Sunday Report

Dear Sisters,

Today you received a gift that can strengthen your self image and your testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and your place in it.  As your Relief Society Presidency we urge you to make it a priority to read it and ponder the truths that it contains. Enjoy the beauty of the pages with their many pictures and reaffirm your connection to all the daughters of God who, like you, have sought, throughout the history of the restoration,  to serve in His kingdom and raise righteous families in gospel centered homes,  serve one another as sisters in Zion, and make our communities better places.  “Daughters in My Kingdom”

Today's lesson was given by Mary Vach and was based on a talk given in 1980 by Sister Ida Smith (link provided below) then director of the Women's Research Institute, Brigham Young University.  The talk, entitled The Lord as a Role Model for Men and Women, was given during a tumultuous time in the history of this nation, when the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion laws and the unrest of the last decade or more had created an atmosphere where many were questioning the position of women in our culture and even within the Church.  To those schooled in the precepts of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the Lord's view of women, as taught by Joseph Smith and succeeding prophets, clearly spells out the equal value and importance of women in the eyes of both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

The view of women taught by the Prophet Joseph was radical indeed for the world of his time.  He taught that a woman is responsible for her own salvation and that she has access to every needed blessing that the priesthood gives, as well as direct access to the Holy Ghost, spiritual gifts and to the Savior Himself who is the ultimate role model for all Latter-day Saints.   Both men and women must strive to become like Him if they would be heirs to His kingdom.  Early sisters in the Church embraced this concept of divine womanhood which empowered them to do what needed to be done for themselves and their families in a new and rugged land.  They knew who they were in the Lord's eyes and that they stood side by side with the sons of God who where likewise striving to do the will of the Lord in the newly revealed gospel.

Christ as the exemplar displayed traits such as tenderness, kindness, charity, faithfulness, patience, gentleness, and compassion, courage, strength, determination, and leadership.  The world tries to divide these traits into those that are feminine in nature and those which are strictly masculine.  This is Satan's ploy to confuse mankind on the important question of gender, and to put more value on one characteristic over another.  We must remember that many of the so called masculine traits helped the early women of the Church survive, often alone, the perils and hardships of their lives.  This is evident in the stories in the pages of this book. Those traits, thought to be largely feminine, are vital to make a priesthood holder the compassionate leader and father that he should be.

If we really understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and all that it offers women, we know that no blessing can be withheld from us if we are prepared and worthy to receive it.  It is our responsibility to become exemplars and teachers to those who are seeking the the Lord's gospel.  Let us use this beautiful book to reinforce our determination to be worthy of all that the Father so desires to give us, and to help others prepare to receive it also.

http://lds.org/ensign/1980/08/the-lord-as-a-role-model-for-men-and-women?lang=eng&query=ida+smith

Next week Sister Traci Cline will be teaching Gospel Principles Ch.44, The Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Have a great week and find some time to look over Daughters in My Kingdom.

The Relief Society Presidency