This is not to convince anyone to share my beliefs. But I know there are other LDS women out there like me who have been taken aback at the debates that have been going on and have not quite known what to think. I am writing this for you. The truth is, we can't worry about what other people are doing, we have to live according to our own conscience. But this is my affirmation of what I believe.
Here are a few of the questions I just answered. Some of the questions weren't worded exactly like this. I didn't copy/paste all of them and I couldn't remember them word for word.
Do you consider yourself a feminist?
No
How does this term apply or not apply to you?
Feminist is a huge term that has many meanings all of which
I do not pretend to know about. All I know is that for the most part it implies
some sort of dissatisfaction with how you are treated as a woman. Some sort of
cause you are fighting for. I am not fighting for any cause except building up
the kingdom of God. I know that we are all equal in the sight of God. I know
that we all have divine potential. God has given us a perfect plan in which we
can live up to this potential. What I am here to do is exercise faith in Christ
unto repentance, to make and keep my temple covenants which includes being a
wife, a mother, and building up zion. It includes learning (from scriptures and
other good sources), serving (my family, my neighbors, the community, the
world, the church) and growing (repenting, overcoming weaknesses with God's
help, challenging myself, developing talents). So in that sense maybe past
definitions of feminist would apply to me, but the current definition of
"mormon feminist," does not. Since the gospel is completely true,
looking at it through any kind of lens will not do. The gospel contains all
truth (and the church is God's appointed way of living the gospel in this life)
so rather we must look at life through a gospel lens.
How does being a mormon feminist affect your interactions
and experiences with the church?
The gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints is either completely true, or it is completely
false. There is no room for middle ground. I have a testimony that it is true.
You may say that 'the gospel is true but the church...not so much'. Well the
fact is this is God's church. The members and even the leaders are not perfect.
But it is His church, and it is in His hands. So I am not a mormon feminist. I
am a disciple of Jesus Christ, trying to keep the covenants I have made with
Him in His holy temple. As a covenant person I sustain the first presidency and
quorum of the twelve apostles as prophets, seers and revelators. I do my best
to follow their counsel, and it brings me so much peace and happiness! I LOVE
the church. I love meeting with a ward and serving my fellow brothers and
sisters. We build each other up. When I am sick people help me, when others are
sick I help them. I gain so much from my interactions with other sisters
through visiting teaching and other relief society activities. I am
strengthened by the testimonies of the members of my ward and stake, and I hope
they are strengthened by mine. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I love
His church.
Additional comments:
I know in doing this research you are looking for opinions.
But the truth is, the church is not a political or social organization. It is
not a place for debate. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the way of life and
salvation. It is an individual relationship with God - faith in Jesus Christ
unto repentance, personal conversion, personal revelation. I hope my comments
have been helpful for your research, but more importantly, I hope I have spoken according to the Spirit and testimony that is in me about this important topic.
