Chloe Campbell Butler
Face the Music
When Chloe Campbell Butler was a child, her teacher announced that there would be a test the following day. From the reaction of the class, it was obvious that not many felt prepared. Chloe approached her dad with a plea to stay home and become better prepared.
Her dad asked if she had known this test would be coming. The answer was yes. Had she had time to prepare for it before? Again the answer was affirmative. "Then face the music", came the answer. Chloe went to school the following day and discovered that the "test" had kept a large portion of the class at home. The teacher decided to give a review because not enough students had shown up to warrant giving the test. The following day, those who had attended the review, Chloe included, made passing marks on the test. Those who had not had the teacher's review were, for the most part, not as pleased with their scores.
This life lesson helped to Chloe understand the importance of having standards of having parents who would stand by those standards. She would often say, "You made the choice to behave the way you did. Now you have to take the consequence that comes with it" She felt it was a very import that her children learn the lessons that had been taught to her and had helped her throughout her life.
Prayer and Spirituality were some of moms greatest strengths. In the morning before school, she would gather us around the table for prayer. One particular time, a shoe was missing. Mom had four small children and as the Relief Society President in our church, she needed to be at church on time to conduct the meeting. She sent us throughout the house to look for the shoe to no avail. Calling us all together we knelt in prayer asking for help.
We got up from praying and she sent us to look again and then felt impressed to reach inside the back of the rocking chair whose covering had come loose. The shoe was there! As children, the lessons we learned from this experience were repeated many times as we grew up.
It is a challenge caring for eight children and it seemed that one child slipped away often and went missing. Many times, after searching the neighborhood, mom would gather us together and pray for that child and that they would know that they needed to come home. At times that child would shortly arrive home. Mom would ask them why they came home then. The answer was that they felt impressed that they needed to go home. Mom poured her heart out to Heavenly Father and he was there for her.
"You gave up your time, shared your talents, and expended much energy in teaching and preparing your children for their futures. We have all be so blessed because of the efforts you put into raising as children. As Karen O. Tribbet said, "There is no way to be a perfect mother...but a million ways to be a good one." Thank you again and again and again. We love you mom!"