew up and learned to love the ways of the Lord. She was surrounded by many loving older sisters and a mother, who raised her most of her life, as her dad was out serving their country in the military.

In Matthew 22: 36-40, it says:

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

   The first great commandment is to love the Lord. During my mum's life in New Zealand, her sisters and mother weren’t very active in the church. Despite her family’s inactiveness, my mum, at her young age, would get ready every Sunday to spend the Sabbath worshipping the Lord. She would either walk to church by herself or go with her cousins who would pick her up. When my mum was telling my family about this, I asked why she went to church when everyone else didn’t. She responded, “Cause I liked going to church, whatchu mean?”

   I felt so proud and inspired by my mum, as she chose to go to church because she loved to. To be honest, sometimes I don’t want to go to church, but I go anyway because I know that I’m supposed to. But, after hearing my mum’s story of going to church out of love for God and the gospel, I’ve learned how to turn the “I have to go to church” mindset into “I want to go to church”. Having the “I want to go to church” mindset has helped me better in paying attention in Sacrament meetings and focusing on the Savior during the week.

   My mum has shown me through her actions and words that she loves the Lord with all her heart, soul, and mind. My family has a group chat where my mum always texts us inspirational The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints quotes. My mum also likes to watch this YouTube channel that dives deeper into what the Bible and Book of Mormon’s verses mean. She always makes sure that we have our family scripture study and family prayer. Without my mum, I don’t think my faith and testimony in the Lord would be where it is today.

   The second great commandment is to love thy neighbor as thyself. My mum has shown me different ways to love others by her example through the years. She has served others, fed people, given lots of hugs, written cards, dropped off gifts and things to people who need it.

   Just recently, my Auntie’s mum was passing away from cancer. She was moved from the hospital to her home in Orem so she could pass away surrounded by family. On the final day before she did pass, my mum went over to visit. She brought lots of Papa Murphy pizzas and made them for the visiting family. She stayed for a while and sang songs, laughed, and cried. In Mosiah 18: 8-9, it says, “... Willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort…”. My mother was there for my extended family to mourn with and comfort them.

   She did just the same when my Grandma Barbara passed away three and a half years ago. Back in 2017, when my Grandma Barbara was sick with cancer, all of my family were over at my uncle’s house where my Grandma lived. My mum wanted to lighten the mood for the younger cousins by letting them all sleep over at my house. If you knew my mum as much as I do, you would know she would only let a maximum of 3 people sleep over. At this time, there were about 7 or 8 cousins sleeping over. That’s how nice and caring my mum was at that vulnerable time.

   My mother’s empathy has always been part of my nature, as I have watched her care for others my whole life. My mum used to care for the elderly at Avalon West Health and Rehabilitation. I don’t know how she did it. Every time I went there, I was scared to enter the building. My mum would always have stories to tell about working there. However, every time I saw my mum work with the elderly, she was so loving and kind and friends with nearly every person there. Empathy is probably my most favorite christlike attribute that I’ve received from my mum, as I am able to “bear another’s burden”.

Moroni 7: 47

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

   Thank you, mothers, for nurturing us and guiding us into becoming more like the Lord. You all hold a huge place in our hearts. I’d like to bear my testimony that I know this church is true. I know that God knows and loves each and every one of us, so much so that He would sacrifice His Beloved Son to atone for our sins, and I know that mothers play a very important role in teaching children about the gospel. I say these things in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.