Learn more about the LDS Women Project! Explore our history, meet our team, and discover ways you can get involved. About Mission Statement The LDSWP is composed of faithful women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anxiously engaged in the good cause of edifying our sisters and brothers, that we may all experience a joy-filled worship and a sanctifying mortal experience. We believe that the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses the lives of its members and provides the ordinances necessary for salvation. We sustain our church leaders and contribute to the functionality of our wards by steadfastly fulfilling our callings. We work within the framework of current LDS doctrine to question traditions that may limit us as individuals and as a people. We view both our commonalities and our differences as strengths as we explore alternative approaches that empower everyone. We do this by seeking out and sharing the stories of women in the Church. We provide tools that allow members to quote women and highlight their voices and experiences in worship and personal study. We are committed to highlighting the diversity and breadth of experiences in living a life of faith and devotion. Meet our Team Elizabeth Ostler EDITOR-IN-CHEIF Trina Caudle INTERVIEW EDITOR Rosemary Demos DISCIPLESHIP EDITOR Neylan McBaine FOUNDER Elizabeth Tobler INTERN Many women have contributed to our Special Series, Sunday School Supplements, Cooperative Ministry, and Essays in Discipleship. We are indebted to them for enriching our community with their wisdom and words. Our HerStory We were founded by Neylan McBaine in 2009 as the Mormon Women Project (MWP). With a recorder and a lot of curiosity, Neylan began interviewing LDS women and publishing their stories. She believed that sharing the breadth and depth of lived experiences of LDS women would challenge the monochrome stereotype of LDS women within and outside of our community. Furthermore, Neylan believed that through this platform, LDS women could be mobilized to create egalitarian change within their sphere of influence. In 2012, Neylan presented at the FairMormon Conference. Her paper, To Do the Business of the Church: A Cooperative Paradigm for Examining Gendered Participation Within Church Organizational Structure , addressed the pain caused by the limited involvement in the eclesatical governance of the Church experienced by many women. It was an unapologetic call for action in wards and stakes and inspired the creation of a sister organization, Cooperative Ministry, in 2014. Cooperative Ministry was run by Elizabeth Ostler and Meredith Nelson. It was intended to provide a space for women of the Church to find faithful ways to bring about a more egalitarian governance within the Church while keeping within the bounds of doctrine. Under Cooperative Ministry, the Sunday School Supplements was created. These were commentaries on each of the Gospel Doctrine lessons written by LDS women focused on examining women in the scriptures and sharing how latter-day LDS women were interpreting the scriptures and applying them to their lives. In 2016, Neylan expanded upon her FairMormon paper with the publication of Women at Church: Magnifying LDS Women’s Local Impact . Neylan received an outpouring of responses from individuals wanting to apply her suggestions. Ward Councils, Stake Presidencies and High Councils were discussing the paper and deliberating on its applicability to their stewardship. It became clear that the MWP should become a resource to support this work. In response, Neylan, Elizabeth, and Meredith dissolved Cooperative Ministry and incorporated its content and purpose into the MWP. In 2018, Elizabeth Ostler and Meredith Nelson became co-editors of the MWP. They expanded the MWP content to include podcasts and special series . In 2019, they hosted the MWP 10th Anniversary celebration at Neylan’s home in Salt Lake City. In its first 10 years, the MWP published 247 interviews, 188 Sunday school supplements, 17 podcasts, 3 special series and touched the lives of countless women. In 2020, Elizabeth Ostler was made editor-in-chief of the MWP and a new editorial team was established with Trina Caudle as Interview Editor and Rosemary Demos as Essays Editor. Our content was further expanded to include narrative essays focused on how LDS women were striving to be disciples of Christ. And in 2021, Founder Neylan McBaine and Elizabeth Ostler decided to change the name of the Mormon Women Project to The LDS Women Project. Though our name has changed, our mission remains the same – to provide a platform that amplifies LDS women’s voices, demonstrates how there is no “right way” to be an LDS woman, provides resources and empowerment for the creation of more egalitarian governance and worship within our spheres of influence. GetInvolved Get Involved There are many ways to be involved with the LDS Women Project: 1. Nominate a woman to be interviewed. We are dedicated to showing hte depth of Latter-day Saint women. We're interested in the stories of women in your lives that you admire. If you have a woman you'd like us to interview, email us at interviews@ldswomenproject.com 2. Become an interview producer, transcriber, or writer. To apply for any of these positions, please email us at editor@ldswomenproject.com 3. Donate and make a difference. Consider making a one-time or monthly donation to support our storytelling as a pathway to understanding, unity, and progress. As an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization, we depend on your donations to sustain our website maintenance, project production, and general operations. 4. Follow us on Social Media. Like, comment on, and share our posts on Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter . 5. Subscribe to our newsletter. Every month, we share our latest interviews, essays, podcast episodes, upcoming events, and major announcements.

