Why the Mormon Church Needs Michelle Obama: You Hear “Vote Hillary,” I Hear Church Reform

From the plains of Ohio to our country’s founding city of Philadelphia, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions have put on one hell of a show for America. But — although I will be referencing a speech from the DNC, I’m not here to talk politics today.

When Michelle Obama addressed those convened in Philadelphia, she delivered a flawless speech in support of Hillary Clinton and why “She’s with Her.” Yet, as she remarked on Hillary’s qualities and qualifications for presidency I found her words taking me in another direction.

Michelle spoke of the glass ceilings Hillary has shattered, continues to thrust forward against and how many young girls across America may be taking the fact that a woman can even run for President for granted. But the more I listened the more I thought of the many glass ceilings that exist for women within my more immediate community, the Mormon Church.

Her reasoning presented in support of Hillary was reminiscent of a conversation I had with my mom, at the beginning of the summer, about what I believe the steps a female positive church reform would look like. Leading me to the only reasonable conclusion that I must now convert Michelle Obama to the Church so she can help me be a voice for change within our culture.

Unfortunately, for the time being, unless I receive a temporary mission call to the White House, my prospects of spreading the good message to Michelle is slim. So using her speech from the DNC I’m going to take a crack at breaking down the glass ceilings that exist for women in Mormonism.

To start off I think that Michelle Obama’s national presence is one that every young girl can look up to in admiration. They say you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, but her cover is nothing short of radiating intelligence, beauty and grace. Then once you get into what she has been fighting for throughout these past eight years her true colors come out. I think that Michelle Obama represents the type of woman that I would like to see heading up reforms for the church because of her tireless dedication to her husband and most importantly her daughters.

Motherhood within the church is viewed as the highest calling for women. Spencer Kimball stated, “It is important for you Latter-day Saint women to understand that the Lord holds motherhood and mothers sacred and in the highest esteem.” Just as Michelle stood before America as a spokeswoman for her family and for families across our country I believe that reform for women in the church must come from mothers. Mothers do you not wish the best for your daughters?

We live in an unprecedented era in terms of opportunity, especially for girls. If mothers truly have the greatest influence on their children, as N. Eldon Tanner says, and the goal is to leave something better for your kids, as Michelle says, then shouldn’t all women wish to expand the opportunities and perceptions of women within the church?

I am not writing to propose an extreme restructuring of the church or in support of the Ordain Women movement. What I wish to point out is that I, already, as a twenty year old women and member of the church wish for a better culture around women for myself and younger sisters.

I do not want young girls to feel as I did in the early years of Young Womens. Feeling that there was only one role in life for me to fulfill and anything else would be meaningless. I want every girl to realize that no matter what she does, if she keeps a clean heart and open mind she will be great in the eyes of God. Most importantly, that there is no shame in her womanhood.

Looking at the large and powerful institution that the Mormon Church is today, I do not see these changes becoming a reality unless mothers join together to demand that their daughters not only live the Young Women values they recite each week at church, but that every member, every man, takes a step back and realizes what beautiful potential exists within each girl and woman in the church because of these values.

Sheree Den reminds us that, “few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us.” My own mother has been a tremendous support for me throughout my life. I would not be the woman I am becoming today if it were not for her patience, love, and encouragement. However, being a woman in the church is not without trials and I envision a network of feminine support to help each girl realize her God given potential. We are a world wide church of millions of members, a substantial proportion of which is women, and in case we have forgotten, Michelle has reminded us that it takes a village to raise a child. So with our village of female members I hope we can raise each girl to be her best and feel her God’s love for her through the actions of those on earth.

Sometimes as a girl in the church, especially as someone who does not see eye to eye with every aspect of church culture or doctrine, it is difficult to see or hear some of the messages that are put out there in the world by members of the church when talking about women. Michelle reminds her daughters and the children of this country to pay no mind to the hateful language by those on t.v. because it does not represent the spirit of this country. Women of the church need to come together and remind their daughters, granddaughters, nieces and friends that we do not have to listen to unkind words or attempts at erasure of our qualities from men within the church. For if the true spirit exists, as we believe it does, then these words do not represent God and his love for each of his daughters.

Often times I am quick to blame the larger institution rather then taking time to think about my own imperfections. We are all on earth as imperfect beings, and our words are a consequence of this imperfection. Although kind words should be the standard, unkind words should not be the stereotype. Perhaps the Obama’s motto of “when they go low, we go high” could be better incorporated within the church as we look to forgive the imperfections and offenses of individuals and strive for the higher goals of personal spirituality.

To be a woman is a great curse as well as a great blessing. I believe that the opportunities that are available today for women are amazing and I feel very blessed to be able to take part in them. However, I hope that the church can see that the traditional attitudes towards women that exist within our culture are not only outdated, but oppressive to the very potential that God has given each girl he placed on earth at this time. Just as Michelle has strived to institute particular sentiments or values into her daughters and the children of America I hope that the collective mothers of the church can come together to show their daughters what decency and devotion to the church looks like. While also fighting for a firmer and more inclusive foundation of what it means to be a woman in the church today.

Because the church is sometimes seen as an immutable stronghold of truth we often forget that it is also a man made creation, and so is flawed by the context of its creation. However, we have come too far to leave our girls behind. Michelle calls for Democrats to go “knocking on every door, pouring every last ounce of our passion and strength for this country into electing Hillary.” We must take up a similar call to action and knock on the doors of our loving neighbors and pour every ounce of our passion for the church, and love for our daughters into helping reform the church and its culture to better serve our girls and their potentials.

“Thank you all, and God bless”