A thought on women and the priesthood

I don't claim to have any real special insight into this question that has been bouncing around social media and the news recently, not so much since the last general conference but still recently. The question of whether women can/will/should be ordained to the priesthood isn't one I've bothered to waste much time fretting about. I really don't care much. My personal feelings have always been that it's not something that will happen, but I'm fine with that. I don't, in any sense, feel inferior to or diminished by the brothers with the authority of the priesthood because I don't have it. The blessings of the priesthood are available to all through those who hold the authority and through the covenants we make with God, especially through the temple. Women have other things to be concerned about without rushing about being bishops and giving blessings. But, I said it's not something I've thought much about and here I am writing a whole blog post about it. Why? It starts with a talk, then some scriptures.

Resources:

• Sister Carol M. Stephens, "We Have Great Reason to Rejoice", General Relief Society Meeting, October 2013 

• Doctrine and Covenants section 84. Particularly vs. 33-40, 54-58, and 61-62.

One day a while back I was listening to Sis. Stephen's talk while I got ready for school. I wasn't listening for any special reason, or looking for any particular answers I just had it on while I did my hair. Sis. Stephens was talking about covenants and what it means to be a covenant keeper. I don't know what she said, but something just popped into my head as I listened. "The priesthood is a covenant. Men are proxy ordained in the temple for the dead." or something to that affect. As I said, the question of women and the priesthood had never much bothered me, except all the fuss women were raising over nothing and looking like faithless idiots (in my opinion) while they were at it. (I mean, really, you think trying to get into priesthood session is a good idea? Just watch it online or read it, no big deal people. Anyway...) But here was this truth stuck into my thoughts as I listened to an unrelated talk (for a related talk, listen to Sis. Stephen's talk in the Sunday morning general conference meeting.) on a topic I'm not worried about. But like most thoughts like this one it didn't just come and go but lingered over the next few days. I thought more about it during my scripture study and decided to look up the scripture containing the well known to Mormons phrase "the oath and covenant of the priesthood". Enter Doctrine and Covenants 84: 33-40.

I'll interject here a definition, with a very appropriate example sentence, courtesy of Google.
Oath:

noun

noun: oath; plural noun: oaths

1.

a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.

"they took an oath of allegiance to the king"

synonyms:

vow, pledge, sworn statement, promise, avowal, affirmation, word, word of honor, bond, guarantee

So, when men are ordained to the priesthood they make an oath, one could say, of allegiance to the King, our Savior, and make a covenant with him. Covenants in the LDS faith are not a small thing. They are the way back to heaven. They are the way Heavenly Father has designed for us to obtain certain blessings through obedience and his grace. On lds.org we find this about ordinances
"In the Church, an ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood. Some ordinances are essential to our exaltation. These ordinances are called saving ordinances. They include baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing."
Note, this is officially published by the church information. Ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood is a saving ordinance for men. So, here comes the logic and reasoning:
If it's an essential thing for men to make this covenant by receiving the priesthood, thus why it's done in temples for deceased brethren, doesn't it make sense that if women were to receive the priesthood it would also be an essential, saving ordinance like it is for the guys? Does it make sense that Heavenly Father would set the work of family history and temple work going for almost 2 centuries then make a dramatic switch in what women need to be exalted? No, not really. Why would he have all the temple work done for these people then make us go back and tack on one more thing afterwords? And this wouldn't just be for people who died without the gospel, we're talking any woman who's lived in this dispensation at least. And since there's no indication of women ever having been given the priesthood in the past we're probably looking at every woman who's ever lived. Think of that. If God didn't give the priesthood to Eve when she and Adam were kickin it on the earth, why would he make us go back and give it to her millennia afterwords? Seems kinda silly when you think about it.
I feel like someone out there might say something about  making receiving the priesthood for women an optional thing, like going on a mission. Nope. See, going on a mission is an optional thing for women precisely because we do not hold the priesthood and being a full time missionary (or doing your best to do so) is a priesthood duty/obligation. So, if women were to receive the priesthood it would be just as necessary as the other ordinances we already participate in such as baptism and the endowment.That would sure put a lot of women to work in the temple! But ask yourself, does this sound like the plan of an all knowing, ultimately wise god who knows the end from the beginning and has a perfect plan for our salvation? No, not really. It sounds like craziness. "Um, I guess now this group can have this particular ordinance after millions of years of not having it, and hundreds of years of temple work not including it." It's chaos and confusion and not like the Heavenly Father I believe in.
Now, theoretically, could it happen? Sure. There's no obvious biological, spiritual, or social reason why women couldn't have the priesthood in that sense. The simple fact is though that it's Christ's church and we do things his way. If Christ says "No, that's not how it's done" that should be enough for us. And when you think about it, either way it does not help nor hinder our ability to follow God's plan and obtain exaltation. I can return to Heavenly Father's presence just fine without it, so why petition and question and fret about it? I seem to remember something in the scriptures about not seeking to council the Lord. Let him do his work, and focus on following Him and doing your own work. You can petition, beg, demand, plead, and pray for something but unless it's part of His plan it's not going to change and you're just going to be frustrated and upset. Better plan, pray for the prophets. Pray that they'll be guided and directed in these times of turmoil. Then pray for faith to follow their direction.

