A Woman's Role is a Choice

If you aren't a "feminist" in today's world, you are looked down upon. To say "I want to be married before I'm 25, I want to have lots of children, and I want to be a stay at home mom" can lead to an immediate attack by others with less traditional values.  In a time where freedom of choice and acceptance is considered to be a priority, I find it contradictory for a woman not to be able to make this choice without backlash. 

 
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I find comfort in knowing that I was put on this earth to be a women, to enter into an eternal marriage, to have children, and to raise those children with the understanding that they too are a child of God. This may not be the path that others choose, but it's the guiding principle I've raised my child to believe. Why is the life of a "successful" career women considered more significant then a stay at home mom? 

I was raised by a single, working mother. I raised my daughter as a single, working mother for years.  Although both of us were very independent, strong women; I never question the influence a man could of made in our homes. Life was good for my daughter and I, but having a priesthood holder in our home would of made it complete. "The nature of male and female spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation." (Elder David A. Bednar)

I've had a thousand thoughts cross my mind for this post, sharing all of them would take me days, so I'm going to keep it short. As a women I respect your choices. I respect your desire to join the military, be an auto mechanic, be a CEO of a major corporation, be an attorney, or be a doctor. In fact, I admire your drive and your vision.  I just ask that you have the same respect my daughter when she proclaims she wants to be a "stay at home mom".  Her desire and her drive is the same, she's just channeled it towards a different end goal. 

This article sums it up... Let's End the Mommy Wars

Be Quick to Forgive

This counsel by President Kimball may appear to be simple and short, but it's powerful. Here is an excerpt from The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (1982), 242.

Quick to Forgive

Photograph of Spencer W. Kimball by Eldon K. Linschoten

“Marriage partners must be quick to forgive. If we will sue for peace, taking the initiative in settling differences—if we forgive and forget with all our hearts … if we forgive all real or fancied offenses before we ask forgiveness for our own sins—if we pay our own debts, large or small, before we press our debtors—if we manage to clear our own eyes of the blinding beams before we magnify the motes in the eyes of others—what a glorious world this would be! Divorce would be reduced to a minimum; courts would be freed from disgusting routines; family life would be heavenly; the building of the kingdom would go forward at an accelerated pace; and the peace which passeth understanding would bring to us all a joy and happiness which has hardly ‘entered into the heart of man.’”

Ether 12: Faith, Hope, and Charity

The piece above is one of my favorite pieces of art. To me it represents our founding fathers being guided by our creator, to build a nation greater than all others on this promised land. For several years now, I've tried to use these three principles as my guiding compass.

As I continued to read the Ether chapters in the Book of Mormon today, I was comforted by the guidance given in Ether 12. It is made clear by Moroni that Faith, Hope and Charity are essential to our salvation. v28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness. 

Let me share some scriptures that touch on these attributes specifically.

Faith: 
v3  saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled
v12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracles among them
v29 O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith
v31 for after they had faith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show thyself unto them in great power.

Hope: 
v4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
v32  wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.


Charity:
v34 And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.
v35  if the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly.
 v36 If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful

 These scriptures tell me that in order to receive all the blessings the Lord has promised us, we must have faith that his promises are possible.  It reminds me of a book I read years ago, that said that believing in Christ, is different then believing in the powers of Christ. We must also remain hopeful and positive in life. That need for hope reminds me to Love other regardless of their downfalls and to have hope in humanity, even when the world is looking grim. Having no hope in your heart can harden it and give Satan a way in. Last, but not least is Charity. There is no action greater on this earth, then giving of yourself mentally, physically and spiritually. If we are struggling and can still give charity in any of these 3 ways, we will always have an anchor to the gospel and to Christ. When we loose hold of that anchor, we can become lost. Giving ourselves to others, gives us a purpose. It reminds us that all men and woman on earth are children of our Heavenly Father and deserve his love, regardless of where they come from, their circumstances or their sins. 

While I sat here and compiled this post, I've thought more about the actual picture above. It was made years ago for the Glenn Beck TV show on Fox. I wasn't a viewer at the time, so I don't have first hand knowledge of his thoughts and purpose behind the piece. I do know however, he is LDS and I can't help but wonder if he used this chapter as one of his inspirations.