I was baptized at age 8, earned the Young Womanhood Recognition award, and was married in the St. George, Utah temple, where my grandparents were temple workers. I attend church, do my visiting teaching, and fulfill my calling. This is not to say I’m special, just that I am committed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I try to be a disciple of Christ. Being a Mormon gives my life meaning and perspective, which is why it’s so important to me to reconcile Church doctrines and practices with other truths I encounter in life. One thing I have not yet been able to reconcile is the Church’s views on gender roles and the ideal of equality (though not sameness) of the genders.
The scriptures describe spiritual gifts that are not dependent on gender or priesthood office: healing, working miracles, and prophecy (D&C 46). However, in current Church practice these gifts seem to be intimately connected with priesthood ordination. In addition, sharing gifts of knowledge, discernment, and interpretation is sometimes limited to males who participate in priesthood councils and serve in leadership positions. I believe the Church is missing out on the spiritual gifts of its women, and ordaining women would go a long way toward ameliorating this great loss.
I’m a Mormon, and I believe women should be ordained.