Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Righteous and Articulate Women

President Spencer W. Kimball once said,

“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world.”

Sister Julie B. Beck, former Relief Society General President has referred to this quote multiple times. I would say that of all the women of the Church today, she is by far the most articulate. I commented on another blog the other day that Sister Beck was as close to a prophetess as we have probably come in this day. She testifies of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and the divine role of women with such power and conviction as we hear mostly in the testimonies of the apostles. I have always wanted to be like her, since I was a 16 year old Young Woman when she was called to the Young Women’s presidency.

It is so important for us to become righteous and articulate women. It is the call of the Relief Society sisters to be students of the gospel, strong public speakers, and most important, unflinchingly dedicated to the strengthening of home and family, seeking out and helping those in need, and increasing our own faith and personal righteousness.

I the book Daughters in My Kingdom on page 49 there is a section titled “Articulating Beliefs”. This passage contains this description of Sister Eliza R. Snow,

“She was knowledgeable, organized, faithful, untiring, unflinching, wise, and articulate, and she followed the promptings of the Spirit as she helped build the Lord’s kingdom. She frequently shared her knowledge and her testimony, and she encouraged Latter-day Saint women to do the same in Relief Society meetings – not to depend on others to always teach them.” (emphasis added)

I added the emphasis to the words “unflinching” and “articulate” because I think these qualities are often overlooked in our Relief Societies as we strive to develop ourselves into the women God wants us to become. However, these are qualities which are needed now more than ever in this worldwide Church. We must be unwavering and unflinching, especially as Satan and his followers increase their efforts to thwart the work of God (an effort in which they will never succeed). We cannot afford to be unsure about the gospel and doctrines of Christ. We need to study them – the basic doctrines of the gospel – and we need to understand them. How do we understand the gospel doctrines? We do not need a PhD in religion. We do not even need a high school education. The Holy Ghost can enlighten our understanding. (see here)

Once we have an adequate understanding of the gospel principles and doctrines in our own lives we have a solemn obligation to share those truths. This obligation does not begin and end with full time missionary services. Women with children are not alone in their responsibility. All women of the Relief Society, and therefore of the Church, regardless of their individual circumstance are equally obligated to share the gospel. As disciples of Christ we are all called to be gospel teachers – to our families, to our children, to our neighbors, to all who do not have the fullness of the gospel.

In the same section in Daughters in My Kingdom, the following story is shared:

Emily S. Richards said the Sister Snow helped her learn to speak in public: “The first time [she] asked me to speak in meeting, I could not, and she said, ‘Never mind, but when you are asked to speak again, try and have something to say,’ and I did.” Sister Richards continued to improve in her ability as a public speaker, and in 1889 she spoke at the National Woman Suffrage Association convention in Washington, D.C.

I think that some LDS women who have taken to blogging are doing a great job of being articulate in their beliefs. Sister Beck addressed the opportunity blogging gives us to share the gospel in a recent Mormon Channel interview and stressed the importance of women being articulate in the gospel (she actually shared the quote from President Kimball. I think she likes that quote.)

I would like to become more articulate in my beliefs – mostly more articulate in speech. I may just be flattering myself, but I think that I am pretty articulate when it comes to writing, but my speech is, well, lacking (which is probably why I write out my sacrament meeting talks word for word… and they usually sound better than my Relief Society lessons in which I stumble over my words and can’t figure out what to say next).

This year I would like to learn to be more articulate in my speech – especially when speaking about the most important things in my life – Jesus Christ, the gospel, and family.

How do you become more articulate? How have you learned to be articulate? Are you unflinching in your testimony of the gospel? Do you share it boldly?

6 comments:

  1. Its easy to flinch in the face of so much evil. I felt that way recently but president monson settled my fears in his very first talk if gc!

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  2. I was actually just reading that section last night and was struck by that part as well. It went on to talk about how some of the sisters who were in plural marriages got together and spoke out about the fact that they were not mistreated, that they were "not inferior to the ladies of the world". I had to think about some of the comments that I get as a mother of 8 and a stay-at-home mother. I had someone tell me that I was actually wasting my potential by staying home with my children! I think we need to use our forums, whatever they be, to speak out about how much we love our roles as mothers and wives, that we have such greater influence over the future of our society by raising up a generation of children who are faithful in their testimonies of the Savior.
    We have been told that we live in perilous times, that there will be persecution of those who follow the Savior and the living prophets. What a time for us to be unflinching in our beliefs and to learn to articulate them to others!

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  3. ohh! I love this post about becoming articulate unflenching women. Love it! I think we can become more articulate as we become more consecrated, or more holy. It comes with it. As we become more like Christ and are filled with His spirit, the articulate-ness comes with it. It is one of the fruits. I love this book and I am just discovering it for the first time since being in YW, it wasn't my focus. Now it is!

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    1. OK, this is my confession time. I kicked against the pricks with this book. I felt like I had heard enough about the RS history, and I wanted some doctrine to sink my teeth into. Yes, I know, I was pretty prideful, and I didn't really catch the vision. So now, several months after I got the book, I am finally reading it and LOVING IT! It is so much more than a history of the RS, and even though it said that in the intro of the book, I guess I wasn't ready to hear it. I have been highlighting passages of it and really learning from it how to be a more righteous woman who follows the Savior in word and deed. Actually, the turning point for me was watching an episode on the Mormon Channel with Sister Beck talking about blogging. I saw her pull out her book that was obviously well-used and marked with post-its and highlighted. And it hit me that I was missing out on a wonderful resource!

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  4. Love this post. I used to be extremely articulate (at least I think so) and an awesome writer and everything but lately I feel like I am looosing myyy braaain.

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  5. For me, being articulate and unflinching is equal parts preparation, practice and faith. When I fill my brain with the words I will need, when I accept opportunities to teach, to speak, to write, to stand and when I have faith that if I open my mouth, the Spirit will fill it, then I am ready; I am a tool in the Lord's hands. There have been times when it was easier. On my mission, I had no fear--somehow it was easier to be fearless in Portuguese. I don't know that I was all that articulate in this second language, but I was unflinching and I knew the message; I had filled my whole being with it. I find that now, with tender and precarious relationships I am trying to cultivate around me that I am not as unflinching in English, but I keep trying.

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