Mormon Women: Eliza R. Snow

There are many incredible women in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  However none is more revered than Eliza R. Snow.  

Eliza R. Snow is best remembered for her poetry.  Ten of her poems are published in the LDS Hymn Book.   The most popular is undoubtedly, "O My Father."  This beautiful description of our Heavenly Mother, and eternal realms is a Mormon gem.   She also penned "How Great the Wisdom and the Love" which is often quoted in conference.  "How great, how glorious, how complete  Redemption's grand design,

Where justice, love, and mercy meet  In harmony divine!" 

A book I am now reading, "Signs, Wonders, and Miracles"  points to her as a widow of the martyred prophet Joseph Smith.  She had asked the Lord to take her as well.  However the prophet appeared to her from beyond the veil, and told her that was not God's intentions for her.  The prophet told her to "be of good courage and help to cheer and lighten the burdens of others."  Eliza was later asked by Brigham Young to organized relief societies in the local units of the church.  She then became the second general president of the relief society.  

Although  "O My Father" is a poem well revered, I like another even better: A Word To Saints Who are Gathering

by Eliza R. Snow

Think not, when you gather to Zion,

Your troubles and trials are through--

That nothing but comfort and pleasure

Are waiting in Zion for you.

No, no; 'tis design'd as a furnace;

All substance, all textures to try--

To consume all the "wood, hay and stubble,"

And the gold from the dross purify.

Think not, when you gather to Zion

That all will be holy and pure--

That deception, and falsehood are banish'd

And confidence wholly secure.

No, no, for the Lord our Redeemer

Has said that the tares from the wheat

Must grow; until the great day of burning

Shall render the harvest complete.

Think not, when you gather to Zion

The Saints here have nothing to do

But attend to your personal welfare,

And always be comforting you.

No, the Saints who are faithful are doing

What their hands find to do, with their might

To accomplish the gath'ring of Israel

They are toiling by day and by night.

Think not, when you gather to Zion,

The prize and the victory won--

Think not that the warfare is ended,

Or the work of salvation is done.

No, no; for the great Prince of Darkness

A tenfold exertion will make

When He sees you approaching the fountain

Where the truth you may freely partake.  (LDS Women)

Now, recently in the media we are made aware of another way to think of Eliza R. Snow, as a survivor of gang rape.  This knowledge helps me to appreciate this woman even more.  Two times she has to pick herself up, and go on.  I noted in the "Liahona September 1987" this story about Eliza Snow.  With the expulsion of the Saints "a man taunted Eliza R. Snow, saying, “Well, I think this will put an end to your faith.” She replied, “No, sir, it will take more than this to put an end to my faith.” He humbly responded, “I must confess you are a stronger person than I am.”  Eliza R. Snow is a person among people.  A person who overcame hardship, and was able to help many others.  A woman who fought for women's suffrage and women's rights.  (Utah had women's suffrage long before any other state or territory, but it was taken away by the federal government.)

My thoughts about Mother's Day Sacrament Meeting

I wanted to share a few thoughts about our sacrament meeting.  The most memorable part about our meeting was the music, I think that is the way it is on Mother's Day.  

For opening they sang my own mother's favorite hymn, Love at Home: 

Love at home

There is beauty all around, When there’s love at home; There is joy in every sound, When there’s love at home; Peace and plenty here abide, Smiling sweet on every side, Time doth softly, sweetly glide, When there’s love at home. Refrain: Love at home, love at home; Time doth softly, sweetly glide, When there’s love at home. In the cottage there is joy, When there’s love at home; Hate and envy ne’er annoy, When there’s love at home; Roses bloom beneath our feet, All the earth’s a garden sweet, Making life a bliss complete, When there’s love at home.  3. Kindly heaven smiles above, When there’s love at home; All the world is filled with love, When there’s love at home; Sweeter sings the brooklet by, Brighter beams the azure sky; Oh, there’s One who smiles on high When there’s love at home. My mom always strove to have a home of peace, filled with love, where the azure sky could beam. .

The primary sang "Mother I love You"  I hadn't realized our primary was so small.  Tony, who is a Sunbeam, was too shy to get up with them.  

The closing hymn reminds me that our goal, is to live worthy of going to the temple, and then live a life where the temple blessings become effective.  I have two daughters married in the temple, and I count Billy Boy as a further success in this regard.  However there are still four children who have not married in the temple.

Families Can Be Together Forever:

I have a family here on earth.
They are so good to me.
I want to share my life with them
through all eternity.
Fam'lies can be together forever
Through Heav'nly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family,
And the Lord has shown me how I can.
While I am in my early years, I'll prepare most carefully,
So I can marry in God's temple for eternity.
Ruth M. Gardner (© 1980 LDS)

In talking about those children who have not yet made it to the temple, where they can partake of God's greatest blessings, I cam across this statement of comfort from Joseph Smith.  This was part of a priesthood lesson.  on a conference talk "The Temple is About Families" by Richard H. Winkel:


“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain.” 

^{A couple of my sons seem to have forgotten about the temples.  I hope they remember.}

 

"I am a Child of God" Soothing Babies

Tony, who came to us as a baby, and is now almost four

Doing foster care the past four plus years, and during that time mostly fostering babies and toddlers, (32 foster children and 25 under three) I am an expert at what songs are most soothing for young ones.  The best song of all is "I am a Child of God."  My daughter Natalia actually discovered this with the two-year-old twins who were with us several years back.

We took them on a long trip to Arkansas.  As such the were confined to their car seats for extended periods of time.  They could not last the entire song, when they were tired, without being asleep at the end.  When they were not asleep i would at least calm them down.

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words
Before it grows to late.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

I am a child of God.
Rich blessings are in store;
If I but learn to do his will
I'll live with him once more.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

I am a child of God.
His promises are sure;
Celestial glory shall be mine
If I can but endure.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

This version adds the fourth verse.  This verse is not in the hymn book as it was added after the book was published.  Sometimes the fourth verse is needed to get a  sleeping.  This song hasn't worked as well with all of our children to get them to sleep, but it always works to calm them down.

It works better than any other song, "Rock-a-bye Baby," "Hush Thee my Babe," (a song I wrote) "Lullaby and Good Night" and "Go to Sleep" all seem to pale in comparison.  "I am a Child of God" seems to stand alone.

I ask myself, "Why is this song so effective, is it the melody or the lyrics?"  The melody draws attention, but I think the spirit of the song emanating from the message, touches little souls who have only recently left Heavenly Father's presence.  The spirit of the message, coming from the singer, emanates the little spirits, who are sometimes so close to the veil having just recently left the Spirit World.

Where Can I Turn for Peace

I was thinking of what might be a nice hymn to sing a'capella, and this hymn came to mine.  I like the message, and it is a relatively newer hymn, being added with the last edition of the hymn book.
Hymn 129 "Where Can I Turn For Peace."

Where Can I turn for peace,
Where is my solace when other sources cease to make me whole.
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart, searching my soul

Where, when my aching grows,
Where when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand
He, only One.

He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching,
In my Gethsemane,
Savior and Friend
Gentle the peace he finds
for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind
Love without end.

When we struggle, when we are down, He can calm our soul and give us peace.  I like the scripture in the Book of Mormon, "Peace be unto you, Because of your faith Peace be unto you."  May we find him as we struggle.  He answers privately, Gentle the peace He finds, love without end.

For a Blog describing the history of this hymn:
http://happinessajourney.blogspot.com/2007/11/where-can-i-turn-for-peace.html