Ashley's Mothers Day Talk

(To hear Ashley's talk, click here: Ashley's Talk)

Good morning brothers and sisters, I'll just give an introduction as to who I am.  My name is Ashley Townsend.  I am married to Andrew Townsend.  We've been married for about a year and have lived here the whole time.  Both of us work together, live together, we're pretty much around each other 24/7so if you need to get a hold of us just call the other person if you can't reach us.

If you haven't already figured out the topic it's the women's role here on Earth and in the Kingdom of God.

One day me and my husband went to the Provo temple to do sealings and I stood up from the alter and took about a step and then I passed out and woke up with every body's heads around me and I guess I was trying to sleep walk or something because my husband was pinning me down saying to just lay down and don't worry about it and the sealer came in with a little can of orange juice and some crackers which is really awkward to sit in the sealing room munchin' on crackers.

The reason we were there that day was because we had some questions.  We wanted an understanding and a testimony of our Heavenly Mother.  There are several mentions of her but you don't really learn about her, and we wanted to know a little bit more.  For example in the song we sang today, Oh My Father, the third verse actually talks about her.  It says "Father, mother may I meet you, in your royal courts on high" And so it talks about her there.  It also talks about her in The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  It says, "Each is a beloved son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny."  So it is apparent that she is there and is real, and when I went to the temple I definitely gained a testimony of that, and an understanding of her, but I wanted to know why we don't know more about her, why we weren't taught about her in seminary or in church and between me being in the temple and talking with family and friends I understood that the reason we don't learn anything about her is because Heavenly Father wants to keep her respect, to protect her, and he doesn't want her to be mocked.  She deserves more than that.  And it proves how important her role is in heaven, and that he needs to protect her and keep her that way.

So when Bishop asked me to give a talk on women's roles I defiantly wanted to go further into that and understand what our role is as women, here, today.  So I went into the book Daughters in My Kingdom which is given to the Relief Society.  Bishop told me to look in Chapter 10 but I was actually reading the first chapter and it talks about women's roles back in Christs days when he was building His kingdom.  It says,

"In an age when women were generally expected to provide only temporal service, the Savior taught Martha and Mary that women could also participate spiritually in His work.  He invited them to become His disciples and partake of salvation, 'that good part' that would never be taken from them". (pg4)

Even back then Heavenly Father and Christ knew how important the women were, and that they too could play a role in building up his Kingdom.  It also says

"The New Testament includes accounts of women, named and unnamed, who exercised faith in Jesus Christ, learned and lived His teachings, and testified of His ministry, miracles and majesty." (pg3)

Of course He knew that what better way to spread the word than to give it to the women who love to talk?

When Joseph Smith came and restored the church he brought up the Relief Society, an organization built upon the women and what they are capable of doing such as charity.  It actually talks about that as well.  It says,

 "The women in the ancient church were dignified and noble, needed and valued.  They served others in priest and personal holiness, and participated in the great work of saving souls.  These patterns have been restored in the Latter Days through the organization of the Relief Society.  The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, 'The church was never perfectly organized until the women were thus organized.'" (pg 7)

That is such a powerful statement from the prophet.  What a great man to say that this church is nothing without the organization of women.  It is so important to have such an organization to help bring about and build upon the church and the Kingdom of God.

Sister Eliza R Snow, the second Relief Society General President reiterated this teaching.  She said "Although the name may be of modern date, the institution is of ancient origin.  We were told by our modern prophet that the same organization existed in the church anciently."  So it's always been important, and it's always been there.  "Like the women in the ancient church, they work alongside men who hold the priesthood, increase faith, and personal righteousness, strengthen homes and families, and seek out and help those in need." Which is exactly what the Relief Society is.  There is so much that the Relief Society is, we don't just go visiting teaching once in a while, we have humanitarian projects that we take a part in.  I am sure without us the men would not be as active in going to humanitarian projects as well so it is great that we are able to get them.

That was then, so how about now?  What is different about now?  We still have the Relief Society, but things are now different.  We do not have as many chores, we can just run to the store, we don't have to grow our own gardens usually. It is explained by the General Relief Society Presidency in a General Relief Society meeting.  They said,

"We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction.  As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar.  We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who: Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.  Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.  Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womenhood.  Delight in service and good works.  Love life and learning.  Stand for truth and righteousness.  Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on Earth.  [And] rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation." (pg 172)

Although that was given in a Relief Society meeting, it is actually in the Young Women's theme.  They reference Mosiah 18:9 which is "Stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places".  So even the younger women, the women who aren't married or have kids yet, they are still just as important in bringing up God's kingdom here on Earth.

Oh sweet, time FLIES when you're on the pulpit!

I'll just wrap up real quick.

Reading that I thought about my mothers.  I have three of them; a mom, a step mom, and a mother in law, and they are all just wonderful and fantastic.  My mom obviously brought up a really awesome girl, and my mother in law brought up a really awesome guy, so it ended up perfect.  And my step mom has been so supportive of me and definitely stuck with my dad which is hard to do but important, and I appreciate that.  And I appreciate that I have a mother in heaven who is also there to support me and care about me.  I love all of my mothers so much and am so thankful for them and they are so important to me.  I just want to wish all the mothers a happy mothers day, and what a great opportunity it is to be in church to celebrate that, and to really understand your roles here.

I bear my testimony that the church is true, and every single part of it, including the Relief Society and the Young Women's are just so important.  Heavenly Father knows us all and each of our potentials and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

(To hear Ashley's talk, click here: Ashley's Talk)