I read the most recent article by President Thomas Monson today about Faith and Prayer. I was touched by many of the faith promoting, scriptural examples he shares in this article and have written about it on another post.
Near the conclusion of this article, however, I read about how he (President Monson) received the gift of prophecy while serving as a mission president. He promised a young missionary that if he served faithfully his father would become a believer and be baptized into the gospel. The young elder then, in President Monson’s words “worked as if everything depended on him and prayed as if everything depended on the Lord.” The missionaries father was baptized a week before he came home from his mission.
This experience caused me to reflect on an experience I had while serving as a young missionary. When I was on my mission, we would meet with our mission president’s wife as well as our president. During one of our meetings, I expressed my concern for my younger brother, who was struggling spiritually at that time. I wanted to help him, but didn’t know what to do. It was amazing as my mission president’s wife had the spirit of prophecy come over her and she promised me in the name of Jesus that if I worked and prayed hard each day of my mission, my brother would not only overcome his struggles, but he would also serve a mission. I worked and prayed hard each day for my brother and the Lord heard my prayers. Two weeks before I came home I received a letter that he was going on a mission to the same country I had been serving in. There’s no doubt in my mind she was inspired by God to prophesy.
This experience led me to wonder about a few things within the LDS church. First, the culture of the church is such that men hold the priesthood (for those not familiar with this term it is commonly used in the LDS church as the authority to act in God’s name). As such, the youth meet with the bishops and other leaders of the church but do not have the opportunity to meet with sisters. I firmly believe that God’s gifts of prophecy are not soley for men. However, due to the culture of the LDS church being led by men, women rarely get to participate.
The second question I had as I reflected was one that my sister (who isn’t familiar with LDS practice) asked. She asked me why women couldn’t participate in blessing our new baby. I honestly didn’t know how to answer her because I know that women used to be able to participate in blessing their children (for more information on this, read Women, Anointing the Sick and Laying on of Hands).
I see nothing wrong with women participating in blessings, prophecyings, laying on of hands, etc. within their callings and jurisdictions. For example, one of the most sacred callings is that of father and mother. If a father and mother participate in using the priesthood to bless their children, is there something wrong with that? Also, if a mother feels inspired to prophecy to her child, or if she has a church calling is it fair to say she can prophecy for the people over whom she’s called to serve?
I personally feel that we could benefit by having the sisters more fully participate in priesthood opportunities within the church, but for some reason they don’t as they once did. I’d be interested to hear how the LDS sisters feel about this. Maybe they’re fine with it and I shouldn’t worry about it. All I know is that one of the most powerful prophecies of my life came to me from an inspired LDS sister.
Grace for Grace 
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March 6, 2009 at 5:40 am
Ezra
In the Book of Judges, Deborah is counted as a prophetess. This is really outstanding, since women are not commended to the work of prophet. I am convinced that God called her to this office to illustrate how the men were not being responsible to the task of proclaiming the word. The commander was afraid to go into battle and wouldn’t unless Deborah go with them. In reply, Deborah prophecied that the victory would belong to a woman; as you recall, the death of the rival commander came when a woman drove a tent peg through the head of the sleeping general.
Biblical, conservative Christian churches view Deborah as an exception to the rule: again, to illustrate how ungodly the population had become. Liberal churches have embraced women pastors simply because they refuse to let Scripture dictate to them (as does Paul in his epistles).
I predict that the LDS will allow more participation within ten years. It will come with increasing pressure for participation. A revelation will be made and the rest will be history.
FWIW, the original quote,
“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you,”
is from St. Augustine of Hippo, who lived in the fourth century.
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March 6, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Stan Peel
With all this hoopla over women participating in LDS prophecy arena, I noted one rather amusing fact.
Nobody seems to know the difference between prophecy and prophesy.
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March 6, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Katie Langston
It is my understanding that women have every right to access spiritual gifts of prophecy, healing, revelation, etc. as men do. I don’t know why it’s not cultivated more on an institutional level. Fear? Convention?
I’ve heard of women laying hands on their children and husbands and blessing them in the name of the Savior. I think that’s definitely within the bounds of LDS teaching, though may be frowned upon within the larger Mormon culture.
Good questions. Would be interested to hear the thoughts of others who are more versed than I am…
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July 18, 2009 at 11:29 am
Eileen H
I truly believe that a woman has this power as well. My son is special needs. I have often held him calling upon the Holy Spirit to help him, protect him, teach him. Do I think it is heard as swiftly and as surely as though he was receiving a priesthood blessing? ABSOLUTELY.
