Thursday, July 2, 2015

Man-up or Phoof and Fluff?

My big boys and I were hanging out the other night just after the littles had gone to bed.  Someone made some comment about something the Brethren (First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) had said recently.  Then one of the guys piped up and said, 'Ya' how come every time they speak to us in Priesthood they rail on us and tell us to man-up and do our priesthood duties?'  Then the other guys chimed in and agreed with him.  They all felt like when they attended Priesthood Session of General Conference, they were getting a fatty lecture about doing a better job as a man.
lds.org

That comment was quickly followed by all of them agreeing that when they heard talks from General Women's Meeting, the Brethren were all soft and encouraging and 'fluffing' of the women. 

It was so funny to hear their perspective.  I just sat back and listened to the conversation, periodically asking a clarifying question.  They readily agreed with one another that the Priesthood brethren are told to Man-up and the women get fluffed and told they are doing a great job!!  I tell you, I was just sitting there laughing.
I always feel like it is more like this

But it got me thinking, what is your experience?  Do you feel like my boys do?  I always watch/read/listen to the priesthood session because I want to know what the prophets are telling my boys to do.  As their mother, I want to know so I am encouraging them in that direction, and so when needed, I can back up my requests with the words from 'the Brethren'.  However, I have never felt like when I listen to the priesthood sessions, that they are railing on the men.  Yes, periodically they are told to step it up and be men.  But I have thought there are plenty of encouraging the men in their duties, without railing.

And I guess now that I think about it, there are very few talks in General Women's Meeting that tell us to step it up and be women.  Sister Dew had some rip roaring talks that called us to order and to remember who we are what our job is. (Stand Tall and Stand Together, Are We Not All Mothers?) Sister Beck has also had a few of those talks where she implored us to be the women God intended us to be.  (Mothers Who Know, A Mother Heart.)  But nothing compared to Elder Holland's message to the men in 2011---We Are All Enlisted.  That is the talk they were specifically referencing.

Instead we get talks like this from President Uchtdorf:  Your Happily Ever After
copyright: Karen Larsen photography

I don't know.  Do you agree with my boys?  Let's hear it!!  What do you say?


1 comment:

  1. I actually do feel similar to what your boys said, maybe not in those exact words. I feel like the men usually get, "come on, step up, do better, put the video games away, remember and fulfill your responsibility." I feel like women get a little of that, but mostly "you are doing great!" I feel, though, that what we often hear at conference(s) is what we need to hear, so two people listening to the same talk might hear different things.

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