As part of Education Week, an Apostle of our Church spoke to us about ¨Thinking Straight.¨ When he began his talk, I thought it was going to be a general “You are so wonderful, learning at Education Week is so great” type of talk, but after his introduction, it was not your average talk in any way! He spoke very directly about the role and false doctrine regarding women in the Church. 

Here is my annotated version of the talk,

Here is the original link, and below are some of my favorite quotes:

“In so many ways women are the heart of the Church.”

“Arguing about the issues generally does not bring any resolution and, in fact, can create contention”

“Why are men ordained to priesthood offices and not women? President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that it was the Lord, not man, ‘who designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood’ and that it was also the Lord who endowed women with ‘capabilities to round out this great and marvelous organization, which is the Church and kingdom of God’ (“Women of the Church,” Ensign, November 1996, 70). When all is said and done, the Lord has not revealed why He has  organized His Church as He has. “

“Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, ‘What we already know about God teaches us to trust him for what we do not know fully’ (Deposition of a Disciple [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976], 56).  And Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated in this last April general conference, ‘In this Church, what we know will always trump what we do not know’ (“Lord, I Believe,” Ensign, May 2013, 94). “

[MY FAVORITE] “…there are some men, including some priesthood leaders, who have not yet seen the light and who still do not include our sister leaders in full partnership in ward and stake councils. …any priesthood leader who does not involve his sister leaders with full respect and inclusion is not honoring and magnifying the keys he has been given. His power and influence will be diminished until he learns the ways of the Lord.”

“Men and women are equal in God’s eyes and in the eyes of the Church, but equal does not mean, brothers and sisters, that they are the same. The responsibilities and divine gifts of men and women differ in their nature but not in their importance or influence. Our Church doctrine places women equal to and yet different from men. God does not regard either gender as better or more important than the other.”

“All of us—men, women, young adults, youth, and boys and girls—have the Lord and His Church to defend, to protect, and to spread throughout the earth. We need more of the distinctive, influential voices and faith of women. We need you to learn the doctrine and to understand what we believe so that you can bear your testimonies about the truthof all things—whether those testimonies be given around a campfire at girls’ camp, in a testimony meeting, in a blog, or on Facebook. Only you can show the world what women of God who have made covenants look like and believe. “

Cheers, friends!
-Kendel