Life After Ministry

 May 6 — The Church recently announced a couple of changes it will be making to the Young Women’s program later this year.

The Church’s Newsroom website reads:

“The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced changes to age-group names for young women. The purpose of the new names is to “help young women understand their divine place in God’s work, to represent their spiritual dignity as His beloved daughters, and to highlight their progression.”

Formerly, the age groups and names were:

Beehive – Ages 12–13

Mia Maid – Ages 14–15

Laurel – Ages 16–17

The new group names and ages will be:

Builders of Faith – Ages 12–13

Messengers of Hope – Ages 14–15

Gatherers of Light – Ages 16 or older

As a Mormon, I served in the Young Women’s program for many years. I watched these precious young women enter the program, grow up, and become adults. Being a mom with only boys, I thoroughly enjoyed serving in this calling and helping prepare them to become moms themselves one day. Looking back, I regret being part of teaching them a false gospel. Instead of teaching them the importance of preparing to attend the temple with their future husband one day, I wish I would have taught them about what Jesus did on the cross for them.

The accompanying verses and descriptions for these new group names are:

Builders of Faith (Ephesians 2:20)

“A Builder of Faith helps build God’s kingdom through her faith in Christ, steadfast witness, and actions that uplift and encourage others.”

Messengers of Hope (Mosiah 18:8–9)

“A Messenger of Hope carries Christ’s message of hope to the weary, speaking peace, sharing comfort, and lifting hearts through the power of the Spirit.”

Gatherers of Light (Doctrine and Covenants 50:24)

“A Gatherer of Light trusts divine guidance and draws strength from covenants as she seeks, gathers, and reflects God’s light.”

Let’s go through each one a little bit.

Builders of Faith: the verse reads, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).

Reading this verse, I can see why this is the Bible verse they chose, but I don’t see how it has anything to do with building one’s faith. Of course, the Church believes that they are the only ones who have the “authority” from Jesus because their church has apostles and prophets.

Yes, there were prophets and apostles, but now we have Jesus. Hebrews 1:1–3 reads:

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”

Messengers of Hope: the verses read:

“And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; ⁹ Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:8–9)

If this group of girls will be taught to carry Christ’s message of hope, what is the Church’s view of His message of hope?

As Christians, we share the “good news” with unbelievers by sharing with them the gospel of Jesus Christ. We sometimes take them down the Romans Road, letting them know that they can have assurance of their salvation. We tell them what Jesus did for them and that they can repent and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Does the “message of hope” the girls are supposed to carry involve telling people how they can merit salvation through joining the Church? Will they share 2 Nephi 25:23:

“For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”

If the message of hope is that Jesus only “made it possible” for you to have eternal life, then you must do a few things first. To begin with, you must join the Mormon Church, then receive all the ordinances in the temple, and finally you need to do your best to adhere to all the doctrines of the Church. Explain to me how that’s a message of hope.

The last group is Gatherers of Light; their verse reads:

“That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:24)

I feel like I need a Mormon decoder ring to figure out what this verse is saying. I believe the “light” is in reference to growing in the knowledge of what the Church teaches. Mormons believe they are constantly progressing until they reach exaltation, where they become a god or goddess. This is what they refer to as “eternal progression.” Is achieving exaltation the “perfect day” spoken of in their scripture?

It’s sad for me to know these young women will never be taught the truth about who Jesus really is and what He has done for them. I pray for them and hope there will be something said in their classes that will get them thinking—and maybe talking about it with a Christian friend who can introduce them to the real Jesus.

In Christ,
Melissa Grimes

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