Lately, I have been thinking about Emma Smith and the hardship she had to endure as Josephs wife but also as a woman. Even though she had these hardships she held true to the faith and was a remarkable woman or sometimes as we call inspiring and righteous women, an elect lady. Through just carousing an article about a woman who had the chance to act her our in Joseph Smith: The Restoration and Emma Smith - My Story, and looking up more information about that woman as well as how she felt as she played Emma. I learned to see Emma in a slightly different light and she is one of the people that I want to aspire to be like. I already looked up to her in so many ways but today just opened my heart to her. It was one of those aha, wow moments that you sometimes get and I felt the Spirit so strongly as I learned more about her and just for a little while I felt close to her and even though I cannot completely understand what she went through I felt empathy for her. Something that I especially loved from the article that I read was what the actress said as an answer to a question about if people are sometimes too hard on Emma.
"Yes. As Christians, as people with any shred of humanity, yes, we have all been too hard on Emma. It is difficult to keep this answer short. Sometimes the Lord teaches us a hundred lessons at once. This for me was one such time when there was a lot I had to learn about myself, faith, and my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. The knowledge of Emma’s whole life story, what she had endured, what she gave, and the closeness I felt to her would stay with me long after the filming; it would hold my hand during some very hard things I had ahead of me to endure. I was blessed to be taught so much spiritually and found myself coming to know Emma, her life story, and what a rock of faith she was. In just the smallest part I learned what it meant for Emma to lose everything she loved for love itself and for the kingdom of God.
Books have been written. Now movies have been made. More than ever before we are educated on Emma and who she was and what she contributed. She was humble. She was moldable. She was willing. She went into the deep; time and time again. Her faith was seasoned. Her intentions were good. I am so grateful to be alive at a time when judgments are being thrown down and the love of Christ reigns. When we can recognize good and call it just that. But she was more than just good. She was great. There’s a reason she was appointed as the first Relief Society President in this dispensation. She knew, she absolutely knew and understood the pains and needs of the sisters she was called to serve. She knew loss, hunger, and heartache. And the life she lived and faith she had still leads us today. It carries me when I want to give up. And some part of me wants to believe she stands by me when times get hard, and helps push me through. She is the kind of woman I strive to be. I love Emma Hale Smith."
- Katherine Neilson "Katherine Nelson Talks Music, Uplifting Women, and Ephraim’s Rescue" (http://www.ldsmag.com/article/1/12756/1/page-1)
I wanted to get all of what she said as well as the picture that went with the article because it is an answer that spoke to me. It also allowed me to remember and to think about what kind of woman I want to work towards becoming and who I want to be known as among those whose life I might be able to touch.
Now what does this have to do about being a daughter of God? In answer to that question my answer is everything. Emma showed what it meant to be a daughter of God. There are other many wonderful examples of women that I could list and I aspire to become like as well but I was thinking about Emma and who she was and how her example can affect me. In the end I want to be myself but have the qualities of Emma and many other wonderful women. I just wanted to remember my desire I felt to become more like her but also how it made me want to get down on my knees and ask God what he wants me to be, and what he needs me to be to help him here on earth. Anyways, this is getting a little long but those are my thoughts.
Also check out this link below. I love the song and the collage that goes with it. It truly touched my heart and made me feel the Spirit. I hope you enjoy!
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