I was in Salt Lake on April 5th. I stood in line and asked to be admitted to the priesthood session. In my mind, I was doing what I had read in the scriptures had been done before. Specifically I was thinking of the daughters of Zelophehad. They went to the tent of the prophet Moses and showed him how the inheritance laws were unfair towards women. They then asked him to take it to the Lord on their behalf. Moses did, the Lord answered and the laws were changed. This was my mindset. I really felt symbolically by standing at the Tabernacle door we had gone to the prophet’s tent.
When it was my turn to ask for admittance, I was told the women’s meeting was held the week before, and that this meeting was only for men. It wasn’t made clear why men go to the women’s meeting, preside, and are the keynote speakers. Why men are allowed to record, be ushers, but women cannot do those jobs in the men’s meeting. It was not made clear why Elder Oaks said priesthood is not male, but the men’s meeting is called the priesthood session. It wasn’t made clear why in the Church we say priesthood=motherhood, and then endow twelve year old boys with these powers. We don’t encourage our twelve year old girls to enter immediately into motherhood; quite the opposite in fact.
My opinion is that I and Ordain Women members at large have been mislabeled. I’m not asking for a vote as was suggested in Elder Oaks’ talk. I’m doing what faithful saints have always done; ask the prophet to ask the Lord on my behalf. I have been an advocate for women’s ordination and equality in this church, & have been in discussions with bishops & stake presidents for more than twenty years. Their answer is always the same, they cannot change it, and change must come from Salt Lake. I don’t agree; I believe change comes from the Lord. But I do think that in Salt Lake lives a man who can call heaven in that upper room of the temple, and can receive answers on behalf of this Church.
I have taken the words of the prophets at their value, I have prayed and been guided by the spirit. My Heavenly Mother has a place in the Godhead, and it is my inheritance as Her beloved daughter. Ordain Women is a platform for the voices of thousands of men and women who are advocating for the practice of Christianity in our church at large. I finally have friends who understand, and share in my pain. I am at last able to heal from the pains of my past. We serve the Lord. For Zion to be built again, women must be ordained.