I loved the beautiful invitations and blessings for women given by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through our prophet Russel M. Nelson at the Worldwide Relief Society Devotional but I also know how easy it can be to forget! I took the invitations and blessings and turned them into “I am” statements to make them more personal and powerful. The PDF includes a copy of my testimony of the powerful voice of women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that can also be read below.
Print them. Post them where you will see them often. Repeat them out loud. Accept these invitations and see the blessings flow into your life! As a bonus I’ve also created it as a wallpaper you can use for your cell phone. Enjoy!!
My Testimony
I am humbled and in awe of the unmatched voice I have as a woman in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and how God has magnified the voices of women of my faith to reach the ends of the Earth.
First, the most obvious. The prevalent and miraculous way women’s voices are heard on social media, helping to fulfill the prophecy that the major growth in the church would be because of our articulate testimonies and joyful examples.
But consider this as well. I personally have never been called to be the president of anything. I’ve only ever served in a presidency for a total of 4 of the last 28 years. I HAVE had the sacred privilege of sustaining my husband as he has humbly served the Lord in leadership callings for most of our marriage. People could easily assume that I don’t have much voice. Yes, there were vulnerable moments when I was blind to the bigger picture and I questioned my value. But now I see how much my husband relies on and counsels with me and how much my influence has impacted his leadership.
I know this isn’t unique to me. I was familiar with the teaching style of Wendy Watson Nelson when our current prophet married her. I had studied her words while getting my degree. What I was surprised to discover was that sometimes when he spoke I could hear something different in his delivery but still familiar to me. I could hear his wife. I know the voices of women are heard even though we may not always be the ones sitting on the stand, speaking at the pulpit, or sitting in a meeting.
Beyond that, I couldn’t be more humbled that when my 5 children (4 of whom are boys) serve in any capacity my voice will echo in their service and words. My voice is being heard as my son shares the gospel in Chile. My voice is being heard as my daughter ministers to her friends. MY VOICE IS HEARD. YOUR VOICE IS HEARD. Of this I have no doubt.
Even though she never demanded recognition, I cannot help but hear the voice of Mary as I study the life of her son and my Savior Jesus Christ. What a sacred privilege it is to have such a powerful voice as a wife and mother.
THE MOST POWERFUL place to use our voices in this world is in our homes. We cannot let Satan distract us from that responsibility, that place where our voices will be magnified beyond our ability to comprehend.
Women of God who magnify their divinely given gifts through the priesthood power they are endowed with BLESS the world just as powerfully as men who honor their priesthood. It amazes me how God’s perfect plan allows for His children to be blessed through His priesthood in two completely unique ways. Ways that provide potential for both man and woman to fill the measure of their creation in such complementary perfection. But when woman or man miss the mark and work contrary to God’s wisdom, they are working DEVOID of the exact power and voice they desire and that God wants to bless them with.
