Week 13: The Dreaded Mother-In-Law (Keep Reading)

I never really got the jokes about the dreaded Mother-In-Law, maybe because I have a wonderful Mother-In-Law. In fact, I think she should write a book about how to be a Mother-In-Law. If I were to write the book for her, it might include some of the following:

Cleave unto your spouse.
She gracefully took a very healthy distance from her son and allowed us to work on cleaving to each other. Elder Marvin J. Ashton taught, “Certainly a now-married man should cleave unto his wife in faithfulness, protection, comfort, and total support, but in leaving father, mother, and other family members, it was never intended that they now be ignored, abandoned, shunned, or deserted. They are still family, a great source of strength….wise parents whose children have left to start their own families, realize their family role still continues, not in a realm or domination, control, regulation, supervision, or imposition, but in love, concern, and encouragement.”

My parents have also done a great job of teaching how important it is to cleave unto our spouse. I remember shortly after I was married, I had run into some car trouble. After calling first my husband, and finding him in a place where he really couldn’t stop to help, I called my Dad. The first question he asked was “Where’s your husband?” I explained the problem and also that Sean was my first call. Seeing the problem, and knowing my husband was stuck where he was my Dad sent help. I have never forgotten what my father communicated. Frist turn to your husband, and then I can also always turn to him.

Another Chapter in my Mother-In-Laws book would be titled: Accepting Difference.
My Mother-In-Law has an incredible ability to find the talents that separate and make each of her in law children different and really displaying them. She loves and enjoys each of the differences and talents we bring. We have quite the mix of in laws in our family. Instead of allowing those differences to be issues, she has magically made them what holds our family together. In the Ensign an article posted about Extending Family Relationships it teaches "Keeping the generations close brings not only emotional rewards but also added perspective."

The most important chapter in her book would be: Prayer.
My Mother-In-Law is an exceptional example of the fruits of prayer. Often in our marriage when things seem to fall in place perfectly, or when we are struggling and then there is a break through we say she must be praying for us. The power of prayer in family relationships I believe gets brushed under the rug sometimes. The power of prayer has caused miracles to take place in our lives, and in the lives of our family members. I believe she is a wonderful Mother-In-Law because she is prayerful!
Boyd K. Packer teaches, "There are few things more powerful than the prayers of a righteous mother."






"Extending Family Relationships." Ensign Oct. 1986 - Ensign. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016. 

Packer, President Boyd K. "These Things I Know." Lds.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.