What is a virtuous woman?  In Proverbs is says, "Who can find a virtuous woman?  for her price is far above rubies."  (Prov 31:!0)  We had a wonderful multi-stake women's conference in Jacksonville last night with talks given by Sister Julie Beck, General Relief Society President and Sister Mary Cook, General Young Women's 1st Councilor.  Sister Cook talked at length about being a virtuous woman, which gave me the thought that virtue would be an excellent topic to revolve my thoughts for mom around.  

Mom is a woman of virtue in so many ways.  Each of us may have somewhat different ideas about why we think she is, but I think we can all agree that she certainly is virtuous.  The rest of this will be addressed directly to Mom, but please feel free to add your thoughts.  The ways I've witnessed virtue in you, Mom, have spanned my life time and have left specific impressions on me.  When I was little, I used to catch you on her knees or reading the scriptures and knew you were a woman of God for you were keeping the most simple and fundamental of commandments.  You taught me to tell the truth, to respect other's property(remember my doll in the trash after I plucked every bristle from your hair brush.  I remember, and I've always been much more careful with another's property.  Lesson well learned.)  You taught me to read and love the scriptures.  By the time life got challenging when I was a teen, my testimony was anchored in the Gospel, with the scriptures and the prophet.  This came about because I was taught in my home, through family scripture study and family home evening, and perhaps even more crucial, in those moments when no one was around but me and you.  Dad certainly played a huge roll in this guidance, but as my mother, the one I saw most of the day, your example was fundamental to me.  This is one way you are a woman virtuous. 

As I grew and began to face the tests of my middle childhood years, you were always there for me, never belittling, even when I was a silly 12 year old, a teary 14 year old, or a loud 16 year old.  I knew after a rough day, you would be there and even stay up way into the night.  I can only appreciate that all the more now that I'm a mother myself and prize every minute of sleep I get.  You had it at both ends, little ones to get you up at night, and big ones, to get you up at night.  Yet you did, and I never heard a moment of complaint when you were surely exhausted the next morning.  This is one way you are virtuous.

I've seen you face trials with grace, serve so many in unseen ways, share you light by your example of righteousness.  When given a task, whether as a calling in the church, through work, or at home, you do it with diligence and integrity.  There are many young ones who see you as an angel on earth for the good you've done in their lives, helping them achieve things others had told them they could not.  You do it quietly, lovingly, yet those children will never forget you.  You are their miracle worker, their Annie.  You've seen the potential in each of your children and worked hard with each of us to help us achieve what you knew we could.  You went without through all of our childhoods while we took dance and music lessons, participated in sports and other extracurricular activities, attended college and went on missions.  I heard you say many times you wanted to spend your time and energy investing in your children and our individual talents.  This has paid off in so many ways for each of your children.  I can really only speak for myself, but I'm grateful for that example of simplicity in life.  I knew the big boats and luxuries weren't important.  I still know that and don't feel swept up into the storm.  This to me is a huge way you are a woman of virtue.

You married a virtuous man who honors his Priesthood and honors women.  As each of your children have dated and married spouses, I know we have each searched out and found virtuous spouses much because we saw virtue in our lives each day in our mother and father and wanted that for our own eternities as well.  You taught me that the temple was the ONLY option for marriage.  I recall you and dad getting up very early in the morning to worship there.  You took great care to teach me respect for the Garment.  You never lowered your standards in dress, which I took as an example for how to wear the garment.  You dressed me modestly from a very young age so I never had a hard time adjusting to wearing the sacred Temple Garment.  I use your example as I teach my own children in the same way.  This example you set showed forth your virtue every day and still does.  

If I were you, I'd look on my time as a mother with great satisfaction.  You have taught and reared six children who have followed your example of virtue, who are all Temple worthy, five of whom are endowed.  We all have testimonies of the true Gospel of Christ.  You helped us find and nurture those testimonies throughout our lives.  Mine grows each day, and each day I'm thankful for parents who were virtuous, who taught me the truth.  We all live so far away from each other, but we have a bond much stronger than distance.  We have covenants that bind us all together for eternity.  We are each striving to touch the lives around us in ways we saw you and Dad do as we were so wide-eyed and impressionable.  I hope your testimony is also growing, and I'm sure it is, because I see you continue to serve in the church and do all the same things I knew of you when I was little and under your roof.  This is a strength to me to know my parents still walk in faith and virtue.  This is virtue as I have seen it through the many years and continue to see it in you.

This reflection has helped me feel close to you this Mother's Day in spite of that vastness that separates us.  These are my thoughts today and always when I think of you.  Thank you eternally for all you have done and do still in shining forth to your posterity.  Thank you for choosing a righteous man to be my father.  I love you both with all my heart.