The Blessings and Responsibilities of Womanhood
I apologize for the length of this post, but I cut it down to only what was important. Print it out and read it, study it, and accept it. This is a prelude to the Proclamation given by President Spencer W. Kimball. Even though we all have different situations, tests, and circumstances, we must all testify of the truths in this talk. Our witness as women is to walk with God, know His will for us, and put our lives in His hands.
“Our women are among the best educated and best trained. We encourage all of you to keep abreast of the times, to be familiar with current events, to be able to read the signs of the times, to be prepared to direct your children in the proper paths to guarantee to them a purposeful and eventful life. All of you know of Satan, the father of lies. He garnishes evil to make it appear beautiful, pleasing, easy, and even good. He told the prophet, Moses, “Worship me.” Moses was alert enough to ask, “Where is thy glory? Who art thou?” In his great fear, Moses said, “Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship. In the name of the Only Begotten, depart hence, Satan.” (Moses 1:1-24) That is a good statement to be used by every soul who is besieged by this father of lies.
You read the papers, you watch television. Much that comes to your consciousness is designed to lead you astray. Some of the things they are telling you these days are: it is not necessary to marry; it is not necessary to marry to have children; it is not necessary to have children; you may have all the worldly pleasures without these obligations and responsibilities. There is the pill. There is abortion. There are other ways to give you this loosely held, so-called freedom. They are telling you that you are manacled to your homes, to your husbands, to your children, to your housework. They are talking and writing to you about a freedom they know nothing about.
The role of woman was fixed even before she was created, and God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is written: “And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them . “And I, God, blessed them [Man here is always in the plural. It was plural from the beginning] and said unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over [it].”
And the scripture says, “And I, God said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man [not a separate man, but a complete man, which is husband and wife] in our image, after our likeness; and it was so.” (Moses 2:26) What a beautiful partnership! Adam and Eve were married for eternity by the Lord. Such a marriage extends beyond the grave. All people should call for this kind of marriage.
In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam [Bro. and Sis. Adam, I suppose], in the day when they were created.” (Gen. 5:1-2)
This is a partnership. Then when they had created them in the image of God, to them was given the eternal command, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” (Gen. 1:28) And as they completed this magnificent creation, they looked it over and pronounced it ”good, very good”
Eve, so recently from the eternal throne, seemed to understand the way of life, for she was happy—happy!—that they had eaten the forbidden fruit. Adam blessed God and began to prophesy because his eyes were opened and he realized that in this life, there should be joy for them and in the course of events they should again see God in the flesh. Eve was glad, and she said, “Otherwise we never would have had children.” (Moses 5:11) Our beloved mother Eve began the human race with gladness, wanting children, glad for the joy that they would bring to her, willing to assume the problems connected with a family, but also the joys.
As an indication of the importance the gods gave to women, the Lord said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24) Do you note that? She, the woman, occupies the first place. She is preeminent, even above the parents. Even the children must take their proper but significant place. I have seen some women who give their children that spot, that preeminence, in their affection and crowd out the father. That is a serious mistake. Many marriages have gone “on the rocks” for this very cause.
They were partners, each given a part of the work of life to do. The fact that some women and men disregard their work and their opportunities does not change the program.
The Lord said to the woman : “…in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.” I wonder if those who translated the Bible might have used the term distress instead of sorrow. As He concludes this statement he says, “and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Gen. 3:16) I have a question about the word rule. It gives the wrong impression. I would prefer to use the word preside because that’s what he does. A righteous husband presides over his wife and family.
Paul instructed Titus to teach the women “to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husband, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:4-5)
No woman has ever been asked by the Church authorities to follow her husband into an evil pit. She is to follow him as he follows and obeys the Savior of the world.
Mothers have a sacred role. They are partners with God, as well as with their own husbands, first in giving birth to the Lord’s spirit children and then in rearing those children so they will serve the Lord and keep his commandments. We affirm the Church’s strong, unalterable stand against innovations or any unchastity or breaking of the laws that could possibly reflect in the lives of the children.
We have often said, “This divine service of motherhood can be rendered only by mothers. It may not be passed to others. Nurses cannot do it; public nurseries cannot do it. Hired help cannot do it; kind relatives cannot do it.”
The mother who entrusts her child to the care of others that she may do nonmotherly work, whether for gold, for fame, for civic service should remember that in Proverbs we read, “A child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” (Prov. 29:15)
And we remember that in the modern revelations we learn that if parents do not teach their children to pray and walk uprightly before the Lord, “The sin be upon the heads of the parents.” (D&C 68:25)
May God bless you sisters, bless you in your homes and in your families, and especially with your husbands that they may recognize in you a great power so that they might better fulfill their responsibilities in life. Your Heavenly Father will smile upon you as you live the commandments and teach them to your children. This is the work of the Lord. God Almighty is responsible for it.”
The Blessings and Responsibilities of Womanhood, Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Mar 1976
