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Show Mothers In Miniature BYMABELGABBOTT The dus seemed to crawl along the streets. Cheryl sat next to the window and counted the blocks. She was on her way to the shoe store to buy some red shoes for Christmas, ...her first, her very first red shoes. She wriggled her toes inside her old black shoes and thought: "The red ones will be shiny; they will have straps; and they will have silver buckles." Oh, why did the bus have to stop at every corner for all these people! She tapped her finger on the window and waited impatiently. Mary watched her daughter in tender amusement-amusement because she was recalling how Cheryl had slyly approached her father the night before, saying, "Daddy, you are so wonderful to me. Do you think I could have some new slippers-some slippers-some red ones?" And she had added, "I really love you so." Mary's thoughts were tender because she remembered once when she had wanted special spippers so very much-so long ago. "Mother, this is our corner. Hurry, Mother!" Cheryl was out in the aisle before the bus stopped. As they entered the shoe store, Cheryl pointed out to her mother the different styles and colors that were popular. "What may we do for you?" said the clerk, his eyes smiling at Cheryl. "Some red shoes, please," said Cheryl, "shiny ones, with a strap." "Exactly," said the clerk, "exactly what we have just waiting for you on the shelf .I saw the pair this morning and knew you would be along." The clerk measured Cheryl's foot and brought the slippers. Cheryl took off her old black shoes and slipped her foot into the shiny red slippers. The clerk quickly buckled the strap on the side with the shiny silver buckle. Just -then, hewas called away for a moment. 7 "Walk around a little," said Mother, "and see if the shoes fit." Cheryl walked to the mirror and back. They pinched a little, but no doubt that was just because they were new. She thought, I won't tell about the pinching ; there may not be another pair, and I do so want these red ones. . Mary watched her daughter's slight limp as she walked back and forth admiring the shoes in the low mirror. Suddenly she was a little girl again. It was spring in the little town where she went to school, and she had a part in the spring festival. Mary had gone with her mother to the only store in the town to get white shoes. "Such a frivolous thing," her mother had said. "White shoes! Should be more sensible. White shoes ! You will be cleaning them all the time." "Oh, I promise I will," Mary had answered. And in that faraway spring, she remembered, there was one pair of white shoes left-just a little small, but surely they would stretch. She winced inwardly as she tried them on, but smiling to her mother said they were just fine. That night, Mary remembered, after her mother had tucked her in, turned down the light and said goodnight, Mary had gotten the shoes from the box, found her white stocking, and walked up and down the room trying to stretch the shoes. Finally she went to bed with the shoes still on her feet. Surely in the morning they will have stretched ! she thought. But in the morning when her mother wakened her, Mary's little feet were almost numb from the tight shoes, and Mother had to bathe them " and rub them and put lotion on them so that she could go to the festival. But she had worn the white shoes, Mary remembered, hurting with every step as she walked on and off the stage. 'Foolish indeed, Mary now reflected. She was drawn from her own childhood memories as the clerk returned. "They look just beautiful," he said. "How do they feel?" "Just fine," said Cheryl. "Cheryl,,' said Mother, softly, "if they are just a bit too uncomfortable for walking, I am sure the clerk has a pair just a little larger." "Oh, no!" said Cheryl. "He said this pair on the shelf was waiting just for me." ""Well, now," said the clerk, understanding the situation, "Let me take these back to the manager. Maybe he could stretch them just a little." Cheryl hesitated, but Mother nodded. She took off the slippers. The clerk returned shortly with another box and another pair of red shoes. Cheryl hesitatingly tried them on. Then she smiled and danced around. "Oh, they do feel better." She could walk easily and even dance in them. That night Cheryl modeled her Beautiful red slippers for her daddy, while she breathlessly told him about how the slippers had waited on the shelf until she came. "Oh, you are so good to me, Daddy." She skipped around the room. The red slippers caught the glow of the firelight. "Oh, thank you so much." "And thank you, Mother." She smiled knowingly to her mother, "Thank you for bciirg so wise." From Mother in Miniaturt by Mabel Gobbott Bookcmft, SLC. VT ' 1976 Orem-Geneva Times- --May 6, 1982 What Makes A Home? "What makes a home?" I asked my little boy, And this is what he said: "You, Mother, And when Daddy comes, our table set all shiny, And my bed and, Mother, I think it's home Because we love er