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In this collection of stories, women share their experiences of journeying away from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and returning to it again. For some leaving the Church was a simple choice; for some, relationships and life circumstances made it more complicated; some were disfellowshipped or excommunicated. All chose to return. These are their stories, their reasons, their testimonies. Tales of Return In this collection of stories, women share their experiences of journeying away from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and returning to it again. For some leaving the Church was a simple choice; for some, relationships and life circumstances made it more complicated; some were disfellowshipped or excommunicated. All chose to return. These are their stories, their reasons, their testimonies. My Hope is Greater Than My Fear I’m not sure anyone even knows I left the Church. I continued to go through the motions of activity long after they had ceased to bring me the joy and peace I had known in the gospel most of my life. This sensation of finding darkness and confusion in the very places and activities that had formerly been a source of light and surety was so overwhelming that I finally had to acknowledge to myself that in my heart, I had been gone for a long time. Abby Olson Jan 21 3 min read Christ Lives In 2016 I had a series of events that created spiritual doubt and skepticism in me. I never struggled with my faith before, but found myself skeptical of certain principles and worried that the Latter-day Saint faith was more based off of “blind faith” than truth. Anonymous Dec 26, 2019 3 min read So We Can Be Together I left the Church due to an unhappy marriage and divorce and certain people in the local Church leadership. I never lost my testimony of God or Jesus Christ, just distrust in the Church. Then I met my soulmate and love of my life. We were happily married for 30 plus years. He had some experience with the Church but was not a member. We were extremely close and happy. We occasionally attended other churches but they seemed hollow to me. Anonymous Dec 12, 2019 1 min read Buried Deep Inside I was the young lady that attended every meeting—first to volunteer to give a talk or help with whatever was needed. I was referred to as “perfect,” which is hard to live up to. I guess I just decided to go astray. No one influenced me or tempted me. I made the decision to start doing all the wrong things. I do not want to dwell on the stories of my past, but if it was wrong to do I did it. I was 17 and feeling unworthy, and I stopped going to my church meetings. Anonymous Dec 9, 2019 3 min read Bearing the Weight I was never particularly aware of how many pillars there were in Washington until being asked to give this speech. The anxiety at having to define my faith was such that it was infinitely easier to analyze pillars. Kathleen Flake Dec 5, 2019 17 min read I Am Not Denied I “quit attending” when I was about 16 due to a job that had me work Sundays. When I finally quit the job and started back to church, I felt like a stranger. I thought people would be happy to see me but I didn’t get much response. I had both great and horribly bad examples of members in my youth, and my family wasn’t a righteous example—although they weren’t terrible either. I guess I was left to my own devices. So I chose my best friend who was Mormon, and we partied heavil Anonymous Dec 2, 2019 2 min read Full Circle I have not walked a traditional or simple journey of faith. I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but struggled with inactivity for almost thirteen years. This is the tale of my return to activity. Kristi Novac Nov 25, 2019 3 min read I Felt the Lord’s Love for Me Due to an early childhood sexual experience, I did not consider myself clean before the Lord—especially when I recited the Young Women’s motto each week during church. This lead to my not valuing my virtue, and being raped by a recent convert to the Church. This is how I began my sexual life. Christiane Woerner Nov 22, 2019 2 min read Charity is the Key I was raised in an LDS home with good parents. Life hit hard for me in my early years. From the ages of 8-12, I was repeatedly sexually abused by a neighborhood family. At age 13, my father suddenly died of a brain aneurysm. Within a year of his death, my mother remarried. My abuse, my father’s death and my mother’s new marriage brought chaos, confusion and heartache in my teenage years, and I was unable to completely process all the traumatic events that had taken hold of my Rachel Mary Bodily Nov 19, 2019 7 min read

