I don't wear the pants in my family...and I certainly won't be wearing them on Sunday

Have you ever heard the term "Bet she wears the pants in that family!" I know I have. Its in reference to women who exude the notion that they are in control of their family. They are those whose make all the decisions and have all the control, while their husband and children are subservient to them. The term in my opinion creates a vision of a woman dictator; all knowing, all decision-making, strong, independent, and forceful.

Well guess what folks? I do NOT wear the pants in my family. However, neither does my husband...we actually don't even have pants (ok, we're not nudist if that is what you're thinking). Rather, one of each of our feet is tied together like in a three legged race and neither of us is getting to the finish line without each other.

For several months now, within the LDS church, a lot of headlines have been hitting the news: "Women want to attend Mormon priesthood meeting in October", "Mormon Women Face Off Over Right to Priesthood" or "Group pushes for LDS women to wear pants to church". I have respectfully read their arguments, listened to their points of view and tried to understand how they feel. I can empathize that their feelings are real for them and I hope that at some point, without contention or hurt feelings, they can come to a consensus of how to move forward and have peace. My view points do not in anyway speak for the LDS church, but I feel that our church encourages its members to stand as witness in all things and in all places...and this day in age includes standing as a witness over and throughout the media.

If you have a testimony of this gospel, you would have to know of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If you have a testimony of this gospel, you would have to know that the Savior and Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph Smith and gave him the power and direction to organize the restored gospel upon the earth. If you had a testimony of this gospel, you would have to know that Heavenly Father appointed Joseph Smith as Prophet, Seer and Revelator over the church. If you have a testimony of this gospel, you would have to know that the church does not simply shrivel up and crawl into darkness when a prophet passes away, but that the Lord appoints a new prophet to fill that void. You would also have to know that the current prophet is called of God, therefore speaks with God and receives direction from Him concerning His church and His children. If you have a testimony of this gospel, you would have to know that since our modern-day prophet is a servant and messenger for our Heavenly Father, the prophet would not tell us to do anything contrary to the will of our Heavenly Father. Doctrine & Covenants 1:38 states "Whether by mine own voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same." If you have a testimony of all of these things, then why I wonder would a group of members of the church act as those they can tempt God's hand?

I remember when The Family: A Proclamation to the World was released from the church. I was too young to understand what it really meant. But as I got older, and the words became more and more relevant to our day, I began to understand how beautiful our Heavenly Father's plan is.

“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."

“In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters . . . accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life."

“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.”

By divine design...not by some accident that Heavenly Father made and then realized it was too late to change so He would just roll with it. Men and Women are equal in the church...but equality doesn't mean they are the same. That three-legged race I mentioned earlier is seriously how I view my husband and my roles. He is not wearing "the pants", sitting back shouting orders of where to go and how fast to run and nor am I. We are running it together. We each bring separate, but important skills and we each have separate, but important responsibilities to fulfill. But neither one of our roles diminishes the importance of the others role.

Men and Women were divinely created to be DIFFERENT!!! Embrace our differences while remembering we are who we are because we were created by a loving Heavenly Father who has a greater plan for us then we could ever imagine for ourselves.