Spiritual Journal: Entry #1: The Blessings of God Are Given to Women, Even The Priesthood!

I wanted to start something new, where I post some of the spiritual thought or experiences that happen in my life.  They will be posted as part of my Spiritual Journal. This will allow me to be able to recognize the spirit in experiences in my life and be able to share it with others.  We are strengthened as we share our testimonies and as we listen to the testimonies of others.

Spiritual Journal Entry Number 1: (This is a little bit of a long read-bear with me)

This past weekend, I had the opportunity as a daughter of God and as women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be able to watch the General Women's Conference.  I came away from the meeting feeling empowered, inspired and incredibly grateful and humbled.

I am a daughter of God, I do know that he loves me personally and that the love that he has for me is unconditional.  There is nothing that I can do to change his love for me.  I picture him up their in heaven cheering me on as I overcome each trial and obstacle in this life.  Life in general can be difficult, it was designed this way to refine us, to help us form a closer relationship with our Father in Heaven.  I know that it is at the times in my life that I feel so extremely overwhelmed and I know that I can not do it on my own, that I stop and turn to my Heavenly Father and draw closer to him.  I know that he will listen and sympathize with me, I know that he will give me the needed strength and that additional boost to endure my trials. I have a strong testimony of this, because I have experienced the peace and the power that comes from fervent prayer to him over a trial. The comfort and love the radiates from such an experience.

President Eyring said at this conference, "He sees not only what you are, but what you are to become." He, being our Heavenly Father.  I think back to when I was a child. My parents have always been very encouraging and supportive of me.  There expectations were always made known to me. They taught me the importance of the gospel in my life. This helped me as I set goals of the person I desired to be and the person I knew my parents and Heavenly Father wanted me to be.  I frequently tell my children, that I tried to choose the right, because I did not want to disappoint my parents.  It is the same way with my Heavenly Father. He knows my potential and just thinking about what he sees that I can become gives me the encouragement that I need. But yet, I know that he will still love me as I make mistakes. Sister Burton, spoke about becoming complete or perfect.  It does not mean that we have to have a perfectly organized home, never make a mistake, or have children that listen and obey our every word. What it does mean is that as we try our best to keep the commandments, each time we seek repentance for our imperfections and use the atonement of Christ we are becoming more complete and perfect. That is what this journey of life is all about. We learn, we grow, we experience trials, we use the atonement, we grow closer to our Savior and our Heavenly Father, as we do these things we become more perfected.  As women we can help our brother's and sister's, also become perfected through, Christ.

As daughters of God, we are also sisters. Each female that has and will come to this earth is a spiritual sister, bound together as individual daughter's of God.  As I sat in the stake center I became even more aware of the unity and strength that comes from sisterhood.  It is so neat to think that part of this sisterhood is to help each other throughout our live's journeys. I was particularly touched as the primary aged girls were asked to stand and sing the first verse of, "Teach Me To Walk".  I thought of them just beginning their path, some of them just making the covenants of baptism. They are so innocent and pure.  As the rest of the women were ask to sing the second verse, I could hardly sing the words.  I was touched by the spirit, as I thought about my role in teaching my own children and the children of the church, by learning together and following the example of our Savior.

As sister's we should celebrate the differences that we each have, no two people are the same.  Which is wonderful! Could you imagine if all of us were exactly a like, how incredible boring that would be.  We each have our strengths and talent as well as our own weaknesses.  I agree with Sister Oscarson, when she spoke about how the adversary wants us to be judgmental of each other and of ourselves. I have experienced this first hand.  I remember when I first moved into our ward, I saw all of the amazing women who had so many talents and were so good at so many things. Regretfully, I let this make me feel inadequate.  I even thought, how are they ever going to need me, with so many talented people.  That is how the adversary wants us to think, he wants us to do the comparisons, but really that is not fair to ourselves or others.  Now, I look at these women in my ward and still see them as extremely talented, admirable women, but it doesn't make me feel inadequate anymore.  Instead, I think of how we can each use our strengths to strengthen and teach each other. And guess what, the ward did need me, they need each one of us.  Each of us have been given our own specific talents and those talents are needed to fulfill the callings in our ward, community and families.  We work together with a common goal and purpose of helping each other and those around us to come unto Christ.

