“We can do the work of the Lord in His way when we seek, and act on personal revelation. Without personal revelation, we cannot succeed. If we heed personal revelation, we cannot fail.”

In Joel 2:28-29, we are given a prophecy concerning revelation and the women of the latter day:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Personal revelation is attributed to righteous men and women, and must be used with wisdom according to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

But what is revelation? How can we know we’re receiving it if we don’t fully understand what it is?

“Revelation is communication from God to His children. This guidance comes through various channels according to the needs and circumstances of individuals, families, and the [Latter-day Saint] Church as a whole…According to our faithfulness, we can receive revelation to help us with our specific personal needs, responsibilities, and questions and to help us strengthen our testimony” (Gospel Topics, Revelation).

Personal revelation does not come easily. Neal A. Maxwell, late latter day apostle, tells us that revelation “requires serious mental effort on our part….Revelation is not a matter of pushing buttons, but of pushing ourselves, often aided by fasting, scripture study, and personal pondering. Most of all, revelaion requires us to have a sufficient degree of personal righteousness, so that on occasion revelation may come to the righteous, unsolicited” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Revelation,” First Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 11, 2003, 5).

How does revelation assist the women of the Mormon Church in making the most of this Relief Society organization? I hope in sharing a rather personal experience I might be able to help you understand.

Several weeks ago I began to feel listless. Certain things hadn’t come together as I’d hoped, and I suddenly found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I’m the sort of person who will knit scarves while watching television, so suddenly finding myself with so much free time felt beyond daunting.

I began to pray and to fast about finding a purpose and good use for all this extra time. I received two answers, both of which I know were revelation.

First, to take care of my children. This seems like an easy thing to do, and I was giving my little ones a lot of my time already. So why the extra emphasis?

Over the past weeks I’ve come to realize these children, and all the precious spirits who have come to earth at this time, need more attention, more teaching, more preparing to deal with the wickedness now present. I was doing a good job, but I needed to do better.

The second revelation came to me as I felt strongly inspired to take some leftover dinner to a sister in our ward (local congregation). This particular woman was in dire circumstances, and my husband as bishop could not do as much as he’d wanted to help.

I went to the sister’s house, gave her the food, and we talked. She was feeling very low at the time, and, as many of us have felt at one time or another, frustrated that even when she was trying to get her life back together things still kept going wrong.

In that moment words came to my mind, words I was supposed to tell her, words she needed to know. This had never happened to me before. Among those words were these, “The Lord sent me to you tonight. He loves you so much He sent me to you.”

As I drove away a truth settled over me, one I believe illustrates what one individual can do in fulfilling the grand and beautiful purpose of Relief Society: we are called upon to minister to sisters in need. We are given revelations on how we might best serve, or comfort, or teach those who are lacking.

Just yesterday this was done for me by Sister Averett in my ward. I’d had a really rough day, and couldn’t understand why. She felt strongly inspired to come to me. We talked, and an answer was given. How grateful I am for loving sisters like herself who are daily working for righteous purposes, so that she was ready to give help when I needed it.

For anyone who reads this I leave you my testimony. I know Heavenly Father put this remarkable organization of women in place because He knows the power of a righteous woman. I also know that if we desire to obtain personal revelations, we must be ever striving to deserve such blessings. We need to keep our lives in sync with the Lord’s ways, and our hearts open. Only then can truth be bestowed upon us.

In the Sept. 2008 Women’s General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormons), Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President, addressed this very idea when discussing how to better help the women of the Latter-day Saint Church fulfill their purpose within this world-wide organization.

“To do our part under the plan of the Lord, we are to increase our faith and personal righteousness. Membership in the Church requires faith, which we nourish throughout our lives with great ‘diligence, and patience, and long-suffering’ (Alma 32:43)” (Julie B. Beck, “Fulfilling the Purpose of Relief Society”, Women’s General Conference, 2008).

Faith and personal righteousness are principles that must be acted upon before they can increase. They must be tested, or experimented with, before we can gain a true and honest testimony of their power in our personal lives. One of the most well known examples for members of the Mormon Church of how the principle of faith (and subsequently all other principles) can be tested to know of it’s truthfulness can be found in the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. Feel free to read Alma 32:28-43 for the exact scriptural account.

