CTR Rings

Several weeks ago I got a call from my mom. I could tell from her voice that this was not just a casual call. There was a seriousness and reflectiveness in her voice. She asked me to take Lexi, Izzy, Livy and Sam to Deseret Book after Christmas. Mom wanted each kid to pick out a CTR (Choose the Right) ring and she would buy it for them. She asked that I share a message with them once the rings were bought. My sweet mom wanted me to tell her grandkids to always make good choices. Mom then shared choices she made, that she was not very proud of and she doesn't want to see her grand kids make the same mistakes. When mom first moved to Salt Lake City from Preston she did not go to church. It was a stubborn silent protest. She was going to teach her dad a lesson. My Grandpa Inglet was not very active in the church but he always made my mom go to church. When she moved to Salt Lake she decided that he could no longer tell her what to do, so she was no longer going to go to church. From there she continued to make decisions that were not the best, according to her. Mom then told me about how when I was younger she would drop Diana and I off at primary. Then she would drive down to the local McDonalds order a cup of coffee and sit there and drink it until Primary was over. She regrets not having family home evening when we were younger and teaching us the stories in the scriptures. When my younger sister Kim was in seminary she came home one day upset, telling my mom that she felt stupid because she didn't know the stories in the scriptures. Stake conference and general conference was a holiday from church when I was a kid. I have had a few other moments like this with my mom. She is getting older and I think she is entering that faze of life where she wants to make sure her family is safe and that they will continue to do good after she is gone. I too know that my mom is getting older. I worry for the day that I will have to say goodbye to her. I pray that day is a long way away. As I listened to my mom and tried to reassure her that those things she thought were big mistakes don't even come close to all the great things she has done and the example she has been to us girls and her grandchildren. She has followed the prompting of the Spirit more times then I can count. When my dad decided to start going back to church she went with him.  She stayed faithful and devote even when he no longer was. When she decided to start paying her tithing, even if it was just to teach her bishop a lesson, she ended up gaining a strong testimony of tithing that she shared with her children and grandchildren. I watched as my mom was treated poorly by that same bishop and her stake president. She was punished a result of my dad's sin and had her temple recommend taken away. She didn't get bitter and leave the church. My mom stayed strong, kept her faith and kept taking us to church. I know that my mom really wanted to express to my children not to be like her and make better choices but really I hope that they follow her example. I hope they make the choice to be strong in what they know is true and to testify that to all those around them.