Question
Gramps,
I note that three women who are currently presidents of their church organizations have been placed on various boards. I have to admit that this troubles me. The LDS Church appears to me to be knuckling under to demands of feminist groups. Now these women are added to councils and boards that got along just fine without them before now. Why is this done now? I thought the Church would withstand such ideas. Now they remind me of other churches who bow to modern ideas.
Lynne
Answer
Dear Lynne,
There are many challenges and lessons in this mortal life. I think one of the most common, and difficult for us is to learn to trust the Lord and bend our will to His. We forget at times that His ways are not our ways. In Isaiah we are counseled:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
Satan knows that this is a great weakness for us. He will try and use this to his advantage. All of us can fall into this trap if we are not careful. This may be one of the reasons that we were told the story of Uzzah in the Old Testament. Uzzah was walking beside the cart carrying the ark of the covenant. As the cart went over a bum, the ark started to tip. Uzzah reached out to steady it and was struck dead.
As you probably are aware, the phrase “steady the ark” has come to mean those who “those who lack faith in the Lord and His servants and instead do things based on their own wisdom.” Doctrine and Covenants 85: Doing Things Your Way or the Lord’s Way
Therefore, I would caution you on this matter not to “steady the ark”. So what can we do? Are we to just blindly accept whatever we are told? No. The Lord expects us to do our part. Brigham Young explained it this way:
What a pity it would be it we were lead by one man to utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are lead by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purpose of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders did they know for themselves by the revelations of Jesus that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves whether their leaders are walking in the path the lord dictates or not. This has been my exhortation continually.
Deseret News
http://www.sixteensm…857-316-317.pdf
Brigham Young is exhorting us to not blindly follow our leaders but to humble ourselves and pray and get a testimony of their words–not only so that we can be stronger in our testimony but also to be more powerful in supporting and sustaining the leaders God has called.
So my question for you is, “Have you inquired of the Lord?” (1 Nephi 15:8)
Gramps