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, very few lives have been left undisrupted. Amidst the suffering, Latter-day Saints are unable to worship in the temple and find comfort and revelation there. As we await the end of this public health crisis and the resumption of temple worship, we hope these stories of women's experiences in the temple will provide our readers with hope and inspiration. House of God During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, very few lives have been left undisrupted. Amidst the suffering, Latter-day Saints are unable to worship in the temple and find comfort and revelation there. As we await the end of this public health crisis and the resumption of temple worship, we hope these stories of women's experiences in the temple will provide our readers with hope and inspiration. Acceptable to the Lord Since the first time missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exposed me to the teachings of modern day temples, my soul was hooked. It was like a magnetic pull that drew me to participate in proxy baptisms for the dead. The spiritual experiences I obtained in the baptistery firmly confirmed to me there is a God who intimately cares about each individual soul and His presence can be felt inside the temple. Despite my love for the temple, natural disaste Nathalie Trow-McDonald Jan 11, 2021 4 min read When I Go To His House I was raised as a member of the church, but gospel principles weren’t taught in the home, and they certainly weren’t lived. My parents’ relationship was fraught with problems, colored mainly by my mother’s serial adultery. We were all aware of it but nobody spoke of it. My dad withdrew from all of us, not just my mom, leaving her alone to parent, which created an environment that was sad and toxic. Of the four children in my family, both boys became drug dealers, and both gir Anonymous Jan 11, 2021 3 min read The Cleansing Power of the Spirit When I was 20, I was raped. I won’t go into that story itself, but for years I thought the story was that I had put myself into a situation where I had sex with a man and didn’t really want to. At the time of the #metoo moment, I learned that I had indeed been raped, but I still blamed myself for putting myself into a vulnerable situation. Mary Jane Smith Dec 27, 2020 1 min read The One During a Stake Women’s Conference I found myself overwhelmed in many ways. I came feeling so out of place, ashamed, and yet desperately seeking forgiveness and peace. I sat alone on a pew as the opening hymn began. Courtney Barker Dec 27, 2020 3 min read With Perfect Clarity Several years ago, I was planning on leaving the continent for at least several years, so my siblings and I decided to have a reunion. Since we are spread across multiple states, provinces, and countries, we thought Las Vegas to be a fun place to gather. While there, between the fun and food, we thought that one of the best things we could do together was attend the temple. Since we had just flown in for the weekend, we all rented our temple clothes, and proceeded to an or Anonymous Dec 18, 2020 2 min read The Lord Knows Where You Need to Be A few months before my first husband passed away from cancer, his doctor called and told me I needed to come right away—he wasn’t doing well and they were very concerned. We were still newlyweds in our mid-20s. He was treated and hospitalized 250 miles away, and I had to stay home with our baby to work, which meant I could only visit him on the weekends. Megan Pizarro Dec 18, 2020 2 min read Some of My Colored Pieces I love the variety of windows in temples. Having taken a stained glass class, I appreciate the intricate effort needed for these architectural additions, as colored glass is selected, shaped, and soldered together. My quarter-century of temple worship is like a stained glass window—various facets make a beautiful picture through a delicate, time-intensive process that enhances my life. Anita Wells Dec 18, 2020 2 min read A Safe Space for Me My first experience inside the temple was sealed to my family at six years old. My father had been recently baptized, and my family was excited to be sealed in the temple. I remember feeling the Spirit and recognizing the importance of being inside the temple walls. It was a special day for my family, and the Spirit left an impression on my heart of a feeling of home and a desire to return. Throughout the rest of my childhood and my teenage years, I eagerly look forward to th Victoria Gomez Dec 9, 2020 2 min read We Without Them Cannot Be Made Perfect In 2014, I ventured into the world of family history and quickly became passionate about seeking out my ancestors and performing their temple ordinances. Attending the temple became increasingly meaningful as I spent time working on behalf of my own family, people I had