Hope Smiling Brightly with Amber Dawn Pearce
I had a wonderful and unique upbringing raised off grid by addict hippies who converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We ending up becoming a family of 15 including 8 adopted siblings. Yep, I know what it’s like to live in a home with dirt floors, and no plumbing or electricity. Oh I’ve got stories. You’ll hear a lot of them here. But the most important thing I share is what my life has taught me about the power of Jesus Christ.
That answer you've been seeking. That change you've hoped for. That struggle you want to overcome. The goal you want to reach. It is all in Jesus Christ. Christ can be your coach, your mentor, your motivational speaker, your healer. After living a life seeking hope and help from every solution out there I finally learned how to access the power of change through Christ.
Hope Smiling Brightly with Amber Dawn Pearce
The powerful and majestic role of Women in Zion.
The Powerful and Majestic Role of a Woman in Zion
To be able to see our role clearly as Women in Zion and step into that role fully is to bring the power of Jesus Christ into our lives. But with the influence of the world, our view can get muddied. In this episode I get a little vulnerable and share an experience where God corrected my view and and showed me something much more majestic. The Spirit taught me something about the role of women that no one has been able to explain to me in quite the same way. I hope I am able to convey it with the same power here because it has changed me.
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Study resources:
Real Meaning of the term Help Meet
References:
Knowing Who You Are —and Who You Have Always Been
Are We Not All Mothers?
The Influence of Mothers -Joseph F. Smith
Sisters in Zion By President Henry B. Eyring
Spiritual Treasures By President Russell M. Nelson
Daughters of God By President Gordon B. Hinckley
Lessons from Eve By Elder Russell M. Nelson
Woman —Of Infinite Worth By Elder Russell M. Nelson
Let us think straight. M. Russell Ballard
Truth and the PlanBy President Dallin H. Oaks
00:00 Introduction: Woman as God's Supreme Creation
00:34 Physical and Spiritual Preparedness
01:08 Welcome to the Hope Smiling Brightly Podcast
President Gordon b Hinkley said, woman is God's supreme creation of all the creations of the Almighty. There is none more inspiring than a daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so. Rise above the dust of the world, know that you are daughters of God and that there is for you, a great work to be done, which cannot be left to others. Close quote it's just as important to be physically prepared as it is to be spiritually prepared. And Thrive Life is the easiest and most delicious way to help you do that. It is food with a 25 year shelf life and all you do is set up a delivery with a budget that works for you and you are slowly able to build up a supply of food for whatever may come. So go to amber.thrivelife.comm and set up a delivery to get 15 percent off retail and free shipping on orders of a hundred dollars or more. Welcome back to the Hope Smiling Brightly podcast. I am your host, Amber Dawn Pearce. Thank you so much for being here, and thank you for leaving your reviews and sharing these messages with your friends so we can reach more people who need messages of hope. You are listening to episode 13, the powerful and majestic role of a Woman in Zion. In my last podcast, I ended by leaving a question for everyone to ponder, as I always do. This question was, what can I do to bring more of the power of Jesus Christ into my life? And so I pondered that question for myself. And as I was pondering it, I kind of got redirected to a different question. What is it to be a mother in Zion and how do I more fully step into that role? I love that term mother in Zion because as Sheri Dew, explained, as daughters of our Heavenly Father and as Daughters of Eve, we are all mothers and we have always been mothers. So as I pondered and studied, I started to realize that God was answering my initial question through this study about what it is to be a mother in Zion. When we truly understand who we are and step into that role that allows more of the power of Jesus Christ into our lives. I have learned so much in the last six weeks that I've been preparing for this, that I'm actually going to split this into two episodes. This episode will set the foundation, answering that first question of just what is it to be a mother in Zion? And the next episode will answer, how do I fully step into that role as a mother in Zion? But who is this episode for? It is not just for women. In fact, I think it's equally important for men to listen. And no it's not just for women who might question their value. This is for anyone who wants a greater understanding of the majestic role of womanhood. So as I was preparing for this episode, I decided to ask my amazing community on social media what kind of questions they have when it comes to their role and worth as a woman. I got so many responses, it was a little overwhelming, and as I pondered how to approach all of these perspectives and questions, the spirit reminded me that nothing will be more powerful to each individual