I am Clint, father to my beautiful children and husband to my beautiful wife. I have been a Latter Day Saint my entire life and I believe we will one day see women in this church share in the same opportunities and rights to bless the lives of others that are today only available to men and boys. I believe it is something we must do if we are to thrive as a church.
I served a mission, married in the Temple, and I have served in several presidencies, committees, and other areas of leadership within the church. One thing I love about the church is that we take care of our own. I have also witnessed sometimes, if our own don’t fit the mold of what we deem desirable to assist, we can be deeply cold and without compassion. Some of that is human nature, but I believe some it is LDS tradition.
There are aspects of the church that move me deeply, some doctrines I find in the LDS faith that shine upon my soul which I do not see elsewhere. Those things are the underpinnings of why I stay with the church. As in any relationship, nothing will ever be perfect, but it can get better if you’re willing to put forth the effort to effect change.
It came to me in sacrament meeting the day I presented and blessed my now 2 year old daughter. We had endured 6 months in the NICU after her very premature birth and almost lost her several times. When we finally brought her home she was quarantined for an entire year before she was able to go out in public. Being in sacrament meeting that day with my daughter meant we had overcome terrible obstacles and misery. It meant we were on the other side of our own Gethsemane.
I stood there holding this tiny baby in my arms in front the congregation and looked out at my wife. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she smiled at me from the audience and I smiled back, for a moment it seemed that everything stood still and we lived within that second. Our silent struggle seemed to be over now and it was one of the happiest moments of my life. I realized in that moment that while all of these good men were worthy and I was happy to have them help me bless my daughter, the one person who deserved above all to be there at my side was not allowed. These men had no part of the struggle and toil that we had gone through. I wanted my wife with me, I wanted her to bless this child with me and present her to God together. She alone knew of the pain we endured and the triumph of that moment. It seemed to me wrong and counterfeit that the church would not allow her to be there at my side.
Since that very personal and spiritual experience, I have yearned for the day that I lay hands on the heads of my children, along with my wife, and bless them as only the love of a tender parent can. I believe that women should be ordained.