Recently, my wife Amelia brought our second baby into the world, Ana Ruth. My wife and two other women will all be the mothers of newborns by the close of August. Mothers who sacrifice not only their body, but their lives in the raising of children are often unheralded heroes. I'm sure I could show more appreciation to my wife for the work and effort that goes into her being a mother. Truly, women hold a "preeminent role" in our faith, as Elder Quentin L. Cook declared. Using the definition of preeminent, women are eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing. Gratefully, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:11).
We men can glean some of the greatness of our superior counterpart. I was once in a meeting with another apostle, Elder Richard G. Scott, who put up a powerpoint slide of a woman being showered on with light from Heaven and the man beside her trying to glean some of the llight from her. The slide made people laugh, but the idea always stuck with me. Women who fulfill their part in God's plan are such inspiring examples to us oft ogre-ish men. At least with women's help and God's, we men can fulfill our divine potential. Thank you to all you women who sacrifice so much to be mothers and wives, especially to Amelia.