person than personal revelation. So my goal today is to simply offer perhaps a different lens to look through as you seek answers and inspiration to your questions about womanhood. To start, why is it so important for us to understand what it is to be not only a woman and mother, but a mother in Zion, or a synonymous phrase, a mother in Israel in October, 2024, the prophet invited us to help gather scattered Israel and prepare the world for the second coming of the Lord where he will reign in the new Jerusalem. Joseph F. Smith explained that as a rule, the mothers in Zion, the mothers of Israel, are the very best women that live in the world. The best that can be found anywhere. We are able to lead and influence in such a way as others cannot do, who are destitute of the privileges, blessings, and endowments so freely conferred upon the mothers in Israel. Close quote and President Eyring further explained You sisters, your daughters, your granddaughters, and the women you have nurtured will be at the heart of creating that society of people who will join in glorious association with the savior. You'll be an essential force in the gathering of Israel and in the creation of a Zion, people who will dwell in peace in the new Jerusalem. So I have to set this up a little bit before I really go into depth. So bear with me for a second. Our role is similar to that of Enoch. We are at the heart of creating a Zion people. But before Enoch could step into his role to create a Zion people, there were things he needed to see that could only be seen through the spirit In Moses 6 35 it says, and the Lord speak unto Enoch and said unto him, anoint thine eyes with clay and wash them. And thou shall see. There are things the Lord wants us to see that will help us to fully step into our role as a mother in Zion and accomplish what he needs of us. But as Elder Scott said, I. Your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience. This fallen world has muddied our view. We've drawn conclusions from real experiences, and it might be hard to accept that some of those conclusions are inaccurate. Thankfully, the power of the name of Christ taken upon us in the temple can help cleanse the mud of this world away so that we can see things that we have never seen before. There is beautiful instruction in Proverbs three where it says, be not wise in th own eyes. It shall be held to thy navel and marrow to thy bones, But part of perhaps walking away from our own wisdom, we need to be open to what it says in verses 11 and 12. Despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be wary of his correction, for whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth. We cannot see if we are not willing to receive correction. Or if we believe that our thinking is in no need of correction at all. But I promise you, I am not here to correct or chasten anyone. That's not my job. I'm actually here to share with you how the Lord chastened and corrected me. It's gonna get a little vulnerable and honestly embarrassing for me. It's not something I really wanna share, but I'm willing to if it will help someone see more clearly what it is to be a woman, a mother in Zion, and fully step into that role. In October, 2019, president Nelson gave a talk titled Spiritual Treasures and Encouraged Women to Labor with the Spirit to understand priesthood power. He warned that it would not be a quick or an easy process, but that it would require the same things that the Lord instructed of Emma and all of us in Doctrine and Covenants 25. And so he invited us to study it. I eagerly accepted that invitation, but I had no idea the significance of what the Spirit was about to teach me. President Nelson was not kidding when he said this endeavor would require me to put aside things of the world and its false philosophies and that I would be required to examine my life meticulously. On October 15th, 2019, I knelt down in prayer asking to be able to see what the Lord needed me to see in this journey. As I finished my prayer and went to open to doctrine Covenants 25, something unexpected, humbling, and powerful happened. I don't know if I can even describe it adequately, but I'll try. I hadn't even found the right page before the Spirit filled my mind in an instant with knowledge that I had been missing my entire life. One verse from D C 25 came into my mind with clarity. In verse five, it says, and the office of thy calling shall be for a comfort. Unto thy husband in his afflictions with consoling words in the spirit of meekness. Along with this verse came an overwhelming flood of memories of my subtle actions and attitude towards my husband over our entire marriage. You see, my approach when it came to men was anything but comforting, consoling, or meek. The world had offered me a perspective of what it is to be powerful and significant as a woman, and I completely bought it. It's nearly impossible to live in this world and not be influenced by what Eliza ars Snow described, where some people not only recognize that women's status should be improved, but are so radical in their extreme theories that they would set her in antagonism to man assume for her a separate and opposing existence. I believe that because of a fear