RS video

[Anonymous]

I don’t do facebook and found this link on the Mormonland page. I do like it because it makes the sisters more human or real. The stats:

Quote:

Of the 10 women in the general Relief Society presidency and board

Six have experienced financial problems

Four have experienced infertility

Six have family who identify as LGBT+

Nine have family with addictions

Two are battling chronic illness

Two have experienced divorce

One is a stepmom

Seven have had loved ones incarcerated

One has experienced death of a spouse

All have been affected by depression or anxiety

Eight have lived internationally

Four are stay-at-home moms

Nine are community leaders

Four hold a graduate degree

Nine work outside the home

Yes, I could probably question a couple of them (How many of the nine are porn addictions that aren’t really addictions and what exactly are financial problems?) but overall I think it’s a great effort. Now can we get similar stats on at least the Q15? (Perhaps substitute “have been unemployed” for stay-at-home.) I think the Seventy might offer more such diversity but there are so many more of them.

https://www.facebook.com/RS2ndCounselor/videos/2155833674512560/” class=”bbcode_url”>https://www.facebook.com/RS2ndCounselor/videos/2155833674512560/

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I’d read about it, but not seen it.

It’s a big step for our church. I hope it’s the beginning of a watershed. More pants, more “we are more alike than different”, more relaxed. Again – big step.

And yes I could get nick picky but I won’t. I want the good to grow.

[Anonymous]

I do think there has been a fairly consistent theme within the church of “only showing the nice parts” of our lives and this is fueling perfectionism (assuming others are close to it). Facebook and other social media are amplifying this.

But as a devout Brene Brown follower, I believe being upfront and honest (and with humility and without shame) are the best ways to make a human connection.

Mom is nice enough not to point out any negatives, but I am in just too much of a cantankerous mood I can’t help point out that it doesn’t mention how many have close family that have left the church (and I seem to remember one of the Gen RS Presidency has one son that even spoke on Mormon Stories that he is out, but maybe that was the previous Gen RS Presidency).

But there is a bit of risk with doing some of this. I remember just in the last week reading/hearing on a podcast where a woman was really bitter that she had been told her education was not important. She married early, didn’t finish college, had lots of kids, and really felt like she had not done most of what she wanted in her life. Then she looked at the Q15 and realized that few of the wives of the Q15 checked all the boxes she felt were “required” (they had fewer kids, advanced degrees, life lone careers). She felt really bitter about that.

But this is a really good thing.

[Anonymous]

LookingHard wrote:

But there is a bit of risk with doing some of this. I remember just in the last week reading/hearing on a podcast where a woman was really bitter that she had been told her education was not important. She married early, didn’t finish college, had lots of kids, and really felt like she had not done most of what she wanted in her life. Then she looked at the Q15 and realized that few of the wives of the Q15 checked all the boxes she felt were “required” (they had fewer kids, advanced degrees, life lone careers). She felt really bitter about that.

But this is a really good thing.

When the church has setup a cultural expectation that if you follow, believe in and sacrifice the way that the leaders teach that the Lord asks, you will be happy and your problems solved, answers given and life improved to where one day you will be as happy and live as long as the apostles, prophets and other leaders. When this cultural expectation becomes a standard of living and as members we find ourselves not receiving the same results as the miracle stories taught over the pulpit suggest, the dismissal of “have more faith”, or “wait longer” or “ask God what you’re doing wrong/lack” becomes toxic and yet we are taught to accept that as the reality of the plan. This was my experience. To live the way God wanted me to, i had to follow verbatim what the prophets and apostles taught.

My issue is, despite all claims of this church being God’s church, and revelation coming from him, we sure have a cultural attitude of “follow the prophet” to the point where as you said, we compare our lives to that of these leaders and wonder what we are personally doing wrong. We assume they are happy, and are living life perfectly. It’s harmful, toxic and disgusting. And so im glad when occasionally the church tries to open up and show that maybe some of these leaders are not as perfect and ready to meet God as we think they are.

[Anonymous]

I am very happy for the diversity of life experience that we see on this RS presidency and board. I believe that diversity tends to make for better decisions overall because it can act as a counter balance to the blind spot of group think.

I am also pleased that they are promoting some of the challenges these women have faced to help random members understand that they are not failing when they encounter similar difficulties.

DarkJedi wrote:

Nine work outside the home

We have certainly come a long way from SWK teaching that Mothers need to stay in the home.

[Author]

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