We start with an object lesson, that of comparing the principle we are hoping to gain a testimony to a seed. You plant the seed, water it, give it plenty of sunshine, and wait to see if it will grow. If it grows, it is a good seed.

By the same token we are given principles to live. We must take one and plant it within our hearts, not rejecting it even before it has a chance to grow. We must nurture this idea through scripture study, through pondering, and through prayer. If the ‘seed’ is good, it will “begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me” (Alma 32:28).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is filled with many good seeds that can begin to enlarge our souls and enlighten our minds, but it is not enough to simply let them sprout. We must work to allow these little seeds to grow into grand trees with deep roots. It is necessary to continue working through more study, prayer and pondering, but also by living the principles. Now it is time to put them to the test.

Sister Beck brings to mind an extraordinary example of what it means to have our faith put to the test through the trials faced by women at the time of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Early pioneer women were driven from homes and persecuted because of their faith. Others survived fires and floods. They crossed oceans and walked thousands of miles, tolerating dirt, illness, and near starvation to help build the Lord’s kingdom on the earth. Many of them buried husbands, children, parents, and siblings along the way. Why did they do this?

“The did it because the fire of their faith burned in their souls. These remarkable women were not seeking fine clothing, greater leisure, large earthly mansions, or more possessions…they had a conviction and a testimony that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ was true and that the Lord needed them to do their part in establishing His kingdom on the earth” (ibid).

We work most passionately towards those things we have a firm conviction of and testimony in. For most women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a firm and abiding testimony of the truthfulness not only of the Church, not only of the Relief Society organization within it, but also of the individual and sacred role of each and every person within it is not only sincere, but a power to be reckoned with.

For those who have not yet gained this strong testimony, the path to receive it has been given in Alma. It is only up to the individual person to take the first step.

I have a firm testimony of this Church, and have since I was seventeen years old. I have put the principle of faith to the test and have been blessed to see my faith come out stronger. I am still coming to recognize the extraordinary power behind this organization of women, and of the remarkable things that can be accomplished when we are all working together.

Perhaps that’s because, as Sister Beck indicated:

“Their pursuit of personal righteousness was a daily effort to become more like the Savior through repentance, scripture study, prayer, obedience to commandments, and through seeking after everything ‘virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy’” (ibid).

In a recent Women’s General Conference of the Latter-day Saint Church, Julie B. Beck (Relief Society General President) spoke on how we might fulfill the purpose of Relief Society. She begins by informing us we must first search to understand why Relief Society was established in the first place.

It is impossible to understand why we have an organization for women in the Church without having an understanding of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord, knowing about the calamities that would come to pass in these latter days, spoke to His servant Joseph Smith Jr, “and gave him commandments;….

“That faith…might increase in the earth;

“That [His] everlasting covenant might be established;

“That the fullness of [His] gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world” (D&C 1:17, 21-23).

The work of the Lord is accomplished as His gospel is “preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (D&C 133:37) and as His everlasting covenant is established through the ordinances of the temple (Julie B. Beck, “Fulfilling the Purpose of Relief Society,” 2008).

Throughout history the Lord has asked the women of His church to help further the work of building up His kingdom, beginning with the first woman who was placed on this earth, even Mother Eve. This remarkable woman was chosen to be a helpmeet to Adam.

“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18).

This term ‘helpmeet’ has lost much of the original meaning. If we were to think of a helpmeet in modern terms, we think of someone who is inferior, an assistant, or subordinate. This is not the correct and intended meaning behind the words used to describe Eve.

According to the biblical scholar David Freedman, the Hebrew work translated there into English as “help” is ezer. This word is a combination of two roots, one meaning “to rescue,” “to save,” and the other meaning “to be strong.”…

[Freedman] concluded, “When God creates Eve…, His intent is that she will be – unlike the animals – ‘a power (or strength) equal to him.’”…

Eve came to Adam uniquely prepared to perform her assigned duties, to act as a companion with the first high priest in mortality – to be a partner with him” (Campbell, Beverly, “Eve and the Choice Made in Eden,” Bookcraft, 2003, pp.23-25).