and belief that I had that men thought they were better than women and would exercise control given the chance I had to be sure to prove them wrong. I had always bristled at the words, submit preside. I decided that to ensure no one would ever take control of me, I had to take control first. I thought real power of a woman could be best seen, independent of a man's influence. The spirit showed me the damage, my attitude, and actions did to my kind and patient husband, and how it stumped the progress and unity in our marriage. I sat and sobbed, and sobbed at what I had never been able to see until this loving but painful correction, and despite my husband's immediate forgiveness and efforts to console and reassure me. I continued to cry for many days as I came to terms with what I had been shown. The exact thing I thought was power was actually completely stripping me of it. And in those remorseful days, God showed me real power. The power I had been devoid of power is understanding who you are through the eyes of God, and you cannot completely understand and respect the majestic reality of what it is to be a woman without understanding and respecting the majestic reality of what it is to be a man and vice versa. So I'll share with you a journal entry from that time that sums up what I learned. I wrote, I will come to value myself more as I learn to value my husband more. I will have increased power in my life as I honor my husband. Priesthood power in my life is greatest within the triangle of the Lord, my husband and I. If I truly want to understand how to draw upon God's power in my life, it has to include my husband, and the same applies to him. I can truly say that I've felt what it is to sacrifice a broken. Heart to give up ideas I passionately thought were true, and instead see and accept God's correction felt like my heart was literally breaking. Again. We cannot live in this world without being influenced by it. Therefore, we cannot leave the world behind and come closer to God and his thoughts, his ways, with without experiencing this broken heart. It's a part of the process since that day as I've walked away from philosophies that are no longer worthy of my time and energy. I have seen President Nelson's promise fulfilled in my life where he said that the changes in your perspective, feelings and spiritual strength will amaze you. I also saw something that Sheri Dew said come to pass in my life. She explained it is the spirit who reveals to us our identity. What, which isn't just who we are, but who we've always been. And that when we know our lives take on a sense of purpose, so stunning that we can never be the same again. What an incredible spiritual treasure that experience gave me. But President Nelson's promise that this would not be a quick or easy process was true as well. Here we are almost six years later, and I just gained another life-changing perspective that I humbly hope I can communicate to you through the spirit, and I hope it will be a treasure to you as it has been to me. This goes back to the prompting that started this whole podcast, realizing that drawing the power of Jesus Christ into my life would require me to gain a greater understanding of what it is to be a mother in Zion. As I pondered and prayed about this, I went to the one place President Nelson also promised, would open the heavens to me and arm me with God's power, the temple. Every time we go to an endowment session at the temple, we review the creation of the world. Very basic stuff. So basic that I was failing to see something truly profound. Now, I knew God didn't create women as second class, but there were things I saw in the story of the creation that honestly made me feel that way. So this time as I pondered, I wanted to know what could I learn from Eve, the mother in Zion, the mother of all living. I thought about the basic lessons in the creation of the world that I had always tried to apply to my life, that things had to be created in a correct order, and likewise in our own lives, we need to plan and not get ahead of ourselves. One thing created to support the next and the next so that we are sure that we get to the desired end result in the creation. It wouldn't have made sense to create animals without creating vegetation first, because what would sustain their life? As I pondered this process, the spirit whispered, don't stop there. Keep going. I okay, so I started going through the pattern again from the beginning, starting with the foundational knowledge that each creation is brought into existence to support whatever comes after it in fulfilling its purpose. And in doing so, fulfills the purpose of its own creation, So let's go through this together. The measure of earth's creation as a foundation for all that would be created after it. And now that there was something to shine upon dividing light from darkness, and then the heavens divided from the waters and the waters gathered so dry land could appear and give place for plants to grow upon it. The measure of plant's creation to provide joy and nourishment to all created after it lights placed in the firmament to guide day and night for all life that was about to be created. The measure of foul and fish and