Women in the Wilderness

Sorry, no Wednesday Woman today but instead I want to share with you what my cousin gave me for Christmas. It was this poster entitled “Daughters in the Wilderness” from the “Real Heroes” collection which has posters depicting various Book of Mormon heroes like Nephi, Ammon, Captain Moroni, Samuel the Lamanite, Mormon, etc… I think it is WONDERFUL that these women were included in a collection of heroes, because their courage, faith, and strength was equal to what many of the male Book of Mormon heroes endured. Ever since I got this poster I’ve been thinking ALOT about the 7 (at least) amazing women who traveled for over 8 years in the wilderness with Lehi and his family– Sariah, Ishmael’s wife and her five daughters, who married Zoram, Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi. The Book of Mormon tells us that these women “…suffered all things, save it were death” (1 Ne. 17: 20) including toiling while big with child, bearing children in the wilderness, starving at times and not having enough to feed their children, loosing loved ones, and many other hardships. I wonder if the reason Nephi makes a big deal about the women finally getting meat and being able to “give plenty of suck for their children” (1 Ne. 17: 2) was because before they had not been able to due to starvation or sickness. Who knows how many children these women lost in the wilderness or what other heartaches they had to endure. We also have to remember that these were women from wealthy Jerusalem families and probably weren’t use to physical labor of any sort. True, they all had their moments of murmuring and doubt when they wanted to return to Jerusalem, Sariah’s came when she thought her sons were dead and the daughters of Ishmael’s came when they lost their father. Yet despite all they suffered these women persuevered, endured to the end and as Nephi said of them, “…were strong, yea, even like unto the men.” (1 Ne. 17: 2)

These women really were heroes and the more I think about all they endured and the amount of faith they showed in the Lord, the more I admire and respect them. I’m excited to hang this poster somewhere were I’ll be able to remember them more often. I espceially love the fact that these women look so stunningly beautiful after wandering in the desert for years, being dressed in animal skins and carrying babies on their hips! Now that’s my idea of a Real Heroine!