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Essays In Discipleship
In keeping with our mission of cultivating and promoting Latter-Day Saint women’s voices and stories, we are excited to present a collection of narrative essays focused on gospel principles and topics. We hope that these essays can enrich our study and understanding of, as well as our devotion to the gospel. The stories of Latter-Day Saint women have been the heart and soul of the Mormon Women Project. And in this spirit, our series offers a mix of narrative, theology, research, and intuition. Each essay will share a unique woman's perspective on striving toward Christian discipleship.
Wounded Souls
There are people reading this who have dreams that have not been realized, expectations that haven’t been met. Others have experienced divorce, miscarriages, infertility, infidelity, homelessness, and job loss. Some of us have buried lovers, buried children, buried parents, buried sisters. When we find ourselves in these moments, we often ask, Why? Why does suffering happen? Why is sorrow in my life? What did I do? Why is God doing these things to me?
Elizabeth Ostler
Aug 29, 20254 min read
Extraordinary
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared that the COVID-19 virus was a global pandemic. The next day, President Russell M. Nelson closed every temple in the world, canceled all church events including local sacrament meetings and even one-to-one ministering visits, and started chartering flights to return missionaries to their home countries immediately.
Trina Caudle
May 3, 20258 min read
King Benjamin’s Revolutionary Discourse on Poverty
On a January morning in Wisconsin with temperatures in the single digits, I pull up at 8 a.m. to my work at a community nonprofit that focuses on creating food and housing stability.
Leslie Albrecht Huber
Jun 7, 20248 min read
Calming the Storm
I had a dream once. I saw myself standing alone on a rocky cliff above the ocean with wind and rain raging all around me, while the waves crashed high enough to almost reach me. I saw many shades of gray – the sky, the water, the leafless trees, even the cabin in the distance. All gray. The only color was my purple fleece jacket, getting darker as it absorbed more water from the rain and the ocean spray.
Trina Caudle
May 3, 20244 min read
I Sing The Song of Redeeming Love
I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a convert from being an active member of the Catholic church in 2017 at the age of 35. The prompting from the Spirit that began my investigating the Church was to read the Book of Mormon. There are so many incredible chapters, verses, lines, and phrases in The Book of Mormon that have built my testimony, strengthened my faith, and have edified and tutored me by the Spirit.
Ashli Carnicelli
Mar 22, 20244 min read
Child Translator: A Refugee Story
They come from Eritrea, Thailand, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Iran, and Afghanistan – mostly Afghanistan. None of the countries in which my faltering but growing Spanish would be useful. And no, Duolingo doesn’t offer Pashto lessons – I checked. I wish I could at least say hello.
Marci McPhee
Jan 26, 20244 min read
Seeds of Light
As a teenager, I would enjoy my own “silent, holy night” after my parents and sisters had gone to bed in December. After turning off every other light in the house and plugging in the Christmas tree lights, I’d sit on the couch facing the tree and bask in the glow of tiny white bulbs illuminating each branch and unique ornament.
Rachel Galli Fleming
Dec 17, 20233 min read
A Companion in Christ
I remember watching my grandfather bake pie crust for garden rhubarb pie and fluffy white rolls for our monthly family dinner. My memories of those days recall the joy of companionship with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents–a shared sense of belonging indistinguishable from the pleasure of “Grandpa Rolls.”
Rachel Fleming
Aug 11, 20235 min read
In Her We Have Our Being
A few years ago, my mother gifted me one of our favorite books for Mother’s Day. She inscribed it, “For Rachel, my traveling companion.” When I began my own travels away from her as a young adult, she would often stuff a card for me in my suitcase that I would discover later. It helped me feel close to her, and like I was brave enough to have my own adventures knowing she was still with me.
Rachel Fleming
May 27, 20235 min read
Reconsidering Women’s Roles in the New Testament
Many Christian institutions imply a uniform historical tradition of women in supportive roles; however, recent biblical scholarship reveals that women held many authoritative positions in the early Christian community. In Christian theology and biblical discussion, it is commonly perceived that women were not commissioned or given ministerial authority from Christ, but a deeper analysis of Mary Magdalene may challenge this theory.
Kayla Becknuss
Mar 26, 202311 min read
Psalms of Joy & Pain
As anyone that has sung in a ward choir I’ve directed knows, I love a good praise song. I find exuberant harmony, declarations of God’s goodness, and a joyful “Hallelujah” irresistible. I may have even had the primary children hold neon scarves and shake musical instruments while we paraded around the primary room singing “Praise to the Man” when I was the primary music leader.
Erin Cowles
Aug 12, 20224 min read
Flecks of Gold
As we approached 2022, I felt worried and intimidated. After the last three years studying Come, Follow Me, I felt a close connection with those books of scripture that I simply did not think I would have with the Old Testament. To add to this, I was asked to give a talk about the importance of the Old Testament.
Natalie Barnes
Jul 31, 20225 min read
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