land animals creation to provide joy and nourishment to all that would be created after it. The measure of man's creation to provide for all that would be created after him. And what was created after Man, woman. Truly the crowning creation, the ultimate creation that all of creation was established to provide for was woman. The purpose of light, sky, water, earth, the sun, plants, animals, man, all revolved around the creation and purpose of woman all put in place to help her fill the ultimate measure of her creation. It finally clicked the words that I had heard spoken by prophets over and over again, words that I was hearing but could not hear because honestly, I thought they were being spoken to placate me. Words like, woman is the crown and creation, the supreme creation, the highest holiest service assumed by mankind. Finally, what President Hinkley said was ringing true when he stated then as his final creation, the crowning of his glorious work. He created woman. I like to regard Eve as his masterpiece. After all that had gone before the final work, before he rested from his labors, I do not regard her as being in second place to Adam Close, quote, in God's perfect plan, perfect order, each creation was made to support every creation that would come after it. So let me state this again in different words. Each life would fulfill the measure of its creation. Only by helping all that was created after it to support and sustain the life and role of woman being its ultimate purpose. We let that sink in for a second. Truly mind blowing and humbling all at the same time because what was created after woman, nothing. God's purpose was complete. And from then forward, every human body in existence that would house the spirits created by our heavenly parents would come through the body of woman. President Nelson said, all the purposes of the world and all that was in the world would be brought to not without woman, a keystone in the priesthood arc of creation. Close quote, such magnificent power, could not be independent, encapsulated within one being. It was necessary that this was not something she would be able to do on her own. She understood her humbling role and the incredible value of all that was created before her, and all that would be created after, through her. In return and in gratitude, she instinctively desired to serve and nurture all of it. Our prophet also has said to help another human being. Reach one's celestial potential is part of the divine mission of woman as mother, teacher, or nurturing saint, she molds the clay. She molds living clay to the shape of her hopes. In partnership with God, her divine mission is to help spirits live and souls be lifted. This is the measure of her creation. It is ennobling, edifying, and exalting. Close quote. Now, who would God choose to entrust with the incredible role of protecting and providing a way for his supreme creation to fill the measure of her creation? It would have to be a being as equally as humble, capable, and magnificent. So as part of this perfect plan he created, man, remember just like the creations that preceded him, the measure of man's creation was to provide for all that would be created after him. What an immense responsibility to be required to provide spiritually temporally all that was needed for God's supreme creation. Not only that, he would also have to protect her so she could do her glorious and primary work of bringing life into this world and nurturing it. Now, God would not set up his children for failure. He knew man would need something to help him be successful in this truly astonishing role. And so Adam was given priesthood keys, understanding that he would have to answer to God for how he used them, for, they could only be used to bless and empower others. Starting with Woman Eve was endowed with this priesthood power. So together as husband and wife, they could experience all the blessings of God's power in their union and help their children to fill the measure of their creation. And onward. Elder Ballard explained, men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so can a man. So a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. Quote. Eve had a very different role, but likewise was provided every means necessary to fulfill it. Innate qualities, priesthood, power, and a righteous man whose every work would be to provide for her crowning work to be completed. Man was also given qualities that would help him to provide and protect. These qualities could easily be used un righteously for the wrong kind of power and dominion. So in the Lord's wisdom, he gave man the responsibility to hold the priesthood, knowing it would teach him to use his innate qualities in a righteous way. Man could not complete his sacred responsibility in its fullness, fill the measure of his creation and return to God's presence without sacrificing any selfish desire and learning how to use this power for others as Glenn L. Pace stated, Adam's ability to obtain the purification necessary to get back into the presence of God was dependent upon his continuous association with Eve. Did you hear that? What a sacred role of woman to help man return to God's presence. Elder Matthew Cowley taught. That