Music boxes

Music boxes
Music boxes have within melodies they carry in them, once they're open music feels the air;
Every person you have known has a song of their own, once they open up you'll hear whats there;
Every person longs to find who they are deep inside, every person yearns to know their place..."

Friday, June 27, 2014

Mormon women, equality, and things of the sort.

Yes, I'm a Mormon.
Yes, I'm a woman.
And yes, I play a great role in this big plan of life.
I'm important.
I'm a cool mom, a great friend, a hard worker, a caring person, and, you guessed it, I'm as humble as I can be. ;)

OK, I'm really not snotty or arrogant. I like to tease. Yes, I'm funny too. ;) Ooops, there goes humility again... what was this post about anyway? Oh yeah, being a Mormon woman.  Let's try to stay focused here, Bela, will ya?

I try to make light of a situation that actually troubles me. Women in the Church I belong to, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, are feeling inferior and unappreciated. They are starting movements to show their indignity, and to try to change how things work in the Church. And I can't help but wonder why they feel this way. I try to understand, I really do. It saddens me that they feel the way they feel. I try to be sympathetic, to love and, above all, not judge them.

This is not why I'm writing this today, though.

I guess I just need to tell the world (or at least the two or three people that will read this post) the way I feel as a Mormon woman. Because there's so much out there that can confuse people that are not familiar with my faith.

First and foremost, I am a Christian. I try to leave my life in a way that pleases Christ (trying being the key word here). He is the most important person in my life. Then comes family; I'm a wife and a mother, and as such, the most important goal in my life is to raise my children to become great people, to love the Lord, and to understand their divine role in this crazy thing we call life. I am not alone in this great assignment; I couldn't do it on my own. And one of the places where I get help from is, indeed, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

In the Church, we have a living prophet, twelve apostles and seventies. Their primary goal is to teach all nations about Jesus the Christ. I believe that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet that leads the Church today, like Abraham, Moses and so many others in the Bible did in times of old.

In our Church, men are given the power of God to act in His name here on Earth. That power is the Priesthood, and it's given to men to bless the whole Church. Its power is extended to every single one of us, women and children included. Many a time I have asked a blessing from these men, when I'm struggling with something, or when I'm sick. They lay their hands on my head and say a simple prayer. And my faith in the priesthood will work the rest.
I would like to point out that a man that has the priesthood cannot bless himself. He's not all powerful. He is simply a vessel through which God can manifest Himself. A man that abuses that power, that boasts  about it, will have to answer to God one day. And, if you ask me, it won't be pretty.

So, mainly, The Priesthood is given to men, not to bless themselves, but to bless others.

Imagine I'm a firefighter, or a paramedic, or a nurse. I was given the knowledge and the tools to help others in need; I have a fancy fireproof outfit, or a resuscitation kit  in my ambulance, or a pain reliever to alleviate someone that is recovering from severe injuries. What am I supposed to do with those things? I won't keep them with me to show the world how cool I am. I go and fight the fire. I try to save a life. I help someone in pain. I give. I serve. I care.

That is the priesthood.

As a woman, I am also given in-numerous gifts to share with others. I serve in the Church (yes, I can serve in many callings is the Church), I serve my family, I care and love my friends.
I am yet to find a Church that values, respects, appreciates and loves women in the same way that the Mormon Church does. I am constantly reminded how special I am, how divine is my purpose.
I am not a blind follower. If you know me, you know that I am stubborn, curious, and like to do things my own way. I do not like to be told what to do. I am independent, and value freedom. I would never, ever be a member of a Church that would oppress and diminish me. I would clash with whoever tried to tell me how to do things.

So, if I do things a certain way, it's because I have chosen to. I have chosen to serve The Lord. I have chosen to put on my firefighter gear and bless the lives of others. I have chosen to accept the children that God trusted me to raise. I have chosen to be a part of  this Church.

 Me.

A long time ago, I have chosen. No one is responsible for my choices other than me.

I am a Mormon woman. I am not less than a Mormon man.
I do not seek what is not mine, because what I have is my share in this work.

I don't fully understand women that think that what they have is not enough. Do they realize the tremendous value of the gifts they already have?
Do they use those gifts to help and serve?
Or do they just seek what they think they need, ignoring what they've got?

I don't know. I can't judge.

But I know who I am. And I love who I am. Because I know the way The Lord sees me.
A queen in the making.

What else can I ask for?

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