We have an entire session of Conference especially geared toward women, as do the men have a session especially for them. I just want to touch briefly on what I learned from that session before talking about the little gems for us in the General Sessions.
I feel like the theme of the Women's meeting was about Temple preparation and making and keeping our covenants joyfully. Some of my favorite thoughts were:
* We need to prepare our homes to be a place where the Spirit can dwell.
* Where much is required, much more will be given.
* We need more faith and light from Women! We need to vibrant and enthusiastic beacons of the gospel.
* Memorizing the Living Christ can help us keep our Sacramental covenant to remember Him.
* The best way to strengthen our home is to keep our covenants.
* Fear, sin, and doubt are like umbrellas keeping us from receiving the rain of blessings from God.
* God acknowledges and cherishes your small successes.
In the Saturday morning session, I loved Elder Wong's talk where he told a modern day twist on the story of the man with palsy being brought to Jesus. There were 4 people given the assignment to help this man, one of them being a Relief Society sister. Elder Wong said that her role would have included 1) reminding the others to be careful, 2) giving them words of encouragement, and 3) giving comfort to the sick man. He also spoke about all four must work carefully together in harmony and do well in their coordination to help the man reach Jesus. This was such a wonderful allegory in helping us understand our role as women in the gospel!
I was comforted to hear the part about reminding the men to be careful. I have always been a worrier, probably much too overprotective and practical, so I'm glad to know that is really actually part of my role! It is okay for me to worry a little and remind the people in my life to be careful and help to prepare them for the dangers they might encounter. I of course need to make sure my worry does not become fear, because fear is the opposite of faith, but am comforted to know that part of my nature is part of my role as a woman disciple of Christ.
Giving words of encouragement and words of comfort are also already a innate part of our woman's nature. We just need to cultivate those talents and use them in bringing ourselves, our families and others to Christ. Those jobs were just as important in bringing the man with palsy to Christ as the job to physically carry him up to the roof, just different. Elder Wong emphasized that it took the cooperation of all 4 of those assigned working in harmony with each other to accomplish their assignment.
Elder Eyring's story about the woman whose husband was called as a temple sealer was also a powerful example of an LDS woman. She felt inadequate to be his temple companion because her worldly knowledge was lacking as she could not read and write. He emphasized to her that she had things revealed to her beyond all earthly education, she had confirmed to her mind and heart through revelation from God, and she knew without having to be told by any living witness that her husband was called of God through a prophet to do the Lord's work in the Temple. This is the kind of knowledge we should strive for, rather than the worldly knowledge she was worried about not having.
Sister Carol McConkie's talk (among several others) about following the prophet showed a beautiful, strong example of how we do not follow blindly and are not asked to blindly follow our leaders. We CHOOSE to follow our prophet. We are encouraged to ask for ourselves, just as Joseph Smith did. She said we have a choice of what we now do with the words of God delivered through his prophets. "The words taught from these pulpits are words of comfort, love, strength, and good cheer. . . that will embrace us all." I am so grateful for all of their words. The Spirit bore witness to me of their truthfulness many times, and several things I need to work on were brought to my attention. I felt embraced by these words of comfort, love, strength, and good cheer!
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