Sue, Author at Women in The Church of Jesus Christ

Pondering the Nativity: The Star — “A Perfect Brightness of Hope” (Christmas poetry)

Sue — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:37:30 +0000

~by Sue

A Perfect Brightness of Hope

How bright the sky, how still the night

when all the world received His light.

One star stood out from all the rest,

while choirs of angels sang and blessed

a lowly stable, bleak and bare…

and Mary’s Babe who nestled there.

The King of heaven and earth was born

to save us all that Christmas morn.

How bright our lives; how still our hearts

when we receive what He imparts

and hold ourselves above the rest

to walk with angels and be blessed.

May every home, replete or bare,

be strengthened by His presence there.

And may our souls embrace His birth

and count Him King of heaven and earth!

See more Christmas poetry from Sue:

The Joy of Christmas – Sue says this at the end of her post where she shares this new poem:

I know all too well that some years are easier on the heart than others, but I hope every one of you feels at least a glimmer of Christmas JOY this year. Truly, one of His greatest gifts to us is the peace that passeth all understanding. And what is Christmas about, if not His gifts?

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

A Gentle Night in Bethlehem (beautiful poem reflecting on the whole Nativity story)

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Mormon Temples: “A Family is Born” (poetry)

Sue — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:35:34 +0000

Editor’s note: The poem below, “A Family is Born” by Sue captures a key purpose of Mormon temples — to allow a husband and wife to be married not just “’til death do you part” but beyond death, into the eternities in what is sometimes called celestial marriage or temple sealings. [Read more about Mormon temples.] You can read more of Sue’s poetry here.)

A Family is Born

Man and woman.

Heaven’s grace

reaching, touching

altar’s lace.

Gift of God,

the sealing power.

Life eternal

from that hour

is theirs. A prize

to lose or keep

by covenant

that runs heart-deep.

A family born.

A promise sure.

If man and woman

but endure.

His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
Psalms 89:29

– – – – – –

The image above is of a sealing room in a Mormon temple. For more glimpses of what the inside of Mormon temples look like, see the following posts for more information.

What Does the Inside of a Mormon Temple Look Like?

Ask a Mormon Woman: What does the inside of a Mormon Temple look like? (v.2)

Mormon Temples Virtual Tour

Inside Mormon Temples at MormonWiki.com

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“Neglect Not the Gift that is in Thee”

Sue — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:04:41 +0000

Editor’s note: We have many of our contributors who have blogs of their own. Rather than have them always write something for Mormon Women and for their blogs, we’ll link occasionally to blog posts on their personal blogs.

~by Sue

Recently, I led a Relief Society discussion at church on the subject of talents. I opened that discussion by sharing my experiences teaching an exceptional group of adolescent girls several years ago. A phrase I heard far too often from these young women, in response to the concept of God-given gifts, was this: “I don’t have any.” Time and time again, these lovely and accomplished young women insisted that they had no special talents at all…or at least, none worth mentioning. “How can that be?” I would challenge. If God is no respecter of persons, if Father in Heaven loves each of us equally, then why would He favor one child over another, especially when it comes to the gifts and attributes that make us who we are…and make possible the person we can become?

“The Lord Is in It”

Sue — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:22:41 +0000

~by Sue

I was lucky enough to attend sacrament meeting recently at the single adult ward congregation where my husband has the good fortune to serve as bishop. One of the young men bore a testimony that really touched me. He began by relating a childhood filled with crisis and tragedy, including a narrow escape as his family home burned to the ground in a southern state. This loss forced him to leave dear friends and familiar surroundings to relocate with his mother and siblings to his grandmother’s small apartment in California. Shortly after their arrival, his grandmother was evicted. Homeless once more, his family had no alternative but to split up and reside with various friends and neighbors in the area.

