My Mother Taught Me

Recently, in honor of Mother's Day, the First Presidency and several members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a few brief messages about things their mothers had taught them. Following their lead, I'd like to share something that my mother taught me.

As I was growing up, my mom was the leader of the Ward Activities Committee. As such, "Team Robarts" would always go to activities early to set up tables, chairs, and decorations, and we'd always stay late to take those things down and to clean up. Tonight, I got an opportunity to relive part of my childhood by taking down chairs after a play that one of my nieces and one of my nephews were in. Mom took a picture of my brother and I working, and posted it on Facebook with the caption: "Of course, [my sons] helped put up chairs after the show." And yes, of course we did, because we were raised to.

My mother always taught my brothers and I to be kind and quick to serve, both by example and by giving us opportunities to follow that example. Even now in my adulthood, I can honestly say that one of the emotions I feel quite often is the desire to help others. It's natural for my brothers and I to serve others, accept volunteer opportunities, and lend a helping hand, because that's how we were raised, and I'm grateful for that.

I will always be grateful for my mother instilling service into me from an early age. Though it may be a burden sometimes, more often, it's a blessing. It's part of what makes me a basically good person, and it's one of my attributes of which I'm most proud. The most central attribute of a paladin or knight is chivalry, which essentially means service and respect. I wouldn't be who I am without that attribute. Easily one of the greatest things about me is that my mom taught me to serve.