Posted on 03/12/2010 7:02:37 AM PST by Colofornian
Women have a sacred role in the sanctification and purification of men, Elder Glenn L. Pace of the Seventy told students and faculty during the campus devotional in the Marriott Center at BYU on Tuesday, March 9.
Reflecting on the love he felt from his mother, sister, wife and daughters, Elder Pace spoke of the positive influence women have had on his life.
Speaking specifically about a time when his daughter fell asleep in his arms, Elder Pace noted the comfort it must have brought his daughter to be held by her father. He realized afterward that even greater was the peace and comfort she brought to him.
Looking to the Savior as an example, Elder Pace spoke of the love and respect He bestowed upon women.
"As we read about these associations, our focus is generally on what He teaches them and the love and understanding He gives them," Elder Pace said. "Have you ever considered the possibility that these women provided immense comfort to His burdened soul? It is my belief that He needed them as He journeyed toward living a perfect life in order that He could provide the ultimate sacrifice."
Just as the Savior needed righteous women, so do men today in purifying and sanctification in their lives.
Sharing excerpts from the story of the creation found in the book of Abraham, Elder Pace told of how the earth was created — before Eve — where Adam had been placed in the Garden of Eden. In the garden, Adam was enjoying a utopia in physical surroundings as well as open communication with God. Still, it was not complete without Eve.
"I believe the Father's statement 'It is not good that the man should be alone' (Genesis 2:18) had a much more profound meaning than the obvious biological implications," he said. "It also went further than providing Adam with company. Adam's ability to obtain the purification necessary to get back into the presence of God was dependent upon his continuous association with Eve."
In order for men and women to obtain the highest degree of celestial glory, there is need to be married, Elder Porter said.
"There is a limit to our spiritual development as long as we are single. There is a spiritual development which can only be obtained when a man and a woman join their incomplete selves into a complete couple," he said. "Just as conception requires the physical union of male and female, perfection requires the union of the very souls of male and female."
Although single men and women can accomplish great things on their own, they are incomplete until united intellectually, emotionally, physically and most important, spiritually, he said.
"The world we live in has gone awry with its focus on the physical part of the male and female relationship. If there is too much focus on the physical, the vital areas of intellectual, emotional and spiritual union are not being placed in an environment where they can flourish and grow."
Elder Pace spoke of the obsession the current society has on "making love," rather than developing a complete relationship that enables "expressing love." Because melding divine natures is a necessary element in bringing about perfection, Elder Pace said, individuals must guard against any deterioration of those natures.
"If the world keeps chipping away at the divine nature of women, it is probable that our relationships in marriage will not bring about the sanctification necessary for exaltation or, at a minimum, the process will be delayed," he said.
Referring to the phrase, "men have the priesthood and women have been given the blessing of procreation," Elder Pace spoke of the importance of each role in a relationship, and the ability couples have to complement one another in their eternal roles.
"It is the marriage ceremony in the temple where husband and wife receive the power to perfect their relationship and, thereby, obtain their exaltation."
As individuals work together to become a whole, as the Lord has commanded, they work together to become a combination of complementary capacities and characteristics.
"Sisters, I testify that when you stand in front of your heavenly parents in those royal courts on high and you look into Her eyes and behold Her countenance, any question you ever had about the role of women in the kingdom will evaporate into the rich celestial air, because at that moment you will see standing directly in front of you, your divine nature and destiny."
| "...persecution is the very heritage of the people of Utah. And the young people here are taught to make it their cultural identity..." |
|
Ha!!
Yeah, he’s a piece of work that one.
I just love Copenhagen. Jazz Hus was a place I sang with Ella one night back in the day (1961). A late night jam session. Dexter Gordon on sax and Niels Henning Peterson on Bass. Also met Dave Brubeck there. Some of us Mormon missionaries managed to get into the culture in a proper way.
.I’d look into that “due to the father’s constant absence from the home”...
That can’t be good...buddy. Maybe your priorities are whacked!? eh?