This young man spoke with quiet emotion, but his aspect was one of peace and hope. As he and his siblings were shuffled from house to house in an attempt to accommodate them, he stayed for a period of time with a family that belonged to the Mormon church. The unique spirit in their home made him want to know more about what they believed and how they lived. Months later, sharing his desire to join the Church with his mother, he learned that she, his grandma, and several other family members were Latter-day Saints themselves but had not been involved with the Church for over 30 years. Not only did he end up getting baptized, but his whole family followed him back into activity!

What intrigued me most of all was this speaker’s observation that the very worst times in his life had given birth to the very best blessings. He quoted from Hyrum Smith’s conversation with his brother, the prophet Joseph Smith, shortly before the two of them were martyred for their faith. Assessing the wisdom of returning to Carthage, Hyrum’s faithfulness to the Lord and willingness to die for His cause were evident. “Let’s go back and put our trust in God…” he said. “The Lord is in it. If we live or have to die, we will be reconciled to our fate.”

Hyrum trusted God. He was certain the Lord knew what He was doing. Clearly, the faithful young man in my husband’s ward is certain of the same thing. I am grateful that he shared his humble heart, refined and tempered by a fire both literal and spiritual, with all of us.

When the blaze of that refining fire touches me or my loved ones, I intend to remind myself that “The Lord is in it.”

And then I will watch my heart for the blessings.

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Gathering the Family: Family Reunions, Family Traditions

Sue — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:20:50 +0000

The Gathering

The greatest joy in life is found

where love and loyalty abound.

What sweeter sight…what dearer sound

than all the family, gathered round?

For the Andersons, reunions are not only a wonderful thing; they are essential to the health, strength, and unity of our family. The approaching holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year because it guarantees that my immediate family will be together for Thanksgiving and Christmas, with my extended family joining us en masse for either one or the other. Our celebrations are legendary (in our own minds!), and we have established many traditions that we value and cherish.

One of these is “circletime,” so dubbed by my children, who universally enjoy making fun of my various bonding whims. (I believe they were likening the experience to share time in nursery school, which was actually not far from right!) Having said that, this idea turned out to be considerably more than a whim. It’s been going on for about 15 years now and has morphed from a solely Christmas Eve activity to a Christmas, Thanksgiving, family reunion, and special event activity. As the name implies, the whole family sits, sprawls, or stretches out full-length on the floor in a circle. A brief, often poignant story is read, usually one that is written or found by me. The story ends with a thought-provoking and personal question, to be answered by every person in the circle. I wish I could tell you what a beautiful spirit this activity brings; I can absolutely tell you that it has increased our intimacy as a family, allowing us to know one another better. It has also made us more comfortable sharing our feelings and testimonies.

Because Christmas and Thanksgiving come but once a year, we also look forward to our annual family reunion at the beach, with the extended family invited. For the past dozen years, we have stayed in the same place and done essentially the same things every summer, adding to the sense of tradition this vacation brings.

Once children have grown and flown the nest, reunions are the best gift you can give each other. Email, phone, text, and even Skype are great, but nothing fills the heart and replenishes the spirit like face-to-face, one-on-one fun with the people you love most. As a Mormon woman, I believe that families are eternal. As a mother and grandmother, bringing my family together means everything to me.

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Counterparts: Our Pioneer Heritage (Poetry)

Sue — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:20:05 +0000

Pioneer Day is celebrated by Mormons the world over on July 24th of each year. This day is a time for reverence, remembrance, and recreation; it is marked by programs, picnics, treks, tributes, games, and storytelling. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we proudly honor and deeply respect our pioneer heritage. Whether our connection to those early men and women is genealogical or spiritual in nature, we are strengthened by the memory of those sturdy souls who loved the gospel of Jesus Christ more than life itself. Their lives and dedication inspire and uplift us.

Leaders of our church often remind us that we, too, are pioneers. The road we travel is different, and the physical dangers are greatly reduced, but the spiritual dangers we face are just as real. While our limbs and bodies are not likely to be frozen by ice and snow or bloodied by rocky trails, hearts can be frozen by worldly concerns and pleasures, spirits bloodied by sin and cynicism. Each one of us has his or her own treacherous journey to make––a search for Zion that is fraught with the perils of this time, reserved for us, another generation of Saints.

