Abi, who is serving a temple mission for the LDS church, just barley started taking the women in the scripture challenge and has started to record her thoughts on her own blog. She has written some beautiful thoughts about Sariah. Here is what she sent me about what she has learned, already, from reading the scriptures through the lens of women.
Thank you so much for the posts you have done. I’ve learned so much and it has sparked my enthusiasm and love for people in the scriptures. I’ve started with the Book of Mormon. I love studying the scriptures and finding out about the woman mentioned. I think your blog is a fantastic tool which has furthered my love for the women in the scriptures and has made me view certain woman with more love, admiration and respect. It has given me the desire to further my study.
I didn’t know much at all about Huldah before I read your blog. I very vaguely remembered reading the name in seminary but really didn’t know much about her. (Incidentally I read the name on two occasions, first in 2 Kings 22:12-20 and second in 2 Chronicles 34:22-28). Your post prompted me to read and study about her and I can now say that I have a great love and admiration for her. I love that she sought after knowledge. As I consider the role of women, as mothers in Zion I realize how vital it is that we as women seek after knowledge of all kinds.
I have been truly blessed to have a Mother who sought after knowledge. She began life by training as a nurse and as a result my brothers and I have been blessed. She was given many opportunities to apply that knowledge as we grew up – I think the incident I remember most was when my brother, trying to look in a mug to see the contents, ended up pouring a boiling hot drink down his front – the mug had been filled from the kettle moments prior to him approaching it. Mum immediately applied her nursing skills – as a result, he doesn’t have a burn scar (if he does it’s minimal!). I also remember countless phone calls from members of our ward or family members seeking medical advice, whether for burns, cuts, rashes, we have all been truly blessed by her. It’s amazing the influence one mother in Zion can have.
She has always had the desire to further her education, this she did through a degree as a mature student and I am so proud of her for the dedication she put into studying Deaf Studies, coming away with a first (A 4.0 in USA). On a spiritual level it was my Mum who got myself and my brothers to seminary, who encouraged us in our study of the scriptures. It is my Mum that I remember sitting down with me and writing talks for Primary. (My Dad did influence as well in a HUGE way but this post is about women!) I am very much aware that she learnt this desire for knowledge from her Mother, my Grandmother was also a nurse, in fact both my Grandmothers were nurses(!) and both had a huge influence on those around them. I swear my Mum’s Mum is the fount of all knowledge when it comes to plants! (Something she learnt from her Grandmother.) My Grandmother sews, a skill she has taught to my Mum, myself and several girls in her ward. I have the ability to adapt clothes to enable them to be church standard. (An ability I do need to practice more, too often asking my Mum if she can do it because she’s better than me!) Again what a major blessing! My Mum serves the young women in our ward at the moment and has offered the young women in our ward the same blessing. If they have or find any clothes they like that aren’t quite church standards she is willing to add fabric and modify them so that they can keep their standards.
It’s not just women in my family who have taught me. I have learnt so much from the women in my ward. There have been parenting lessons which I attended – even though I am not married – and I learnt so much from the experiences that were shared there and other activities in my ward and Stake which have influenced me. I am grateful for the many great examples I have around me of women seeking after knowledge.
It is never too late to seek knowledge.
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