A Good Woman Knows

Julie B. Beck once said, I have felt that there has never been a greater need for increased faith and personal righteousness. There has never been a greater need for strong families and homes. There has never been more that could be done to help others who are in need. How does one increase faith, strengthen families, and provide relief? How does a woman in our day find answers to her own questions and stand strong and immovable against incredible opposition and difficulty?

A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. Ladies we have work to do, we have responsibility and we must constantly be striving to do our very best. With personal revelation she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.

In order to receive personal revelation, we must be in a position to receive the Lord's Spirit. Qualifying for the Lord's Spirit begins with a desire for and implies a certain degree of worthiness. Keeping the commandments, repenting, and renewing covenants made at baptism and also making and keeping temple covenants.

A good woman knows she can search the scriptures to find the answers to difficult questions because the scriptures are an aid to revelation. We must read from them daily, we can receive peace, inspiration and strength.

Also, a good woman knows the greatest strength is found on our knees in daily sincere prayer. It is essential to success in dealing with the road bumps in the day to day busyness madness.  

Mothers can feel help from the Spirit even when tired, noisy children are clamoring for attention, but they can be distanced from the Spirit if they lose their temper with children. A good woman composes herself well in opposition and relies on God for guidance in unfavorable situations.  Promised personal revelation comes when we ask for it, prepare for it, and go forward in faith, trusting that it will be poured out upon us.

Attendance at Relief Society meetings also help us be blessed by the combined spiritual power of all the sisters. Women should be women and not babies that need petting and correction all the time. We all want to be appreciated but if we don't get the appreciation that we think we deserve, what matters? A good woman knows we serve unconditionally, we are serving God when we serve our families and others around us. We are here to please God not man.

The greatest good we can do to ourselves and each other is to refine and cultivate ourselves in everything that is good and ennobling to qualify us for those responsibilities.

We are doing well when we develop attributes of Christ and strive to obey His gospel with exactness. We are doing well when we seek to improve ourselves and do our best. We are doing well when we increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves.

Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the latter days will come because many of the good women of the world, they will reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different in happy ways--from the women of the world. The Lord depends on His daughters to do their part. A good woman knows that part.

Paraphrasing and quoting between Julie B. Beck's May 2010 Conference address, rearranged with my own thoughts. Read it yesterday, it has been one of my favorite motivation speeches. Wanted to share it.