What does the Lord teach that it means to be a man or a woman?

Readings:

Elder Richard G. Scott, Finding Happiness (exerpts) (BYU Campus Education Wee, 19 August 1997)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, The Moral Force of Women (General Conference, October 2013

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Brethren We Have A Work To Do & Let Us Be Men (excerpts) (General Conference, October 2006 & 2012)

What does the Lord teach that it means to be a man/woman?

I appreciated the comments made by Elder Scott and Elder Christofferson. I found the distinction between men and women. Each of us brings certain aspects to a marriage and family.

According to these readings men are to be providers and strong priesthood holders and when are to be nurturers and teachers of the children. The things I gathered most here were that each husband and wife is different. We have our strengths and our weaknesses but we are to come and work together to create a unified oneness. We need to help each other by building up each others strengthens and not focusing so much on each others weaknesses. Each man and each woman has great things to bring to a marriage and we need to appreciate those things no matter what they are not try to be as the world wants us to be. Each competing with one another to see who can have more power or control within the marriage or family unit!

I appreciated Elder Scott sharing his dream. That was a very personal thing that happened to him and yet he prayerfully considered the impact it might have in teaching others of the concept of how satan works on each of us. I haven’t had such an experience and I think it would affect each of us differently but reading it I can feel the despair that is in everything Satan has to offer. We need to not give in to those thoughts and feelings because we already KNOW the falsehood to those things. All that brings sadness and frustration and anger is of him who is satan. But all that is happy and good and joyful is of Christ, our Savior, as well as of our Heavenly Father. That’s all it takes for me to know what I need to do. If I get depressed I know satan can work more easily on me and I have to do all I can to change that mood/feeling.

Elder Christofferson helped show the distinct differences between men and woman. One thing he stated was, “A woman’s moral influence is nowhere more powerfully felt or more beneficially employed than in the home.” I loved that because it helps me, as a stay-at-home mother know that I am where I need to be. But that’s how I feel in my situation. I don’t think this belittles other woman who are mothers and yet work outside the home. I feel this is just helping mothers understand the importance of the work inside the home as well. As he also pointed out that in the world many are influencing woman to not worry about and be as concerned with the home and family. The world emphasizes the role of a woman in the workplace as being more important than that of a mother. That’s where we need to be careful. Some may chose to work outside the home because of skills and education received but that should not diminish the responsibilities in the home, especially if you are blessed to have a family.