men have to have something given to them in mortality to make them saviors of men, but not mothers. Not women. They are born with an inherent right, an inherent authority to be the saviors of human souls and the regenerating force in the lives of God's children. What a perfect plan that would require man to need a woman and woman to need a man for without Eve. how could Adam fill the measure of his creation and what use would priesthood keys be? And without Adam, how could Eve fill the measure of her creation and what use would her power to create life within her body? Be. Eve understood this. Eve knew who she was and this is why she was able to see the need to make the difficult choice to partake of the fruit. It was because of her unique creation and her desire to fill the measure of it that helped her to see. So I will drive the point home again. Part of seeing the overwhelming important role you have as a woman is to see the overwhelming important role that men have and vice versa. Part of the reason the role of man is so significant is because of the significance of who he is called to protect and provide for the supreme creation. Part of what shows how a woman is so valuable is seeing the lengths gone to all that was created for her benefit and in order to help her fill the measure of her creation. Is it no wonder man and woman should honor each other? What a sacred responsibility both men and women have. Elder Meryl g Bateman said, when a man understands how glorious a woman is, he treats her differently. When a woman understands that a man has the seeds of divinity within him, she honors him not only for who he is, but for what he may become. And understanding of the divine nature allows each person to have respect for the other. What kind of supreme creation would we be if we did not see and have deep gratitude and respect for every creation before us? Every creation whose measure, whose purpose was to sustain our life so we could fulfill our purpose. Since nothing was created after us, we have the responsibility to turn back and honor and nurture all that was created before us. And we have been given every means necessary to fill our primary role to nurture and gather all life, whether we have children or not, husbands or not, we must find our unique way to nurture the lives of all of God's offspring. So let's look briefly at other misconceptions that might come up as we review the story of the creation. We just debunked the theory that woman is inferior because she was created after man. But this new lens can help us see lots of things differently now., what else are we looking at incorrectly? What about the thought that because woman was created from the rib of a man, that woman is second class seen through the lens we just discussed, perhaps that is a symbol, an incredibly important reminder of the sacred role. God gave man to love and care for woman as if she were his own flesh, helping him see the significance of what he is required to do. In Ephesians five, it says, he that loveth his wife, loveth himself for no man ever yet, hated his own flesh, but nourish and cherish it. But nourisheth it, no, but nourish and cherisheth it for this cause. Shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and they too shall be one flesh. Let every one of you in particular, so love his wife, even as himself and the wife. See that she reverence her husband. Okay, here's another hangup. What about the scripture referring to woman as a help meet for him upon first glance that's another thing that could make someone feel second class. But what if it means that Eve was created to help him meet the measure of his creation and what was the measure of his creation to sacrifice all to support her. I also remember when I learned the real meaning of the term help meet my husband was being set apart to serve in the stake presidency, and I was questioning the importance of my role. Then the presiding general authority kindly asked if he could speak to me first. He proceeded to share with me that the Hebrew translation of help meet ezer kenegdo, ezer, meaning, strength, and also a word used in the Bible to refer to the savior and Kenegdo meaning opposite or corresponding to helping me to see that as a woman, I had strength and saving power equal but opposite to my husband. If you are curious to take a deeper dive into the meaning of help meet, I will link a fantastic article that goes more in depth on this explanation in the show notes. Alright, now it is time to address the elephant in the room. What about those lives that look nothing like this plan? What about those who do not see themselves fitting into the plan set forth in the creation of the world about men and women and as stated in the family proclamation? Bear with me here as I explain something incredibly important in addressing this. Satan's goal is not just to destroy families and every single truth in the family proclamation that is lightweight. A simple means to an end. He knows, he must be very measured, careful, calculated if he's going to reach his end goal because it is huge and he needs to lead us there little by little because there is no way we would buy it otherwise. We would scoff at it and say impossible. So, let