The Lioness At The Gate

Addressing the women at a recent  BYU Women's Conference, Sister Julie B. Beck said,

" I have said lately that women are like lionesses at the gate of the home. Whatever happens in that home and family happens because she cares about it and it matters to her. She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her. For example, if the lioness at the gate believes in the law of tithing, tithing will be paid in that family. If that family has a humble little portion of ten pesos coming in, that lioness will safeguard the one peso if tithing is important to her. If that lioness at the gate knows about renewing her baptismal covenants with God, she will be in sacrament meeting on Sunday, and she will prepare her children to be there. They will be washed, cleaned, combed, and taught about that meeting and what happens there. It isn’t a casual event, but it is serious to her, and it will be serious to them. The lioness at the gate ensures that temple worship is taken care of in the family. She encourages that participation. She cares about seeking after her ancestors. If the lioness at the gate knows about and understands missions, missionaries, and the mission of the house of Israel, she will prepare future missionaries to go out from that home. It is very difficult to get a lion cub away from a lioness who doesn’t believe in missions, but if the lioness believes in a mission, she will devote her life to preparing the cub to go out and serve the Lord. That’s how important she is".

I have thought a lot about this quote over the last few months since I first read it.  It reminds me of just how much influence I have in my home for good or for bad.  My influence will be felt not only in my family now, but it will be felt for generations to come.  My family's  priorities will be what my priorities are.  They will love what I love and value what I value.  If I love the Lord and strive to follow him they will, too.  If I love the world  and earthly treasures more then God they will, too.  


Satan knows how much influence women have, and how powerful we can be, so he tries to down play our role as women.  He tells us that what we are doing in our homes doesn't matter.  He tells us that doing laundry and washing dishes isn't important, that we should be doing bigger and grander things. He tells us that cleaning up after children and cooking dinner for our husbands is trivial compared to the difference we could be making out in the world.   But, he's lying to us.   These things are important, and our influence as women is powerful.  


To the women of the church President Spencer W. Kimball said, 

"To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help, to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society’s basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife."  (Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters,  New Era, Jan. 1997)