Shantel May

I've started doing these "Shantel - month" posts, almost like a little wrapup of my month. When I was first blogging I would write about things that I liked or I was doing (Friday Five were some of my favorite posts), but the blog has evolved into a family journal. I love that about this blog. However, here are some thoughts, likes, and things from me this month. 

I officially stepped down as the director of SPARK Cooperative for the next school year. I have been feeling the need to shift my energy and attention and even though SPARK has been fantastic for our family, I felt the need to pull away. (This is one of the balls that I kept dropping over the past couple of months and it feels good to let it go.)  

Within days of stepping down from the leadership role at SPARK, I decided to move ahead with co-hosting a Mothers of Influence (MOI) group AND become the finance chair for the kids Thursday co-op. It felt a little like "wow, I can't allow myself any time to breathe - responsibility just draws itself into the vacuum." I can especially see how it would seem that way from the outside. However, I actually feel that these are responsibilities I wanted to take on and are the direction that I needed to go but the additional responsibility of SPARK was holding me back. Stepping down as coop director was more about making room for the things calling to me and less about having too much responsibility in general. 

I have wanted to create a group of homeschooling mothers who gather regularly to lift and support each other for a long time. Part of that desire has been met through our homeschool retreat, but I wanted to extend it throughout the year. I've been attending a MOI group in Mapleton for a while now and it's such a beautiful group with beautiful women, but it's far from me and my kids. I have the desire for a close group of people who are a support to me and a community for my children. Ali Middleton has similar dreams and asked if I would co-host an MOI group with her. I think having someone to share the leadership responsibility is exactly the thing that I needed to agree to start a group like this. 

We met for the first time this month at my house (we will swap houses every other month) and talked about "A Mother's Heart" from the Well Educated Heart Catch the Vision course. I think there are some kinks to be worked out in the group and I'm hoping that some of the initial bumps will work themselves out as we grow together as a group. (Also, I had a little bit of a rough week which colored my perspective of how well the meeting went. I felt a little blah about it afterwards, but I have high hopes for beautiful connections in the future!) 

I am not known for taking great care of plants. Any greenery you see in my house is almost definitely fake. However, in February I was given both of these plants and have been doing such a good job taking care of them. I'm surprised at the amount of joy it is giving me. The fern-type plant was a gift from Ali after the Sue's passing. The bonzai tree (a notably difficult plant to care for) was a gift from my Grandma Zuriel Knowles. She wanted to give me something to say thank you for helping to plan her 90th birthday and felt like this was the right thing. My mom, knowing my bad track record with plants, tried to convince her to do something else but my grandma insisted this was the right thing. I laughed when I received it, but I have quickly grown to love this darling little bonzai and I'm grateful for my grandmother who gave it to me. 

These women are such a support, inspiration, and boon to me. We went out to dinner for Bethany's birthday and at one point I just sat in the middle of the table with chatter all around me (and a ridiculously loud live band playing right next to us, ha) and was filled with gratitude to be surrounded by them. They are an answer to my prayers in so many ways, homeschooling and beyond. Such strong, faithful, brave, diligent, creative, kind women. I'm blessed to be a part of them. 

These art pieces are two that spoke to me the last time David and I were walking through Deseret Book. They are just so beautiful.  

The Temple & Open Houses

We have had such a whirlwind of Temple Open Houses lately. It seems that ever since the Saratoga Springs Temple Open House, there has been one open house after another. It's been an incredible thing to experience. I feel so blessed to live so close to so many temples and to live at a time where temples are being built at an ever increasing pace. When I was born, there were 42 temples. There were 35 temples announced in 2023 and 15 more just recently announced at the April General Conference that is more temples announced in the last year than there were when I was born. It is an incredible time to be alive and I am so grateful. 

March 16th /April 1st&2nd

We started with the Manti Temple Open House (this one got it's own blog post).

April 29th

The Layton Temple Open House was next. I loved this one so much - I loved the architecture and interior design and that we counted a massive number of pictures of the Savior- almost 30! 

May 13th

David wasn't able to come to the Taylorsville Temple Open House, but the kids and I snuck up on a Monday Morning. We counted pictures of Jesus, admired the celestial room, and talked about how important temples are to us. 

Not only have we been able to go to Temple Open Houses, but it's also been so neat to attend the temple as patrons with Lydia. I love her desire to serve in the temple, and I love being in the temple with her. 

