Can you believe General Conference season is about to
start?! I was talking to my mother this evening, and as she was listing all the
activities of her busy week, she mentioned that the women’s session of conference is
on Saturday. What?! Where did September go?
Well, aside from the shock that October is just about here,
I couldn’t be more excited for General Conference. For those of you who don’t
know what General conference is (or conference as we tend to call it), we have
the opportunity to listen and learn from the Prophet and Apostles twice a year.
We gather together, either in Salt Lake City (where conference is held) or
around the world in our homes and Church buildings. We believe that God has not
stopped speaking to and guiding his children, and because He loves us so much, He still gives us direction through those He has called.
As a child I absolutely dreaded conference. We had to sit at
home, in church clothes and sit still for what felt like a hundred hours. Let’s
be honest, that is just about every child’s worst nightmare. Now, I absolutely love
it. And, don’t worry; it isn’t actually a hundred hours long. If this sounds
like something you’re interested in, click
here for the schedule. Not only is
there a message for everyone, but if you listen with your heart, and with real
intent, you’ll find the message Heavenly Father has just for you.
And that leads me to this week’s
talk! Russell M. Nelson
always gives amazing talks for and about women. I had the opportunity to see him speak while I
was in Japan, and let me tell you, that man truly is called of God. We, as
missionaries were able to go up and shake his hand, and there was a very tangible energy around him. He had a spiritual power
and confidence that I hadn’t experienced while meeting anyone before. It was
amazing.
He talked about how each of us has a divine mission and about the different roles, as women, that we fill. And, surprise! Our only role is not
that of a mother. One of the criticisms of the Church, that bothers me most, is
how women are believed to be viewed, and how even some members feel they are
viewed as a woman.
He describes us as nurturers, teachers, mothers, and those
who are capable of service and offering care. Now, I don’t know about you, but
until recently, I had the tendency to lump all of these qualities under the
giant umbrella that is "mother." BUT, you don’t need to be a mother to do or be any of these. If the summation of our
worth boiled down to only that of being a woman with children, then there wouldn’t be women
who don’t get married or can’t have children. It just wouldn’t be fair. And,
since Heavenly Father is a just god, I’m thinking He’s got bigger plans for
us and how we fill our very special role as women. Oh, just a side note, please do not think I am discrediting how important
motherhood is. I just think we have a bad habit of always looking at it from the same angle.
Have you ever looked up the definition of nurture? It is the
“process of caring for and encouraging the growth or development of someone OR
something.” You can nurture a thought or an idea, a child or a business, a group
or a movement. You can nurture or cultivate skills and talents. And then, as a
teacher, you can share those talents, skills or ideas with children or those
who you come into contact with on a daily basis. As women we have a gift to be compassionate.
We have the opportunity to show kindness and offer service to those around us.
And service, I believe, can be as simple as smiling at someone, listening to
someone talk, or letting the lady with the screaming child cut in front of you in
the grocery store check-out. Doing those little things, in a world where we
are more inclined to frown or glare at someone than smile (something I’m guilty
of) can make a big difference!
Are you convinced yet? Here’s some food for thought; Eve was
called "the mother of all living" before she ever had a child of her own. So,
maybe being a mother isn’t about having your own children. Or, better yet, being a mother is more than just about having children. It is an all-encompassing position.
Each of us is important. And each of us has a divine
mission. The Prophet and Apostles know that, and when they talk about
motherhood, I don’t think they do so to diminish our worth, or to put us in a
box. Motherhood is part of our divine mission during this life. But, if we ask with
the intent to act, during conference, or at any time really, we can learn,
through personal revelation, what else our divine missions include. Like President Nelson said, "[We] are essential
in God’s plan." Don’t let the world or Satan tell you otherwise, and keep you
from making the difference only you can make.
