I just discovered a wonderful talk, given by Spencer W. Kimball back in 1958, entitled, “Women, Wonderful Women!” His charge is to motivate us to be mothers righteous enough to create a whole community of righteousness.

Elder Kimball focuses his talk on the mothers of the Stripling Warriors.

“These sisters must have been organized to teach each other and to build faith and to study the gospel and to build an individual testimony toward a plateau of mass faith which would be so necessary.”

Have you ever thought about that? The 2060 young men came from a lot of families, a lot of homes with mothers who deserved credit. Where did these mothers learn how to teach their boys? Did they help one another? Console one another when things got difficult? Praise one another for those precious milestones? And how did these mothers produce “mass faith?”

Thanks to Eliza R. Snow’s testimony, we know that an organization for women has always been on the earth when the priesthood has been established. The Ammonite men held the priesthood and their women were organized and uninhibited in teaching gospel truths to their children.

Again, quoting from his talk:

“Here were mothers who loved their sons more than themselves, more than clothes, or entertainment, or social life, or business life, or luxuries. Here were women who gave themselves to their families—time, energy, effort, mind, and soul.”

A mother must be absolutely committed to the raising of her children to raise such valiant and brave warriors. But he also says this.

“No mothers can hope to do for their children alone what they can do for them with the vehicles which the church gives to them.”

In other words, a Relief Society of that day would provide “preaching, exhorting, classwork, lessons, and activities” that teach truth and standards, and offer support, strength, skill, and most importantly, shared testimony.

What is the result of all this focus? A whole community of righteousness.

Sisters, our Relief Societies can become this focused. And as a result, we can raise a whole community of righteousness.

Article found in the Relief Society Magazine, January 1958 issue.