My Revelation

I had been inspired by the previous Women’s Fireside, but this time—six weeks pregnant—I expected to find even more counsel appropriate for my life and concerns.

From the first lines of the opening song I felt part of a vast community of sisters. Wise speakers highlighted gospel principles and helped me to shift my focus from mundane matters to the “solemnities of eternity.” As the speakers shared experiences from their own lives, I felt a bond of empathy and inspiration. I sensed the Lord’s awareness of each of us as individuals with unique questions. I recognized the Lord’s confidence and encouragement for us to cultivate the rich powers and talents we’ve been given. As the meeting concluded I felt eager to participate in a vibrant sisterhood that knows no boundaries of race or generation.

At home after the fireside I knelt at my bedside, still reflecting on women in the gospel’s plan. Feeling close to the Spirit, I found my perspective clearer and my prayer more articulate than usual. As I thought about the child I was going to bear, I heard myself ask the Lord to “bless that daughter—that sister—who is to come.”

My mind challenged that prayer’s prediction; but a quiet dignity of spirit whispered that this was a special and sacred communication—one I pondered often during the seven months that followed.

When Britta Christina—my daughter, my sister—was born in April, I saw in her bright eyes the ageless love of God for his children, a confirmation of the reality of revelation, and the marvelous potential for women in the world and in the Church today. Linda H. Kimball, Chicago, Illinois

Photography by Eldon K. Linschoten