come to know and love through the process of researching their lives and families. Michelle Checketts Dec 9, 2020 2 min read Godwinks It was June of 2012, and scripture study hadn’t been a priority of mine for many, many months, sad to say. An upcoming cruise industry conference in New York City, to be followed by visits to family and friends meant that I’d be away from my home and family in Nova Scotia for a little while. Pre-travel anxiety combined with some guilt moved me to try to feel the Spirit through one of favourite books, Jesus and the World of the New Testament by Huntsman, Holzapfel, and Wayme Joy O'Neill Nov 28, 2020 2 min read A Hopeful and Stabilizing Force Last year when we were contemplating uprooting our family from Texas and moving back to Utah, I was seeking an answer from the Lord. Our lives were good in Houston. My husband and I had excellent jobs, a home and neighborhood we loved, and many friends who had become like family. All three of our kids had all been born in Texas, and that was all they had ever known. The thought of leaving such familiarity and goodness was unnerving and scary, but we had always had the hope of Tricia Bunderson Nov 18, 2020 3 min read

Our LDS foremothers played a pivotal role in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the establishment of communities, and the nurturing of families. Studying their lives and reading their writings can illuminate the significant impact of Latter-day Saint women. We stand on their shoulders as we strive to build a more egalitarian Zion. LDS Foremothers Our LDS foremothers aided in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the building of communities, and the nurturing of families. Studying their lives and reading their writings can illuminate the significant impact of LDS women. We stand on their shoulders as we strive to build a more egalitarian Zion. Abish: A Lamanite Foremother Because readers of the Book of Mormon today often wrestle to make sense of its portrayal of women, an otherwise obscure figure from the Book of Alma has in recent years become an oft-celebrated heroine. Mormon recounts the story of Abish in Alma 19, and we’d do well to slow down and sift this particular scriptural text whenever we come to it. Joseph Spencer Oct 15, 2021 4 min read Kathleen (Kay) Ann Moore – 1947-2021 Kay Moore was an eccentric member of my ward who I respected and loved but did not initially understand. Two years ago, in 2019, I felt a strong impression that I should take time to really listen to her. Kay and I arranged to meet weekly for a few hours, often at a local café, during which she would share her wisdom and her life stories. I wrote these things in a book that Kay titled, Observations of an Ordinary Woman. Here I record a shortened version of her influence on me Sue Campbell Clark Sep 24, 2021 4 min read Foremothering I think the word foremother can be a noun or a verb. A noun, as in a mother who is situated before others, and a verb–to be a foremother, to care and nurture for those in front of you. So often we talk of foremothers–mother Eve being the praiseworthy epitome of such. But how often do we think about the ways in which we are foremothers? What are we doing to forge the path for future generations? Heather McLaughlin Jul 23, 2021 2 min read Phebe Whittemore Carter Woodruff: A Partner in Faith In March of 1838, the newlyweds, Wilford and Phebe Woodruff, were in Maine where Phebe had accompanied Wilford on a mission, and where she was staying with her family in town. On an afternoon off from preaching and traveling, Wilford and Brother Cyrus Sterrett went with their wives for a visit to the shore. Kristy Wheelwright Taylor Jun 12, 2021 8 min read Latter-day Saint Women Podcast The Latter-day Saint Women podcast shares the legacy of women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Get to know the faithful women who shaped our past, and hear from inspiring women of faith today as they address gospel topics. Mormon Women Mar 30, 2021 1 min read Lucy Mack Smith's History Learn more about Lucy Mack Smith through historical documents. Neylan McBaine Aug 1, 2020 1 min read At the Pulpit In this episode, Jenny Reeder and Kate Holbrook join us to talk about women’s authority, titles, words, themes, and experiences across church history. They are the editors of At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Dicsourses of Latter-Day Saint Women, recently published by the Church Historian’s Press. The book has a dedicated webpage, including additional discourses which the editors were not able to include in the printed volume. Anonymous May 14, 2017 1 min read The Witness of Women Janiece Johnson and Jenny Reeder joined us in March to discuss the experiences and distinct voices of