I just want to share a brief testimony of the temple. I feel peace and love while worshipping in the temple. I believe that the temple is a sign that the Lord loves ALL of his children and that by serving in the temple I can show Him my dedication and determined faith. I am grateful to be sealed to my family members forever and feel gratitude each time I am able to help someone on the other side of the veil progress along the path and be connected with their loved ones, as well. I feel empowered as a women and grateful for the priesthood power that comes from the temple endowment and though wearing the temple garment. I am so grateful to live in this time and place where temple access is close and plentiful. It's a beautiful blessing to me and to my family. 

Mother's Day

I had a lovely Mother's Day today. I felt so loved and cared for by my family and feel so grateful to be the mother of this remarkable little family. I feel the responsibility and great work that is mine and pray that I am up to the task, weaknesses and all, of being the mother that is needed here. I love my role as wife and mother and am incredibly grateful for it and grateful for the enabling power of Jesus Christ to help me along the way. I am also incredibly grateful for David and the respect, love, and support he shows me and that we get to be on this journey together as a team. (Photo from March, but I love it so much.) 

We spent the evening of Mother's Day at the Peaden Home in West Jordan. This was our first mother's day without Sue and we missed her dearly. We wanted to be together with Amy, Kevin, and Cal on this day and although it was sad, it was also really special to remember that the impact of Sue's motherhood to us all will be never-ending. 

In addition to those Mother's Day thoughts, I wanted to include some of the things that were shared at church because they were meaningful to me. 

During Sacrament meeting, Brother Fowles shared this quote in his talk: 

"Sisters, I testify that when you stand in front of your heavenly parents in those royal courts on high and you look into Her eyes and behold Her countenance, any question you ever had about the role if women in the kingdom will evaporate into the rich celestial air, because at that moment you will see standing directly in front of you, your device nature and destiny." - Elder Glenn L Pace 

During Relief Society, the RS President Tara Gotfredson shared some portions of the talk "What Shall We Do?" by Neill F. Marriott - YW 2nd Counselor, April 2016 (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/what-shall-we-do?lang=eng)

I loved this talk and wanted to save it.

"Mothers literally make room in their bodies to nurture an unborn baby—and hopefully a place in their hearts as they raise them—but nurturing is not limited to bearing children. Eve was called a “mother” before she had children.4 I believe that “to mother” means “to give life.” Think of the many ways you give life. It could mean giving emotional life to the hopeless or spiritual life to the doubter. With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can create an emotionally healing place for the discriminated against, the rejected, and the stranger. In these tender yet powerful ways, we build the kingdom of God. Sisters, all of us came to earth with these life-giving, nurturing, maternal gifts because that is God’s plan."

And as part of Relief Society, they had some of the youth come in and share their thoughts about mothers and motherhood. Eli Myntti, son of one of our dear (homeschooling) friends, wrote this prose and I was so impressed and inspired, I asked if he would share it with me so I could record it. 

Eli Myntti, May 12, 2024

Motherhood is a most noble profession. 

It provides young soldiers with someone to protect and someone to be taught by. Alma 53:21 says that they (the stripling warriors) were taught to keep the commandments. Who could have done this but their mothers? These mothers had to fight the battles of motherhood during these less advanced ages. 

Mothers are resilient and powerful. Perhaps not in magic or great swordsmanship (though some are) but they have power in influence and teaching. Through their influence and teaching the greatest men and women have become great. Would George Washington have had values if not for his mother? Would Betsy Ross have known how to sew if not for her mother? Mothers have great power and great responsibility over the young ones that they nurture. 

Those of you who are mothers can testify of the influence you have had on your children and the teachings of the spirit that you have given them. Those of you who are not yet blessed with children can testify of your mothers. 

All mothers in their own way emulate aspects of God. His unending love. His boundless compassion. His tender mercy. These have been given to you. Even if you do not have children you have these traits inside of you. God speaks to you and teaches you the right way to go. I am a firm believer that without the power and influence from women the church would not be on this earth today. So many times it was the unshaken faith of women that brought the saints forward. Even now the faith of women brings this church beyond the others. This gift that you have from God is sacred and testifies of his love for us on earth through you. 

We could not survive without you. Every one of you makes a difference, you may not see it at first. It may be just a single comment in a class or it may be a lifesaving revelation but every one of you makes differences in the lives of all those that you meet. 

I would like to close by calling you to arms. Not military arms, however, but the arms of our Heavenly Parents. They love you and your families and friends love you. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.