American Mothers, Inc.

Through our experiences of motherhood, our ability to love and influence others for good can grow slowly but surely into a powerful force.

When I delivered my first child, I did not immediately feel love for my newborn son. I learned to love him as I spent time and made sacrifices for him. Marvin J. Ashton said, “We love that which we give our time and devotion to.” I began a pattern of sacrificing time, sometimes physical discomfort, as well as other sacrifices that mothers make, for that which I felt was more important—to have children and to teach and nurture them. My ability to feel love came easier and faster, so that by the time I was expecting my last child I felt an indescribable love for her even before she was born. I had learned to feel and express love. This ability to love is, I believe, the greatest facet of motherhood.

When we have children, we quickly learn we cannot do everything like we used to, so another vital facet of motherhood is setting priorities of what is most important in life. David O. McKay said, “No success can compensate for failure in the home.” When we focus on being good mothers, we can also learn to distinguish what the most important things in life are—which we find are usually not “things” at all!

As we become better people, in turn, we reach out to help our children feel good about themselves. They can then serve in the community and will have confidence to stand up for that which is right. This facet of motherhood radiates from what we have become, to the joy of seeing others reach their potential.

We as mothers, now with our families, can be positive influences in the community. In a poem entitled "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World” William Wallace praises motherhood as the most important force for change in the world. When we give our time and devotion to motherhood, you and I do our part as a powerful force for good, to influence the world and make it a better place.

Susan Larsen was born and raised in Idaho, the youngest of five children.  She met and married her husband, Eldon, during her university years.  Susan graduated cum laude from BYU with a B.S. Degree in Family Economics and Home Management.  Susan and Eldon had five children while Eldon continued to work on his Master's Degree form BYU and PhD from the University of California at Berkeley.  They moved to Charleston, West Virginia and had four more children.  Susan feels that being a loving wife and mother is the highest achievement she could strive for.  She has always been home with her children and not worked outside the home.  She has nurtured, encouraged and transported all of her children in music, sports, scouting, newspaper routes and church activities.  Susan has five married children and eighteen grandchildren, where her influence continues to be felt.