I sincerely believe that we, like the early pioneers, are made of the right stuff. As one Church historian wrote: “Cut us open, and there is the trail.” United by shared belief, may we continue to follow that trail and be willing to share it with others.

I wrote this poem for a pioneer program over fifteen years ago. For me, it still rings true today.

Counterparts

©1984 by Susan Noyes Anderson

Great Grandma walked across the plains,
her blue dress grey with travel stains.
She bore the hardship, for she knew
her faith in the Lord would see her through.
Her once pink hands were calloused now,
and she had said good-bye somehow
to husband dear and children lost,
praying the end would be worth the cost.

I walk the darkened city street,
my hurried footsteps keeping beat
with a trembling heart, but I swallow my fear,
reminding myself that the Lord is near.
I wear my travel stains deep inside,
where I battle iniquity’s rising tide,
praying husband and children will not be lost;
and that the end will be worth the cost.

We all must walk these earthly miles;
different times bring different trials.

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Our Sheltering Trees: Fathers

Sue — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 10:48:17 +0000

Today in many countries around the world, people are celebrating the fathers in their life. Here at Mormon Women, we’ll be celebrating fatherhood all week (similar to what we did the week before Mother’s Day).

Today’s post is by Sue.

Happy Father’s Day!

My husband is the kind of father every child needs and deserves to have but doesn’t always get. Sadly, those who are not blessed with such fathers become painfully aware of it over time, for they must navigate life in the absence of that strong, supportive presence from whose influence every young person should benefit.

The fortunate ones, those who do have a stalwart and loving father in their lives, may never fully appreciate their good luck. Being parented by a strong, devoted man who gives his all to create a safe, secure place for you to grow and thrive makes it’s hard to even imagine living outside the shadow of that sheltering tree he provides. Not that you don’t value the branches that protect you, just that you don’t know what it’s like to brave the elements without them. And you never will know either, not until your father passes away, and even then you will somehow feel his influence in a way that comforts and sustains you. The essence of a good father is never really removed from his children, even when his physical presence is gone.

One of my sons, a pretty wonderful father in his own right, is a marriage and family therapist who has counseled adolescent offenders incarcerated in the criminal justice system. These are generally young men whose standards are either skewed or non-existent, gang members who have committed murder or other violent acts with little or no remorse. Their world of struggling for survival has seldom been peopled with supportive, hands-on fathers, and almost never with men who were ready and willing to model behavior conducive to a healthy, positive lifestyle. This son of mine has always appreciated and looked up to his dad, but working in juvenile hall has probably given him a more meaningful understanding of the powerful role a father plays in the lives of his children.

Of course, I have always understood the role my husband plays in our family, and on this Father’s Day, I want to take this opportunity to thank him. I am grateful that my children have grown up beneath his sheltering tree, and I share with them the gift of knowing that someone solid, steady, and reliable will always stand beside me. As hard as he works, as all-consuming as his schedule can be, I know with certainty that he is ready to drop everything to support his loved ones in time of need. His constant, enduring (and endearing) commitment is to making life better for the people he serves so selflessly––the family he has sacrificed himself for every day of his married life.

p.s. It has always been a comfort to me knowing that all of us are born with a Heavenly Father, whose love and concern for us are infinite. His tender care and compassion are extended to every man and woman who seek Him, and His influence in our lives and hearts is more powerful and perfect than we can imagine. How grateful I am for His kind and constant presence in my life.

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Motherhood Series: The Source

Sue — Fri, 07 May 2010 10:54:42 +0000

If I had words to wrap around

those mommy days and mother years,

I’d hold them in my hands and say

that nothing ever disappears.

But I can’t seem to feel the page,

and all this stuff just moves so fast––

in bits and pictures, fading memories

of an ever-fading past.

My life is turning over now;

it’s tumbling down a hill of time

and every stone unearthed rolls on…

No looking back, no saving climb

can make tomorrow yesterday,

can soften chin and jaw and cheek;

my smile is no more universe;

my eyes, though warm, they do not seek.