Or maybe with an ill parent, a teenager struggling with bad influences, a husband dying of cancer.
Our roles are the same, yet our tasks and how to achieve success in those roles are different. For myself I am a single parent many tasks that would be a man’s fall to me. Have I called upon the Priesthood to bless my son?- you bet. (AND IT HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY)
When we are in Church and someone is receiving a blessing, as women do we not bow our heads with the same reverence in participation?
Many have asked me about why I joined the Church, numerous times commenting on this very topic. Personally I have never felt that the Church holds me back as a woman.
To be honest, as a single parent and without sounding ungrateful in any way. I have enough on my plate.
I remember in the Catholic Church when they first allowed women to give communion. There are many today who will not go into that line for communion. I guess I shouldn’t even go there because ……, but
I have not even begun to understand all the differences, all the doctrines, but I am much clearer about my role and woman and mother since joining the Church than ANY other time in my life.
I have a friend and very good friend really struggling right now. I had the thought that she receive a Blessing (and she has had them) but I wonder if it could not be strengthened by all of us surrounding her and laying our hands on her in prayer- a group of Priesthood holders and special friends. So its interesting that I am reading this this particular morning. I already placed a call to ask about that.
Anyway sorry to talk so long.
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March 11, 2009 at 1:56 am
DougT
Deborah wasn’t called to be the President of the Church, she just had prophecy, which we are all entitled to receive.
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March 11, 2009 at 1:50 pm
ht
It super important to know that in 1 Corinthians 12 it talks about gifts of the Spirit. That is the Holy Spirit they are referring to. He gives His gifts out. There is not a separate spirit of prophecy. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit. I just wanted make sure people weren’t gonna be grateful for some random spirit named prophecy.
There is a difference. The Holy Spirit owns all the gifts:
1 Cor. 12:4, 8-10
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:”
I think the LDS church will be soon send out a prophecy about women in the priesthood also. It is inevitable. They already act in the priesthood in the temple and it is about time for some doctrinal change.
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March 12, 2009 at 6:02 am
ama49
HT
Great point on where the gifts of the Spirit come from. I agree with you…and who knows maybe they will come out with something for the ladies!
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July 18, 2009 at 11:31 am
Eileen H
Just another quick note. Growing up outside the LDS Church in the Other church, I had always thought that women were viewed as the temptress, the bad part, but I feel differently about it today from all I have learned in Church.
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July 21, 2009 at 5:22 am
ama49
Eileen,
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I too find it very interesting how the LDS Churchs’ view on the original sin actually praises women whereas the traditional Christian view condemns women and views women in a lesser light due to Eve taking the apple, etc.
Women play and have played a major role in shaping the LDS church and they do hold the priesthood as others have discussed and practice this in the temple.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I’m glad the Church is helping you.
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June 22, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Jessica
We women are entitled to the gift of personal revelation. Would that be prophecy? I think that it would be wonderful to hold the priesthood, but I don’t care if it ever happens, as my husband holds the priesthood and he exercises it on my behalf. But it they ever do give the priesthood to women, I will be first in line. Until that time, I will follow the brethern, and my priesthood leaders and I won’t go astray. Yes God is in charge, always was, always will be. If He chooses not to change the rules that is not for me to question him.
I don’t feel less than my husband because I haven’t been ordained. He and I are one flesh, so in that respect I do have the priesthood. I have received personal revelation with regard to my daughter when I thought that she would not live to raise her children. I was told that she would, and she did. She saw her son go on a mission and then come home, and she saw her daugter married in the holy Temple. LDS women are the most blessed of all women of all the women in the world..
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June 22, 2011 at 7:59 pm
ama49
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for stopping by. It’s been a couple years since I visited this post.
I appreciate your humble attitude and testimony. I don’t think I would be as humble or accepting as you are if I were a woman.
Personally, I’m not sure that it is God who is making the rules with women not being able to participate as much as it is tradition….similar to the blacks holding the priesthood. I think that was just some biases of some of the apostles at the time.
I could be wrong though and don’t spend too much time worrying about it.
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October 18, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Women can be Prophets « Grace for Grace
[…] in a leadership position that prophesied to me. She was my mission president’s wife. I wrote about it a few years ago, but the short story is that she prophesied to me that if I worked as hard as I could each day of […]
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