The young and the not so young

This weekend was a big one for the Wright men.  Adam wanted to go skydiving for his 18th birthday, and since I took Megan to England for hers, how could I say no, it was a lot cheaper!  Chad was so on board with the idea.  He has been wanting to go skydiving for years.  But the real surprise was the addition of Chad's dad, Mike (Grandpa W).  So there were 3 generations of Wrights jumping out of the plane on Saturday!  Mike is 73 years old.  You have to give him huge props for going skydiving.  

I am proud of him!  

Each had different reactions to the whole experience.  Adam immediately texted me and said, "I want to work here!  I am so doing this again with Meg when she gets home!"(ah, youth), Chad said, "It was intense!  I am glad I did it and I don't feel like I have to do it again." Mike said,  "I'm glad I did it but I'm glad its over."  All three men came home and went straight to bed for a nice long nap.

Chad's mom and dad were in town for a totally different reason.  Chad was called to be our ward High Priest group leader, and as such, needed to be ordained to the office of High Priest.  It was so special that his dad could come down to do that ordination.  That's the way it should be, and 

it means a lot to us that they would come.  

But for Chad to be a High Priest!  It's crazy!  He is so young.  Most High Priests are older and much more seasoned Priesthood holders.  At this date, Chad is the youngest High Priest in our ward.  Neither one of us can figure out what the heck the Bishop was thinking when he suggested Chad for this calling.  There are plenty of fantastic High Priests that could fill that calling.  It is puzzling, doesn't make sense.  When we were meeting with the Stake President, I asked him why they would call someone who wasn't already a High Priest to this calling, and he shrugged and said, "It was inspired.  Your Bishop prayed about it, we (stake presidency) prayed about it, and the high council had to approve your name too."  So there you go.  We just have to assume the Lord knows what He is doing.  I have no doubt that Chad will be able to fill this calling well, but he just feels a little like a whipper-snapper.  And then he went and called our former stake president to be his first assistant!  That took some guts.  Kind of a strange choice, but Chad said he felt inspired.  I'm telling you, the Lord works in mysterious ways.  None of it makes sense to me but I'm not going to worry about it anymore.  Its not up to me to counsel the Lord!

But the most important thing I have to say about Chad becoming a High Priest is that I support his Priesthood 100%.  I have always felt that men need the Priesthood to give them something higher to live up to.  To help them perfect themselves. Most men are total knuckleheads (at best).  This is why auto insurance is more expensive for men than women.  In general, they are not good drivers, they are too crazy.  Also that whole "natural man" thing - I believe that this life is the time for men to overcome their natural man tendencies, and frankly, the Priesthood helps with this.  Women don't have those same challenges, and we have different strengths and talents that are inherent to our gender.  We don't need the Priesthood to help perfect ourselves, most of us are pretty motivated to do that on our own.  I don't want the Priesthood for myself, I don't need it.  But I will support the Priesthood that my sons and my husband hold, and I will support them as they exercise it.  And I am grateful for its power in my home.  

All of it.  Teacher, Priest, and High Priest.

        

Mormon Feminist Bloggers and philosophy of religion

There is a certain blogger (whose name I will not write because I'm not a fan anymore) that has frustrated me.  You may wonder why I let one blogging woman affect my mood, and I wonder that myself, but the truth is that the things she blogs about seem to be the new (or maybe not so new) thing amongst younger LDS women.  And of course, she is super concerned about the Young Women in the church who might be feeling suffocated or angry about the gospel teachings and NEED MORE.  That's where it gets my attention and REALLY ANNOYS ME!  Because I am a counselor in the YW presidency in my ward and I take my calling seriously.  Plus, I have two daughters.  And I sure wouldn't want any of them influenced by this woman and others who feel like she does!

I consider women who think they need more religious philosophy and less gospel doctrine to be prideful and immature.  There, I said it.  If they made a serious study of the Book of Mormon and other scriptures, conference talks, prayer, and temple attendance, they would understand that there is a depth to the doctrines of the gospel that is enough for anyone!  I have heard these women complain that the doctrines of the gospel that the church leaders present are lightweight and "milk instead of meat". "One size fits all", "not enough for a Progressive Woman, or a Mormon Feminist".  What are they talking about?  Every time I read the Book of Mormon, or attend the temple, I learn something different, because in that moment, I am experiencing a different challenge than the last time I read or attended.  I don't have to turn to alternative sources to find religious enlightenment.  And I am not a stupid lemming of a woman.  I have self-respect, an education, and I don't run along behind men everywhere I go.  The difference, I think, is humility and maturity.

In the past 10 years, I have had challenges that changed my life and rocked my world.  Like most people.  I'll tell you, I have been humbled!  And that humility has sent me straight to my knees.  I have prayed harder than I ever prayed before, and I have had my prayers answered in marvelous ways.  Including through scripture study and listening to the voice of the prophet.  I have had spiritual experiences in the temple that are sacred to me and gave more knowledge and understanding (more "meat") than any other single source.  One of the definitions of humility is being teachable.  This is what I have become, and my teachers are my Heavenly Father, His Son, and His representatives on this earth.  And of course, my challenges.  I learn a lot from my challenges.  These "progressive" women are walking a fine line in thinking they need more than that.  Maybe what they need are more challenges!