This message, that woman was created to be an equal partner with men, is essential in order to have the faith and confidence necessary for any woman who is ready and willing to build up God’s kingdom.

Christ himself encouraged both Mary and Martha to participate in His work, to listen to His words and teachings, and to act upon them (Luke 10:38-42). This encouragement has not stopped. Women across the world work to bring light, aid, and love to all those in need. This is also true of the women’s organization of the Latter-day Saint Church.

“The organization of Relief Society in 1842 mobilized the collective power of the women and their specific assignments to build the Lord’s kingdom, just as the organization of priesthood quorums gave men specific responsibilities….

“To summarize, the purpose of Relief Society, as established by the Lord, is to organize, teach, and inspire His daughters to prepare them for the blessings of eternal life” (Julie B. Beck, “Fulfilling the Purpose of Relief Society,” 2008).

If we are to come together as a powerful force in building up the kingdom of God, women must come to realize their worth in the eyes of God: not better than, nor lesser than, but equal to our beloved companions here on this earth. When this fact is sealed into the center of our beings, we will prove a force the likes of which cannot be made to stumble.

At first I thought it came to my attention simply because this particular subject is something that’s not only been on my mind a lot lately, but in my heart. It wasn’t until I began to talk with many other women that I began to realize it was a subject truly needed at this time, as it seems to have struck the hearts of them as well.

For me this particular theme was best illustrated in President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s talk, wherein he told of one particular difference between men and women through the example of making dinner.

His wife, he tells us, puts together a grand meal. The food, something which she will often cook from one of the many countries they’ve visited, is delicious to the taste. She labors over the meal, wanting to make it a pleasant event. Everything down to the dinner presentation is remarkable to behold, enticing to the eye and nose.

Regardless of how wonderful the meal turns out to be, however, no matter how much those who had the pleasure of partaking say how much they enjoyed the meal, this sweet woman could always find a little something she should have done better.

“I really think this dish could have used a bit more curry,” she might say. Or perhaps, “I might try putting in some cinnamon next time.”

Then President Uchtdorf went on to describe how he prepares a meal. According to his wife his best dish is, “fried eggs…sunny side up.” He also told us how he prepares his own particularly favorite dish. He slices a few pieces of french bread, then browns them on both sides.

“It doesn’t matter that the eggs are a bit greasy, or if the toast is a bit burnt,” he claims. He laughingly proclaims he feels himself a hero for having cooked anything at all!

It was at this point so many things clicked for me. All throughout the talks I heard snippets of, “Nothing we do seems to be good enough.” This quickly translated to, “I don’t seem to be good enough.”

I’m thinking in particular of the women of this Church. Often it has seemed to me we place so much pressure on ourselves to be more than perfect, because we have the restored gospel in place. Yet this is typical of women everywhere.

We take so much upon ourselves we’re suffocating, and still we think we should have done more. We create something beautiful and then tell everyone what’s wrong with it. We undermine ourselves when our Heavenly Father is ready and willing to tell us how extraordinary we are.

We find too many things wrong with everything we do right.

Yet this is not God’s view of us and our works. We are God’s children, the same God who created us in the first place. He gave unto us two of His greatest traits: the desire to create, and extraordinary compassion.

This desire and ability to create comes so easily to some. I am one of those, because of the gifts my Heavenly Father has blessed me with. I take to things easily, I can pick up a new hobby as easily as I pick up my babies. I tinker at the piano, I’ve crocheted many an afgan, I can bake a mean cookie, I can draw a little, and take a few pictures.

The funny thing is, the things people most seem to appreciate about me, and that I appreciate about others, can’t be handed over, eaten, or seen. To create something Godly goes far beyond what we can see and hear. It involves more than a beautiful voice or how well someone handles a paintbrush.

I know a woman who can create the sense of safety to anyone who will trust enough to let her in. I know another who can create overwhelming love, no matter who walks through her door.

