Erin Southworth

Leslie,
I am thrilled for you to be on this crazy adventure of motherhood. You
are going to rock it! I just want to tell you two things. I don't
really have any advice, mostly because I have absolutely no idea what
I'm doing myself, and partly because my advice probably wouldn't work
for you anyway.
The first thing is from a conference talk from April of 2014 by Sister
Reeves. She says, "It is OK if the house is a mess and the children
are still in their pajamas and some responsibilities are left undone.
The only things that really need to be accomplished in the home are
daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening." I
have tried, especially recently, to make this my motto, and I promise
it works.
The second thing is a personal experience. In the last weeks of
pregnancy with Emery, when I felt like I literally would not live
through the night, I had Bryson give me a blessing. During the
blessing I heard a firm, but humble voice say, "You are doing this for
one person; I did this for the whole world." No experience has been so
humbling or left such a profound impact on my heart. Even on the very
worst of days, always remember that Christ loved, suffered for, and
gave life to this special spirit long before you did. I promise that
even when you feel alone and overwhelmed to the point of breaking, He
is always there to help you. No one wants to see you succeed in this
special calling more than He does!
Love you, Leslie!