I very recently read an article by the Young Mormon
Feminists (here), and my heart is compelled to respond. First, I understand the
impact a writer’s circumstance can have and the need of readers to have even a
light grasp about the person whose thoughts they are considering. I am a young,
married woman. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,
as is my husband. We were both raised in this religion and, as I am fully
aware, culture. We have two beautiful (very) little boys. I have, through great
personal struggle and consideration, chosen to be a homemaker—solely—and I am indebted
to the Lord for the blessed temporal and spiritual circumstances that permit
this.
The author of this article I read, pen-named Kait2lyn,
speaks of the recent announcement that women will now “have a permanent seat on
the Priesthood Executive Council.” She describes herself as happy about this
announcement but disappointed that this step was overdue and is being met with
joyous gratitude, of all things, by the involved women. I do not disagree with
Kait2lyn’s entire piece, but I will detail the few issues I do have with some
various statements.
The first statement is this: “I want women in the Church to
be recognized for more than just their sweetness, for more than just their
roles as wives and mothers, for more than just the ways in which they support
the Priesthood. I want an apostle to describe his wife or his daughter as
ambitious or driven or intelligent or powerful.” At this point in my reading, I
physically cringed. Perhaps the author is not a wife or mother herself; I do
not know. I stupor to think that any of the Brethren “gushing” over their wives
at the pulpit do not understand profoundly the ambition, drive, intelligence,
and power of conviction it takes to be a good wife or mother. Perhaps we could muster
gratitude toward the Brethren for trusting our intellect so greatly that they
don’t have to spell out a most implied and profoundly evident truth—that complimenting
a wife or mother on fulfillment of either role is appreciating her every
aspect, strength, and beauty.
The second, directly continuing: “I want more women speaking
in General Conference, and when they speak, I want to shake in my heels. I want
the full power of God behind their words. I want them to call to repentance. I
want men and women to hear them and have their words change them.” I don’t know
why this author feels she can justly speak in this generalized manner. I have
had my heart changed by the Spirit through the words of a sister, and I cannot
believe I am the only one. I do know from experience that many people almost
stop listening completely when a woman approaches the pulpit. I have seen
people purposefully choose that moment to get up and refill their plate of food
in the kitchen. I have even heard comments with the keywords such as “boring,” “repetitive,”
even “annoying.” This sounds like a personal problem to me. We are all capable
of being filled by whomever speaks to us at the pulpit, and it is not on the
Church’s shoulders when the women chosen to speak are disregarded—it is on the
members’. Perhaps we need to reevaluate the way in which we utilize our most
precious gift of personal revelation. If anyone wishes to be touched by the
Spirit as a woman speaks at the pulpit, I believe anyone would be. Let us also
not diminish the faithful prayers and seeking of these women as they prepare
their Conference talks. These sisters undoubtedly share with us their finalized
talks, prayed about and studied through and guided by the Spirit as they are.
I don’t mind that this is a discussion, or that many
faithful women are seeking answers to questions they have. We are exhorted many
times in the scriptures to “seek.” My concern is the prioritization of this
focus above an unshakable faith in God’s ability to lead His church. Yes, He
delegates to imperfect men and women.
However, we must not forget that in the midst of our seeking, and beyond the
relevance of our questions, when the Lord’s servants make decisions for the Church,
it is by His will, and at that point everything else must fall behind faith in
the line of importance.
I believe righteous women are like rivers. They can cut
through the terrain of the soul, shaping those around them. I don’t believe a
river wants to be a mountain, powerful and seen as it may be. Her power lies in
her quiet consistency and willingness to remain on the course meant for her.
With time and patience and a rush for her calling, she will leave enduring
marks of life and light in her path. I believe that a soft, gentle, righteous
woman has a power to affects souls—and penetrate to the heart’s most vulnerable
state—equal to that of the Spirit of God, only so because she is a conduit unimpeded
by pride and the distraction of concerning herself with whether or not she is
being appreciated as much as the world thinks she should be.
