Hello Bloggernacle! This is my first blog post here at CheekyMormon.com. Can’t wait to meet all of you. Shall we start?
General Conference is near and you can certainly feel it. You know, like every year the usual rumors that a big announcement will take place hit the web and spread like hot fire. This April though, the expectation doesn’t seem to be focus on whether or not the Church will move from the usual 3 hours Sunday meetings to 1 hour (Oh well). The question this year seems to be:
Will a Sister for the first time in the history of the Church pray in General Conference? The All Enlisted group (the organization behind Wear Pants to Church Day) is asking people all around the world to submit letters to the Church requesting that a woman pray in Conference this coming April.
For me this whole thing is quite crazy (not the request) but the fact that we are actually questioning or wondering whether or not women should pray in Conference. Really? I didn’t know we were THIS bad.
Some members said “Priesthood holders have always pray in Conference” as if this was a job reserved only to men who hold the Priesthood. Others have said “Priesthood authority presides over Conference” but the same is said about Sacrament meeting and it certainly doesn’t stop Sisters from praying in behalf of the congregation (I know”¦one day we can have the whole discussion about some wards not letting Sisters offer the benediction or ask them to be the last speaker).
I wonder though, if the prayers of Priesthood holders are somewhat more special, what makes their prayers more powerful or more important than the prayer of a regular Sister?. Or is it that God uses some sort of a caste system like in India but with prayers?:
Nope, I don’t think so. We all know that God listens to the prayers of everyone and no prayer and no person is more important or has more worth than another in the eyes of Him. He loves each one of us equally so what exactly is the big deal then? Let me think”¦.*smoke coming out from CheekyMormon’s little brain*
Oh”¦.I think I know”¦.I think the brethren are concerned about the length of the prayer if a woman is chosen to pray in Conference. Can you imagine? We (women) already have the reputation of talking too much (and nagging but we are smart, we know who we should be nagging) so they figure if the Church finally decides to give the women in the Church a chance to pray they will give at least a 20 minute prayer and by the time they are done”¦oh man”¦everybody will be asleep…
But a wonderful sight, don’t you think?: A beautiful daughter of God, for the first time ever in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, offering a sincere, heartfelt, humble prayer in behalf of 14 million people worldwide, in behalf of YOU and ME”¦ asking for God’s mercy upon ALL of us”¦no matter where we are, no matter our circumstances…
Why would CheekyMormon like to see a woman pray in General Conference?
1. Because breaking tradition is not a sin.
2. Because some sisters really wish to be part of such a simple yet sacred experience.
3. Because God listens to the faithful prayer of ALL his children, regardless of Priesthood authority.
4. Because there is no doctrine or policy that says they can’t.
5. Because heck, it’s time already!
I really enjoyed this post I had heard about this issue, but was sort of on the fence about it. I mean it didn’t really seem like a big deal to me either way. But you made some good points that changed my mind.
My favorite line was the one about being the voice in prayer for such a large group. I loved that because that is how I see prayer. When I pray in Sacrament Meeting, I think, it is an honor to be the voice of all that faith combined. And imagine praying in General Conference, you could almost move a mountain! Well, not unless there was a good reason, but you know what I mean. I would be awed by the opportunity.
I also really liked what you said, about the priority level of prayers.