Motherhood: Highest service on earth. Woman, God's greatest creation.

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James R. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, Vol.6, p.178—The First Presidency (“Message of the First Presidency” read by President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., at the first session of the 113th Semi-annual Conference, Saturday, October 3, 1942.) —

This divine service of motherhood can be rendered only by mothers. It may not be passed to others. Nurses cannot do it; public nurseries cannot do it; hired help cannot do it—only mother, aided as much as may be by the loving hands of father, brothers, and sisters, can give the full needed measure of watchful care.
The mother who entrusts her child to the care of others, that she may do non-motherly work, whether for gold, for fame, or for civic service, should remember that “a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” (Prov. 29:15.) In our day the Lord has said that unless parents teach their children the doctrines of the Church “the sin be upon the heads of the parents.” (D&C 68:25.)

Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels. To you mothers in Israel we say God bless and protect you, and give you the strength and courage, the faith and knowledge, the holy love and consecration to duty, that shall enable you to fill to the fullest measure the sacred calling which is yours. To you mothers and mothers-to-be we say: Be chaste, keep pure, live righteously, that your posterity to the last generation may call you blessed.

James E. Faust, in Conference Report, Apr. 1993, 44; or Ensign, May 1993, 35—

I affirm my profound belief that God’s greatest creation is womanhood. I also believe that there is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation. Single parents, most of whom are mothers, perform an especially heroic service.

Ezra Taft Benson, February 22, 1987. (See Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 513 for the first part of the quote; “To the Mothers in Zion,” [Salt Lake City: Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1987], p. 2.) —

No more sacred word exists in secular or holy writ than that of mother.… There is no more noble work than that of a good and God-fearing mother.

Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 2000, 36-38.

President Hinckley has eloquently captured what the Lord has repeatedly inspired His servants to say of His precious daughters:

Woman is God's supreme creation.... Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth.” (“Our Responsibility to Our Young Women,” Ensign, Sep 1988, 11.)

So many of our sisters are disheartened, even discouraged, and disillusioned. Others are in serious trouble because of the choices they make. Satan has unleashed a seductive campaign to undermine the sanctity of womanhood, to deceive the daughters of God and divert them from their divine destiny. He well knows women are the compassionate, self-sacrificing, loving power that binds together the human family. He would focus their interests sole on their physical attributes and rob them of the exalting roles as wives and mothers. He has convinced many of the lie that they are third-class citizens in the kingdom of God. That falsehood has led some to trade their divinely given femininity for male coarseness.

... So many of our own young women sacrifice their God-given endowment of femininity, deep spirituality, and a caring interest in others on the altar of popular, worldly opinion.... Many dress and act immodestly because they are told that is what you [young men] want.