Emma Smith

Emma Smith's life was so full and she did so much that I could spend the next month just studying her.  There are so many life lessons that I could apply to myself it's hard to know where to start.  A huge thing that jumps out at me from her life is that she buried a lot of her children, including her first.  That one thing alone breaks my heart for her.  I don't know how she bore it.  On top of that she suffered a lot of persecution with the other saints and with her husband.  I can't imagine how strong she had to be all the time just to keep moving forward, to keep trusting the Lord and having faith, to keep supporting Joseph, etc.  And on top of that she organized the Relief Society and assembled a book of hymns, among so much else.  She was very generous, giving, and kind.

I learned several new things about Emma as I studied. I didn't know that she remarried three years after Joseph was martyred. I have a book called "The Emma Smith We Know".  It was written by her descendants and tells stories and comments on different things from her life.  Her descendants say that she married for protection but that she did love her second husband.  Unfortunately he had an affair which resulted in an illegitimate child. Emma raised this child as her own and when she was near death she instructed her husband to marry the other woman. I think it says a lot about Emma's character that she would take this child in as her own.   One of her descendants talks about a personal experience he had as he struggled with questions of why Emma did not continue traveling with the saints to Salt Lake. He said the answer came to him that she was too tired to continue on.  The book was full of love and admiration for the woman that Emma Smith was. She was a remarkable lady.

Three Women and Gifts of the Spirit

I have fallen a bit behind in my scripture reading and blogging/journaling. However, the three women that I have studied recently have a lot in common. They each have unique spiritual gifts, they each used their gifts to help their partner which ultimately blessed a lot of other people too, they are each women of great faith that acted on the things that they know and believe.

Queen of King Lamoni-
We are introduced to King Lamoni's queen after King Lamoni had laid as if dead for three days. Others around him wanted to bury him but his wife didn't think he was dead because to her he "doth not stink" (Alma 19:5). I always thought that was pretty funny. Others have said they thought it was very romantic. I still think it's funny . . . anyway . . . She had heard her servants talking about Ammon and had heard that he was a prophet and had "power to do many mighty works in his name" (Alma 19:4). Ammon told her that her husband was not dead and would rise the next day. He asked her if she believed him. I love her answer. She said, "I have had no witness save thy word, and the word of our servants; nevertheless I believe that it shall be according as thou hast said." In the Doctrine and Covenants we learn about different spiritual gifts. D&C 46:13-14 says, "13 To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. 14 To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful." The queen of King Lamoni had absolutely no proof that what Ammon was saying was true. She had no reason to believe. Yet she did. Her gift was to believe on others words. Because of her gift both she and her husband were able to teach and testify to their people of the things they had learned and were able to lead so many others to Christ.

Eve-
There is a lot that I could say about Eve. She had many spiritual gifts that she used to bless her children and her husband. One gift that I think she had to have was the gift of discernment. Not a lot is known or talked about with Eve. We know she was given to Adam as a help meet. We know she ate the fruit which led to the fall which led to fulfilling the Lord's plan for all of us. Elder Russell M. Nelson gave a really good talk in a women's conference called Lessons From Eve. In talking about the creation of Eve he said, "I presume another bone could have been used, but the rib, coming as it does from the side, seems to denote partnership. The rib signifies neither dominion nor subservience, but a lateral relationship as partners, to work and to live, side by side."  I love that.  Later he talks about how Eve worked and labored side by side with Adam and how they both studied and prayed together, among other things.  Adam and Eve are an excellent example of how a marriage relationship should work.

Deborah-

Deborah's story is in Judges 4-5.  She was a judge and prophetess in Israel.  On the blog Women in the Scriptures she notes that Deborah's title was political not spiritual.  She also speculates that Deborah held this position because there weren't any worthy males to do so at that time.  In the book Daughters of God by S. Michael Wilcox he talks about Deborah using her spiritual gifts to judge the people and how women today do the same thing.  He talks about her using the gift of discernment to determine the people's needs and using gifts of compassion and wisdom to best serve them. 

Deborah and Barak were not married but they worked together to accomplish the Lord's purpose.  Barak trusted and relied on Deborah's guidance as he led his army to battle and Deborah relied on Barak's strength.  Together they were able to get the job done.  Their story is a good example of how men and women should work together and use their different gifts and attributes to work towards a common goal.

I love the stories and examples these three women teach.  They are women of great faith and courage who used their spiritual gifts to accomplish the Lord's work.

Eve

Here are just a couple things I learned/thought about Eve as I read in Genesis and the Gospel Principles manual.

• Eve was created because it is not good that man should be alone. This principle has stuck through the ages, and it's one of the first ones we were ever taught by God. We, as wives, have a specific role- to be THERE for our husbands! So they are not alone.
• Eve was a help meet for Adam. Meet means suited for, worthy of, or corresponding to him. I love that explanation. It wasn't just that she was there to help him- to cook and clean and make sure he took a bath. No, she was specifically meant for him. She was worthy of him. And to me, saying that she was corresponding to him means that she held similar character traits, but also complemented him. like a puzzle piece. Puzzle pieces fit together but aren't exactly the same.
• I wish there were more about Eve specifically in our church doctrine. I know that Eve was a chosen woman, chosen from the beginning. I also know that her role in the Fall was essential... otherwise it might not have ever happened. I just wish that there was more explanation about the fact that Eve didn't make a mistake that ruined things. She got the ball rolling! If Eve had not been so righteous and worthy of Adam, God would not have had her be his wife. He wouldn't have put Eve in the garden if she was going to be a "bad influence," leading Adam further from God. Yes, their choice did temporarily take them farther from God, but it made it possible for them to be closer than ever to Him at the same time. In fact, it was the only way for them to become like God. 

I would really love a look inside Eve's head. All we have are the scriptures and temple portraying what happened, which is fine, but I think she knew a LOT more than the story lets on. I think she understood the ins and outs of the gospel and their role in the garden, she didn't just make some random "mistake." 

So in applying this to me? As a wife and a mother, it's important that I understand my own role in our earthly family and our eternal family. I think that learning as much as I can about the gospel, teaching my kids, and studying my patriarchal blessing will help me understand my identity better.