Mother or not, LDS leader says all women have reason to celebrate


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SALT LAKE CITY — A female leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sharing her thoughts on Mother’s Day and why it should be celebrated by all women. She’s also praising the actions of an NBA player who chose to publicly thank his mother last week during his moment in the spotlight.

As a mother of six and now a grandma, it’s easy for LDS Primary General President Rosemary M. Wixom to get emotional when she talks about motherhood. She knows how tough a role it can be.

“The hardest part of being a mother is there isn’t enough hours in the day,” Sister Wixom said. “It takes a heap of unselfishness to be a mom — but with that comes a heap of blessings.”

She said she learned from her own mother what it takes to be a great mom.

“As a child, I would often call, ‘Mom!’ And she would answer, ‘I’m here. What do you want?’ And my response would be, ‘Nothing.’ I simply wanted to know that she was there,” Sister Wixom said.

It’s a role her mother still plays in her life.

“Now my mom, at 95, always stands at the front door and waves goodbye,” she said. “This time she’s trailing a walker and an oxygen cord, but she is always at the front door to wave goodbye as we pull away.”


You don't have to have given birth to have the qualities that mothers have, and that is to nurture. ... We can do it at all ages and all circumstances, and that's what we celebrate on Mother's Day.

–Sister Rosemary M. Wixom


Perhaps one of the most touching tributes to a mother this week came in Oklahoma City. As Kevin Durant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, he recounted how his single mother raised him and his siblings.

“She made sure we ate; she went to bed hungry,” Durant said. “You sacrificed for us (Mom). You’re the real MVP.”

“I’m glad this story was told,” Sister Wixom said of Durant’s speech. “Good things happen in families of all shapes and sizes and all structures — a single mom is working overtime.”

Sister Wixom believes every woman possesses the ability to influence children for good, and that’s why all women deserve praise on Mother’s Day.

“You don’t have to have given birth to have the qualities that mothers have, and that is to nurture,” she said. “We can do it at all ages and all circumstances, and that’s what we celebrate on Mother’s Day.”

On this day, Sister Wixom says it is important for women to remember the love they share with so many.

Earlier in the week, the LDS Church released a video tribute to mothers everywhere. Along with the hashtag #itwasmom, the video spread across social media networks, garnering more than 750,000 views.

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