ch other ! " You who are old and wise, what would you say If you were asked the question? Tell me, pray. And simple as a little child, The old wise ones can answer nothing more A man, a woman, and a child their love, Warm as the gold hearth fire along the floor, A table, and a lamp for light-Only light-Only the old, sweet fundamental things. And long I learned-Home learned-Home may be near, home may be far, But is is every where that love And a few plain household treasures are. Grace Noll Crowell From There's Always Mother by Caroline Eyring Miner Copyright by Deseret Book Company 1970 r r )7 Beloved Orem Mother Puts Her Family First "She's always concerned con-cerned about everyone, rather than herself," said Milt Littlefield of his wife of 46 years, "Her husband and children have always come first." Helen Loveless Littlefield and her -husband are the parents of six children, four boys and two girls. They have twenty grandchildren and one great-grandchild. kids," she said. "Mother worked with us on the farm. No one likes to work alone; you like someone to work with you." Mr. Littlefield said his wife has been "a real She says there is nothing spectacular about her life, nor her children. "None of my children have achieved greatness-except greatness-except in my eyes." She says their farm helped them to keep the support in. church, work rchildren off the streets and home." He said she and taught them hard enjoys the respect of her work. children, friends. neighbors and Mrs. Littlefield has been a life-long resident of Orem and she attributes at-tributes her success as a mother to the teaching and example of her own mother. "Mother was a very unselfish person and wanted the best for her Mrs. Littlefield was among the oldest of. 13 children and learned to take responsibility at an early age. All of the Littlefield children are married and range in age from 25 to 44 years. The oldest now lives in Texas and the rest in Utah. Mrs. Littlefield has always worked hard, said her husband. She has been an active member of the LDS Church, serving in Primary and other organizations. The Littlefields work together on mutual hobbies, including rock hounding, which they do to create beautiful rings and other items. They also make colorful throw rugs. Behold Thy Mother BY THOMAS S.MONSON As a boy, I well remember Sunday School on Mother's Day. We would hand to each mother present a small potted plant and sit in silent reverie as Melvin Watson, a blind member, would stand by the piano and sing "That Wonderful Mother of Mine." This was the first time I saw a blind man cry. Even today, in memory, I can see the moist tears move from those sightless eyes, then form tiny rivulets and course down his cheeks, falling finally upon the lapel of the suit he had never seen. In boyhood puzzlement I wondered why all the grown men were silent, why so many handkerchiefs came forth. Now I know. You see, mother was remembered. Each boy, each girl, all fathers and husbands seemed .to make a silent pledge, "I will remember that wonderful mother of mine." Some years ago I listened intently as a man well beyond middle age told me of an experience in his family history. The widowed mother who had given birth to him and his brothers and sisters had gone to her eternal and well-earned reward. The family assembled at the home and surrounded the large dining room table. The small metal box in which mother had kept her earthly treasures was opened reverently. One by one each keepsake was brought forth. There was the wedding certificate from the Salt Lake Temple. "Oh, now Mother can be with Dad." Then there was the deed to the humble home where each child had in turn entered upon the stage of life. The appraised value of the house had little resemblance to the worth Mother had attached to it. Then there was discovered a yellowed envelope that bore the marks of time. Carefully the flap was opened and from inside was taken a homemade valentine. Its simple message, in the handwriting of a child, read, "I love you, Mother." Though she was gone, by what she held sacred mother taught yet another lesson. A silence permeated the room, and every member of the family made a pledge not only to remember, but also to honor mother. For them it was not too little and Joo.late, as in the classic poem of Rose Marinoni entitled "At Sunrise": They pushed him straight against the wall, The firing squad dropped in a row; And why he stood on tiptoe, Those men shall never know. He wore a smile across his face As he stood primly there, The guns straight aiming at his heart, The sun upon his hair. For he remembered in a flash Those days beyond recall, When his proud mother took his height . Against the bedroom Wall. From Behold Thy Mother By Thomas S. Monson Deseret Book Co. 1976 ' i i 11 " Take Care of Mama By David 6. McKay " x V His first great sorrow came in 1880 when (David 0. McKay) was seven. It was in that year that his two older sisters became ill and died. Margaret, the eldest, had