Mormon Women
June 23, 2011
Filed under Mormon Life, Mormons
A lot of people think that Mormon women are oppressed and forced to be submissive. Mormon polygamy is a huge misconception The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (as the Mormon Church if officially known) faces today. Even though the Mormon Church has not practice polygamy for more than 100 years, people still think they do and that Mormon women are forced into these plural marriages with little freedom and a warped sense of reality. Though Mormons did once practice polygamy, this was never the life of Mormon women. Mormon women had many freedoms, including the right to vote, before many of the other women in this country and in the world. Mormon women today continue to live unique lives, filled with talents, families, and happiness.
The official doctrine of the Mormon Church is quite empowering to women. They are constantly being told about their divine potential as daughters of God. They were not made to be lesser than man or to be subservient to them, but to be their equals (often their superiors). Men and women were created with divine, inherent, complementary traits. Mormon doctrine teaches that families are eternal units. There is nothing more important than the family. Latter-day Saints believe in eternal families. This doctrine often means large families for Mormons, though it is not a requirement or even doctrine. Each couple should decide between themselves and the Lord what is best for them and their family.
Mormon women do not have to sacrifice their careers in order to be mothers, though many choose to. Because the service a woman renders as a mother is the most important thing she can offer the world, everything else pales in comparison, but this does not mean that a woman must sacrifice all other things. All Mormon women are encouraged to gain good educations and to develop all their talents. This not only helps them be better teachers to their children, but also allows them to provide for their families if the needs arises.
By and large, Mormon women are among the happiest of women in the world. This is because of their knowledge of God’s plan for them and for each of us. The whole purpose of our existence is to have joy and to share that joy with others, to continually try to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.
The Mormon Church has received a lot of criticism for failing to “conform to the times” and give more leadership responsibility and equality to women in the Church. The priesthood, or the authority to act in God’s name, may be held by all worthy male members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though women do not hold this power, they receive all the blessings of this power. The Mormon Church is led by those who hold the priesthood because that is God’s will. Women certainly have no lack of responsibility in Church leadership, however, and certainly suffer no lack of benefits from not holding the priesthood themselves. Women preside over three organizations in the Church, under the direction of priesthood leadership: the Primary (Sunday School program for children ages 3 to 11), the Young Women (program from young women ages 12 to 18), and the Relief Society (program for women ages 18 and up). Each of these carries a great deal of responsibility and demands a lot of time and sacrifice.
All positions in the Mormon Church are filled by volunteers, by men and women alike. There is no monetary compensation for any service in the Mormon Church. However, nearly all callings are temporary. A person will be asked to serve in a certain capacity until their time is fulfilled, though one never knows when accepting a calling exactly how long they will hold that calling. A person who has held a relatively high leadership position, when released from that calling, may be called to serve in a seemingly insignificant calling, but the truth is, all callings are equal and important in the sight of God. Each calling offers the opportunity to serve others and to learn new skills.
Mormon women tend to be involved in their communities and in their children’s lives. Families are encouraged to have a specific family time every Monday night to build relationships and bonds and to learn about God, Jesus Christ, and the gospel.
Here are some Mormon women who share some of their experiences: