POWER! I WANT MORE!

If you have ever played Monopoly or Risk with me, you know I lack the ability to heartlessly take out my opponents. I don't like conquering a territory, or negotiating an agreement to sale property. I lack a certain element of competition.  It probably drives my brothers crazy when I play board games with them (although let the record show I voluntarily and with a good attitude played 2 rounds of Monopoly and 2 rounds of Lord of the Rings Risk over Christmas break!).  I have no hunger for power in secular terms. I have no desire to own a business or manage employees. I'll never run for a political position. I don't need to grown an empire. I don't want to have, or be responsible for that kind of power.

There is however another kind of power that I am interested in. Spiritual power. I've spent a lot of time the past six months thinking about the role of righteous men and women of God, and spiritual power that He grants those who make covenants with Him.

As part of this "thinking", I've listened to, and re-listened to these two talks: Sister Carole M. Stephens "Do We Know What We Have?" and Elder Todd D. Christofferson "The Moral Force of Women".   I have also just finished reading Sheri Dew's book "Women and the Priesthood, What One Mormon Woman Believes".

There is in the "Mormon Culture" a group of self Proclaimed Mormon Feminists who feel slighted by inequality in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. After personal study, I myself do not believe that the doctrine of the church is in any way anti-women or anti-equality. I do not deny that culturally there may be a gap between expectations, roles, and responsibilities between men and women, but not in the doctrine. I also admit I am not the most charitable in my private judgements of woman who try to ruffle up feathers and create discord, however a good friend of mine recently reminded me that we are each on our own path of understanding what God's personal plans for us are and all deserve to be able to express what we think and feel on whatever part of the road we are on.

I read an article in the New York Times Titled "Missions Signal a Growing Role for Mormon Women".  I wasn't particularly a fan of the tone the writer took and the way she implied that the Church is so far behind the times and finally with the change in missionary ages is treating women better.  Of course I refer back to my previous comment, I need to be more loving in response to women who do have an overwhelming sense of inequality and have had bad experiences.  The article online gave you a link to comment and share your own experiences. I clicked on it, couldn't pass off the opportunity to express my opinion as a Mormon Woman. The question I chose to respond to was-

Do you feel that your faith encourages or limits women's leadership?

My response:

Encourages! No doubt about it in my mind. I have been encouraged in roles of leadership since the time was the president of the group of 12-13 year-old, then again in a presidency of 14-15, and 16-18. I was the president of the Relief Society organization in my congregation in my mid 20's for almost 3 years. I learned to delegate, conduct meeting, organize service opportunities, teach provident living, and many other things. I have taught Sunday Sunday School. I am currently the chair of a Provident Living Committee and as such I am part of a bi-monthly council that includes leadership of men and women, all having an equal voice. My opinion is sought after and needed in those meetings. I believe that the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints proclaims equality to both men and women and is seen by the the rights and blessings promised to those who practice the faith faithfully. Even within secular organizations roles and expectations may differ for each member of a team. I daresay that no other religious organization in the world affords such leadership opportunities to women. When inequality if felt it is a cultural oversight that needs attention, but the doctrine. I'm a single woman in my 30's. I desire most to be a mother, but my life is not void of joy, fulfillment, and accomplishment as a Mormon woman because I lack a husband or children. My experiences in leadership over the past 20 years have spilled over into my secular learning, my professional experience, and will one day help me be the best darn mom a child could hope for.

Here is what else I wanted to add, quoting Sheri Dew...

"Women hold all the administrative and teaching offices in the Relief Society, which is now one of the oldest, largest, and most influential women's organizations in the world, numbering more than 6.5 million members in some 185 nations. They also hold all the administrative and teaching offices in the Young Women organization...they preside over and fill most teaching assignments in the Primary...and beyond these organizational roles, women are often at the center of gospel teaching, compassionate services, and humanitarian outreach." 

Sheri Dew also tells of the history of the organization of the Relief Society in 1842. At that time, "society at large was still highly patriarchal and, as such, strictly limiting of women's rights. Woman couldn't vote, let alone hold office or even exert political influence (The landmark Seneca Falls Convention, where the push for women's suffrage began in earnest, was still six years away.) Most women were denied higher education, and many weren't formally educated at all...it was still unusual for women to own property. And some physical violence against women was not only tolerated socially but protected by law! The bottom line? In 1842, many still viewed women as being just a rung higher on the social ladder than prisoners."

"It was in stark contrast to the conventions of the day for the leader of an organization-any organization, not to mention the leader of a religion- to give women significant time and attention. If Joseph Smith had been taking his cues from his circumstances or the social or political climate, he likely would not have organized the women. But he was taking his direction from the Lord."

So what is my point in all this. My point is that over 150 years ago, the Lord proved that Women are highly favored, highly valued, and not just allowed to participate in great religious work, but expected to rise to the occasion. AND, it goes back further than 150 years. Jesus Christ himself was a champion for women. The New Testament spotlights women in an oppressive era who were given opportunities to teach, to serve, and granted the sacred role of taking care of the very body of The Lord Himself in the tomb. The fight women and champions of women should be taking on is not about having more then we currently have, because we have already been promised by God himself that when we make covenants with Him, the blessings of heaven and Eternal Life are ours. I think Sister Stephens talk is brilliantly titled, Do We Know What We Have? If you focus on what you perceive you are lacking, you miss the entire point of it all. Why do we as a society of Mormon woman think we should be pursuing something different from what God has already offered us? He has offered us all that He has.

I want power. I want spiritual power. I want to stop living beneath my privilege of what I could have. 

To end this terribly long blog of my ramblings, here is one more quote by Sheri Dew. 

"I believe that the moment we learn to unleash the full influence of converted, covenant-keeping women, the kingdom of God will change overnight. There will be more worthy couples sealed in the temple forge ahead with strength and unity. There will be more children born in the covenant. There will be more virtuous women and men and more virtuous youth. More confidence by men, women, and children that can hear the voice of the Spirit and receive revelation. More teenagers finding ways to serve others rather then being mesmerized by a steady diet of entertainment..More conviction about holding firm to our beliefs while loving others who see the world differently and honoring their right to do so. More capacity to discern between right and wrong, between truth and error. More righteous influence in families, in communities, throughout the Church, and the world." 

I don't want something different from what doctrine God has already revealed. I want the more that comes from accessing what He has already promised. Don't you? Yep, I want more!