Moving on, a few more thoughts on the topic before I finish this extremely long entry-
As you keep reading D&C 84 you get to 54-58, 61-62. I feel like this pertains precisely to our present day and this situation. "And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received...not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—  That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom..." What is it they have forgotten that they have received? What is it they must do? What is the fruit that they must bring forth? I would suggest that it is the gift of the Relief Society. The actions of Visiting Teaching. The fruit of missionary labors. These are wonderful blessings that do not require the priesthood authority to participate in. The Relief Society is a miracle and a blessing. Why would anyone want to substitute Elder's Quorum for Relief Society? Visiting Teaching is a huge responsibility, as are the general RS goals of helping the poor and needy in spiritual and in temporal needs. Why would the Lord lay on us more requirements and duties if we are not first doing the ones we have been given? And why would he remove the wonderful program of Relief Society where it fills such a needed roll that the Priesthood organization doesn't necessarily fill in the same way? We are all under the same commandment to preach the gospel to every nation, tongue, and people. We can do that at any age, no matter our race, gender, marital status, or length of membership in the church. When it comes down to the essentials it doesn't matter if you have the priesthood or not, you can do the Lord's work just the same. I would be really curious to talk to some of these women who are pushing so hard for this change about the Relief Society. Do they love it? Do they know it's deep history? Do they understand it's purpose along side the organization of the priesthood in the church?

I don't mean to sound rude or antagonistic towards those who are pushing for this change. I just cannot comprehend their standpoint in the light of the scriptures and modern revelation. I believe that we are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. He created a plan that would allow us to become as he is, perfect and perfectly happy. He organized the plan of salvation, perfectly. He sent his perfect Son to atone for our illnesses, pains, afflictions, temptations, trials, death, and sins. (Alma 7:11-13) He restored the gospel to the earth through a living prophet, and continues to guide it through his chosen servants.   

 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. -Isaiah 55

I believe that Christ is the head of his church. He has got it under control and will lead it in the correct path until the end of time. Our duty is to be obedient and do His work in spreading the gospel. Who's got time for standing in line to not get into meetings we're not invited to? We've got work to do. Best get crackin!

Stake Conference: Participating in the Work of Salvation

I've been slacking a little with my Sunday reports, and with most everything, the last few weeks. I've taken many Sunday afternoon naps and spent one Sunday ironing applique to a dress and making gold duct tape boots for Halloween. Not the best use of my sabbath day ever. So I decided to get back to it and take up again with blogging my gospel learning from time to time. Today seemed like a good time to start because it was stake conference and pretty great.

It was a regional broadcast so Elder Parry of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, Elders Zwick and Callister or the 70, and Sis. Oscarson the Young Women's president, all came to the USU Spectrum to speak. We just went to our stake center and listened over broadcast, but we didn't mind because it was a better view and more comfy seats anyway. The theme was not hard to detect. "Participating in the Work of Salvation". I think every single speaker used that exact phrase at least once. Elder Zwick probably used it 10 times. They didn't just focus on missionary work, but also on ensuring our own salvation and that of our families by coming closer to Christ. All the talks were good, but Elder Callister's really got me thinking.

