Am I the Woman?

“Am I the woman I think I am, the woman I want to be? More importantly, am I the woman the Savior needs me to be?” (Sheri Dew, ‘Are You the Woman I Think You Are?’)

Lately, I have been intrigued by this question of self reflection. There are many facets to it and ultimately, I find myself wondering if I even know who I want to be. It doesn’t take me long to realize that Yes, I firmly know who I want to be. 

I want to be a woman firmly rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, leading others to Him.

In a recent leadership session of Stake Conference, a member of my Stake Presidency taught about the principle of Process Goals versus Outcome Goals. For whatever reason, that really took hold of my thoughts. And I have continued to think about my goals in that context. The Outcome Goals are important, they help us have the end in mind. But, the Process Goals are what help us reach the end. They are the things we do every single day, the line upon line. Those little things that we often wonder if they matter at all or why we have to do them? They do.

In my conversations with today’s youth, I frequently hear a comment similar to this, “I’m so tired of hearing the same lessons over and over again. I get it. Can’t we do something different?” I really do get it. The repetition can get boring sometimes and it’s easy to tune out when we feel like it’s something we’ve heard a hundred times before. But, there is a reason we continue to be taught the same principles. 

First, we all need reminders. Our human minds can only hold so much information, they’re not limitless. And they have become adept at prioritizing information that is needed for the things that are right in front of us. If our day to day is focused on things like grocery shopping, homework, or get togethers, it becomes easy to see how we can set aside the outcome goals for a time. But, those reminders come along and can help us refocus on what is eternally important.

Second, those principles we are called to remember are the same things that give us a sense of unity with other members of the church. With so many different personalities, spiritual gifts, talents, interests, life circumstances and ethnic backgrounds – it can be difficult to find obvious common ground. But, when we focus on the principles of the gospel, we discover the ways we can join together without leaving anyone out.

Third, and most important, those repeated principles are where we find the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are so many voices and experts in the world calling us to explore new paths for learning and exploring this vast universe. And while so many of these are good, they can still take our focus away from the foundational and eternal principles taught by our Savior. It is His principles upon which we will be judged and therefore, continuously being reminded of them gives us a greater chance of staying on His covenant path.

Returning to the original questions posed by Sister Sheri Dew, am I the woman the Savior needs me to be? Am I consistently focusing on the simple principles of His gospel? That is who He needs me to be. And once I become that woman, He expects me to help others on their journey to become that person.

“He needs us today. He needs us to speak up for what is right, even when doing so is unpopular…He delights in women who keep their covenants with precision, women who reverence the power of the priesthood, women who are willing to “lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better” (D&C 25:10).”

Sheri Dew

Thank you for being those women. For helping others as they strive to be the women the Savior needs us to be.

Beautiful Artwork by Hayley McBride

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