- - - - - - -
I find it interesting that a church that claims families are forever and the most important thing, also requires its members to have ‘callings’ that require 30-50 hours per week in addition to having a ‘day job’ and usually being a one income family.
If families are that important then why not have the husbands home more?
The LDS complain about paid clergy, but I find that I like that my pastor’s ‘job’ is just to look after our spiritual welfare and counsel and guide us. A workman is worthy of his hire. He doesn’t have another day job (although there were early years that he had a second part time job but never a full time one) to stress about and we are not seen as a time burden.
things get fun about #190.
At our church some Sunday nights are “family nights”
Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter Sunday etc...
Yep. I was harassed by some because I didn’t buy into the LDS persecution complex much when I lived in Utah.
Of course, my father was a holocaust survivor so I have a different standard of what persecution really is.
I meant we dont have church those nights...
Our church does the same things. Those days the schedule is changed and there is no evening service.
LOL. I knew what you meant, nana.
:)
:)
you have to THINK about that one.
If you're in the Young Men's program and actively performing your duties as the quorom advisor and Scouting leader for that quorom, you find that you have very little personal or family time. One weekend will be priesthood activity of some kind, another will be Scouting, another may be Elder's quorom, etc.
That's not taking into account the time spent during the week preparing for those activities or the time spent as a Scout leader ensuring your actively engaged in trying to ensure the Scouting program is run correctly.
The amount of stress placed on the family is immeasurable, but don't worry, you'll be "blessed" for your sacrifices for the "church". /s
I can only imagine. I was in the RS presidency in a STUDENT ward (single - no kids) and it took up an insane amount of time to do it right.
Families that have the husband in the Bishopric and wife in Primary or RS hardly see each other.
And non-Mormons often fail to understand that YOU DO NOT turn down a ‘calling’. That is like turning down God Himself.
My wife told a bishop she would think about a calling once. He almost fell out of his chair. He assumed she would blindly accept because, as you said, she was being “called of God” to do this “wonderful work”. I forget if she ever did it.
When she was approached about Young Women’s last year, she told her current bishop the same thing. He didn’t seem surprised. The ward she’s in has big problems with the kids and the adults and it’s noticeable.
The adults rarely perform the callings as intended and many of the kids are ambivalent/apathetic about most of it. She accepted, but only after we had discussed it at some length.
Since then, she has changed her presidency twice because the adults weren’t willing to do things as intended. The stress this is putting on her is beginning to show.
The kids are dropping out like flies because she’s making an effort to run it properly and they don’t like it. They want a social club.
We had a tabby Manx cat we called Bunny...
She would hop like a rabbit ,,,
:)
Wow. That is a problem.
My last ward, I was called to Primary and when I said I wouldn’t take it, I was pretty much considered ‘inactive’ by the ward (I wasn’t at that point), they dropped me like nothing and I decided, well if they are going to treat me like am inactive, I might as well be inactive. I was still researching the LDS church to prove the ‘antis’ wrong and figured I would eventually go back.
Then my roommate got the same calling and one Sunday (a couple of months later) she was going to be out of town she asked me to teach her class.
The lesson was on the “first vision” and I knew that day I was leaving the LDS. I couldn’t teach the lesson, I just could not tell those kids lies. So I ran down, made an excuse about ‘not being prepared’ (although I had), made some copies of a coloring sheet with Jesus on it and had the kids color the whole class.
That was almost 20 years ago and I have not been to an LDS Sunday service since then .
THE BOOK OF JACOB
THE BROTHER OF NEPHICHAPTER 224 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.
32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Or even HERE:
1 Timothy 3:2-3
2. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3. not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.1 Timothy 3:12
A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.Titus 1:6
An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTSSECTION 13251–57, Emma Smith is counseled (commanded) to be faithful and true; 58–66, Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to aprove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice.52 And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, areceive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.53 For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been afaithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.55 But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ahundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of beternal lives in the eternal worlds.
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