Sister Scriptorian

Doesn't that sound great?

President Kimball said that long before I was born...he gave a wonderful talk called "The Role of Righteous Women".  My mother always said he was inspired to give this talk.  After all, many women back then were starting to listen to the lure of feminism more then the prophet.  There is no reason to, though, as President Kimball clearly stated:

We had full equality as his spirit children. We have equality as recipients of God’s perfected love for each of us. The late Elder John A. Widtsoe wrote:

“The place of woman in the Church is to walk beside the man, not in front of him nor behind him. In the Church there is full equality between man and woman. The gospel, which is the only concern of the Church, was devised by the Lord for men and women alike” (Improvement Era, Mar. 1942, p. 161).

Of course, within that equality, men's and women's roles are completely different: men are to have the priesthood and be fathers, while women are to be sisters and mothers. 

Remember, in the world before we came here, faithful women were given certain assignments while faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood tasks. While we do not now remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to. You are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of you just as are those we sustain as prophets and apostles!

 Don't men's jobs sound important?  I know I wouldn't be able to handle that responsibility!  I'm so glad, too, that President Kimball pointed out that even though we might not remember signing up for our role as women, we chose our place, just as important men like the apostles and prophets chose theirs.  My job as a housewife must have been very important for me to have chosen it like that...I must be sure to never complain or be cross with my husband, after all, I chose this, whether I remember or not.

This is where being a Sister Scriptorian comes in.    President Kimball goes on to remind us how vital it is that we grow alongside our husbands, and encourages all women, young and old, to study the scriptures.

Why is this so important?  So that we can serve, of course!

Regardless of your particular circumstances, as you become more and more familiar with the truths of the scriptures, you will be more and more effective in keeping the second great commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself.

 Nothing must ever become more important to us sisters then The Church, which means that we must be perfectly obedient to the council of our leaders. 

Bear in mind, dear sisters, that the eternal blessings which are yours through membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are far, far greater than any other blessings you could possibly receive. No greater recognition can come to you in this world than to be known as a woman of God. No greater status can be conferred upon you than being a daughter of God who experiences true sisterhood, wifehood, and motherhood, or other tasks which influence lives for good.

Isn't that wonderful?  It means that I, at only 21, am already fulfilling the greatest status I can ever achieve, that because I am married and have a baby.  This is it, it's beautiful.  Now I just need to be strong for sixty years or so...

At least I don't have to deal with some of the challenges President Kimball mentions.  I'm not one of those sweet sisters who, for whatever reason, can't seem to get married.   I'm also not one of those poor sisters who have suffered due to death or divorce.  I have been blessed right here in this life.  Making ends meet in this economy is nothing compared with that...like he suggests, I plan on thinking on these great blessings when I might "might otherwise wonder and be perplexed."

He goes on to stress education...something I feel a bit guilty about, to be honest.  I only ever got a couple of semesters of college before I began to fill my more important role.  However, I immediately began to feel better when he stressed religious education and homemaking skills; "Let other women pursue heedlessly what they perceive as their selfish interests." 

In closing, he went on to imply that much of the growth of the church in the following years would be women "more concerned with being righteous then being selfish".

These real heroines have true humility, which places a higher value on integrity than on visibility. Remember, it is as wrong to do things just to be seen of women as it is to do things to be seen of men. Great women and men are always more anxious to serve than to have dominion.

It is so vital for me to become one of those women...to be able to show humility and invisibly let my light shine.  To help other women go from what is worldly to what is holy, using the teachings of the prophets and guidelines for behavior and thoughts, avoiding the selfishness of feminism, and remembering my equality with my husband even as I seek to serve him.

This is my goal.