Mysterious Questions

I just woke up with these questions on my mind and I knew I wasn't just supposed to ask them myself, I was supposed to share them with others. (Not the answers, just the series of questions). These aren't simple questions that will produce simple answers. These are the type of questions designed to ignite a whole conversation with the Divine.  These are the type of questions that if reflected upon will produce an outcome that will set one on a path for total personal transformation.

I've discovered that all my personal revelations were a result of asking a question.

I've found that if I ask a question of the Lord, I must be willing to and prepared to receive answers with my spiritual eyes and my spiritual ears.  I must be willing to have my mind remolded and my heart softened.

I've also found that the right questions will call forth the mysteries of the kingdom in my behalf and will require my diligence and effort to remain faithful to what has been revealed.  Some questions I have to be willing to admit  may not ready to know.

Note:  All of your own questions, you are ready to know or you wouldn't ask them.  So there is a caveat to pondering on someone else's questions, do it with wisdom.

Other questions may trigger off a whole series of other questions that you will be required to ask before the initial question is revealed.

Nonetheless, asking, preparing, listening and acting are requirements of disciples of Jesus Christ.  Learning to hear the Shepherd's voice is a requirement for His sheep.

The following questions are were specifically given to me as a result of me asking to know more about women and the priesthood.  That's right, sometimes or should I say most of the time the Lord responds to our inquiries with a list of new questions.  I guess this is the case with this latest stream of questions.

I have found that taking the time to journal the responses will open up the heavens and poor down the answers my soul is seeking.  The angels rejoice when we ask.  The Spirit longs to pour out the blessings as soon as we are ready to receive them.  I have found that the greatest blessings have been a result of asking the right questions and being ready to listen.

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What priesthood power have I already been given but do not understand or I am not using?

What virtues am I still lacking to qualify me to receive the fullness of my priesthood ordinances?

How can I better support my husband in his priesthood role?

How can I encourage the men in my life to increase their priesthood power?

What will it take for me to become one with God?

What spiritual gifts have I already recognized in myself?

What spiritual gifts lie dormant in me, ready to awaken as soon as I am sufficiently prepared?

What am I allowing to distract me from accessing further light and knowledge?

What divine feminine gifts am I already ordained to magnify?

What can I do in my home to increase the flow of the Holy Spirit?

How can I effectively invite others to come unto Christ?

What do I still need to understand about the priesthood?

What spiritual gifts do I already posses that can be magnified through the priesthood covenants and ordinances?

What weaknesses in me am I avoiding, ignoring or resisting to know about?

Am I prepared or preparing to receive further light and knowledge?

Am I faithfully and frequently asking for further light and knowledge?

What divine feminine attributes am I not acknowledging?

What is required to increase my ability to receive more personal revelation?

Am I fully using the priesthood that has already been given me?

How can I best use my spiritual gifts to combine with my husband to call forth the blessing of heaven in our home?

What is the Spirit willing and able to teach me about my Heavenly Mother?

What past experiences and events and people am I still needing to forgive?

What aspect of the Savior am I ready to learn?

How to Unfold the Mysteries

King Benjamin invited his people to gather as families, including wives and children, to hear his words.  And though he referred to them as "brethren" we assume he is talking to the whole congregation.  He told them to open their ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.  (Mosiah 2:9)

There is a clause to seeking the mysteries of God.  Alma gives a warning saying, It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. (Alma 12:9)

(Women have expected to receive the scriptures delivered in the masculine.  For the remainder of this blog, I take the liberty to write scripture giving preference to the feminine)

Alma also gives us great insight on what portion of the mysteries we can receive and how to receive the greatest portion.  He says, She that will harden her heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and she that will not harden her heart, to her is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto her to know the mysteries of God until she know them in full. (Alma 12:10)

LDS men and women who have received their endowments have greater access to the mysteries through their priesthood ordinances.  (D&C 84:19-22)  And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.  Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto women in the flesh; for without this no woman can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

In all four gospels the common scripture throughout is the direct instruction, invitation and plead to ASK!  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  (Matt 7:7, D&C 4:7 etc.)

So we are told to prepare our spiritual ears and eyes and mind, to trust that the mysteries will be unfolded to us if our heart is pure, and because we are endowed with the holy priesthood we will receive even more, then we are encouraged to ASK!!!!

This is the divine pattern to receive revelation regarding the questions in our heart.  Elder Q.L. Cook boldly reminded us that God spoke to Moses anciently, He spoke to Joseph Smith, and he will speak to us. (Gen. Conf. 10/13).

Is God speaking to you?

Are you following the pattern?

Are you sufficiently calling forth revelation in your life?

Are you seeking the mysteries?

Did you ever consider that the revelations given through our prophet and leaders are contingent on the worthiness and readiness of the main body of Saints?

