Man, Woman, and Deity by Sherrie Johnson

Author:Sherrie Johnson [Johnson, Sherrie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2020-07-06T16:54:33+00:00

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her bands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

—Proverbs 31 :30-31

CHAPTER 6

Stewards of Life

When I first began to seriously search for answers concerning the woman's role, I received an impression to "study priesthood." This impression puzzled me. "I want to know about womanhood, not priesthood," I argued. But I set aside this first reaction and began to study priesthood. As I studied I was amazed at what I discovered. There is really no way to segregate the roles of man and woman. The two are so intertwined and so dependent upon each other, so balanced, that no woman and no man can understand his or her own role without also understanding the role of the other.

Marvelous Blessings Available to Women

We discussed in the previous chapter how priesthood power and authority is conferred upon worthy men, but that both righteous men and righteous women of the Church are entitled to all the blessings of the priesthood as they seek to do their part in accomplishing God's purposes. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: "There are many marvelous powers and blessings which come to women in the Church and kingdom of God on earth which are not found anywhere else. The Lord has given us many things which bless and ennoble and exalt women beyond anything ever dreamed of outside his Church." (In Conference Report, Sydney Australia Area Conference 1976, p. 33.)

Elder McConkie further explained: "Women do not have the priesthood conferred upon them and are not ordained to offices therein, but they are entitled to all priesthood blessings. Those women who go on to their exaltation, ruling and reigning with husbands who are kings and priests, will themselves be queens and priestesses. They will hold positions of power, authority, and preferment in eternity." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], p. 594.)

The powers and blessings referred to are given to us if we seek them in righteousness. As we grow and progress, receive the Holy Ghost, and are endowed, we receive more and more enabling power and more spiritual gifts and blessings. When a couple is married for time and all eternity the husband and the wife enter into the patriarchal order of the priesthood. Simple logic tells us that fatherhood is part of that priesthood because God, from whom priesthood comes, chooses to be known by the title Father. A woman should realize that "motherhood is an eternal part of Priesthood" (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1960], p. 308).

Many priesthood blessings such as the gift of the Holy Ghost are obvious and often discussed. Others are not so common and vary from person to person. David Whitmer tells of how his mother, Mary Musselman Whitmer, was given a special, unusual blessing. One night while on her way to milk the cow, she was met by a messenger

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