Growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is an awesome thing, my life has been greatly blessed for it. I am by no means a ra-ra, wear pants to church to support the cause feminist, but changes in the church over the last 6 months are really exciting for my gender. I haven't spent years and years frustrated by anything because quite honestly, I don't feel like women have been all that oppressed in the church. I strongly believe that the Lord prepares each generation and provides continuous revelation that benefits the rising generation of each particular time period. I had never given much thought to the fact that a woman had never said a prayer in a General Conference session before today, but you can make dang sure that my daughters were flanking my sides with folded arms and bowed heads to witness that "historic" and long over-due moment in the history of our church. It was another awesome moment and I'll write in our journals about it tonight before I go to sleep. This link THRILLS ME! http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-adjusts-mission-organization-implement-mission-leadership-council Has anyone else ever wondered what a Mission Presidents wife's role is in the mission field? I mean besides being the "mission mom" it's always seemed pretty vague what she actually does, guess what? Now she has lots to do! Hooray! Hooray for bringing Relief Society leadership into the mission field! Hooray for sister missionaries having the opportunity to lead and train and provide watch-care for each other in the mission field! Hooray for my daughters and their daughters and their daughters! Without sharing much, I can honestly say that this is a fulfillment of a blessing my husband received that we didn't really understand the logistics of, being that we're the parents of daughters, until the events of the last 6mths. We are excited for our daughters to lead out in ways that previous generations haven't had the opportunity to. I'm feeling like, these recent revelations are just as much for me as they are for my girls. I feel like the Lord is saying "Hey mothers of daughters, you've got more teaching/training to do." I've literally felt a shift in my life about how and what I need to teach my girls to prepare them not just for potential motherhood but for their own missionary service. I'm grateful for the blessing that this is in my life because I feel like my role is being actively enhanced as well. I've been feeling a deep need to prepare myself spiritually for this next baby, no other "nesting urge" has come so strongly. I felt it with my other two, but not in nearly the same way. A lot of the messages of Conference today talked about making our homes places of peace and a refuge from the world, for our children and for their friends. I'm grateful for those messages and for the confirmation that these desires that I have for my own family are things that I should be focusing on.
Now a small-ish/large-ish rant!
I've been doing some reading tonight, to see the reaction to some of these things from the ra-ra feminist population of the church. I mean, they're carrying the banner, so surely they must be pretty excited about life right now... Or not... Yikes! When the more activist-type feminists in our church write disapproving things about Priesthood Session of conference on their blogs, it gets me upset, mostly because Priesthood Session is for the men/boys of the church. Can I get real with everyone for a minute? The men of the church need that session and sorry, but the disrespectful and rude things certain feminists nit-pick about get me fuming. I'm steaming over it right now because the women in the church get their own sessions of conference as well. Have any of these feminists noticed that the Young Women's Broadcast in April and Relief Society Broadcast in October are considered part of General Conference??? Do we sit in those meetings picking apart how so-and-so's talk only referred to young women and not young men? NO, because those talks are written specifically with the Young Women or Relief Society sisters in mind! DUH! They speak to their audience and we are all blessed to have access to audio/visual/text copies of all of these things. We can all learn from it without picking it all apart or getting enraged over the smallest things. Mountains out of mole hills sisters. Life is SO sweet for women and girls in the church right now. I have no problem with the fact that I'm asked to serve in the ways the Lord sees fit. Not one part of me believes that the church is run by a bunch of men who are out of touch with the current needs/desires of women in the church. They are men of God, it's so obvious that He knows what we need/desire and as we are ready and prepared to receive things, He reveals them. Now let's start being more happy about it and cut these Priesthood leaders some slack, the Lord is rocking their world too.
3 comments:
I love conferenece time! I am feeling the extra "pressure" to make sure my sons and daughter are raised to be leaders and teachers. Can't wait to hear more inspiration today.
I will admit that the mission age change makes me nervous......both my son and daughter (1 year apart in age) could leave on a mission on the same day........yikes/wow!
I love this post. I was so thrilled about the new callings/responsibilities for sister missionaries and mission president's wives. LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing.
I find it kind of interesting that the church is truly just "formalizing" things that have always been in place. The whole sister missionary/Mission President wives thing isn't really new, it's just formal now (at least in my personal experience, and I have heard a lot of previous sister missionaries express the same thing). Mission Presidents wives were never wanting for things to do :). Anyway, I am glad that the church is making these things more formal, but I think it's interesting when people think they are new. Also, I am glad that people are finally recognizing the important role of their daughters, not just to be mothers but for the many, many other important and valuable rolls and skills that they have been given. Again, I feel like the church is formalizing things that have always been true. I have always cringed when people only talk about males preparing for missions and not included their girls and daughters in that preparation. Also in talking about girls preparing to be moms and not really including their boys in the discussion of being a father, husband and how to prepare for that. I have always cringed when people talk about our role as women and our divine destiny to be a mother. Where does that leave any female or any male who doesn't have those chances or opportunities? Anyone who has dealt with infertility knows the sting when people talk as if our only purpose here on this earth is to be a mother. These things were never the Lords way, but tradition and culture have led us a certain direction and away from the full truth of the gospel. I am so glad that the church is formalizing these things in order to spur people, parents, members etc to truly understand each persons divine roles and destinies as Children of a Heavenly Father striving to return home to Him. I am with you on the negativity that so many people express and feel, and the fact that it makes me almost embarrassed to call myself a feminist.
Anyway, sorry for my rant, but I enjoyed your post and your take on the events of general conference and wanted to express my take on it. :)
I am so excited for your girls and the things they will be taught and the things they will do with their lives. It is a huge responsiblity for us to help our children get there. I am excited but also terrified to teach Benson and help him to become the man, missionary, husband, father, brother, son, etc that he has the potential to be. But, I am enjoying the journey so far. Love ya cuz.
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