When we lived with our Father in Heaven, we were divinely created as his sons and daughters, male and female.  As his daughters we were given the qualities to nurture others. As President Eyring said, that is our "...Divine Heritage..."  We have the responsibility to treat each person that we come in contact with as a child of God.  He loves them and he desires we love them, as ourselves.  Before attending the meeting, I had made a visit to a local grocery store. As I was pulling into the crazy parking lot (Note to self, don't go grocery shopping on Saturdays!), there were cars stopped letting people out and they were not being quick about it.  I became frustrated with their lack of consideration and even said some unkind things about them.  Right then, I had a thought that came to my mind that, they are children of our Heavenly Father. That I should not be thinking or saying unkind things about them. I instead should love them and seek for ways to show that love and kindness towards them.  Those thoughts were reinforced as I attended the General Women's Conference. Every person on this earth is a beloved son or daughter of God.  Each of us can be full recipients of the blessings our Heavenly Father has in-store for us.  The end goal is the same for each of us, to inherit the Celestial Kingdom and have eternal life with our eternal families.

I am amazed at all of the blessings that I receive as a daughter of God.  One of those blessings is the role of the priesthood in my life.  On lds.org Topic:Priesthood, it states, "The word priesthood has two meanings. First, priesthood is the power and authority of God. It has always existed and will continue to exist without end (see Alma 13:7–8; D&C 84:17–18). Through the priesthood, God created and governs the heavens and the earth. Through this power, He exalts His obedient children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39; see also D&C 84:35–38)."

As a daughter of God I am entitled to the blessing of the priesthood. "Elder M. Russell Ballard taught: “In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife” (“This Is My Work and My Glory,” Apr. 2013 general conference)-resource:Women Participate in the Work of the Priesthood".

As I reflect on my life I see all of the many ways the priesthood has blessed it. I have experienced the blessings of the priesthood in things such as:  The beautiful earth that we live on was created by priesthood power.  The sealing and binding powers of the priesthood, as I was born in the covenant to parents who were sealed by priesthood authority and as I made covenants myself to my husband and was sealed to him for all eternity. I have received blessings through men who have been ordained to administer the priesthood, these blessings include: baby blessing, father's blessings,  patriarchal blessing, and blessings administered to me by my husband.  When I turned eight, I made my first covenant as I was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by the power and authority of the priesthood. I then was confirmed a member of the church, by the laying on of hands by the authority of the Melchizedek priesthood, and received the Holy Ghost. This blessing of the priesthood is one the I cherish.  I am able to have the Holy Ghost as my constant companion.  When my husband and I were sealed together in the holy temple, my husband and I became partners, I have every right to call upon him to use the priesthood authority he has been ordained with to bless our children, myself and our home. One of the great blessings is that, when our children were born they were automatically sealed to us for all eternity.

I have been called to callings throughout my life by those who hold the priesthood keys, they have set me apart in my callings, by the priesthood authority they have been ordained with.  Through the direction of the priesthood, I carry out and fulfill my calling.  I have felt the guidance of the spirit and the direction from having been set apart.  When I sit in sacrament meeting and partake of the sacrament, I am renewing my covenants and taking part in another blessing of the priesthood.  There are so many ways that the priesthood power is in-force in my life, so many that I don't even think I have thought about or acknowledged.

As a women in the church, I recognize my divinity. I am a women who is a part of an amazing organization, an organization of sisterhood.  We serve and instruct each other. We are a large circle of friends, who have a love for each other and a concern for each other's well being. As women we are more aware of the needs of those around us, through the promptings of the spirit we will be led to those who need to be nurtured. I am grateful for the qualities I have been given as one of God's daughters. I am grateful for the distinct roles and qualities men and women each have.  We are partners, we are to use are qualities and roles, to become more complete. I think if we could only see, everything our Heavenly Father sees and knows, we could all realize the importance of the order and roles we each play in his grand plan.  I love each one of my sister's, the one's I serve with in my ward, community and family and the sister's I do not know, that might live in a different country, or that I might pass in a grocery store. I am grateful that we are able to serve along side each other leaning upon each other's strengths to accomplish great things!!

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