me go back a little bit. Before God called any prophet of the Old Testament, they needed to understand the foundation of his plan. Why is the creation of the world taught over and over again to Moses, to Enoch, to Abraham? Why? And for us, why is temple attendance so important? Why go back to the creation every time we attend a Temple Endowment session? Why the repetition? Well. The world is trying to destroy God's plan, destroy the roles of male and female, and we need a constant reminder of the purpose for which God created this world and the magnificent role of male and female that the world is so set on destroying. And because if we are to survive and conquer in these last days, there are principles we can never forget.. Principles about the magnificent and powerful role of both man, woman, and Jesus Christ as established by Elohim, plural for Gods as life progressed in the fallen world. Not every man's life and woman's life has followed the pattern of Adam and Eve. This can cause some of the most painful and devastating experiences. Those who never marry, those who are never able to have children, single parents, those with a spouse who does not treat them as they should? Those who have same sex attraction don't feel their gender. So what do we do? The world's solution is to erase the standard. Do away with the eternal truths laid out in the family proclamation. Erase the plan so that no one feels the pain of life not going according to plan, because there is no plan. But if there is no plan, there can be no wrong. And if there is no wrong, there is no need for redemption. God's solution to this problem is very different. His solution was always to provide a savior. Someone who could heal the pain of life, not going according to plan. Someone who experienced this exact pain and devastation in Gethsemane, someone who came with the promise, to anyone who turned to him, that they would be given every single righteous desire of their heart, whether realized in this life or not, Jesus Christ is the plan, but if we follow the world, erase the plan. Erase right and wrong it effectually erases. A need for a savior. This is who Satan wants to destroy. In order to do this, he must destroy the truths in the family proclamation first, president Oak said Satan's most strenuous opposition is directed at whatever is most important to God's plan. He seeks to destroy God's work. His prime methods are to discredit the savior and his divine authority to erase the effects of the atonement of Jesus Christ. This is why President Ballard asked us that. When it comes to the family proclamation, please remember to read it in the light of the saving power of Jesus Christ. This is why Elder Hales, as one of those who signed the living Christ, warned that the family, a proclamation to the world was given long before we experienced the challenges now facing the family, the living Christ. The testimony of the apostles was prepared in advance of when we will need it most, I believe, and have already seen that just as the family proclamation seems like basic no-brainer, accepted doctrine is now being completely rejected by the world. The same is going to happen with the Living Christ testimony. Satan is destroying the family proclamation because of his end goal to destroy belief in Jesus Christ. We must and will have the courage and power to withstand this, despite the fact that elder Hale's again warned quote, though the church in recent decades has largely been spared the misunderstandings and persecutions the early saints faced. It will not always be. So we have and will be persecuted for defending these truths, but Reassuringly President George Buchanan said that in the preexistence, we stood loyally by God and by Jesus, and did not flinch God reserved spirits for this dispensation who would have the courage and determination to face the world and all the powers of the evil one, and who would build up the Zion of our God, fearless of all consequences. Close quote, this is part of being a woman in Zion. This is our great work. We must arise to the call as Christ came through a woman. Our role can be found within Mary's. We are vessels of the Lord to help bring him into this world. And as Mary taught Christ who he was and who his heavenly father was, we must do the same for our own children and every child of God. Since women is such a vital weapon in God's plan, and because Satan understands our important role as God's supreme creation, maybe even better than some women do, he will stop at nothing to attack us. As Sheri Dew explained, Satan hates us because of the influence we have on husbands and children, family and friends, the church, and even the world. It is no secret to him that we are the Lord's secret weapon. Close quote. He will do whatever it takes. He has even tried to take the beautiful doctrine of Heavenly Mother and try to use it as a stumbling block. What a low blow. Exactly. Something he would do. I can see him just laughing that some women are walking away from their covenants because we don't know more about our glorious, heavenly mother than we do. Laughing as women remove the garment of the holy priesthood because he has convinced them that they were created by man to