Hi, my name is Cally. I am a wife, mother, and student. I come from two long lines of Mormon pioneer heritage. Mormonism will always be an integral part of who I am.
I could write pages about why I believe women should be ordained. I could talk about my struggle with infertility, and how I felt I would never be valued by the church if I wasn’t a mother. I could talk about my Autistic son’s struggle to participate in church and Primary, and how it helped me realize that everyone experiences Mormonism in different but valid ways. I could list half a dozen instances where the priesthood was used to mistreat or manipulate me. I could talk about how, for the first 30 years of my life, I never trusted my own spiritual promptings because there was always someone with more authority, telling me how to feel. I could talk about the social, financial, or economic benefits of female empowerment. I could illustrate historical precedent for female ordination, in both the Bible and the early Mormon Church.
But I think all of that is secondary to my belief that ordaining women is simply the right thing to do. In my heart and in my mind, I feel a burning confirmation that Heavenly Father wants this for his daughters. I have prayed extensively about my participation in Ordain Women, and I cannot deny what I’ve felt. No matter what the outcome is, for me personally or for Ordain Women, I need to be able to look my granddaughters in the eye someday and tell them that I spoke up here because I believe in my heart that it is right. I believe women should be ordained.