I Wish . . .

. . . every young mother could have been at the Relief Society Retreat last night.

We enjoyed the hours of visiting and laughter with friends free from the demands of husbands, babies and children (whom we love and missed); the fabulous food prepared by a few dedicated men; the cool, fresh, mountain air, and loads of treats.

We were also blessed to feel the sweet spirit of Sister Beth Elmer, a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as she shared her experiences and testimony with us.

But the most amazing part of the evening was hearing the special women of my ward and neighborhood bear their testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the love they have for the families and their honest and sincere desire to be true Handmaids of the Lord. We are different and unique. We have been blessed with various talents and abilities. We each struggle with individual trials and it was a bonding experience to hear women share their silent or perhaps not so silent burdens. It is not always easy to be mothers, but we all want to be with our families forever. We all want to raise children to grow strong in the gospel. We all desire to be obedient to the commandments. We all want our testimonies to grow. We all want to serve and lift each other. We all want to feel the Spirit more in our homes. We are all sisters. We are united by the gospel and by this desire to be better. To do better. And then to try again tomorrow if we fail today.