Let's hear it for Julie Beck!

I don't know about anybody else, but I am a bit in awe with Sister Beck! Her talks since becoming the General RS President have surprised me. They always leave me with a temporary "guilt trip." It's her "We need to be the Best" and "We are not doing enough!" comments that surprise me. I don't know much about this, but I do know she's taken some hits from some of her recent talks. I know there are some people who have formed a group and they are very critical of her. (I read some of their comments but it's not worth reading....spend your time on more uplifting things!)

But......I cannot deny that as she is speaking, and as I re-read her words, I realize that she is telling us just what Heavenly Father would be lovingly saying to us if we sat down and had a chat. These are perilous times and she is preparing us to be our best to combat what's ahead. She is trying to inspire us women to raise the bar! I'm starting to like that she tells us to do better. It's hard to hear that we should be the best homemakers in the world, but it's also good to hear. I have to admit that I've said to myself, "How can I possibly do any more???" but she's not asking us to do more of anything that won't strengthen us....and she's telling us to do less...less of the things that don't add spiritual strength to our homes. These are the same things Heavenly Father whispers to me in my quiet moments. So I praise her for standing up and saying things that are hard for us women to hear when we'd rather hear things like, "You're doing just fine!"

Here's some of her teachings that I like:

A good reason to have an activity is because we need it. A bad reason is because it's a tradition.

"I believe that the women of this Church are the finest, most capable women in the world."

"Faithful daughters of God desire children. The value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection."

"These wise mothers are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most."

"They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home in order to spend more time with their children - more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing."

"Latter-Day Saint women should be the very best in the world at upholding, nurturing, and protecting families."

"Mothers need not fear."