I want to be Agnes

I love sharing Netflix with Kim, my mom-in-law, because she always finds interesting documentaries and fantastic BBC mini-series. Tonight's front page, recently watched feature was a documentary on Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, aka Mother Teresa. Besides coming to love the name Agnes, I was touched. I pretty much want to ditch my whole life, fly all over the world, feed all the hungry and nurse them back to health. Because really, proactively bearing (you know, with action verbs) testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and exuding God's love, loving others, serving others is the best thing you can do with your time. It's what matters. It's what you want to have accomplished when you are again in the presence of the Savior, owning up to your use of the gift of life. Mother Teresa is unarguably inspiring. After all, she is now an official saint (not just the "Wow, what a saint!" kind) in the Catholic church and will surly, hopefully, inspire generations to come. But, I do have a but... 

BUT, I couldn't help thinking of all I know from church and the temple and the scriptures and living prophets about existence, eternal existence. I also couldn't help hearing the recent echoes (wedding last Friday = lots o fam) of crying babies, whining toddlers, and eager kids waiting for you to finish your dinner so you can jump on the tramp with them or get your pet snake out for them to hold, again. I love my nieces and nephews and little cousins, and I really admire their parents. And I know their "use of time" is valued beyond measure in the sight of Christ and Heavenly Father. In fact, that (love in family) is what really matters most. Family has been a part of each one of us since before we know. The sacred privilege between wife and husband to create life, to actually be the creator of an existence, is the defining attribute of God, our Heavenly Father. How can family (entailing the people of a family as well as all that goes into the becoming of those people) NOT be the ultimate "proactive bearing" of testimony? Of God, of the Atonement, of love, service, selflessness, of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Well, it is. It doesn't mean all I want to be in this life is a mom and wife. Mother Teresa has inspired me and I want to be Agnes when I grow up. But a wife and a mom is what I want to have full-heartedly accomplished (since I have that opportunity now) when again I meet my Savior and God.

**No, this wasn't some deep, elaborate way to say I'm pregnant... I'm not. Just my thoughts tonight.