An Elect Lady

I am a student minoring in Women’s Studies so section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants really strikes a familiar chorus with my current interests. This section is a revelation from Jesus Christ to Emma, His daughter.He counsels her in various ways and many of the commands that He gives opens the mind of a woman’s role in the 1830’s.I feel that I can relate with this revelation in many ways because I too am a woman and I feel that I have a purpose to fulfill other than just take care of my family and raise children.
My first memorable encounter with this passage was at the end of my mission. I had served my Savior for about 18 months and was enjoying the spiritual environment of the Celestial Room in the Washington DC Temple. I said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to help me know what He would have me do when I arrived home and no longer had the responsibility of being a full-time missionary. Immediately after praying, I opened the scriptures to this chapter and began reading. I inserted my name in place of hers and applied it to my life. I love how Jesus Christ refers to Emma as His daughter and then as an “elect lady” I believe that phrase is special because women have a tendency to downplay themselves, and Christ’s reference to a woman in that context shows just how much He loves women and knows of their special nature and role. I found a lot of comfort in the next verse also which states, “Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me for a time to come.” This applied to me while I was on my way home because I had a lot of trials awaiting me when I arrived home. My family was experiencing various problems and I had been preserved from being around that while on my mission. I felt I could relate to Emma because she was always experiencing some kind of grief and heartache for various reasons, much of which she did not understand. Her example of strength and endurance helped me through my transition and I was able to handle the changes with much less murmur.
I find this to be applicable in everyday life also because we will never know the future. We do not have the wisdom that God has and we will never fully know what to expect. In response to that, we can either murmur and be upset, or trust in God and allow Him to guide us through the unknown journey of life. I believe that life is much more enjoyable when we choose to accept our lives for what they are and be happy despite the challenges that may seem unbearable. Emma is such a great example of female leadership in the church. She is the woman that paved the way for all female leadership in a time when female leadership roles were unheard of in not only religion, but most everything in the United States. I know that Heavenly Father placed Emma where she needed to be so that we can look up to her for the efforts that she made and the role she played in leading the women of the Lords true church.