Spirit Daughter

Yesterday in my Institute class, we read parts from a talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. It was really powerful to me, and although he targeted his remarks to teenage women, I felt some of the parts really spoke to me. I thought I would share them with you.

"First of all, I want you to be proud you are a woman. I want you to feel the reality of what that means, to know who you truly are. You are literally a spirit daughter of heavenly parents with a divine nature and an eternal destiny. ¹ That surpassing truth should be fixed deep in your soul and be fundamental to every decision you make as you grow into mature womanhood. There could never be a greater authentication of your dignity, your worth, your privileges, and your promise. Your Father in Heaven knows your name and knows your circumstance. He hears your prayers. He knows your hopes and dreams, including your fears and frustrations. And He knows what you can become through faith in Him. Because of this divine heritage you, along with all of your spiritual sisters and brothers, have full equality in His sight and are empowered through obedience to become a rightful heir in His eternal kingdom, an “[heir] of God, and joint-[heir] with Christ.” ² Seek to comprehend the significance of these doctrines. Everything Christ taught He taught to women as well as men. Indeed, in the restored light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a woman, including a young woman, occupies a majesty all her own in the divine design of the Creator. You are, as Elder James E. Talmage once phrased it, “a sanctified investiture which none shall dare profane.” ³ "

"I plead with you young women to please be more accepting of yourselves, including your body shape and style, with a little less longing to look like someone else. We are all different. Some are tall, and some are short. Some are round, and some are thin. And almost everyone at some time or other wants to be something they are not! But as one adviser to teenage girls said: “You can’t live your life worrying that the world is staring at you. When you let people’s opinions make you self-conscious you give away your power. … The key to feeling [confident] is to always listen to your inner self—[the real you.]” ⁸ And in the kingdom of God, the real you is “more precious than rubies.” ⁹ Every young woman is a child of destiny and every adult woman a powerful force for good. I mention adult women because, sisters, you are our greatest examples and resource for these young women. And if you are obsessing over being a size 2, you won’t be very surprised when your daughter or the Mia Maid in your class does the same and makes herself physically ill trying to accomplish it. We should all be as fit as we can be—that’s good Word of Wisdom doctrine. That means eating right and exercising and helping our bodies function at their optimum strength. We could probably all do better in that regard. But I speak here of optimum health; there is no universal optimum size."

 ---Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "To Young Women," Ensign, November 2005.

I have been working hard to be more healthy and to lose weight this semester. It has been hard, and I don't know how much progress I have made--but I feel better. I know that our bodies are precious gifts from our Heavenly Father, and I am very grateful for my body. By taking care of my body through exercise, eating healthy foods, and having good hygiene, I am showing appreciation for my body. We need our bodies to gain eternal life, which is possible through Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father loves his daughters in a very special way. Sometimes people say that women in the Church aren't respected or that the Church is stifling to women. It is not so. If people would read the words of the modern-day prophets and apostles, they would see how much Church leaders love and care for the women of the Church. And their love and concern is only a sampling of the love of our Heavenly Father. I have felt Heavenly Father's love for me, and I know that I am truly His spirit daughter---and that is amazing! He loves me and wants to give me so many blessings. He loves all His children, and wants them to be happy and to have eternal life with Him.

I am proud and grateful to be a woman in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!