The World’s View

During his life on this earth, and even today, the Savior was unappreciated and overlooked by many who did not comprehend the magnitude of His sacred calling. Speaking of the Messiah, Isaiah said, “…he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).

However, the elect recognize the Savior’s sacrifice and his honored place in the Father’s great Plan. Of course, the uninspired, misguided feelings of some people will never lessen the significance of the Savior’s calling. And ironically, those who do not appreciate or accept the role of the Savior still benefit from his resurrection and atonement.

During her life on this earth, the Woman, like the Savior, is often unappreciated and overlooked by those who do not comprehend the magnitude of her sacred calling. However, the elect recognize the Woman’s sacrifice and her honored place in the Father’s great plan. Of course, the uninspired, misguided feelings of some people will never lessen the significance of the Woman’s calling. And ironically, those who do not appreciate or accept the sacred role of the Woman still benefit from her sacrifice.

On the other side of the veil, there is no question as to the Savior’s place and stature in the eyes of the Father. Likewise, there is no question as to the Woman’s place and stature in the eyes of the Father.

Each individual in this life is forever indebted to the Woman and will honor her throughout all eternity for her sacred sacrifice that allows the individual to be born into this physical life. Likewise, each individual is forever indebted to the Savior and will honor him throughout all eternity for His ultimate sacrifice that allows the individual to be born again into a spiritual life and later into eternal life.

For anyone in the Church that thinks men are somehow superior to women for whatever reason, you need to repent. Men are not superior—they are equal, at best.

Elder James E. Faust quoted the First Presidency in saying, “The true spirit of the Church gives to women the highest place of honor in human life. Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.” (The First Presidency, quoted by James E. Faust, Ensign, May 1988, pp. 36-37, 38.)

President Joseph Fielding Smith said, “The most noble, exalting calling of all is that which has been given to women.” (Doctrines of Salvation, McConkie, volume 3, page 178).

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “…[Eve] was the crowning creation. Don’t you young men ever think that you’re so smart in comparison with young women. The Lord created you…and then, as His prime creation, He created woman—Eve. She was the sublime, ultimate in all of His creations. Don’t any of you young men develop any kind of a superiority complex. It isn’t scriptural.” (Address at Colorado Springs Young Adult Morningside, 14 April 1996, also The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley—Go Forward With Faith, p. 526).

President Hugh B. Brown once said at a Relief Society conference: “There are people fond of saying that women are the weaker instruments, but I don’t believe it. Physically they may be, but spiritually, morally, religiously, and in faith, what man can match a woman who is really converted to the gospel! Women are more willing to make sacrifices than are men, more patient in suffering, more earnest in prayer. They are the peers and often superior to men in resilience, in goodness, in morality, and in faith.” (Relief Society Conference, Sept. 29, 1965.)

Sometimes we forget that the priesthood is the authority from God to act on his behalf and to perform priesthood ordinances, but it is the faith in Jesus Christ that actually heals. The Savior and his apostles did not ask the sick and afflicted if they believed in the priesthood—they asked if they believed in Jesus Christ and that their faith in him could make them whole (Matthew 9:28, Mark 9:23-24, Luke 8:50, John 11:25-26, 40, 45).

The War in Heaven and on Earth Today

The adversary and his legions knew of the Savior’s calling and the great work that would come of it. The adversary made great efforts to stop the Redeemer from fulfilling his calling, both in the pre-mortal existence and in this world. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:7-9). Great efforts are still made today by Satan and his minions to cause those of little spiritual understanding to question the Savior’s unique and vital role in the great Plan.

Likewise, the adversary and his legions also know of the Woman’s calling and the great work that will come of it. Today the adversary makes great efforts stop the Woman from fulfilling her calling. Great efforts are made today by Satan and his minions to cause those of little understanding to question her unique and vital role in the great plan.

The war that began in heaven still rages today on the earth. In the pre-earth life, Lucifer fought against the Father, Jehovah, and Michael, as he sought to usurp the role of the Savior and reserve all the glory for himself (Revelation 12:7-9). He said, “Behold, here am I, send, me I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1-3). While he failed to overthrow the Father’s plan, Lucifer was successful in causing one-third of the hosts of heaven to follow him, and they were cast down to the earth (Revelation 12:4, 9), and received not their second estate.

In this life, Satan tempted the Savior but did not prevail against the Chosen One. The Savior worked out the atonement, and Satan can do nothing at this time to change that fact. The second birth, the spiritual birth, is now available to any and all of the Father’s children who kept their first estate and are willing to accept and follow Jesus Christ through ordinances and covenants.

While Satan cannot vanquish the atonement, he can keep the Father’s children from receiving the full effects of the atonement. Satan is still at war with the remnant of the woman’s seed and attempts to draw away more than just the one third that followed him from the pre-existence (Revelation 12:17), and Satan knows “that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

Lucifer was unsuccessful in preventing the Savior from fulfilling his sacred role and responsibility. But he has worked for six thousand years to keep the Father’s children from progressing and receiving God’s greatest gift, the gift of eternal life (D&C 14:7). The apostle John saw “the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Here on earth, one of the adversary’s most critical attacks is on the sacred role and responsibility women have to provide the first birth, the physical birth. The apostle John wrote that “[Lucifer] stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born” (Revelation 12:4). Today, Satan does not wait until a child is born to devour it. He has convinced many to kill the children before they are born. With abortion, he attempts to prevent the first birth, the physical birth through the woman.

When he cannot abort the first birth, and a child comes into the world, the adversary attempts to remove the woman from the home, so a hireling (John 10:13) is left to rear the child. If he can stop the woman from either bearing or rearing the children, he has won a great battle, for many of these children, not properly taught and reared by the woman, will not receive the second birth, the spiritual birth that makes available eternal life through Jesus Christ.

In the next life, it will not matter what careers we developed here on earth or how much money we earned. It will not matter if people are doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, machinists, judges, politicians, grocers, or engineers, as long as they were honest in their dealings with others.

What will matter is the family. Did you bear, rear, and care for your children?

Dealing with Discouragement

Sisters, sometimes you may get discouraged in your calling. You may feel guilty about occasionally wishing you could quit being a wife and/or mother. Even the Savior, in his most difficult moment, said, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me.” But his next words were, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Luke records that, at that most difficult time in the Savior’s mission, in the Garden of Gethsemane, “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43).

As you face difficulties in your sacred calling, you may from time to time wish to have the cup removed. Although you may not see them, the Lord has sent ministering angels to be round about you to sustain you in your critical calling. You may not see them, but you can feel their presence.

The prophet Joseph Smith spoke at the first gathering of Relief Society women, and said, “If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.”