contracted rheumatic fever, and when school opened in the fall of 1879, she was too ill to . attend classes. Since little was known about rheumatic fever at that time, she grew steadily worse through the winter until death came on March 28, 1880. The grief of the family became more severe, however, when Elena, the second daughter, developed pneumonia and died on April 1, the date of her funeral, the grave, prepared for Margaret, was enlarged, and thetwo were placed side by side, just as they had been during their brief lives of eleven and nine years. I It was just one year later that father Dfvid McKay received a call from the Church t0 do missionary work in Scottland. When the call came it brought much concern, for Jennette was expecting a child soon, and David was reluctant to leave her alone with the family, as well as the responsibilities of the farm. They had just recently made the last payment on the farm and seemed to have 'within their grasp the fulfillment of their dreams and hopes to enlarge the house and furnish it. But now the acceptance of the mission call would mean postponement of every thing. j There was really only one decision, and Jennette Jen-nette insisted that her husband accept the tall and join the group of missionaries going to Scotland. Remembering the courage of her own mother, Jennette knew she was equal to any sacrifice and bade her husband farewell on hislong journey to the British Isles on April 19, 1881. On that day, David 0. McKay's childhood came to an end, for his father had instructed him to "take care of Mama," and the responsibilities he assumed at that time were far beyond his eight years. The new baby, a daughter and the sixth child of the family, was born ten days after her father's departure, but the news of her birth did not reach him until he was settled in Scotland.,1 Then, as always during his mission, the letter said ". . . everything at home is going smoothly and we are all well, and you must not worry about us." Many , ' times during his absence there were serious problems to be solved, but their existence never reached him in the mission field. He received only encouraging reports of the baby's development, the wonderful help the two boys, David and Thomas E., were giving, and the great kindnesses of relatives, neighbors, and friends. S J - Before he left, Father McKay had arranged for a man to take the responsibility for the cattle and other heavy outside work. He came, bringing with him a yoke of oxen that only became an additional barnyard wbrry. He had not been there long when he went away to visit distant relatives, leaving the oxen for young David to attend. One evening when David and his mother were feeding the animals in the barnyard, they came to the discouraging task of carrying sufficient hay to satisfy the huge bovines, who always seemed to eat faster than they could be supplied. With tears in his eyes, David hefted the heavy hay and said to his mother, "Now, let's give them two large armfuls of hay and run to the house before they eat it." In spite of the difficulties, Jennette kept her two sons, David 0. and Thomas E., in school and also taught them to assume part of the household duties, - which they did willingly because it was "helping mama." Family prayer was an established procedure in the McKay home, and when Jennette was left alone with her small family, it seemed an ever more important part of the day's events.! David was taught to take his turn at morning and evening prayers and learned the importance of the blessings of heaven in the home. Brethren of the priesthood assisted in planting the spring crops, and the season proved to be a bounteous one for the McKay farm. Hay brought a good price, but grain prices dropped, and so the family was advised to keep that part of the harvest until prices were better, Jennette,; at some sacrifice, stored the grain until spring when prices were higher than ever, and she realized a generous return. She took comfort in an ample bank account at the end of the season. j Encouraged by their success, Jennette and her sons worked harder the next season and again enjoyed a profitable year. Their bank account increased in-creased until they felt justified in making the additions ad-ditions to the house that had previously been planned. ' j From Memories of Mothers by General A thoritia Compiled by Leon R. Hartshorn Deseret Book. SLC, VT 1974 Whether your gift to Mother on Mother's Day is our lovely gold foil box, or our traditional box accented , with touches of gold, the quality df See's Candies is always the same. .1 It's quality at a price no one else cares to match -from the Pacific Northwest to Texas, from the Middle West to Hawaii. i j Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9. j I I i i See's Candy Shops in Utah: 1 OREM: z tjniverrsity Mall ' Manager: y Nina Spencer MURRAY: Ff nion Place Manager: Rhoana Garrett SALT LAKE CITY: ZCMI Center Manager: Arline Morgan OGDEN: Ogden City Mall Manager: Doris Melinkoff |