He talked about several ways to PitWoS, but he spent a while talking about personal salvation and doing the things we need to in order to become more like Christ and have the faith and spiritual strength we need to assist others in working towards their salvation as well.It was pretty well aimed at things I've struggled with. He talked about the importance of learning, and teaching our kids, not just to pray, but how to pray. Prayer was compared to playing racket ball. If you hit a ball softly, it returns off the wall softly. If you really hit it hard it will return with almost equal force. If we pray with little force or conviction we can expect that they will not be returned with much speed or power. But when we learn to pray with force and the power of the Spirit we open up the door for answers and guidance and the Holy Ghost to return with equal power. He told a story of when he was around 18 years old saying his nightly prayers- unaware of his mother standing in the doorway of his bedroom. When he finished she asked if he had prayed for God to send him a good spouse. He responded that he wasn't even thinking about that, he was only 18 after all, but she encouraged him to pray for that as it would be of paramount importance in his life. Makes me think, how much do I pray about things like that? Do I pray about those things that are of the most importance in my life?

In a similar way he compared scripture study to food. Once a parent asked a music teacher if their child had to practice their instrument every day. The teacher responded with "No, only on the days they want to eat." He said the same goes for our scripture study. Do we have to study every day? No, only on days we want to eat. Why should we nourish our physical body and ignore our spiritual well being? He told of his habit as a lawyer of coming to work and spending time in the scriptures before he would begin calling people and sorting through case files. He would often look at all the work that needed to be done and think he should begin right away, but the spirit would always tell him "No, stick with the scriptures." I think I should listen to that more often. Things will get taken care of, put the scriptures, temple, prayer, first. Finally he compared scripture study to, not just regular food, but Pop-eye's spinach. He would eat his spinach and all his muscles would bulge and he'd have power to fight of the bad guys or whatever he needed to do.  So does scripture study provide us with power to ignore temptation and stand up for what is right.

Again it just drives home the importance of doing those daily things that connect us to Christ and our Heavenly Father. As we do those things then we'll have the courage and understanding needed to reach out to those around us, in whatever method we can, to share the gospel with them and invite them to come unto Christ and learn of him. As Sis. Oscarson said, success isn't the convert baptism, it's the invitation given with love. My personal mission plan needs to begin with improving my own faith and diligence in the daily things. Then I'll have an added measure of the Spirit and power to be better at opening my mouth and extending invitations to those around me. Sounds like a good plan to me.

Nuggets from a coupel Sundays

I didn't write after sacrament meeting last week. I fell asleep instead. It was the weekend of our Turner side's girl's night out in Park City and we had gone to bed late and gotten up rather early so I could make it to church on time. I was impressed I even made it through church without falling asleep. But, alas, it caught up to me in the afternoon and I slept most of the remainder of the day. Despite my diminished mental capacity last week, (and in truth this week too) I remember it being a very good block at church and even enjoying the "Meet the Stake Presidency" fireside that evening. We also had a good block of classes today and a lovely ward prayer thought. I've decided I would just write down some notes from my journal instead of commenting on one theme in this post. But who knows, maybe I'll get drawn off by something in the middle of my list, maybe I won't. We'll see...

• Being virtuous is being like Christ. Being virtuous is having power- power to act, power against sin...
• Don't judge, just have compassion. The Savior is described a few times as 'being filled with compassion'. As we are compassionate we will be filled with charity.
• Start your day with prayer, but remember- you don't have to pray about yourself. There are way too many people who need blessings for you to only pray for yourself- ever. 
• Fast and pray about relationships.
• Just worry about being the best sister you can.
• Want to be Christ's friend? Give your life for him.

In truth, that's probably 60% of the notes I've taken the last 2 Sundays. But at least they're good notes. To end I want to just throw out a question that I thought while I was reviewing my journal. It actually arose from notes on the last CES broadcast by Elder Nelson. He left an apostolic blessing at the end. This is what I wrote down "Feast upon the word of Christ and live their teachings. Live as Christ desires and be an example. [We are promised]  success in school and work that [we] may serve others. [Promised] health and strength to fulfill God's destiny for me".
Now, first of all, it's interesting to think about "God's destiny for me". I've been feeling lately a lot like there's no big plan. I was just brought to this point and sent out into the ocean of life to swim about as I wish within the safety guidelines and wherever I end up it doesn't really matter- it's the obedience that matters. But at the same time a part of me keeps saying 'No, that's not right. There's a plan, there's a destination. There must be things at work here that I just don't understand yet'. Yet, it's hard to see how this could ever come into focus as a time of preparation or growth. It just feels like a time of hanging around, waiting to figure out what's next... But that's not the point.
The point was the line before that "Success in school and work that I may serve others". I am in school right now as a grad student at USU studying math. I also teach a math class on campus as part of this grad program. How will my masters, my education, my knowledge of random unapplicable math, allow me to serve others? I don't know. Maybe at this time it will be more of a I'll have success so I don't have to spend every waking moment studying and then I'll have time and energy to serve others. Yeah, that sounds nice. I'll take that.

