I Was Taught By My Mother

I'm a "Momma's Boy". There. I said it. I also am very proud of it. I've got the best mom ever! During this Mother's Day season I have decided to give my mother some recognition for being the pure, kind, loving, loyal, trusting, and devoted person that she is. Of course, I cannot give her the recognition that she deserves because that would require much more than a simple blog post. As Maya Angelo said, "To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power." But I will try my best.

My mom and me.

DeAnn Kempton Lee is the most wonderful woman that I have ever met in my life and I love her to death. She was born in Bakersfield, California and spent her childhood in both Mesa, Arizona and California. She comes from a family of eight (three brothers and two sisters). She met my father, Dave Lee, when attending BYU in Provo, Utah. They were married and sealed for time and eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Over two decades later I came along. Little Matty was born into the world at 12:04 AM on May 13th, 1991 (just a couple-three minutes shy of being born on Mother's Day!) with five anxious brothers and sisters and two loving parents waiting to take me home to our house in West Jordan, Utah. I was raised in Utah for seven years before moving to the great state of Washington because of a job transfer for my father.

I truly admire and love my mother for making the move from Utah to Washington. It was very hard on my father and her. They had very good friends that they left behind as well as a home that they had lived in for nearly twenty years. It was a tough move for my parents but they both got the feeling that they NEEDED to move for my brother who is two years older than myself, Brett, and me. Soon after we moved to Washington my mother's father (my grandfather) Larry "Papa" Kempton passed away. Not too long after that one of my mother's best friends who lived across the street from us in Utah passed away from injuries received in a terrible car accident. Both of my parents suffered much because of the losses. I know that they wanted to be closer to family and friends during the crises but they stayed in Washington. I don't exactly know why I needed to move to Washington but I do know that I have made some of my closest friends in Washington. I needed to influence people who lived there and I certainly needed to be influenced by people who lived there. I know in my heart that I would not be the person that I am today if I did not move to Washington at the age of seven. I admire my mother for honoring my father's new job assignment and I revere the faith that they both showed during those early times of struggle. Thank you.

One of my absolute favorite stories in the scriptures is found in the book of Alma within the Book of Mormon. It is of the 2,000 Stripling Warriors. Through much of the Book of Mormon there are wars and battles being fought between two main groups of people. The Nephites and the Lamanites. In the later chapters of the book of Alma the Lamanites are wicked and are trying to defeat the Nephites in battle. The Nephites are low on warriors and are desperate for help. Years earlier a group of Lamanites from the land of Ammon (Lamanite country) converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and joined the Nephites. They also promised to never go to war again. These men from the land of Ammon knew that the Nephite army needed warriors but they could not break the oath that they made years before. But after this oath had been made...these men begat sons. These sons were, "all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and ativity; but behold, this was not all - they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted" (Alma 53: 20). These men were entrusted by God to fight for the freedom that was rightfully theirs. They were led into battle by a great man named Helaman and they called themselves Helaman's 2,000 Stripling Warriors. These young men showed great courage and faith. Their leader, Helaman, wrote of them. He said, "Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it" (Alma 56: 47-48). The 2,000 Stripling Warriors fought in multiple battles and NONE of them died. Zero. They fought with such faith and strength and they were blessed with protection.

Helaman and his 2,000 Stripling Warriors

I know that I am blessed with protection because of my mother. I love her so much. I do not doubt my mother knew it. I was taught by my mother. I was taught to fight for what I believe in. I was taught to love. I was taught to be kind. I was taught to be goofy. I was taught to be optimistic. I was taught to pray. I was taught to honor my father. I was taught to attend church. I was taught to follow Jesus Christ. Like the 2,000 Stripling Warriors, I am fighting. I am not fighting a physical war with swords and spears but I am fighting a spiritual war as I represent our Savior Jesus Christ as a missionary. I fight with my testimony that my mother helped me grow. I fight with the scriptures that my mother read with me. I emulate the kindness that my mother showed throughout my childhood. Like the 2,000 warriors, I was taught by my mother. Like the 2,000 warriors, I do not doubt. Like the 2,000 warriors I have not died in battle. I am stronger than ever before and it is because of my amazing mother. As I continue to allow myself to be taught by my mother I cannot go amiss.

Beautiful woman huh?

 Happy Mother's Day, mom. I love you.