women in the early days of the Restoration. They share anecdotes from church history you may never have heard before, and discuss the importance of knowing the stories of LDS women, and hearing their testimonies. Together, Johnson and Reeder recently authored The Witness of Women: Firsthand Experiences and Testimonies from the Restoration, which we discuss in this interview. Janiece Johnson and Jenny Reeder Apr 28, 2017 1 min read Rachel Cope Recommends Conversion Memoirs When we assume that history is only about institutions and male leaders, we miss a large part of the story. I love learning about the lives – recognizing the import of the lived religious experiences – of a variety of people. As a historian, I have discovered that the power and meaning of Mormonism is found within and woven throughout memoirs written by believers. Indeed, considering the experiences of women as well as men expands and completes an important narrative. Anonymous Oct 5, 2014 1 min read Neylan McBaine Recommends Women of Conviction There are only a handful of articles currently on LDS.org’s section on women’s history, Women of Conviction. But each article moves me with its stories of our foremothers and their indomitable dedication to the gospel. There are all sorts of nuggets to learn and quote from and be inspired by in these articles. Did you know, for instance, that Inez Knight and her friend Jennie Brimhall served as sister missionaries to England in 1898 and the fact that there were “real live Mor Neylan McBaine Aug 13, 2014 1 min read Emily Jensen Recommends Blog Posts About Women’s History I enjoy learning about our Mormon foremothers in whichever place I can find it (because there is never enough!), be it academic conferences, women’s evenings, books, articles, and well-written blog posts. You’d be surprised how many wonderful online resources there are to be found.Blog posts are especially meaningful because I love the idea of women sitting to type about their ancestors or someone they admire without any agenda except to share what they find with the online w Neylan McBaine Aug 7, 2014 1 min read Kate Holbrook Recommends the Relief Society Magazine What is one of my favorite resources for learning about Mormon foremothers is The Relief Society Magazine. The Relief Society Magazine contains primary accounts of all the thinking and doing of Relief Society members between 1915 and 1970. (Check out the RS Bulletin, too, for 1914.) Relief Society members kept terrific records and the content is engaging as well as useful. Kate Holbrook Aug 7, 2014 1 min read 1 2

In keeping with our mission of cultivating and promoting the voices and stories of Latter-day Saint women, 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. This series offers a mix of narrative, theology, research, and intuition. Each essay will share a unique woman's perspective on striving toward Christian discipleship. ​ ​ 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, 2025 4 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, 2025 8 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, 2024 8 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, 2024 4 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, 2024 4 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, 2024 4 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, 2023 3 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, 2023 5 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, 2023 5 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, 2023 11 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, 2022 4 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, 2022 5 min read 1 2 3

Are you interested in reading more about women and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? This reading list provides a solid foundation for discussions about women, both in the Church and in contemporary society. Reading List Are you interested in reading more about women and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ? This reading list provides a solid foundation for discussions about women, both in the Church and in contemporary society. Relevant Talks by LDS Leaders Quentin L. Cook, “Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity ,” Ensign, November 2020. Eubank, Sharon, “By Unity of Feeling We Obtain Power With God ,” Ensign, November 2020. Bonnie L. Oscarson, “Sisterhood: Oh, How We Need Each Other ,” Ensign, April 2014. Linda K. Burton, “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women ,” BYU Women’s Conference, May 2, 2014. M. Russell Ballard, “Let Us Think Straight ,” Brigham Young University Campus Education Week Devotional, August 20, 2013. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Like A Broken Vessel ,” Ensign, October 2013. Dallin H. Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood ,” Ensign, April 2014. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Four Titles ,” Ensign, April 2013. Patricia T. Holland, “A Woman’s Perspective on the Priesthood ,” Ensign, July 1980. Patricia T. Holland, “’One Thing Needful’: Becoming Women of Greater Faith in Christ ,” Ensign, October 1987. Books & Articles about LDS Women Mormon Feminism: Essential Writings , Editors, Joanna Brooks, Rachel Hunt Steenblik and Hannah Wheelwright Joseph Smith, in Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book , March 17, 1842, 4, josephsmithpapers.org. David L. Paulsen, Martin Pulido, “A Mother There: A Survey of Historical Teachings about Mother in Heaven ,” BYU Studies 50, no. 1 (2011): 70–126. Jonathan A. Stapley and Kristine Wright. “Female Ritual Healing in Mormonism , Journal of Mormon History, Vol. 37, pp. 1-85, Winter 2011. Sheri L. Dew, Women and the Priesthood Beverly Campbell, Eve and the Choice Made in Eden Melinda Wheelwright Brown, Eve and Adam: Discovering the Beautiful Balance McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding, Girls Who Choose God McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding, Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Strong Women from the Book of Mormon Linda King Newell, The Historical Relationship of Mormon Women and Priesthood , Dialogue Melodie Moench Charles, Scriptural Precedents for Priesthood , Dialogue Meg Wheatley-Pesci, An Expanded Definition of Priesthood? Some Present and Future Consequences , Dialogue Valerie Hudson and Alma Don Sorenson, Women in Eternity, Women in Zion Jill Mulvay Derr, Janath Russell Cannon, and Maureen Ursenbach Beecher, Women of Covenant: The Story of Relief Society Maureen Ursenbach Beecher and Lavina Fielding Anderson, eds., Sisters in Spirit Claudia Bushman, Mormon Sisters: Women in Early Utah Claudia Bushman and Caroline Kline, eds., Mormon Women Have Their Say Richard E. Turley Jr. and Brittany A. Chapman, Women of Faith in the Latter Days M. Russell Ballard, Counseling With Our Councils (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012) Terrence Real, The New Rules of Marriage Marianne Williamson, A Women’s Worth Deborah Tannen, You Just Don’t Understand Stephanie Coontz, A Strange Stirring: The Feminine Mystique and American Women at the Dawn of the 1960s Mary Beard, “The Public Voice of Women ,” London Review of Books 36, no. 6 (March 20, 2014). Sabino Kornrich, Julie Brines, and Katrina Leupp, “Egalitarianism, Housework, and Sexual Frequency in Marriage ,” American Sociological Review 78 (2012) Girl Scout Research Institute, Change It Up: What Girls Say About Redefining Leadership , 2008 R. Marie Griffith, God’s Daughters: Evangelical Women and the Power of Submission Steve Graves, Dave Blanchard, Josh Kwan, From Concept to Scale: Creating a Gospel-Minded Organization Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzer, Crucial Confrontations Vicki W. Kramer, Alison M. Konrad, and Sumru Erkut, “Critical Mass on Corporate Boards: Why Three or More Women Enhance Governance ,” Wellesley Centers for Women, 2006 Newspaper Articles Valerie M. Hudson, “What Sex Means for World Peace ,” Foreign Policy, April 24, 2012 Shira Telushkin, “The Facebook of Mormon ,” The Atlantic, January 31, 2014 Kirk Johnson, “Mormons on a Mission ,” New York Times, August 20, 2010, New York edition, AR1 Joseph Walker, “Will a Woman Pray at LDS General Conference? ” Deseret News, March 19, 2013 Jodi Kantor and Laurie Goodstein, “Missions Signal a Growing Role for Mormon Women ,” New York Times, March 2, 2013, New York edition, A1 Jodi Kantor and Laurie Goodstein, “From Mormon Women, a Flood of Requests and Questions on Their Role in the Church ,” New York Times, March 6, 2014 Peggy Fletcher Stack, “’Sister Missionaries’ Causing A Gender Shift in Mormonism, BYU Prof Says, ” Salt Lake Tribune, March 27, 2014 Tad Walch, “New Leadership Roles for Women Alters LDS Mission Culture, Hits at Deep, Long-Term Ramifications ,” Deseret News, April 4, 2014 Read More