I know a woman who can create motivation in those who have given up. I know another who can create a smile in every person she meets, even those who will rarely smile for anyone else.

I know so many women who have the power to create magical things, who hold within themselves Godlike traits, though they rarely understand what power they hold.

If you’re not sure what your gifts are, how your greatest creations have blessed the lives of others, pray for understanding. Then, listen for the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, the more you trust and rely on the promptings and inspirations of the Holy Spirit, the more your capacity to create will increase. It’s when we trust too much in our weak, mortal selves that we loose sight of the extraordinary beings God has created.

Today my hope for all of you is to find the little things you create. Whether it be happy, healthy, well-loved children, a quilt you’ve been working hard on, answering a need you feel greatly inspired to follow, it doesn’t matter. Just rejoice in the opportunity to create, to be like our Heavenly Father. Never mind everything you might think is wrong with your creation, and focus on every little thing that’s right.

Rejoice in being a woman.

I have been working on my Master’s Degree in Education. A few days ago, a friend asked about my thesis/project. I shared that as a society, parents have pushed their children into education, with little thought of teaching them how to build a happy marriage, manage family, and home. Education is important, but not to the exclusion of home and family. The result has been high divorce rates, broken homes, and dysfunctional families. Many fathers do not seem to know how to be fathers, many mothers do not seem to know how to be mothers, most struggle with debt, and few know how to maintain a home. I became LDS when I was a senior in high school, and had been raised in a home broken by divorce. The woman I was talking to is a divorcee. She said that her son needed a man in his life to help teach him how to be a man. Then she asked, “Donna, what is the solution?” Though my thesis deals primarily with the lost arts and relationships that were once nurtured in the home, I feel the best solution is found in gospel living.

Where can a person learn what they need to be a better spouse and parent, especially if they were never taught? Some of the resources the Lord has blessed us with are:

The Scriptures teach about healthy family relationships and standards of gospel living, and when the counsel found in scriptures are heeded, bring happiness into our lives.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World teaches us principles of happy families.

General, Stake, and Ward Conferences are where we are taught standards of gospel living and we receive counsel for families, marriages, and relationships.

Relief Society and Young Women’s organizations help women strengthen testimonies through gospel teaching and teach women how to be good daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, and neighbors, as well as, skills that can help us with home, family, personal enrichment, and with provident living.

Visiting Teaching is a way to strengthen each other as women and give encouragement to women in their roles as sisters, daughters, wives, mothers, and neighbors.

The Priesthood and Young Men’s organizations teach men how to administer the temporal affairs of the God’s Kingdom on earth, and how to be good sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, and neighbors.

Home Teachers can be a great blessing to single mothers, widows, families, and individual women. They teach, assist, and bless.

The Primary organization reinforces the teachings of the home and helps children be better, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, and neighbors.

The home is the schoolroom and laboratory where these core values and skills are learned and refined. The Lord has provided families with additional helps:

The Family Guidebook teaches parents principles of establishing a happy home.

A Parent’s Guide helps parents understand good parenting practices.

The Family Home Evening Resource Manual is an excellent resource for families to use to teach gospel principles in the home, in weekly family home evenings.

With all of these wonderful examples and resources, I feel God’s love and guidance in my life and I feel strengthened and guided to be a better mother.

Joseph Smith read a verse of scripture, James 1:5, that led him to pray and seek guidance, and that scripture is in the Bible. That scripture is to “anyone.” I am “anyone.” When I was seeking in my youth and looking for a church to belong to, the idea that I could receive my own answers directly from the Lord, appealed to me. I had learned from reading in the Book of Acts, in the New Testament that “God was no respecter of persons.” I did not need to be a missionary or a minister to pray and study the scriptures. As I prayed and received answers and impressions that guided me, my testimony in Jesus Christ grew. As I studied the scriptures and applied the knowledge and spiritual promptings I received from studying the scriptures, my testimony in Jesus Christ grew.

