I’m sure you’ve seen it by now.  The Sharing Time lesson for Week 2 in October 2017.  The object lesson is to instruct someone (a boy, because obvs) to hold an umbrella while children gather under it.  You’re supposed to explain that the umbrella symbolizes the priesthood and that everyone under it is covered by it.

But you guys.  Have you really looked at the picture they used as an example in the lesson?

You have to really look at it.

Children kneeling under an umbrella that one boy is holding. The umbrella decidedly does not cover the girls on the edge of the group.

You can’t make this stuff up.

That umbrella is not covering all of them.  If rain were actually falling on that umbrella, the people on the edge (all girls!!!) would get soaking wet.

Are the manual writers trolling us?

This perfectly exemplifies why we should all be holding our own umbrellas.

And that’s not even all.  The lesson goes on to offer another suggestion.  They offer another activity that ends up with the children placing these ordinances in order of progression.

Steps to progression that read: baptism confirmation, priesthood ordination, temple endowment, temple sealing

That middle step presents a problem for the ladies.

How do we explain this to the little girls, I wonder?  Probably they’ll tell us that it is the men’s job to lift them up over it.  (because otherwise, they’d fall through it?)  It is such a shame, though, that we can’t empower these little girls to walk up the steps of progression on their own.

Someone else will hold that umbrella.  Someone else will carry you.  Someone else will lead you.  Someone else will preside over you.  Someone else will always have authority over you.

These are the implicit messages we are teaching these girls.  This is what they learn about their value and their worth in the Church.

This is what makes Ordain Women’s mission so important.  Because someone needs to tell these little girls that they don’t need to be carried through progression. At the “Let My Voice Be Heard” action on October 1st, women will approach the doors of the Church Administration Building and request an audience with church leaders.  And they will each be carrying their own umbrella.

Clipart style picture of the church administration building. Stick figures holding purple umbrellas are lined up outside the front of the building. At the top of the image text reads, "Join us! Saturday, Oct. 1st, 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Church Administration Building on S. Temple Salt Lake City, UT. Text at the bottom of the image reads, "Is there no one who will hear me?"

To find out more, click on this picture or follow the link above.

Leah Marie earned a BA in Political Science, and a Masters in Public Administration. She is currently working towards her PhD in Public Policy. She is wife to an English professor, and mother to 3 beautiful boys.

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