May 2, 2016

The love of a mother is truly impossible to comprehend. That really came to life as I asked questions of my Heavenly Father this past week. I asked...

1- Who was my mother in the premortal life?

2- What was our relationship like in the premortal life?

3- What thanks do I have for my mother?

1- As I thought of my mother all I could think of was “noble and great.” I know that through divine revelation my mother truly was a noble and great daughter of God. She was one of the faithful daughters of Eve. This goes for all mothers! All were prepared before the foundation of the world so they could carry out such an important role and such a sacred calling in the perfect plan of our Heavenly Father.

2- Track took quite the toll on my body growing up. The preparation was tough work and required rigorous effort. Physical and mental struggle accompanied me each and every preparation period, practice, and work out. Had it not been for the daily massages from my mother I would not have made it... that is a fact! During these times I would not have been able to endure the sore and tight muscles that I lugged around each and every day if it had not been for the constant care and attention from my mother. But as a track runner, the preparation, practice, and work outs are only part of the sport. The meets come. The time to let the hard work pay off and use my loose muscles… thanks to my mom. But what’s interesting is the massages NEVER STOPPED. In between each event, even at the meet, my mother was always there. Ready and willing, to rub my sore muscles to help me get through the meet, finish each and every race, and perform to the best of my ability. Race after race, she attended to my needs. And eventually... the meets would come to an end. The time to go home and rest would arrive. But low and behold... the care STILL did not cease. After each track meet the massage always came. And the encouragement, love, and compassion of my mother always filled me.

My track experiment helped me come to know what my relationship was like with my mother in the premortal life, what it is like now, and what it will be like in the future. In Ephesians 3, Paul explains that through our Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten, “the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” This testifies to me that my family was named and formed in the heavens above, before we came to earth. As was you, our Father named me as the child of my mother and you as the child of yours. But what took place after this naming? Why would God have formed our families and what is it I learned as I was with my mother in the premortal life? In verse 16 it says, “to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” My mother taught me through the spirit. She strengthened me and showed me how to listen to the spirit so that I could have might on this earth. She strengthened me and helped me overcome difficulties in the premortal life so I could perform to my best ability here on earth, just as she massaged me and helped me overcome sore muscles to help me be ready for a track meet on the earth.

In verse 17 it says, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.” In premortal life my mother showed me what faith really is. Before even coming to this earth I knew who Christ was, and is, thanks to my mother and her pre-life teachings to me. I also came to be “rooted and grounded” in her love. There is no doubt that my mother prepared me, cradled me, held me, loved me, and kissed me in the premortal life just as she loved me, prepared me, and massaged my legs in pre-meet preparation to help me perform to my best ability… here in this track meet called life.

Finally, in verse 19 it says, “and to know the love of Christ...” My mother truly showed me what the love of God is and was. What the love of our Savior feels like and how to know it. She helped me be ready to run my race in this earth just as she helped me be ready to run each race at each and every meet. And the race came! The meet arrived! My mom went a little earlier than I did… ONLY A LITTLE... but eventually we both found ourselves here on this earth and entered in this track meet.

My life, like the life of you all, consists of race after race, trial after trial, and affliction after affliction. But just as my mother massaged my legs during the preseason and practices (premortal life) she never stopped during the meets (this life). If it were not for my mother and her massages it would be impossible for me to make it through my daily races. I would not be capable of overcoming the difficulties and challenges that this track meet throws at us. But just as every track meet came to an end, this track meet called life will too. But I can testify that the love my mother had for me in the premortal life and the love she has for me in this track meet of life will continue on in the heavens just as her love continued on after each and every meet by giving me a massage when all was said and done.

The love of a mother never dies. How blessed I am to have gotten these massages that prepared me for this track meet in the premortal life. For the massages that I get in the track meet and in this life that help me overcome and perform to my best ability in my races. And for the massages that I will receive in the heavens and the love I will feel from my mother when we are eternally together in a state of perfection and joy when this meet comes to an end.

3- In English we say that a mother “gives birth.” But in Spanish, mothers “give light.” I love this so much more! In D&C 93:32 we learn that if a “spirit receiveth not the light it is under condemnation.” If it were not for my mother I would be under condemnation. She gave my spirit light. “Spirit and element connected, receive a fulness of joy: and when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.” If it were not for my mother I would have NO joy. If she had not humbled herself and given light to me, it would be impossible for me to have happiness. Finally, “light and truth forsake that evil one.” If it were not for my mother and the light she gave to me, the massages and preparation she gave me in the premortal life, and that she continues to give me today, I would be incapable of overcoming Satan.

Dear mothers, you are important! Never forget the sacredness of your calling! I wish all of you faithful daughters of Eve a Happy Mothers Day and I wish the best for you all!

To my very own mother. I love you, I adore you, I live for you, and I am who I am because of you. I thank my Father in Heaven for having named me and formed me in a family with such a faithful daughter of Eve who prepared me and taught me. Loved me and cared for me. Who continues to give me her love and attention. I love you, Mom. Thank you for the light you gave me. Thank you for the light you give me each day of my existence. I look forward to the moment when we are in the heavens together, surrounded by concourses of angels, holding hands with Dad, Ryan, McKenna, Alec, and those we love, in the presence of Him who formed us. In the presence of Him who will give us all that He has and is. But this time, I promise, I will be the one giving you the massage ;)

Happy Mothers Day!

Elder Noll