Through scripture study I have learned many things about prayer and these things draw me closer to Christ and build my testimony in Him. First, I learned to pray a sincere prayer and not a memorized one, or “vain repetitions.” Then I learned to “pray without ceasing.” I do pray often and I discovered that I can carry a prayer in my heart by memorizing hymns, which is not “vain” repetition if I am sincere. Of course, the scripture speaks of the “song of the righteous,” and this helps me remember to choose the right way and follow Jesus, which, as He says that if I will do His will, I will know whether it is of Him or His Father. His will is that I follow Him. If I am sick, I know I can call the Elders and seek a blessing, which is administered through a prayer over me and the laying on of hands. I have done this as often as I have had needed. Every Sunday, in Sacrament Meeting, my heart joins in prayer as the prayers (found in Moroni 4 and Moroni 5)are offered over the sacrament. Each of these kinds of prayers have strengthened my testimony in Jesus Christ.

I have studied scriptures in many ways. In Sunday School we study the scriptures in a four-year rotation, going through: The King James Bible (for two years,both Old and New Testaments), the The Book of Mormon (for one year), and The Doctrine and Covenants (for one year). There are times I have studied the scriptures sequentially, reading each day picking up where I left off the day before, always seeking to know what God desires that I learn, from my reading that day. There are times I went through the Topical Guide or Bible Dictionary and read things by topic, following a thread and looking up cross references. I always try to remember that it is more important to get the scriptures through me, rather than for me to get through the scriptures. If I approach reading the scriptures with an attitude and prayer to find what the Lord has for me, my testimony of Jesus Christ is strengthened, and I feel His watch-care and love for me.

“A woman of faith trusts God and faces adversity with hope.” (Margaret D. Nadauld, “A Woman of Faith,” Ensign, Nov 2002, 73) I have been strengthened by the women of faith in my ward. These women pray for each other and nurture each other through visiting teaching and friendships.

I have a neighbor, Laverne who lost her husband ten years ago, to multiple cancers. Soon after his death she discovered that she suffers from leukemia. Each Sunday she sits in the choir seats, where the congregation can see she is still here. Over the course of her leukemia she has been on the hospice home care twice, which usually means you are in your last six months, yet she still lives. Yet, this woman continues to attend church and the temple regularly. She has shown up at my door with lovely roses that she had nurtured in her own yard. She is aware of everyone’s struggles. In lean times for us, she has climbed the stairs to our front door and brought us a Stouffer’s lasagna, to freeze and eat later. Laverne is a woman of faith, virtue, and charity, as she continues to serve and help others, even though she suffers.

My neighbor, Jackie, was dying of breast cancer and still had children in the home. She still continued to serve in her calling and attend the temple. Her children were in high school and junior high. Many women of the Relief Society took meals in, visited her to encourage her, and assist her with care for her home and family. She faced her trail with faith and vision, working to prepare her family for her death, knowing they would be together again in the resurrection.

Recently, a friend’s husband, Alvin, was in need of a kidney, had been on dialysis for a few years and had a donor fall through. A young mother in our neighborhood, Tara, felt the promptings of the spirit to offer her kidney. Doctors found that she was a match and six weeks ago she gave her kidney to Alvin. This was a great act of charity for this very young woman of faith. She had vision, in exercising her faith that this man would be made whole.

These women, those they served, and those that served them, have strengthened me by their example of faith, virtue, vision, and charity over the years. As a result, I have had faith and vision to overcome adversity, have found ways to exercise charity, and have been inspired to be more virtuous.

Jesus is our Savior, not any man, nor any institution, not even the arm of our own flesh can save us from the effects of the Fall. We are equal with our brothers before God, in having access to the Atonement of Christ in our lives. We are disciples of Christ.

“The following has been written about discipleship: ‘The word disciple comes from the Latin [meaning] a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act [like] he does. To be a true disciple, to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other discipline compares … in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of [a] saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength’ (Chauncey C. Riddle, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, Sept. 1974, 81)” as quoted by L. Tom Perry, “Discipleship,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 60–62)

Sister Virginia U. Jensen, who previously served in the General Relief Society presidency, applies discipleship directly to women:

“…the actions of righteous women ripple on and on through time and space and even generations. These righteous actions come from our understanding of the divine mission of Jesus Christ, our knowledge of the gospel plan, our obedience to eternal commandments, and our work in this, the kingdom of God on earth.” (Virginia U. Jensen, “Ripples,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 92–94)

In truth, the actions of each of us ripple on and on. Our actions and attitudes impact all around us, and the generations that follow them. This being the case, I feel it is important to consider what ripples we are sending out. I am now 53 and thankful for the righteous women I have associated with through Relief Society over the last 35 years. Their devotion to the Savior has let His life and teachings shine through them. As He is the light, they hold up. Their faith in trials has given me hope, strengthened me and reminded me where to turn when I have challenges to face.

