9 WAYS TO RISE TO OUR CALLING AS WOMEN

by Jamie Johnson

When President Russell M. Nelson gave us the challenge to prayerfully study D&C section 25, I was thrilled. Section 25 has always been one of my favorite passages of scripture. Maybe I identify with it so deeply because it was written to a woman, namely Emma Smith. Or maybe it’s because in the very last verse the Lord says that “this is my voice unto all.” Either way, many years ago, I titled the section 25 heading in my scriptures: “My Section.”

When the Lord told Emma that she was an elect lady, whom He had called (verse 3), He was speaking to you too. Do you realize that the Lord has hand-selected you to do great things for His kingdom? The rest of the section outlines these noble tasks. I will highlight 9 of these calls we can choose to accept.

1. Let your soul delight in your husband and be a comfort to him (verses 5 & 14)

I love how the Lord counsels Emma to be a comfort to her husband in his afflictions, with consoling words, in the spirit of meekness. Do you realize the supreme difference you can make in your husband’s life as you delight in him, honor him, comfort him, and build him up? To have the privilege of ministering to one of the Lord’s servants is indeed a great honor. It’s a role we alone can fill, and one that can have eternal consequences. As covenant-keeping women, we have more influence than we think.

2. Do not murmur because of the things you have not yet seen (verse 4)

I find myself in the realm of complaining more often than I’d care to admit. This gentle rebuke is a good reminder for all of us to check our words and our thoughts—are we living with a spirit of faith, optimism, and cheer? Or are we continually dwelling in thoughts of discouragement, doubt, and pessimism? We want certainty, but the Lord wants us to trust Him. We want answers, but the Lord wants our faith. The things that aren’t yet clear are only withheld from us because it is wisdom in the Lord. His thoughts and purposes are higher than our ways. The greater our acceptance of the Lord’s will, the greater our peace and happiness.

3. Expound scripture and exhort the church as given you by the Spirit (verse 7)

I have always loved the quote by President Spencer W. Kimball: “I stress again the deep need each woman has to study the scriptures. We want our homes to be blessed with sister scriptorians—whether you are single or married, young or old, widowed or living in a family.” Yes, our time is stretched thin as women, but if we sacrifice a portion of our day to treasure up the words of the scriptures, the Lord will magnify our abilities to teach our families and those in our sphere of influence with the power of His Spirit.

4. Receive the Holy Ghost (verse 8)

Do we ever take for granted the presence of the Holy Ghost? When we were confirmed, we were promised His companionship, but we must not forget that it takes actively receiving this gift in order to reap the benefits. Do we plead for His guiding influence each morning? Do we take time to sit in the stillness and listen for personal revelation from the Lord? Do we walk through our day intentionally striving to li

sten for additional promptings from the Holy Ghost? At first glance, the call to “receive the Holy Ghost” seems simple. But in practice, there is much we can do to better tune our hearts to hear His whispers.

5. Write and learn much (verse 8)

In this digital age, there is an overwhelming amount of information we can learn. But, with the guiding help from the Spirit, we can select the best things to learn about—the things that will most benefit ourselves, our families, our friends, and our communities. The things that will strengthen our spirits, improve our health, and nurture our minds will be a great investment for this life as well as the next.

 

And what do we write about? We can write in our journals or compose our personal histories so our families can read about the lessons we’ve learned. We can write about the treasures we find in God’s word as we record our findings in a scripture journal. We can write thank you cards, notes, and love letters. We can write thoughtful texts or emails to cheer and encourage. And most of all, we can write our testimonies so our posterity will know of our convictions.

6. Lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better (verse 10)

We have heard this counsel often, but in these winding up scenes prior to the Savior’s coming, it’s more important than ever. President Nelson recently repeated this counsel and the associated promises:

“Sometimes we speak almost casually about walking away from the world…But truly doing so requires you to examine your life meticulously and regularly. As you do so, the Holy Ghost will prompt you about what is no longer needful, what is no longer worthy of your time and energy.

“As you shift your focus away from worldly distractions, some things that seem important to you now will recede in priority. You will need to say no to some things, even though they may seem harmless. As you embark upon and continue this lifelong process of consecrating your life to the Lord, the changes in your perspective, feelings, and spiritual strength will amaze you!”

7. Make a selection of sacred hymns (verse 11)

Emma compiled the first hymn book in 1835, with the words of 90 hymns included. Could we follow Emma’s example and make a selection of our favorite hymns and children’s songs? We could incorporate these hymns in a variety of ways—singing a hymn before scripture study, playing hymns in the car or while getting ready for the day, singing them as lullabies for our children, or listening to them whenever temptation arises or we feel discouraged. The First Presidency promised that: “Hymns can lift our spirits, give us courage, and move us to righteous action. They can fill our souls with heavenly thoughts and bring us a spirit of peace.”

8. Cleave unto the covenants you have made (verse 13)

President Nelson has continually emphasized the importance of walking the covenant path. He stated:

“Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God. Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.”

If we cleave unto our covenants, I know that we can gain access to the power of God that we so desperately need.

9. Lift up your heart and rejoice (verse 13)

We often feel weighed down with the evils of our day, fear about the future, and overwhelm from our fast-paced lives. But in spite of everything, we can choose to lift up our hearts and rejoice. To do so, however, we must focus on a deep and abiding joy instead of passing pleasure or fleeting happiness. As President Nelson has stated: “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on … Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him.”

What lessons have you found as you have studied this beautiful section? I hope that you will find great treasures and that it will become your personal section as well.

Jamie blogs at jamiegjohnson.com and posts daily reflections and monthly focus topics to Instagram @journeytowonderful.