A river runs and so it should;

I would not have it change its course,

but as it rushes to the sea,

it also leaves behind the Source.

Motherhood has been at once the most satisfying and challenging experience of my life, and being a mom is pretty much where I live. This poem came my way over a decade ago, when I was feeling the pain of transitioning from center hub of my children’s wheels to one of the outer spokes. Happy as I was to see them coming into their own, growing and flourishing as the young adults I’d always hoped they might be, I was bereft at the loss of their physical presence and energy in my life. Emotionally, my role as chief nurturer, counselor, and caregiver was rapidly morphing into something that hadn’t taken shape yet––and I wasn’t quite sure what it was––or even if I would like it. What I did know is that I was bewildered, saddened, and more than a little bit lost.

Years have passed, and today I am no longer bewildered. I can honestly say that I get it. I know my place, and I know that I have a place…a vital place…in the lives and hearts of my children. But it’s still bittersweet, at times. Now and again, the empty chairs around the kitchen table begin calling the names of their former occupants, eager to be filled. On such days, the bright, repurposed bedrooms look a touch too organized…the sparkling, uncluttered pool a tad too pristine. When nostalgia really grips me, I even miss the mad cacophony of music and mayhem that assaulted my ears nearly every waking moment of our lives together.

Apparently, the empty nest is a syndrome from which I will never entirely recover. My life has many good things in it, fulfilling things––not the least of which is my wonderful husband-–but none of these quite fills the space or satisfies the longing for those golden days when every one of our children lived under one roof…when our family was always complete, not just in emotional bonding but in physical proximity.

I really do get it. My role has evolved. On almost every level, this pleases me.

But it pains me, too, and that’s the truth of it.

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Portraits of Mormon Women: Sue

Sue — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:16:41 +0000

Hi. My name is Susan Noyes Anderson (Sue), and I am happy to be joining the creative team here at Mormon Women. I’ve been aware of the site for some time through my blog pal, Michelle, and I hope I can contribute something of value to this wonderful community of writers, readers, and commenters who are linked by their shared interest in Mormonism. As a member of the LDS Church, I look forward to participating on a site where I can rub shoulders with others, both of my religion and not of my religion, with a view toward increasing our mutual understanding. Hey, finding out what makes other people tick is always a good thing, right?

I was raised in Southern California, the second child of a lovable but imperfect family that included three sisters, one brother, and me. My childhood was basically a joyful one, but as often happens, there were a few traumas along the way. Not the least of these was when my father, a bishop in our church, fell away from our religion and moved us rather abruptly to a new area. I was eleven years old at the time and held tightly through my junior high and high school years to the beliefs that had always anchored me. In college, however, I went through a time of questioning, testing the veracity and validity of everything I had been taught as a child. Over time, I proved to myself that the doctrine of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, as I knew it, was true. Because I am a pretty thorough investigator, this was a long process, but I began to re-establish my ties with the Church shortly after marrying the man I’d been dating steadily for three years. Happily, he was a Mormon, too, (though a completely disinterested one) because we eventually became active in our local ward together and were sealed in the temple a couple of years later.

Neither of us does things halfheartedly, so we threw ourselves into church activity and had wonderful experiences as a result. Our life together has been filled with good friends, strong family ties, meaningful pursuits, and significant spiritual experiences. Today my husband is the bishop of a singles ward, attended by young men and women from the ages of 18 to 30. I teach Relief Society in our family ward and try to stay somewhat involved there while maintaining a close connection to the ward my husband now attends. Sometimes, this is quite a balancing act, but it is also deeply satisfying on many levels.

My interests are varied, but motherhood and writing are where I live. I have four grown children, three grandchildren, and a blog. I also maintain a poetry site that includes nearly 200 of my poems, and I look forward to sharing some of my work here as well. By the way, I’ve authored three books: two of the self-help variety, with the third being a coffee table book of photographs and poetry.

I look forward to getting to know all of you better!

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