Today I went to a couple different Latter-day Saint
congregations to meet up with some of my Online Seminary students in-person
before we begin the new school year. As
I will explain, it was my particular opportunity to attend the Bridgeport
Family Ward. To give some context to
where we are, Connecticut is a unique state of extremes--part New York City
suburb, part redneck boonies, part racially-divided slums. Areas of extreme wealth (like a home I went
to a party at yesterday that is currently on the market for 15 MILLION
dollars!), and areas of extreme poverty and violence-- Connecticut has 4 of the
top 100 most dangerous cities in the entire country, all within our small
borders, despite these high-crime cities being surrounded by astounding
wealth. One of these “dangerous” cities
is Bridgeport, the most populous city in the state, situated in the wealthiest
county in the state, yet the most violent place in the state, and among the
most violent places in the entire country. (Note: just THIS MORNING Bridgeport made national news when 13 people were shot at a house party)
Despite its reputation, Bridgeport CT has a thriving,
diverse network of active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, many of whom I am blessed to call my friends. Today I attended one
congregation that is partially comprised of members from this city and it was a
beautiful experience. First, a smiling,
humble man from China stood as his upcoming baptism was announced. Second, a
beaming family, newly baptized, was blessed before the congregation to receive
the Holy Ghost. The mother, with a sweet
African accent, followed by her two daughters, made their way to the front to
receive their ordinances and receive the welcome of the Ward. After the formal Sacrament service, the
ward’s young women in attendance, who had recently returned from a reportedly
spiritual and fun week at Girls Camp in Vermont, where they got a chance to camp
together and see places of significance in Church History, shared their
experiences and their testimonies with great power and conviction to the entire
congregation.
Then the young women all stood at the front of the chapel
and bore an even more powerful testimony through their singing. They were a beautiful sight! They
were diverse in background- their families come from all over Latin American,
all over Africa, some were black American, one is on exchange from Belgium;
they were diverse in appearance- all shapes, sizes, hairdos, and fashion
styles, including one that I had to
compliment afterwards in gorgeous traditional African dress. (Compare that to so
many American congregations where all the women look JUST THE SAME- long loosely-curled bleached hair, chevron pattered maxi skirts, big chunky necklaces,
every.single.time...!) And this choir of young women didn’t
just look incredible, they sounded simply angelic as they harmonized “We’ll bring the world it's truth.”1
In my generation, this song of strength and
honor was typically reserved for the boys. At EFY (tacky and syrupy as I hear it is), the kids sing a medley
where the boys get to take the lead on this song, as if they are the only ones
with the privilege of spreading truth to the world. But here, in Bridgeport, these young women
took that mantle of authority and professed to all that they are as the army of
Helaman, that they will be the Lord’s missionaries, that they will bring the
world it's truth2. I was in tears; it was
pure prophecy.
In an era when the young women of the church are enlisting
as missionaries in greater numbers and at younger ages than ever before3, it was
easy to close my eyes and see each of these young women carrying the gospel
with great authority near and far, armed with knowledge and faith.
Not only is the Church becoming more able to support our
young sisters to become missionaries around the world, but local sisters across
the globe are being enriched in their individual locales and growing up to
become strong leaders and teachers in their communities, wherever they are and
whomever they are. What a blessing that
this previously untapped force of diverse daughters is finally being recognized as
the powerful Army of Helaman is has always been.
~~~
As a tangential side note, I am also very sensitive to
diverse/female non-church role models for my future daughter, so she will have a host
of women to look at and say, “If she can do it, so can I.” The recent Olympic Games and even the
politically powerful women in our midst do exactly that.
Bring the world it's truth!
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