I Believe- 18

tes·ti·mo·ny

ˈtestəˌmōnē/

noun

1. a formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court of law.

   • evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something.
   • a public recounting of a religious conversion or experience.

     
     

     Before I begin this blog post, I wanted to share the definition of the word "testimony" according to the dictionary.  I love to look up terms that we use often in our religion to see what similarities and differences it suggests.  Usually, the "world's version" of the word is not very different of how I understand the word in a religious sense.

     
     

     This series of "I Believe" posts on my blog are my testimony.

     They are first and foremost a "public recounting of a religious conversion or experience", but often times they also fall into the category of "evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something."

     Which when you think about it, is kind of crazy because religion- any religion- is hugely based on faith.  There are many things that we can't see or have any sort of tangible proof of, we just have to feel it with our hearts and trust that the Lord knows what He is doing.  That is a huge deal for a lot of people.

     
     

     It's a little bit frightening for me to share my testimony on this blog.

     I never know who is reading it and I never know how they will interpret the things that I write.  

     I never, ever seek to offend and I always, always try to write in the spirit of love.

     This blog is a huge deal to me.

     I take it very seriously and nothing that I write- particularly this series of posts- goes without a great deal of thought and prayer, which is how I have come to what I would like to write about for this "I Believe" post. 

      I hope that the readers who read it (all 10 of you;) will know that I am writing out of love and be able to read it in the spirit of love and not contention.

     
     

     There has been a lot of media attention lately focused on the excommunication of one of our members.  Kate Kelly- a fellow woman and sister in the gospel.  I don't know Kate personally and I also do not share some of the questions that she has about women's role in the church.  I do, however, feel great sorrow in my heart that her membership in the church has been terminated.  

     When someone is excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, one thing that is revoked is his/her temple blessings.  Excommunication is not something that just affects the person being excommunicated.  It affects his/her entire family now and in generations to come.

     
     

     It is not something that should ever be celebrated and it disturbs me to hear of women in our church doing this very thing.

     They should take a moment and heed this very wise counsel given by the 2nd counselor in our First Presidency, Pres. Uchtdorf...

     STOP IT.

     
     

     Excommunication is not something that should be public.  It is a very private matter between that person, the disciplinary council that reviews their situation, and the Lord. It is also not something that is done if someone has questions or different opinions than the leaders of our church.  It is done based on the actions of that person.

     
     

     As I mentioned before, I don't know Kate Kelly and the only things I know about her are what has been said in the media, which usually is not the entire truth of the matter.  Therefore, I will not comment directly on details of what she has said, or what has been said about her because honestly, I don't take the time to look into things very often. 

     It's all I can do to make sure that my kids are fed and taken care of physically and spiritually, that my house stays somewhere in between clean and an episode of Hoarders, and that I am doing all that I can to be where the Lord needs me to be.

     
     

     The details are not important for this post, which as usual, is way more lengthy then I intended.

     
     

     What is important is this....

     
     

     *We should be loving those who are struggling- for whatever reason they are struggling.  We should be seeking to help them, not kick them when they are down.

     
     “Those who are struggling for whatever reason should be
     
      able to find within our sisterhood a spirit of warmth,
     
      inclusion, and love.” 
     —Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women general president
     
     *Some things- like the whole issue of women not being able to hold the priesthood directly-are things that we need to realize that although there are many different opinions on the matter, the Lord's opinion is the one that matters. 
      How do we know what the Lord's opinion is?  
     We read the scriptures- the Bible and the Book of Mormon which is another testament of the Savior.  In them we find how He ran the church when He lived on the earth, and that is how our church is run today.
     We also heed the counsel of our prophet and apostles.  We have living prophets and apostles who continue to receive revelation about what the Lord's will is for His people whom He loves.  The prophet is the only person who can receive a revelation to change something that is doctrinal related.  
     I have heard many people say that all they are asking is that the Prophet and Apostles pray about it and ask the Lord if it is His will for women to be ordained to priesthood offices because they have had it revealed to them that it is time for a change.
     
     I will say it again.
     The prophet is the only person who can receive a revelation to change something that is doctrinal related and if you don't think that our prophet, Thomas S Monson, and his counselors and the Apostles, have been praying about this matter then you are sorely mistaken.  My guess is that they have been praying about it before it even became a hot-button issue.  
     
     I close this blog post with my testimony of women's role in this life.  I almost said this church, but then I reconsidered, because we as women have a divine role to fulfill whether you are a member of the church or not.
     I believe that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me.
     
     I believe that as a woman, I have a unique partnership with him.  He has given me the responsibility to bear and raise 4 of his children.  He has given me the rights and authority to seek for revelation in regards to those children.  I can ask him any time- night or day- what He wants me to do to help these children learn and grow.  Sure, I do not have the priesthood keys or authority to give them a blessing when they are sick or in times of distress, but I have the absolute power of prayer on my side and have had numerous opportunities to pray for their well-being and see those prayers answered.
     
     As a woman, I have had opportunities to serve as a leader in our church.  I have been the president of an organization where I have used the priesthood in that calling and once again, have used prayer to receive revelation on what I needed to do in that calling to help those that I had stewardship over.
     
     One of my favorite quotes in regards to women is by our previous prophet, President Gordon B Hinckley.  In March 2000, he said this to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
     "People wonder what we do for our women.  I will tell you what we do:  we get out of their way and look with wonder at what they are accomplishing."
     
     I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.
     I love my role in it.
     I love that I am given my free agency to choose to be a part of it, to learn about it, and to ultimately know that it is true.