Jesus Christ is our exemplar and shows us the way to our Heavenly Home.

“Let us follow the Son of God in all ways and in all walks of life. Let us make him our exemplar and our guide. We should at every opportunity ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” and then be more courageous to act upon the answer. We must follow Christ, in the best sense of that word. We must be about his work as he was about his Father’s.” (Howard W. Hunter, “‘What Manner of Men Ought Ye to Be?’,” Ensign, May 1994, 64)

I know I am a better person for the service that has been rendered me, just as much as by the times I was able to serve others. It is often easier to serve than to be served. In the economy of Heaven, we all get to have our turn to serve, and to be served. Sometimes, one of the hardest things we have to do is to let someone serve us. Yet, letting someone serve us, in our time of need, is a service to them. It serves them by helping them be able to follow the Savior’s example. When I was bedfast for two weeks after a miscarriage, a dear sister in the ward came to cheer me, bring books to read, play Scrabble with me, and talk with me. Her cheerfulness uplifted me and diverted my mind past something I could do nothing about. Others brought in meals to help my family during this challenge. I know there were prayers offered, as well. They were doing what Jesus would have done.

Jesus invited people to follow Him.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8: 12)

I am strengthened and invited to be devoted to Christ and follow His example when I go to Relief Society classes each Sunday. I feel the unity that comes by meeting together often to learn of His ways. I feel the unity and devotion of the sisters in Relief Society when my visiting teachers come each month and discuss with me the message from the General Relief Society Presidency of the Church. As these sisters do, they share experiences that have strengthened them. These sisters share insights they have gained from experience in doing what Jesus would do, and doing as He would have them do. They are united in caring for His flock and teaching by following His example.

There is a strengthening influence in this worldwide sisterhood as they are united in devotion to Jesus Christ and to follow His example, as these sisters rely on the Lord to guide them to do things in wisdom and order, as they serve and let themselves be served by their sisters in Relief Society.

This is not all. I watch as their hands and hearts are extended beyond their homes and sisterhood. I see this as they gather together to make quilts, loom hats, make leper bandages, host a blood drive, assist with a neighborhood cleanup, and more. They live busy lives and yet they find time to think beyond themselves, do as Jesus would do, love and serve one another. I feel this is because they are united in their devotion to Christ and strengthened through the living example of His love working through this worldwide sisterhood.

Relief Society Declaration

We are beloved spirit daughters of God,
and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction.
As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Exemplar.
We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:
Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.
Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.
Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.
Delight in service and good works.
Love life and learning.
Stand for truth and righteousness.
Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.
Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny,
and strive for exaltation.

Who are we? “We are beloved spirit daughters of God.” What does it mean to be a spirit daughter of God? God is the literal Father of our spirits and we were created in His image. With God as the literal Father of our spirits, we are all sisters, and that includes being sisters to all of God’s spirit sons.

One usually inherits their potential from their parents, and being daughters of God is no different. We also become daughters of God when we are born again.

“To be a daughter of God means that you are the offspring of Deity, literal descendants of a Divine Father, inheriting godly attributes and potential. To be a daughter of God also means that you have been born again, changed from a “carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness.” (James E. Faust, “What It Means to Be a Daughter of God,” Ensign, Nov 1999, 100)

and

“And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;” (Mosiah 27:25)

As a daughter of God, we have within us attributes of our Divine parentage. Being creators are one of the most powerful Divine attributes we, as daughters of God, possess, In the Bible we first see Heavenly Father as our Creator.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

We, like our Father in Heaven, are creators, as well.

