J. Beck's CES Fireside
 

As my first post here on Cougargaurd, I thought I'd do a little transcribing of Sister Beck's CES talk from this past Sunday; it's the least I can do for the amount of entertainment/enlightenment y'all have given me as I've lurked.

What follows is a transcription from a portion of Sis. Beck's talk where I think she digs in, calls in the flanks, and doubles up:

"Latter-day prophets have repeatedly counseled you to get all the education possible for you. We live in an increasingly technical and sophisticated world. Education will help help you build the Lord's Kingdom and provide for your future family. Because education is so important to the rising generation, the Perpetual Education Fund was established, and now benefits more than thirty thousand members worldwide The Church has also invested many resources in institutes of religion all over the world, and in church schools and universities. I hope you are following the prophetic counsel to receive all the education and training that is possible for you. It's true, that you will be better able to serve in the Church and build the Lord's Kindgom if you have good employment. Mothers and fathers will be better parents as they are educated and know how to solve family problems and manage their homes in wise ways. Some of you women are deciding now whether you should marry and have a family or choose a career. That's because you are bright, qualified, and you have opportunities your grandmothers never dreamed of. The possibilities for earning credentials and making a mark for yourselves on the world stage have never been greater. But I hope you are making your decisions with the blessings of Abraham in mind. Latter-day Saint women should understand that no matter how many other people they enlist to help them with their home and children, they cannot delegate their role as the primary nurturer and teacher of their families. Righteous motherhood will always stretch every reserve one has to meet the needs of their families. As a daughter of God who has made covenants with Him, each of you carries the vital and indispensible famale half of the responsibility for fulfilling the Lord's plan. Every man and woman has the agency to prepare humbly and prayerfully, and choose how to approach your career opportunities. Every choice has a consequence. You cannot do everything and have everything. You must choose with eternal priorities in mind. I would hope that you will understand that there are no glamorous careers. Every form of employment has its own unique challenges. Many choices availabe in the world today compete with eternal goals and responsibilities. Many choices could persuade you to delay or limit the number of children you provide to your family. Many choices can rob you of critical time and energy necessary to adequately care for your spouse and children and your responsibilities in the Lord's kingdom. These decisions are between you and the Lord. He knows the desires of your heart in your unique situation."

The rest of the talk was about how service, sharing the gospel, and attending the temple can help you get married.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Wait, Levin. Come back. Where's the part about fluttering birds? Can you post that?

Oh great.........if you and your wife aren't properly
 

educated, you're not as good as those parents who are? I'm going to start a website and get uneducated people to sign my petition! :(

Sure; sorry I left that part out. She said this:

"A little, pretty bird
took flight into the garden
where there was plenty of fruit.
If I were a pretty, little bird
I wouldn't wait around,
I'd do just the same.

Malicous lime-twigs
lurked around the place;
the poor bird could not get away,
If I were a pretty, little bird,
I would be more careful,
I wouldn't do the same.

The bird reached a beautiful hand,
where she came to no harm,
the lucky thing.
If I were a pretty, little bird,
I wouldn't wait around,
I'd do just the same."

A little opaque; not sure if her audience got it, but it works, I guess.

She even had this visual:

Attachment 75

In other words...women who know will not choose to use their education pursuing a career, but will use it to be a stay at home mom. The rest of you will burn in hell.

A very good friend of ours (my wife and me) who has had an exemplary career in the service of her country has remarked to me more than once she fields a large number of comments from other ladies in the ward which are calculated to let her know they are rooting for her to fail. She isn't bothered by it and is about the least sensitive person I know. She just finds it odd.

Not saying sis Beck is doing that, but there does seem to be a fair amount of back biting from some of the full time mom crowd toward the career sisters who have kids. Maybe the word is envy. I don't know.

Are there a lot of career women making similar comments to the stay at home moms that every choice they make has a cost and that they ought to take the eternal view? I suspect no.

I think it is an individual decision.

The interpretation:


Bird went to BYU; plenty of fruit = returned missionaries. Go to BYU.

Education could inspire career aspirations; one bird got inspired by those; be careful and don't.

The bird got married; lucky girl. Do the same, ASAP.

It's about time people like Sister Beck addressed our crisis of Mormon women in the work place.

But seriously, how many of us are going to die wishing we had spent more time with our families? After all, we're going to be with our families for all ETERNITY, so we might as well work a little more during mortality. That's the way I see things.

But isn't it more fun to spend time with our families than to work?

For the record, I will post my sincere opinion on this matter.

I firmly believe that whenever financially possible, one parent should stay home with the kids on a full time basis, at least until all the kids are in elementary school. I also believe that women are innately better equipped to do this. I know this is the case with my wife and I, that's for sure.

I also believe that if the husband is capable, that there's nothing inherently wrong with him being a stay at home dad, while mom earns the bread. Especially if mom is in a position to make a significantly higher amount of money than dad.

What I don't understand is when a couple CHOOSES to both work full time, instead of having one person home with the kids. I see this as essentially letting someone else raise your kids, because the kids are spending the vast majority of their waking hours with a non-parent. This is not raising a family, but out-sourcing it to someone else. If one of the parents is not willing to stay home with the kids, then don't bother having any.