The Handmaid of the Lord

These are some thoughts that I found about the virgin Mary that are specifically geared toward women. Hope everyone had a glorious Christmas!

I was quite young at the time the Lord sent His angel Gabriel to me. I had tried all my life to serve the Lord. I kept myself clean and pure and my heart and spirit virtuous. I knew the Lord and His goodness. I had faith in the prophecies concerning the Messiah, but had no idea of my role in the fulfillment of those prophecies. When the angel appeared to me he said, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."
I wondered at his saying and he, knowing this said, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest."
I wondered how this would be, seeing that I knew not a man. He told me that the Holy Ghost would come upon me and the power of the Highest would overshadow me. "For with God, nothing shall be impossible." I did not doubt at his saying, but I replied "Be it unto me according to thy word." I trusted in the word of the Lord and submitted to His will.
I went quickly to see my dear friend and cousin Elizabeth. As I greeted her, she immediately told me that I was a blessed woman. The Holy ghost had bourne witness to her before i even spoke that I was to be the mother of the Son of God, and she rejoiced with me. Her faith and testimony strengthened mine and caused me to praise the Lord.
"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me: and Holy is His name."
"And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with his arm. He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath filled the hungry with good things."(Luke 1)
I know you too have felt to praise the Lord. I know you have felt the strength of His arm. What a blessed thing it is to be one of His daughters- to be a woman! He has given us all a special role- that of a woman- and as women- mothers. Whether of our own children, or of those around us...women are mothers.
My experience was definately unique, but perhaps you can relate to it. You see, I grew up in the small town of Nazareth where everyone knew what was going on in everyone else's lives. I assumed that most people would call me a sinner and not believe the miraculous nature of my conception, and I was right. I endured much persecution throughout my entire life. But, I did not fear men and I bore the burden of being misunderstood. I focused on the Lord.
You as women of our Savior's true church also have the choice to listen to the voices of the world, or to the voice of your God. Listen to Him and rejoice in Him! As you celebrate our Savior's birth at this time of the year, do celebrate! But not just during this season. Make everyday of your life a celebration of His infinite love and sacrifice for you.
And help eachother to celebrate! Women need women! Just as my relationship with my dear Elizabeth was such a strength to me, turn to and nurture eachother as women. And as Elizabeth and I rejoiced together in our miraculous motherhoods- rejoice in yours and hold the title of mother sacred in your heart. For it is sacred. Teach your children and the world what a divine and spectacular gift it is to be a mother. I know how much that role is valued by Him.
Trust in Him and submit your whole self to Him- that is where true happiness is found.
Learn to be submissive, for in reality our own will is the only thing that we can really give to the Lord, because everything else is already His.
I invite you to take time to ponder on all that our Savior has done for you, and all that he does everyday for you. I know as you listen and learn from His Holy Spirit, that your soul will magnify the Lord and your spirit will rejoice!

What Shall We Give?

Oh, how I love my Savior!

Follow-Up

So, I know I'm a week late, but I didn't forget about our value experience:) I actually had the opportunity to do this one with my Young Women as well as by myself. I did study the Proclamation again and was impressed by the very specific and different roles that Heavenly Father has given to men and women. I am grateful for the truths stated that a successful marriage and family is established and maintained on principles of "faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities....By divine design...mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children." (The Family Proclamation)
I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has given me the knowledge and the tools to raise a family in the best possible way....and so grateful that I can repent when I don't do it right!
In studying Proverbs 31 again, verse 21 stuck out to me.
"She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet." I thought that this could mean that a virtuous woman is not afraid of the storms (trials, tests) that will come in her life or the life of her family because all her household are clothed with scarlet....representing the atonement, faith in Jesus Christ and His mighty and miraculous power and ever-reaching arms of love and mercy. I really loved that. I want to be full of faith and have my whole household to be full of faith so that we won't fear the storms of life, but face each day being 'clothed' with the power that comes from having faith in and using the atonement...from trusting in and relying on Our Savior Jesus Christ. I rejoice that part of my divine role as a woman is to teach these truths to my family by example and also by word.
What thoughts or insights did you have in doing this challenge?

Love Personal Progress!