Skip the heartbreak

Our Relief Society lesson today was based off of an article written by Elder Quentin L. Cook when he was a member of the 1st quorum of the 70. (http://www.lds.org/ensign/2006/02/lessons-from-the-old-testament-in-the-world-but-not-of-the-world?lang=eng) and one line stood out to me as a quote was read. So for my blog post about church today I've chosen to find and copy over this quote. Said Elder Cook:

"A derogatory comment occasionally made about members of the Church is: “They are like sheep waiting to be told what to do by their leaders. Why can’t they think for themselves?” While this comment may sound plausible on its face, the truth is that faithful Latter-day Saints, in a thoughtful and prayerful manner, study the doctrines and principles in the scriptures and in the counsel from living prophets and then seek to receive a confirming witness from the Holy Ghost. They don’t have to make every heartbreaking mistake in life. They know what is right and what is wrong. They don’t have to decide over and over again how they will live. They can benefit from the life experiences of all those generations that have preceded them and from instructions from our Father in Heaven and His anointed servants. They can turn away from temptation.

We inevitably must make choices. If we know the doctrines and principles of the gospel, we can make wise decisions. If our lives are pure, the Spirit will guide us."

Italics added. The italicized part is the line that stood out to me during the original reading in class today. I'm an observer. I learn quickly because I can watch how people do things and then do a pretty good job of doing it myself. Thus, I really like this idea. You don't have to experience everything. You can read and study and watch and listen and avoid mistakes that lead to heartbreak and struggles in life. Why would anyone want to learn all on their own? I would hate to have learned to ride a bike on my own; or imagine learning to be a tight rope walker or trapeze artist without aid. It's dumb. You'd get hurt or die. Why then shouldn't we look to those before us and guidance from a loving heavenly father to assist us in our learning and growing? I just makes sense. SO- read your scriptures, listen to your parents and elders and prophets, and most of all your Heavenly Father. Avoid heartbreak, be happy. 'Nuf said.

I can do hard things

After church today I decided it might be a nice way to remember and assimilate what I learned in church today if I wrote a small entry about it here each Sunday. Today, especially in Relief Society, we talked a lot about doing hard things. The lesson was, I think, on why we have trials and how we can overcome them. Well, most of what I was thinking about wasn't regarding trials so much as just things that happen in life. Cars wear out, you get injured, something doesn't go as planned. I don't really see things like that as trials, I just see them as natural consequences of the fall and living in an imperfect world. But whether it's a trial, a consequence, or an opportunity sometimes things in life are just not easy. When those times come we have 2 options: 1. Bail or avoid it, 2. Get to work and do what you gotta do to get through it. I think in general Heavenly Father would council us to go for approach #2.  I remember a member of the general Young Women's presidency, Sis. Elaine S. Dalton I think, giving a talk once where a friend had a sign that said "I can do hard things". She changed it a touch to say "With God, I can do hard things" or something. I suppose I can find the actual quote and citation since I am at a computer and using the internet already...
(http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/a-return-to-virtue?lang=eng, A Return to Virtue, CR Oct. 2008, Elaine S. Dalton)
so, “In the strength of the Lord, I can do all things.” it is. And it's true. I don't know how many of the hard things in life Heavenly Father directly prescribes for us and how many we choose or just happen, but I know that where there is a hard thing there is a way to get through it stronger and better than before with Christ and our Heavenly Father helping us. So I don't need to fear hard things, but welcome them as they will mean a stronger, better me. An example from right now, I have chosen to do grad school. It's looking like it's going to be much more of a hard thing than I anticipated (I'm not an undergrad anymore... sigh. it was so easy.) But I shouldn't let myself get scared away. I chose it, and I can do it. I think it's probably about time I did something hard. I've spent 2 years just hanging out and doing different things. Yes, seminary teaching was hard- but for entirely different reasons. That was hard emotionally and mentally. This will be hard mentally and physically. I won't have the time I'm accustomed to for fun and friends. I won't have the leisure of leaving my work at work and having the rest of the day for myself. But I'm confident that when I receive that degree it will mean more to me than just about anything else I've done because it was hard. And who knows, maybe in a few weeks this won't seem like such a hard thing, once I'm back in practice and going full throttle again. But no matter what I know I will be a better person for not running away to find another path that's easier for me to climb.

