Artifact Motherhood | Making Sense of Today's World

Artifact Motherhood | Making Sense of Today's World

• 5.27.2022

Dear Boys,

The world seems to have turned into an extra crazy place over the last two years: a pandemic, riots over racial inequality, a war in Europe, super inflation, transgender issues, abortion laws, and now yet another mass school shooting, just to name a few.

As your parents, your dad and I shield a lot of the news from you.  We tell you the basics of what's going on in the world but leave it at that.  Your shoulders are not mature enough to handle it all just yet.

However, let me tell you this: when your shoulders are big enough to take on the problems of the world... don't.  You see, humans were never meant to know all that we know instantaneously now.  People were never meant to form well informed opinions about every economic, political, or controversial subject under the sun.  Nor were we meant to see and hear perpetual chirping about it all either.  It's simply unhealthy.

The news is a tidal wave of all sorts of polarizing political opinions.  Headlines are created to make you feel angry or depressed.  The media uses fire to fight fire.  I'm thinking they'd love to watch the world burn.

Terry L. Givens said, "We humans have a lamentable tendency to spend more time theorizing the reasons behind human suffering, than working to alleviate human suffering."

So use careful discernment, my boys.  Get your facts from several different sources.  And then leave the subject alone. 

Go live your lives and make the world a better place from where you stand.  There's no need to virtue signal from Instagram.  Instead, write to your senators.  Volunteer on the school board.  Serve at church.  Help a neighbor.  Raise a family.

I don’t think God is going to care about how much time we spend debating issues and posting about them.  I think what He will care most about is the time we spend mourning with those that mourn, comforting those who stand in need of comfort and alleviating the suffering of those around us. 

I'm imperfectly trying to live my life by example, my boys.  So follow me.  Do as I do.  But do it better. Add to my example as you become men, husbands, and fathers. 

The world wants to make policies that accommodate sin.  It will tell you that the way to happiness is to look out for yourself.  The world has it backwards.  It asks, "What's best for me?"  However, Jesus taught that we must love our neighbors; we must do what's best for someone else.  Real solutions, my loves, often involve some level of sacrifice.  "Whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it." (Matthew 16:25) 

I wonder what wisdom a person who lived a thousand years would say?  Would that person reassure us and say it's all cyclical?  Or perhaps these problems we face really are speeding up and getting worse today?  All I know is that wars end.  Recessions come and go.  People treat each other unfairly.  But God always wins.  Redemption to this crazy earthly mess can only be found through Jesus Christ.  So simple and yet so intangible that it seems unreal.

President Nelson said, "Don't demand things that are unreasonable, but demand of yourself improvement. As you let the Lord help you through that, He will make the difference.  I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that gives me strength in these tumultuous times."

These are my thoughts and testimony, boys. Jesus Christ lives.  Your Heavenly Father loves you.  Please remember what matters most; set your priorities.  Don't forget who you are and your purpose.  Work hard.  Love more.  You have nothing to fear.  You're going to be better than fine.   Now go make a difference.

Love Always,

Mom 

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This is Artifact Motherhood -- a project shared with other female artists around the world who are documenting our journeys as mothers and creating memories for our children through our photographs and words.

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