I love this program! Since being in Young Women's I have been working on doing this program again with my laurels. Let me just say how much I love the organization of the church and that Heavenly Father has given a way for everyone to come to Him and learn about who they are. Though not as young a woman as I used to be, I feel so blessed and strengthened by doing these value experiences. There is one in the Divine Nature section that I thought was a fantastic thing for every woman to do, even if you've done it before. So, if you want to, let's do this value experience together and share what we have learned about being a woman and what are important attributes for womanhood and motherhood.

Divine Nature Value Experience #2

"As a (young:) woman you are blessed with divine feminine qualities. Increase your understanding of and appreciation for womanhood. Read Proverbs 31:10-31 and two talks on womanhood from a conference issue of the Church magazines. Review what "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" says about being a wife and a mother. Then ask your mother or another mother you admire what she thinks are important attribues for being a mother. List the attributes in your journal. Then choose one of those attributes and strive to develop it. After two weeks report your success to a parent or leader." (Or friend! :)

I would love to hear the insights and things you learn from doing this challenge. Hooray for womanhood!

Well Fed By This...

I read this talk yesterday morning and it was so what I needed and I didn't even know it! I love the truths taught and the beautiful simplicity and peace of the word of God. I love it!
"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16
I feel to say that after every precious moment I have to study the words of God and whenever I feel Him speak to me through the Holy Ghost. What a blessing!

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Of Things That Matter Most

Good Food!!

Really, really great counsel from Julie Beck. Find the time to watch it.....it is really worth it! :)
BYUtv - BYU Women's Conference: Julie B. Beck (2010)

I Love Relief Society!

I know it has been almost a week since the General Relief Society Meeting, but I loved it so very much that I couldn't let another day go by without putting it up here. I LOVE Relief Society! I get so excited when I get to go to Relief Society(I am in YW and so it doesn't happen very often). I am so grateful that Heavenly Father organized a place for women where we could go to be taught more about our divine natures and where we could work together and strengthen and help each other. I love it! I also loved the meeting last week and wanted to post just a few tidbits from it.

Our dear, sweet President Julie Beck said:

"There is a worldwide hunger among good women to know their identity, value, and importance. Studying and applying the history of Relief Society gives definition and expression to who we are as disciples and followers of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Our faithfulness and service are signs of our conversion and commitment to remember and follow Him.....The history of Relief Society teaches us that our Heavenly Father knows His daughters. He loves them, He has given them specific responsibilities, and He has spoken to and guided them during their mortal missions."

Sister Silvia H. Allred said:

"I know that each of us has a vital and essential role as a daughter of God. He has bestowed upon His daughters divine attributes for the purpose of forwarding His work. God has entrusted women with the sacred work of bearing and rearing children. No other work is more important. it is a holy calling. The noblest office for a woman is the sacred work of building eternal families, ideally in partnership with her husband."

Sister Barbara Thompson said:

"The Savior has asked us to do the things which He has done, to bear one another's burdens, to comfort those who need comfort, to mourn with those who mourn, to feed the hungry, visit the sick, to succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and to "teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom." To me these words and actions describe visiting teachers- those who minister to others.

Visiting teaching gives women the opportunity to watch over, strengthen, and teach one another. Much like a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood is charged with the responsibility to
"watch over the Church always" and to "be with and strengthen them", a visiting teacher shows her love by prayerfully considering each woman she is called to serve."

Our inspired and wonderful example, President Thomas S. Monson counseled us:

" My dear sisters, each of you is unique. You are different from each other in many ways. There are those of you who are married. Some of you stay at home with your children, while others of you work outside your homes. Some of you are empty-nesters. There are those of you who are married but do not have children. There are those who are divorced, those who are widowed. Many of you are single women. some of you have college degrees; some of you do not. There are those who can afford the latest fashions and those who are lucky to have one appropriate Sunday outfit. Such differences are almost endless. Do these differences tempt us to judge one another?

Mother Theresa, a Catholic nun who worked among the poor in India most of her life, spoke this profound truth. "If you judge people, you have no time to love them." The Savior has admonished, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." I ask: Can we love one another, as the Savior has commanded, if we judge each other? And I answer-with Mother Theresa-"No; we cannot."

True Charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere....Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down; it is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others."

Love it, love it, love it!!! I am so excited to hear more of the words of my Heavenly Father through His servants this weekend! Happy feasting, everyone!

(You can read or watch the entire Relief Society meeting by going to lds.org.)