Women in the Church - Valerie Hudson

[@HeartlandBazaar]

I think the change is coming and coming quickly.... It is nice to see Wendy Nelson by her husband's side like no other Prophet's wife has ever been. I noticed at Conference too that instead of "Heavenly Father', I counted six times when it was said "Heavenly PARENTS'... it was very blatant! I loved it. Thanks for this interview.... I really needed it.

[@bonnieswenson4094]

As I follow the counsel of president Nelson to come to know and understand the “Oath and Covenant of the priesthood” and Elder Ballards comments that we should “know our Heavenly Mother as we know the back of our own hand.”‘I find the topics considered and discussed in this video timely. The Young Women theme has been changed to “Heavenly Parents”. Valerie is spot on about how cultures of the past have dictated our approach to “Heavenly Mother” the church is making a shift. We will continue to see changes and as always it will sift those whose minds are stuck! It’s a great time to be a woman in Christ’s church.

[@kathybence]

I loved this. I wish I'd heard this when my daughters were young, but I've forwarded it on to my grown daughters for the benefit of my grandaughters. And, while Valerie hinted at this, my hope is that the Church will someday address the polygamy confusion so we can feel confident that Heavenly Mother is the mother to us all--equal in power, might and dominion to Heavenly Father--and NOT a polygamous wife who is one of our many mothers.

[@danielamera-pray439]

Kathy Bence I think we can take it further. But it’s very interesting to see that all of the church distributed resources refer to Heavenly Mother in the singular. A friend pointed that out to me and I loved it.

[@kateclifford6290]

This plants a seed of healing in my heart and soul.

[@Abogadoarizona]

Valerie Hudson was one of my most favorite Professors at BYU. I was lucky enough to have her for 3 classes:) She is a brilliant person and wonderful human.

[@kerip7690]

Wow, I LOVE this. This has been a huge thing in my head for the last several years and this just voices so many thoughts and ideas of my own. I love the piece of understanding that we want to pattern our lives as women after our Heavenly Mother. One question (of many) goes back to, what if you are a woman who doesn't feel a desire to be a mother?

[@marciamackie554]

Can you share information on the necklace?

[@valeriehudson834]

squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleCasslerYWNecklace.html

[@aubreychaves]

Marcia Mackie, here’s a link to her SquareTwo article about the necklace. squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleCasslerYWNecklace.html

[@paulineharry]

Is it possible to learn more about the necklace?

[@samanthastacey735]

Hinckley said not to pray to Heavenly Mother, he didn't say don't talk to her. You can talk to Heavenly Mother!

[@jaylenehiggins1938]

This is false doctrine. Valerie is “looking beyond the mark”. Additional revelation about our Heavenly Mother will ONLY come through Divinely Appointed sources in the form of our prophet and apostles. Valerie has no divine authority to receive such revelation.

[@erinr2496]

Hasn't our very own prophet "pleaded" with us to receive our own revelation? Revelation does not only come through the "brethren".

[@e_8074]

This is not false doctrine, and I think perhaps we as a church, in this respect, have been "looking short of the mark." As we enter the age of Aquarius (the Water Bearer), we need our women to shine forth clothed with the Sun, nurturing and sustaining us as we prepare to pass through the next door into eternity.

[@thunderandrain09]

Yes, as clarified by Elder Renlund in his talk to the women on 4/2/22 at the womens session of conference.

[@gemelindacjp7976]

Doctrinal revelation for the Church only comes through the brethren. The revelation we are to seek is for ourselves and our stewardships.

[@gingersnaps215]

I think the point is to be actively seeking and praying for understanding. If there is much to be revealed about our Mother’s role, and therefore the role of us daughters, beyond the biological capabilities we may or may not have (and plenty of women have fertility issues, ranging from hormonal imbalances to being born without the necessary organs, not to mention those who are single). If the people are not prepared for greater light and knowledge, it will not come forth. Look at Moses on Mount Sinai. Look in Isaiah. The people rejected more, or refused to accept what they already had, and so were confounded and allowed to stumble. We HAVE to speak more, we have to seek more, we have to pray more for such understanding, or we won’t be prepared for whatever is waiting to be revealed. We still don’t have all of the Book of Mormon, after 195 years. We must not be living up to what we do have (and I don’t mean we don’t “look” like Zion; I mean we don’t act like Zion and love everyone as God love them, and probably aren’t understanding and utilizing the Book of Mormon they way we could be; look on the title page and see all of its purposes. Do we often stress and understand the importance of *all* of its purposes?) Also, Joseph Smith included both women and men in prayer circles to test doctrines and revelations. I don’t think there has been an “official” call to include women in council meetings or any such places where decisions and conclusions are reached, since those early days of the formation of the Relief Society. Many women are included in council meetings at the local level, but there is still a lack of an official call for their inclusion church-wide (and if there is such a call, please forgive my ignorance). I’m also sure that’s why there are offshoots springing up calling for councils of women to make decisions pertaining to priesthood and other things, and women spewing false prophecy and being believed to an unfortunate degree. The adversary is confusing the issue and obscuring the true and authoritative church, and he is using women and their role to do so, at least in some instances (though he definitely has many hands in many pies). We should also remember that Emma Smith was a catalyst for the revelation of the Word of Wisdom. She was also given a revelation (D&C 25) blessing her to “expound scripture and exhort the church” (D&C 25:7). I am not a historian, and have by no means researched any such expounding or exhortations she may have undertaken, but I suspect if she did, it wasn’t very frequent, at least in part due to the 19th century setting. But that doesn’t change the fact that she was still blessed to do those things, and that blessing is canonized in our scriptures. So let’s be mindful of these things, and do better, as a people. We need to live up to our responsibilities, and prepare larger vessels to receive light and knowledge from those who hold such keys.