Sometimes the problem we have is that we are seeking revelation from the prophet.  We are not asked to ask the prophet.  We are seeking to know the will of God directly.  It will never conflict with the modern revelation of the prophet, but  that which you have been given you must realize you will be given according to how well you keep it to yourself until the appropriate time is revealed to you.  These leaders are under the same obligation.

Can you guess how the main body of saints can call forth further light and knowledge?

Yep, by individual members being prepared to hear the mysteries, the prophet will be able to reveal more. Therefore, it becomes our obligation to stop fighting against Zion when we have learned a thing or two. What good does it do the Lord to reveal the mysteries only to create more division in Zion?  This is one of the reasons why the prophet is the only authority to reveal new revelation to the church.

If you keep the pattern of divine revelation, you are denied the mysteries only to the extent that you refuse to keep the laws of heaven.  The Lord knows you.  If your ego expands because you delight in sharing some unknown mystery, the Lord will keep it from you until your heart is pure and you are humble enough to keep it quiet until the time is right. This is more for your protection than His.  Just ask someone who has attempted to share something before its time.

The reason I encourage you to follow the pattern of revelation and to seek the mysteries is because women are not greedy with what they know.  They naturally want to share it with everyone and will do whatever it takes to teach and expound their wisdom. When you have sufficiently opened the conduit of revelation for yourself, you will naturally invite others to do the same and the ripple will flow out and the heavens will open and we will all be permitted to speak those things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard. (1 Cor 2:9)

Women and the Priesthood

You can feel the swelling motions of women rising.  Exciting, Uncomfortable, Relieving, and at times Unnerving.

Some of us are rising gently and calmly, not even knowing what these feelings are that are stirring us to action.  

Some of us resist the call, wanting to bask in comfort and security, but our convictions are compelling us to push forward.  

Some of us rise with passion and confidence ready to blaze a trail for our sisters to follow.  

Some of us can't help our curiosity to hear the views of others, we claim we are not participating, but our judgments and opinions reveal otherwise.

I hear the voices of women calling for something more because we feel something is missing and we long to be whole.  

Is the the Priesthood that is calling to us?  

I say, indeed, it is.  

We don't know what it looks like.   We aren't sure how it fits.  We want to please our Savior and do as He would do.  We are fallen, our dark glass is evident, we just know there is more.

We are called prideful, selfish, distracted, and misled.  But as we analyze our self, yet again as women do, and seek to know God's will, we are shown that though there are times we are prideful, selfish, distracted and misled, our true intention is to access that power that seems to have been denied women for generations, even from the beginning of time.  

It is difficult to differentiate what are the traditional roles of men and women and what really is our divine role in the eternal plan of our Eternal Father? It is cloudy to us here on earth. We don't long to be more than what is in the grand plan, we long to be rightly positioned.  We look at past errors in the history of the church and we wonder if something has been overlooked. Because of the past oppression of women we are suspicious about what still remains hidden regarding our true identity.  Because it has only been within the last year that the church has been blessed to hear the voice of women praying during General Conference we wonder what else has been overlooked?

We don't mean to be rebellious, but we long for someone in authority to define it for us. After all the earnest, guided, thoughtful and prayerful attempts by sensitive leaders, many are still left wanting, searching, longing for clarity about what rights we have to open the windows of heaven and call forth the precious power we know is ours and we know our Eternal Father longs for us to use.

An accusatory tone has been placed upon Eve since the Old Testament was conceived.  We are grateful for modern day revelation that elevates our dear prophetess and reveals her action in the garden as an act of self sacrifice and wisdom, not weakness and sin.  Paul reveals his view of the traditional role of women in the church, to be silent, when our present day prophets are counseling those in authority to seek the wisdom of women. It seems that since Eve first recognized Satan in the Garden and revealed his identity, Satan has had it out for her ever since.

It is my belief that the true role of women will be the final weapon against the Adversary in these end times. He is making every attempt to distort her identity because he is panicked.  But steady and sure are the voices we hear that are calling us to arise, prepare and receive the power and gifts that have been and always will be the inheritance of the daughters of God.  

This blog is my attempt to join with my sisters is sounding the clarion call to wake up and take our place, the time is at hand and we will not be denied.  This power we seek will be found in our covenants.  This power will increase as we make the effort to become a Zion people, which requires unity in all things.  We must not participate in creating division and discord or we have been deceived.  

As we step forward with an eye single to the glory of God, in the absence of self-promotion or worldly trends we must trust in an all loving and all wise Eternal Father and Mother who will bestow upon us all that has been promised.

For any confusion about where I stand about women and the priesthood, please see my blog "My Stand on the Priesthood" before assuming I affiliate with other feminist groups.