Sunday, November 10, 2013

General Conference Study: Sister Stephens


I am aware of the LDS women who feel like they need to have the Priesthood to feel equal to LDS men. I am amazed at the protests they have waged against our leaders. It makes me sad.

I have a strong testimony of the "Plan of Salvation" or the "Plan of Happiness". I believe it and know that there is a purpose to this earthy life. What I don't understand with this protest is the fact that these women must not understand the plan.
Women bring souls into the world by carrying and giving birth to Heavenly Father's children and giving them a body. I feel privileged to have been given this trust and I love my womanhood and the part I have in the "Plan". Even though a man does have a part in creating the child, they don't go through the valley of death to bring them to earth. 

However, there HAS TO BE a role for the men with Heavenly Father's children too. They can't give birth. They need a part of the plan. Their part is to help them return back to Heavenly Father by having the authority to perform the needed ordinance on the path back to Heavenly Father.
I believe we each have part of the plan for Heavenly Father's children.

Why do these women want to have every part of the plan and not share this noble trust with our individual roles in the "Plan"? I feel it's very selfish that women want all the responsibility and are not willing to give the men something to do in part of this plan.  

These are my own beliefs and why I have NO problem with letting men have the role of being Priesthood holders. I have no desire to take this role away from them.
Sister Stephens referred to that section of the Proclamation on the Family that states, "All human beings, male and female, are created in the image of God". Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. To achieve this divine destiny, each son and daughter of God needs priesthood ordinances and covenants. 

We need baptism. We need the gift of the Holy Ghost. We need to receive the temple endowment. We need the sealing ordinance, which leads to eternal life, "the greatest of all the gifts of God. 
There exists today a great need for men and women to cultivate respect for each other as sons and daughters of God and reverence for our Father in Heaven and His priesthood - His power and authority.

HE has a plan for us, and when we exercise our faith and trust in HIS plan, our reverence for HIM and HIS priesthood power and authority will be strengthened.   
 Elder Ballard taught: "Our Father in Heaven is generous with HIS power. ALL MEN AND WOMEN have access to this power for help in our own lives. We all need each other. Sons of God needs daughters of God and daughters of God need sons of God. 
 We have different gifts and different strengths. First Corinthians chapter 12 emphasizes the need for sons and daughters of God, each one of us to fulfill our individual roles and responsibilities according to the Lord's plan, that all may benefit. 
Sons of God, do you know who you are? Do you know what you have? Are you worthy to exercise the priesthood and receive the power and blessings of the priesthood? Do you embrace your roles and responsibilities to strengthen homes as fathers, grandfathers, sons, brothers, and uncles? Do you show respect for women, womanhood, and motherhood?

Daughters of God, do we know who we are? Do we know what we have? Are we worthy to receive the power and blessings of the priesthood? Do we receive the gifts given to us with gratitude, grace, and dignity? Do we embrace our roles and responsibilities to strengthen homes as mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, and aunts? Do we show respect for men, manhood, and fatherhood?

As covenant sons and daughters, do we have faith in our Heavenly Father and HIS eternal plan for us? Do we believe that we have divine nature and destiny?

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