Welcome to our Sunday School Supplements. This is a collection of commentaries on every gospel doctrine lesson from the perspective of a Latter-day Saint woman. Particular focus was given to women in the scriptures and how the scriptures impact the lives of LDS women today. Sunday School Supplements Welcome to our Sunday School Supplements. This is a collection of commentaries on every gospel doctrine lesson from the perspective of an LDS woman. Particular focus was given to women in the scriptures and how the scriptures impact the lives of LDS women today. Book of Mormon Lesson 1: By the Testimony of She The Gospel Doctrine lesson 1 manual objective is “to help class members understand how the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion and how abiding by its precepts helps us draw nearer to God.” Elizabeth Ostler Mar 23 11 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 2: Husband of Sariah The Gospel Doctrine lesson #2 manual objective is “To help class members see, through the examples of Lehi and Nephi, that safety and salvation come through obedience to the Lord.” Meredith Nelson Mar 22 8 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 3: Heavenly Mother & the Tree of Life The Gospel Doctrine lesson #3 manual objective is “To help class members understand the symbols in the vision of the tree of life and the application of these symbols in their lives.” Rachel Hunt Steenblik Mar 21 6 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 4: Your Sons and Your Daughters Shall Prophesy The Gospel Doctrine lesson #4 manual objective is “To help class members understand Nephi’s vision of the future and how the warnings and promises in it apply to us today.” Suzette Smith Mar 20 4 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 5: Finding Individual Faith in a Collective History The Gospel Doctrine lesson 5 manual objective is “to inspire class members to follow Nephi’s example of faith and willing obedience” Rosemary Demos Mar 19 5 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 6: Talking About Scriptures That Don’t Talk About You The Gospel Doctrine lesson #6 manual objective is “To help class members have a greater desire to ‘choose liberty and eternal life’ through Jesus Christ, ‘the great Mediator of all men’ (2 Nephi 2:27).” Leslie Albrecht Huber Mar 18 5 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 7: Legacy The Gospel Doctrine lesson #7 manual objective is “To help class members strengthen their testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith and to encourage them to find happiness through trusting in the Lord and keeping His commandments.” Elizabeth Ostler Mar 15 6 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 8: She That Is Weary The Gospel Doctrine lesson #8 manual objective is “To help class members understand their need for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and to teach them how to receive all the blessings of the Atonement.” Janiece Johnson Mar 14 5 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 9: Benefiting from Women in the Scriptures The Gospel Doctrine lesson #9 manual objective is “To inspire class members to read the prophecies of Isaiah and to help them understand how these prophecies apply in their lives.” McArthur Krishna Mar 12 5 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 10: His Invitation to Every Woman Not the divorced twenty-year old. Not the young mother in forced labor, permanently separated from her home. Not the high school dropout, or the homemaker who never got a college degree. Not the woman who faces social stigma for her faith. Not the wife or sister of an addict. Not the practicing lawyer, who is also the mother of young children. Not the primary president struggling with infertility. Meredith Nelson Mar 11 2 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 11: Ends & Endings The Gospel Doctrine lesson #11 manual objective is “To help class members understand the doctrine of Christ and have an increased desire to press forward, feasting on His words.” Rosemary Demos Mar 10 6 min read Book of Mormon Lesson 12: What it Means to Magnify The Gospel Doctrine lesson #12 manual objective is “To help class members feel a greater desire to magnify their callings, be chaste, and invite others to come unto Christ.” Leslie Albrecht Huber Mar 9 6 min read 1 2 3 4 5

In keeping with our mission of cultivating and promoting the voices and stories of Latter-day Saint women, 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. This series offers a mix of narrative, theology, research, and intuition. Each essay will share a unique woman's perspective on striving toward Christian discipleship. ​ ​ 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, 2025 4 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, 2025 8 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, 2024 8 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, 2024 4 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, 2024 4 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, 2024 4 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, 2023 3 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, 2023 5 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, 2023 5 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, 2023 11 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, 2022 4 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, 2022 5 min read 1 2 3