Hi, I’m Rachel.
Unlike many people who claim the LDS faith as their own, I am not from a long lineage of Mormon pioneers. I am my own pioneer in this respect. Since my conversion, I have continued to study the history of the LDS Church and particularly the stories, journals, Relief Society meetings and minutes, and roles of women.
What I found in the beginning was empowering, uplifting, encouraging, and then those feelings seemed to taper off the closer I got to present day: women preparing a woman for childbirth by blessing and anointing her, women being called to become a kingdom of priests by the prophet Joseph Smith, women being the ones who decided their curriculum for Relief Society meetings. It is more than simply an issue of ordination. It is a restoration of something removed that was once claimed in some capacity by us as women.
“The errand of angels is given to women, and this is a gift that as sisters we claim,” are words we sing in a tender hymn of our faith. Recently, in our General Conference Priesthood session, Henry B. Eyring spoke of the Aaronic Priesthood as “the ministering of angels.” The connection of these two sentiments reminded me of the torch passed on by those wise women gone before us and the responsibility that is ours to pass it along to the next generation. For those who went before me, for those standing with me, and for the daughters who are going forward, I believe women should be ordained.