I grew up in a house fundamentally ruled by women. Poor Dad, all those daughters. And although there are many comical and quite true jokes to be made about a house full of women, I'd instead like to focus on the serious aspect.
I was raised by contemporary and quite modern parents. Parents who very well understand the call to be "in the world, but not of it". As such I was, from a young age, a woman empowered. My sisters and I were told,for as long as I can remember, that we could do anything we wanted, and become whatever we set our minds to become.
My father is a man with a great respect for womanhood, the kind that only comes from actually understanding and rejoicing in educated, powerful, influential, intelligent women. He made us promise to get as much educations as possible, engaged me in many a conversation regarding political and hot button issues of our day, and had me participating in "tough" activities (yard work, church ball, etc) from a young age.
He had a house full of girls, and never once complained about that fact. He never felt cheated by not having sons around, instead he would probably say that he gained so much more by having all daughters.
Indeed, it may be said, that for years I was brought up with the inclination to believe that perhaps women, with their divine capability for so much love, were the favored sex in the eyes of the creator. As I've grown older I've come to realize that God has no favored gender. Men, and women are equally favored, equally ranked, equally trusted and equally loved.
And as I firmly believe, given equal responsibility in his kingdom.
Our loving father in heaven has given both genders divine roles and responsibilities. Individually we can carry them out well, however it is only after joining together-our traits, our capabilities, our work, our purpose and our responsibilities that we come the closest to godliness.
There is divinity in the reality of needing one another in order to become perfect.
This knowledge is the reason I have no desire to be ordained to the priesthood.
Some women are yearning so badly for it today, calling upon church leaders to grant women the right to be ordained to the priesthood, and demonstrating their devotion to this desire above all other devotion. Some even at the cost of their devotion to God.
It's not the fact that these women are asking questions that may make some uncomfortable that is getting them into trouble. It's that in some cases this desire of their heart has taken over other desires. What was once a curiosity, a simple yearning has become so powerful that they are willing to put their membership and all sacred covenants in jeopardy in order to demonstrate their devotion to this desire.
A devotion perhaps better focused on understanding their role in God's kingdom, a role which inherently involves the priesthood.
I'm not claiming to understand my role as a woman in the gospel any more than these other woman, however perhaps my newness to some sacred covenants has given me a different perspective on this role.
We're taught often through the Family a Proclamation to the World that men have the responsibility of holding and honoring the priesthood and women have the responsibility to bear and nurture children.
I believe in a God of logic, and therefore I believe that man cannot participate in the fullness of priesthood without a woman, just as a woman can not bear children without the man. When men and women come together over the alter in the house of the almighty Lord they are joined for eternity, giving all that they have to each other and to God. There is no more hers and his-for they are one. In this way women have every blessing to the priesthood, as men have every blessing of children, and posterity.
It is this view more than any other that has made me never desire to be ordained to the priesthood. Personally, I believe that man and women were meant to rely on one another in their journey home. To rely on their complimenting talents, responsibilities and abilities.
Also, I've had far too many spiritual experiences in callings in which I was set apart by priesthood holders to do God's work here on the earth-the very definition of priesthood. I've felt my role in the priesthood too surely before to every understand the need to be ordained to it. Why go through that formality, when at times when needed, it's power is given to me.
I'm still very much learning my role in this gospel, my role as a woman, a wife, and most importantly a daughter of God. This I know though-I am his daughter. I feel strongly that the quality my earthly father exhibited so well to me through the years-his great respect for and rejoicing in women-is a godly characteristic. So I believe that my dear Father in Heaven feels the same, and that he wants me to understand my divine role as a woman and to feel his love.
And you know what, I don't need to be ordained to the priesthood to know these things.
