Listen to Cami’s Narrating Ordain Women interview here:
I have been a fully active LDS woman for over 44 years. Although I come from pioneer stock, I gained my own answer to stay in the Church at age 18.
I grew up in Plano, Texas until I was 21, lived in Jacksonville, Florida until I was 24 and moved to Utah upon getting married at 25. My ex-husband and I started our family in Southern Utah, where we lived for almost 20 years. I now reside in Northern Nevada with my beautiful daughter, a Young Woman and budding actress, feminist and animal rights activist. I have my bachelor’s degree from Southern Utah University in Psychology. I substitute teach and am now commuting to Sacramento, CA once a week for my masters in counseling.
I am thrilled to be alive in this moment of history! I have always looked up to amazing Mormon women from the past, such as Eliza R. Snow and Mary Fielding Smith, as well as current day heroes including Carol Lynn Pearson and Chieko Okazaki. When I received an answer to prayer about whether I should stay in the Church at age 18, these women’s faces came to my mind as I wept in my father’s arms. I remember saying, “I want to BE one of those women, dad.” over and over again. I feel that THIS moment in history is now that opportunity for me and I have not only met such giants as Joanna Brooks, Kate Kelly, Lindsay Park, Nicole Hardy and Carol Lynn Pearson but I can call them “friend” as well.
I believe that true priesthood order is one in which the priesthood keys and responsibilities are shared by women and men. It is something Latter-day Saint women are very capable of performing and hungry to have acknowledged. I believe that by being ordained we could share the responsibility of blessing those who are sick and afflicted rather than waiting for the men to come home from work, giving men more time with their families in return. We could leave a blessing with our visiting sisters. We could help direct the sisters and their families in a greater capacity within the Relief Society organization. We could help to create wards from which now only branches exist due to a lack of active priesthood holders. Imagine mothers and fathers giving parental blessings to their children; sister missionaries baptizing and confirming in partnership with the elders! This is beautiful and sacred to me. THIS is Zion!
These are beautiful and holy ideas. Speaking them aloud on this website is my way of joining my voice in saying, “Here we are, Father. We are ready. Send Us!” It rings as a harmonious song, one in which I hope to sing in my lifetime. One in which I want to hear my daughter sing and her daughters and theirs throughout all eternity. I love my heritage. I love my Savior and best friend, Jesus Christ. And I believe women should be and some day WILL be ordained.