Women and the Power Within

"To see life steadily and see it whole" is a worthy goal for mortality. As the theme of the 1990 BYU Women's Conference, it reminds us of our opportunity and responsibility to face head-on the issues of our liveseven the unpleasant ones.

Women and the Power Within, a collection of addresses selected from that conference, focuses on such themes as "Women, Marriage, and Children," "Women and Everyday Life," "Women's Lives: Other Times, Other Places," and "Abuse in Women's Lives." Here are inspiration, insights, and encouragement for a variety of circumstances from mundane tasks to searing emotional pain. The following quotations illustrate the scope of this fine book:

"Once a woman comes to understand the Atonement, she knows she does not have to live with past mistakes. Disadvantage and injustice need not drag us down. Our sisters find a way to go on, with faith and strength. . . . As we strive to see life steadily and see it whole, we need not allow any dark moment of the past to dim the present or the future." (Karen Lynn Davidson.)

"After repeated failure to be someone else, I finally learned that I should be myself. That is often not easy, however, because our desires to fit in, to compete and impress, or even simply to be approved of lead us to imitate others and devalue our own backgrounds, our own talents, and our own burdens and challenges. I had to learn not to worry about the behavior of others." (Jutta Baum Busche.)

"While some sisters blessed their community by participating in the completion of a temple in their midst, others blessed their community by uniting their forces to remove pornographic material from their homes. Our labors are needed on both fronts, to promote the good and to eradicate the bad. Often we hesitate, concerned that if we take a stand we will be criticized. But we need to take that risk; we need to articulate our values." (Ardeth Greene Kapp.)

"Clearly an equal partnership means different things to different people. No two marriages are exactly alike. What each individual couple needs to be happy varies from marriage to marriage. . . . There are, however, some basic similarities in what is required to make marriage partners feel like equals. Mutual respect for each other's talents and abilities is certainly necessary. A willingness to discuss major family decisions and make compromises is essential. Understanding and empathy for your partner's role plays a large part in whatever sharing goes on, whether it is household chores or sharing of emotions." (Marti Lythgoe.)

"Recognize that support is necessary for the victims of abuse to heal. You are an important part in the transformation from victims to survivors people who can acknowledge the abuse they experienced and process it in a way that allows them to change and grow and not remain victims of unjust, traumatic life events." (Tammy B. Heaton.)

Women and the Power Within is a memorable collection of essays particularly suited to our needs today.

Dettagli