This past Saturday, I received my endowment under the “old” covenant wording. So the very recent announcement about the changes came as a total shock. I naturally began to wonder if the covenants I made to my husband not even a week ago was suddenly retroactive. How am I to view this?

But I’m in a unique position as the wife of a non-member. This was not an easy covenant to make, but given my particular circumstances, I decided it was best. From a theological standpoint, it was an opportunity to take on more fully the blessings of my husband’s Jewish heritage – something I had been longing for since I married him ten years ago.  And as I was going through the endowment (with permission), I wore my Star of David necklace as a symbol of my desire to be more fully incorporated into God’s covenant with Israel.

Additionally, since my husband has both vowed to not stand in the way of my spiritual pursuits, and supports my views of Heavenly Mother, it makes it easier for me to keep my covenants to him. Our shared sacred experience of Heavenly Mother guide our feelings on this matter.

Without speaking directly about the sacred covenants made, I also believe women have the ability to communicate directly to our Heavenly Parents without the mediation of our husbands. My understanding is the new wording now reflects this reality, as it will someday be the woman who crushes the serpent’s head.

Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

However, the tragedy is that up until now, Eve’s heel has been bruised and she has not been given her own voice, but perhaps in the future she will be able to speak with authority. Without a doubt, I see even bigger changes around the corner, and I look forward to what the future holds under President Nelson.

I do believe this recent decision was inspired, and given my particular circumstances, I felt the timing of me personally making these covenants as I did was right, as I’ve had the unique privilege of standing on the cusp of this change.

Consider also the following verse prophesying a unique turn of events referencing the exile and future return of Israel – in feminine terms. It seems we are beginning to see this today.

Jeremiah 31: 22 “How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.”

Surely, the last shall be first and the first shall be last.

Photo Credit: Murry Dalton, Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository,  The Columbia, South Carolina Temple

By Murry Dalton – cropped from https://www.flickr.com/photos/adaytocherish/5180041037/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14304434

 

 

 

Dr. Michelle Wiener holds a Master of Arts in Theology from Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky and a Master of Ecumenical Studies from the University of Geneva in Switzerland where she studied for a year with the World Council of Churches. A convert from the Bible Belt, she loves genealogy and serves as Temple & Family History Consultant. A devotee of Heavenly Mother, she also runs the Finding Heavenly Mother Project. Michelle just completed her PhD in comparative theology through Euclid University.

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