I have many fond memories of my mother, beginning when I was a young child and continuing through adulthood. She has been a steady strength and support to me through the years and continues to be today. She has taught me great lessons through her example of being kind, patient and courageous. My mother immigrated to this country from Bolivia in the 1960s to start a new life and provide greater opportunities for her future family. I will always be grateful to her for that.

One of my favorite memories of my mother is when she visited my middle school during Parents Day. This was a day when parents could come and experience a typical school day with their son or daughter. My mom decided to come to gym class and, to my surprise, was ready to fully participate in playing volleyball with the whole group.

At first, this felt a bit mortifying since no other mothers were participating. I also had never in my life seen my mother play volleyball, or any sport for that matter. To my surprise, my mother was a pro! She was assigned to my team and we won all the games that day. My fellow students were so impressed and I had a new admiration for my mom. It was the first time I saw her as something besides “my mother,” and it opened my eyes to the person she was before I was born.

This month’s topic for our center’s “Remember and Record” theme is “A Memory with My Mother.” As we celebrate Mother’s Day and reflect on the many wonderful things our mothers have done for us, we hope you can take the time to write down a memory you have of your mother. You may share it with her, your family members or even post it on FamilySearch Family Tree Memories. This will not only bless your life, but the lives of your descendants who will get a glimpse of who your mother was and what she meant to you.

– Christy Pugh, Consultant, Granite FamilySearch Center