God’s Beloved Daughters
The Relief Society Declaration (see my initial post here) begins with these words:
We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction.
Volumes could be written on this sentence alone–join me in exploring and pondering these eternal truths, seeking out practical applications of these words.
James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, spoke at the 1999 General Women’s Meeting where the Relief Society Declaration was introduced. President Faust had much to say about what it means to be a daughter of God and I highlighted some of my favorite parts.
” I speak this evening about what it means to be a daughter of God. The new declaration of the Relief Society begins, “We are beloved spirit daughters of God.” To be a daughter of God means that you are the offspring of Deity, literal descendants of a Divine Father, inheriting godly attributes and potential.
You sisters do not know the full extent of your influence. You sisters enrich all of humanity. All human life begins with you. Each woman brings her own separate, unique strengths to the family and the Church. Being a daughter of God means that if you seek it, you can find your true identity. You will know who you are. This will make you free—not free from restraints, but free from doubts, anxieties, or peer pressure. You will not need to worry, “Do I look all right?” “Do I sound OK?” “What do people think of me?” A conviction that you are a daughter of God gives you a feeling of comfort in your self-worth. It means that you can find strength in the balm of Christ. It will help you meet the heartaches and challenges with faith and serenity.
I wonder if you sisters can fully appreciate the innate gifts, blessings, and endowments you have simply because you are daughters of God. It is a mistake for women to think that life begins only with marriage. A woman can and must have an identity and feel useful, valued, and needed whether she is single or married. She must feel that she can do something for someone else that no one else ever born can do.
Since the beginning of this dispensation, the many contributions of the sisters to this holy cause have been truly magnificent. I witness and testify to you sisters that never in the history of the world has there been a greater need for your righteousness, your example, and your good works to move forward this holy work than now.
My beloved sisters, I pray that the divine gifts in each of you may fully flower. May your rich womanly endowments of spiritual strength, goodness, tenderness, mercy, and kindness find full expression. This will happen as you serve the Lord, your families, and your fellow beings. ” emphasis mine
The Relief Society General Presidency published an excerpt from a letter in the March 2000 Ensign, describing the effects the Declaration has had in such a short period of time:
“I read the Declaration often, and it speaks to the tender places in my heart. What a blessing to have such a personal guide for us as women. I have found myself repeating out loud the phrase that I am a ‘beloved spirit [daughter] of God’ whose life has ‘meaning, purpose, and direction.’ Those words alone have given me energy and courage.”
They also quoted the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley from a 1996 Sunday Morning Conference talk he gave “Women of the Church”
“Each of you is a daughter of God, endowed with a divine birthright. … I bear testimony before the entire world of your worth, of your grace and goodness, of your remarkable abilities and tremendous contributions”
Here are some of my questions as I pondered. Your thoughts?
~Do you truly see yourself as a beloved daughter of God?
~How do you internalize divine truths? When does the intellectual acceptance give way to the Spirit’s witness and empowerment?
~Have you achieved the freedom that President Faust speaks of, even to a small degree?
~Like the nameless sister above, can you name what does this sentence does for you?
June 4th, 2006 06:37
It’s funny, I do *see* myself as a beloved daughter of God, but in my earthly imperfection and weakness, all too often I sulk myself out of *feeling* like a beloved daugher of God. This will help. As the unnamed sister said that she repeated it to herself, so will I.
I was given a copy of the RSD what feels like two liftemines ago, if you catch my drift. I’m so grateful fo rthis study that you’re doing, Téa. So, I, myself, do not have much to share in what I’ve done on this score, but I know what tastes good to me spiritually, and this does.
When I was out of the church for those years, the RSD did stick with me in a way. Every year, I drafted my “statements” for the year, worded much like this. Think of them as a cross between an affirmation and a list of resolutions. The last two years, I even typeset them nicely and made a kind of poster out of them. My statements, while mine and unique to me contained little to none of the eternal ring of truth I hear and feel in this.
We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction.
That essential truth right there, if we truly grasp it, is a light that can dispel any darkness of the heart that we may feel, and I am going to work on making that so in my heart. What is it that we are so often told we lack in modern society? “meaning, purpose, and direction.” We have what we seek; we are what we seek. That’s profound truth that undercuts one of Satan’s most potent tools in the hearts of women.
That’s a lot to ponder. Thanks again.
June 4th, 2006 17:09
I love this review of the Declaration that you are doing!
With voices swirling around us, emphasizing the superficial and the temporal as (false) sources of identity, it’s so empowering to have the reminder of the eternal truths of who we are! And, I need to remember these truths when my own inner voices hiss that I’m not worth much. I’m convinced that the adversary will do whatever he can to make us forget who we are!
When I truly understand the doctrine that I am a beloved daughter of God, I am kept free from many traps the adversary wants to set for me. What a simple truth that can mean so much! Reading through this post makes me realize that I need to hold onto that truth even more deeply, more intensely. I also need to remember the divine parentage of those around me…to remember God’s love for them. Perhaps if I really remembered that more often, I would want to be more kind, patient and loving. (Makes me think of that C.S. Lewis quote that I’m too lazy to look up right now…the one about being in the presence of kings and queens….)
June 5th, 2006 10:31
I added a link to the RSD in the ‘resources’ section of the sidebar. That way, whenever any of us needs a quick reminder, it’s just a click away!
:)
September 19th, 2006 21:29
Thank you for these insights. I keep the declaration on my office bulletin board, but I don’t read it enough. I’ll do that again tonight.
September 20th, 2006 13:19
Thanks Alison, I look forward to reading your thoughts on the declaration later.