How I See Myself as a Woman

Saturday and Sunday were General Conference weekend, one of my favorite things to listen to. For those who don't know what that is, it is a time our church takes twice a year to listen to our modern day prophet, apostles, and other leaders.  They give us reminders to what we could be doing better as a church and individually, and each time I listen I receive insight and inspiration as to how I can become a better person.  If you want to listen to some of it yourself here is the link to each speaker from every session: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2013/10?cid=HPFR100413105&lang=eng

There have been some women in the church lately that have been upset, because they are not able to be ordained with the Priesthood.  The Priesthood is the power of God, and when boys become a certain age they have the opportunity to receive this wonderful gift that our Heavenly Father has given us.  I can see why this is becoming an issue right now as opposed to fifty years ago.  Women are told these days that they can do it all: go to college, have a successful career, keep their house spotless, look stunning every day, stay thin, and be a mother all at the same time.  I don't think there is anything wrong with working as a mother.  Sometimes people have to.  Furthermore, I think it's great that women have so many opportunities to get an education and even start a career.

However,women being angry that men receive the Priesthood while they can't shows me that they don't fully understand how it works; they just want to have everything men do.  Let me explain my understanding of the roles of women in families, because I feel like God made it that way for a reason.

Women are very loved by God.  They have a huge responsibility in their lives.  Women have the opportunity to be mothers.  These days, even couples who struggle to have children have medical technology to help them, or adoption programs.  Even people who never have the opportunity to have children of their own can be a "mother figure" to someone.  God values this role so much that he gave it to us.  He trusts us to nurture the next generation and love them.

Men were simply given a different role, not a lesser one, nor one that women need to try to take over. Today I was talking to Kalyn about all the women who are protesting, and this idea came to me:

Men want to be needed.  It is in their nature to want to take care of women.  Maybe God wants men to hold the Priesthood so they have more opportunities to help us.  When I ask Kalyn for a blessing or treat him as the patriarch of our home, then I show him the kind of respect that can strengthen our marriage.  Women may not be ordained in the Priesthood, but they exercise God's power through men whenever they need it.  They can do this through a husband, brother, father, uncle, grandfather, home teacher, etc.  I have come to the conclusion that God gave us different roles and we are meant to respect those roles, and each other, and God (along with His decisions.  He is God, after all).  If women spent less time being bitter about the role they were given and more time embracing it, they might realize that God really does know what he is doing.  It's a matter of faith.  We need to trust that He made things this way for a reason, perhaps many reasons.  I love my God, and am so grateful that he made me a woman.  I am so blessed.

A few talks this conference specifically speak about a woman's role and why men receive the Priesthood.  That is why I am so grateful to belong to this church, where we have modern-day revelation from a Prophet of God.  Sometimes, as humans, we need a little reminder of what our goal is on Earth: to be with God again.