disempower and control, when in reality they were created by heavenly parents to empower and free us from the forces of evil. Joseph F. Smith explained that I do not know of any other women in the world that have the same conception of wife and motherhood that the Latter Day Saints possess. Satan is aware of the significant role of women, and he has been completely successful in distorting it from the beginning. Almost all of Christianity has believed the lie of a Trinitarian God and that there is no heavenly mother. Almost all of Christianity has believed the lie created by Satan, that Eve made an evil and sinful choice in the Garden of Eden, and she's to be looked down upon for it in a conversation I had with a good Christian friend. When as we discussed the trials we face with our physical bodies, she exclaimed sometimes. I wish I could punch Eve in the face. I was shocked and speechless at her comment. I, some of the most precious doctrines that confirmed to me that this is truly the fullness of the gospel is that we believe that Eve made an incredibly wise choice in the Garden of Eden, and she is to be honored for it. And that we have a Heavenly father and mother whose image we are created after. We are taught all men and women are in the similitude of the universal father and mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of deity. Close quote. Drawing, from the knowledge in that quote, we can understand the roles and significance of our heavenly father and mother by looking at the roles given to Adam and Eve, man and woman. I trust that just like Adam, my heavenly Father presides in love and righteousness and protects and provides for my heavenly mother and their children so that she can do her majestic and supreme work. I trust that just like Eve, my heavenly mother nurtures. All of creation and all of creation witnesses of her voice, her wisdom and love. We are also taught that quote, our heavenly parents work together for the salvation of the human family. I testify that our heavenly parents are one in purpose and have set forth this perfect plan that provides every opportunity for both male and female to fill the measure of their creation. Elder Ballard said this matter, like many others, comes down to our faith. Do we believe that this is the Lord's Church? Do we believe that he has organized it according to his purposes and wisdom? Do we believe that his wisdom far exceeds ours? Do we believe that he has organized his church in a manner that would be the greatest possible blessing to all of his children, both his sons and his daughters? Close quote. If we will understand, embrace, magnify the most noble calling of mother in Zion, mother in Israel. Oh my goodness. Such power and miracles await. To end off, let's go back to the same chapter of scripture we started with in Proverbs three, because there is something so beautiful to behold there. One might easily conclude that there's not a lot about women in the scriptures, but I think there is more than we realize. We just need to look closer in these next verses about wisdom. I want you to remember and realize that the Lord refers to wisdom in the feminine. So what can we learn about her, about women as we read these verses from that perspective? Happy is the man that Findeth wisdom and the man that gith understanding for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies and all the things thou can's desire are not to be compared unto her length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand. Riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her. And happy is everyone that retain with her. One more verse here, and remember that wisdom is in the feminine. It's so beautiful. The Lord, by wisdom, have founded the earth by understanding half. He established the heavens Isaiah has told us, shake thyself from the dust arise and sit down. In other words, he's saying, get up off the ground. Dust yourself off, and sit down into your rightful position of dignity. Honor, authority. So I'll say that again. Shake thyself from the dust Arise and sit down O Jerusalem. Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck. O. Captive daughter of Zion. It is time to understand and step into our role as mothers in Zion. Whether we have children or not, husbands or not, we must answer the call to nurture the life of all of our heavenly parents offspring in our own unique way now or in eternity, this promise. And Proverbs 31, 28 is yours. Her children arise up and call her. Blessed her husband also, and he prays with her. I encourage you to bring your heartfelt questions to the Lord and invite his wisdom and possible correction. Write down anything the spirit has already taught you. And as the questions I leave with you today, what is it to be a mother in Zion, a woman in Israel, to you asking God, how do I more fully step into this role? I've included links and resources that might help in your study in the show notes. And be sure to tune in for the next episode, discussing more of how we can fully step into our role as women in Zion. And as always, please join in the conversation over on Instagram at Amber Dawn Pearce. Christ is in awe of women. Christ is calling women. Christ is hope, smiling brightly.