First of all, this was an interesting story. I've never read the story of Abigail, so I had no clue really who she was or what she did. Here are a few things I gathered about her from the story in 1 Samuel 25:
-She was a woman of good understanding. To me, I think that means that she was educated and had an understanding of the gospel. And not only an understanding, but a testimony.
-Beautiful countenance. It sounds cliche, but I think this means that she was beautiful on the inside. Probably the outside too, but inside is what counts :)
-She was brave and bold. David was a pretty powerful guy at this point in his life. He wasn't just a random nobody. So for her to go to him and speak so boldly and convince him to stop his retaliation is pretty impressive! Not to mention the fact that she was a woman- probably not the most powerful thing a person could be back then.
-She protected others. In a way this kind of also shows that she values justice. She didn't want these men to be punished, maybe even killed, for something her jerk husband did.
-She was close to The Lord. If there is one thing I've noticed about all of the women we have studied so far is that they were all close to The Lord. They weren't waiting for their husbands to tell them stuff (thought that is fine and husbands to receive revelation for the family if they are righteous, don't get me wrong), they were personally close to The Lord.
So all that being said, the thing that stood out most was how bold she was. So I wanted to find some latter-day teachings about being bold, and I found a talk by Bruce R. McConkie from October 1974 called Be Valiant in the Fight of Faith. Go read this talk! I think it's actually pretty famous, there is a LOT of stuff in there I've heard before, but man. If you want a talk that really whips your butt into shape, read it. So he talks a lot about how we can't be lukewarm saints. We are either for the church or against it. There's nothing in between. And to be for the church, it requires more than just "being a good person" or even going to church on Sundays. So here's a quote....
Members of the Church who have testimonies and who live clean and upright lives, but who are not courageous and valiant, do not gain the celestial kingdom. Theirs is a terrestrial inheritance. Of them the revelation says, “These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.” (D&C 76:79.)
Well dang! He's talking about MEMBERS of the church! That means that we can't just go through the motions, do the checklist of things that qualify us for the Celestial Kingdom, and expect to just be sitting pretty. We HAVE to be courageous and valiant!
So of course my first thought was "Great. I'm not courageous. I might feel a little valiant by taking a toddler to church every week, cause that's hard, but... really I'm not courageous or valiant." Well that's what Satan would have us think, right!? Being a mother is courageous. Being a mother is scary! The thought of bringing children into the world we live in right now downright terrifies me, especially when I'm pregnant. So that alone is courageous. And maybe it IS valiant to not give up even when three hours of church once a week is harder than running six miles. So I know there's more I can do to be courageous and valiant, but I'm also on the right track. And I hope that I am as bold and brave as Abigail was when it comes to standing up for the right.
*A thought that doesn't have a lot to do with what I was talking about... this was an interesting part of the talk, mostly because it was written FORTY years ago...
Am I valiant in the testimony of Jesus if my chief interest and concern in life is laying up in store the treasures of the earth, rather than the building up of the kingdom?
Am I valiant if I have more of this world’s goods than my just needs and wants require and I do not draw from my surplus to support missionary work, build temples, and care for the needy?
Am I valiant if my approach to the Church and its doctrines is intellectual only, if I am more concerned with having a religious dialogue on this or that point than I am on gaining a personal spiritual experience?
Am I valiant if I am deeply concerned about the Church’s stand on who can or who cannot receive the priesthood and think it is time for a new revelation on this doctrine?
Am I valiant if I use a boat, live in a country home, or engage in some other recreational pursuit on weekends that takes me away from my spiritual responsibilities?
Am I valiant if I engage in gambling, play cards, go to pornographic movies, shop on Sunday, wear immodest clothes, or do any of the things that are the accepted way of life among worldly people?
Hmmmm. The priesthood thing. I'm guessing this was before blacks go the priesthood, and... they eventually did, but it doesn't change the fact that we don't need to tell The Lord when it's time for a change. Also... I didn't know that owning a boat or living in a country home was bad.... hahah
I love everything that you said!! Isn't Abigail awesome?! I'm going to have to go read that talk! I especially like what you said about being a mother being courageous. I really needed to hear that right now because I often doubt myself and especially have a lot of doubts about being a stay at home mom, even though I KNOW it's what I'm supposed to do.
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