My thoughts on...

Remember that one time I made a new blog that I didn't tell anyone about and only posted one thing in it and left it for 7 months without touching it again, yet blogger still says it got 20 page views? That's impressive for a 'secret blog'. You may ask why I'm blogging this instead of just saving it on my computer if it's 'secret'? Well, I don't really remember. I suppose I'd have to go back and read my first post again to find out. But whatever that reason is, I've determined that it's time for this blog to no longer be ignored and left in peace. I have decided it's time for Countertop Discourses to fulfill the measure of it's creation- to get me to study and write more about gospel topics. I find that I have a hard time just pondering. I tend to fall asleep or sit there with an empty brain. However, when I have something to write with I can think through things much more clearly. Also when i am going to talk about something I feel more motivated to study it and think about it's application to my life. I don't get the chance to teach or talk very often in church (i.e. the only time I've talked in this ward was when I was called into the RS presidency... I've lived here for 3 years.) so I created this blog to sort of artificially create that situation.

So, how am I going to keep myself from leaving this in peace for another half a year? I'm not sure. But I think a good start is making a list of subjects I want to write about. Subjects to start with. Hopefully that will give me somewhere to go. So, bring on the list!
(In no particular order...)

• Grace
• Faith
• The spiritual benefits of going to bed early?
• Charity
• Love the Lord they God...
• Coming to know Christ
• Sin
• Recording our lives and spiritual impressions
• Peace
• Temple worship
• Worship (general)
• Keeping the Sabbath day holy (I actually almost wrote 'wholy' there. That's wrong in so many ways. ha.)
• ...

Prologue

A.K.A the 'Why?' post...

It makes sense to me to begin any sort of writing with an explanation of why and what. So, here you go:

I decided to make this blog yesterday, during church I think. In fact, I know what it was that made me decide to start this but I can't find it anywhere (if I read it) or remember where I heard it (if it was spoken). In either case I'm resigned to paraphrasing and not giving a full blown story like I usually would. You can decide if that's good or not for yourself.

So, it starts a while back. I once created a folder on my computer for possible ideas for lessons, should I ever decide to try and teach classes at EFY. (which is another story...) This folder had a few things in it, but was largely unused. Later I noticed that the times when I do my best study of the scriptures is when I'm preparing a lesson or talk for church. Not too surprising, but it gave me the idea that it would be a good idea to improve my study to sort of act like I had a talk or lesson to prepare each week, and I could keep it in this folder. Well, it still didn't fill up much. Then sometime in the last 2 days or so I heard/read a quote from (I think?) a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. It cited a saying of Nephi and then encouraged Latter-day Saints to write and share the gospel with the technology that is available. Or maybe my brain just added the technology part (it's hard when you can't actually find what you read) but the message I got was, I need to be putting my knowledge and testimony out there. I had already renewed my determination to write lessons and talks as part of my personal study, so I switched from planning to keep them in a folder to posting them online. Who knows if they'll do anyone any good. But it can't be less useful than they would be in a folder in my hard drive.

As a side note, this might have been the scripture that was cited:
1 Nephi 19:18 
And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer.

This wasn't it, but I feel it's appropriate anyway. Naturally, I won't just write Isaiah. I'll use all sorts of scriptures and prophetic quotes, which are a lot like Isaiah- him being a prophet and all...
2 Nephi 11:8
8 And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men. Now these are the words, and ye may liken them unto you and unto all men.

Last note- if anyone figures out what I read I'd appreciate a notice. I read Elder Cook's talk on Sunday and I thought that's where it was, but upon re-reading (er, skimming) it wasn't. I listened to Pres. Uchtdorf's CES devotional, but the text isn't up yet for me to skim. (and I'm pretty sure this idea came earlier in the day, but who knows. I can't even remember who said it...) I also had been reading "The Faith of a Scientist" by Dr. Henry Eyring, but I can't find it in there either after a perusal of my recent readings. So, if you find it give me a shout.