“We are all creators…Creation is one of the characteristics that defines God. He takes matter without form and molds it into stars, planets, and solar systems. “Worlds without number have I created,” He tells us.

Brothers and sisters, we are children of God. Shouldn’t we be about our Father’s business? Shouldn’t we be creators as well?” (Mary Ellen Smoot, “We Are Creators,” Ensign, May 2000, 64)

The question at this point is, what in this world are we creating, as individual daughters of God? What kind of homes are we creating? What kind of communities are we creating? What kind of future are we creating for ourselves and loved ones through the choices we make today? We create both by action and inaction. A choice not to act is still a choice. There is no middle ground.

“If you are unhappy, if you are feeling weary, troubled, or disillusioned, may I ask you to try something? Instead of dwelling on your troubles, focus instead on creating something remarkable, something of eternal significance. Nurture a testimony, strengthen a relationship, write a family history, go to the temple, serve.” (Mary Ellen Smoot, “We Are Creators,” Ensign, May 2000, 64)

I believe that it is within the scope of every daughter of God to live up to the Divine heritage within
each of us, and create something of impact for good.

In future posts, I will explore further the Relief Society Declaration.

When I realized she was speaking at General Conference, I wondered what more she could say. Again, I heard a powerful message directed to the women of the church. I was so grateful to have such a strong leader for our beloved world-wide Relief Society.

Her talk began with the reminder that “Mothers who know” desire children. She quoted from the First Presidency, reiterating that the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth is still in effect today and quoting President Benson who said that we should not postpone our families. This sentiment stands in stark contrast to the culture of selfishness today that results in almost 1,000,000 abortions yearly in the United States alone. We remember that we are not women of the world who are not willing to make the sacrifices or bear the burdens of rearing children. But we recognize the joy and fulfillment that comes through motherhood.

She also reassures those who cannot bear children that their righteous desires and the value they place on motherhood will rise with them in the resurrection where they will be blessed accordingly. And even though mortality seems like a long time to forgo those promised blessings, she promises us that eternity is a much longer time to enjoy them.

Sister Beck continues by telling us that “Mothers who know” honor sacred ordinances and covenants. She tells the story of sisters from poor parts of the world who dress in their Sunday best and take care that their children look nice because of their understanding of the importance of the covenants that they will be renewing in the Lord’s house that day. These mothers point their children towards the temple because of the influence and power they have in their homes to make sure their children are headed towards eternal goals.

She reminds us that “mothers who know” are nurturers. We know this is one of our divine roles from the Proclamation on the Family. With home and family being so precious and sacred, she tells us that we need to create a “house of order” like the Temple where spiritual and temporal growth can abound. This will include gaining and improving homemaking skills and teaching them to our children.

We “Mothers who know” are leaders of our families and our households. We plan for the small, daily spiritual experiences within the walls of our home as well as planning for larger events such as missions, temple marriage and college educations. As leaders of eternal families, we need to be careful about where and how we spend our time. We should also be careful of worldly models of parenting that will undermine our planning.

“Mothers who know” are teachers. Sister Beck encourages us to think of our homes as pre-Missionary Training Centers. Home should be the first and foremost place where the gospel is taught. Everything else is secondary and should merely be for support and review.

“Mothers who know” do less. The world will tell us that we need to “do it all.” But Sister Beck refutes that with the simple idea that we do not have to. Nor, indeed, can we. Instead, we prioritize our time and efforts so that we give the most care to things that are most important—like spending quality time with our families and preparing them to build the Kingdom of God. We can let the rest go.

Sister Beck concludes her talk by quoting President Hinckley who has asked the women of the church to “stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper under the plan of the Lord” and to “begin in [our] own homes.”

Once again, I felt the powerful whisperings of the Holy Ghost confirming to me that Sister Beck is the woman the Lord has called to lead the women of the church today. She is a strong, bold woman of faith and conviction. I have greatly enjoyed re-reading her talks from General Women’s Conference and General Conference. I know that if we women will listen with open hearts to her words and prayerfully ask the Lord how we can follow her inspired counsel in our homes, we will be greatly blessed.