One of the great stories in the Bible’s Old Testament is the Book of Esther. She was a Jewish woman living in the Persian Empire that was the ruling force from India to Africa covering 127 providences. King Ahasuerus ruled the empire with absolute power including life and death. The king sought a new queen out of the maidans of the kingdom. Ether’s beauty charmed the King and he chose her to be his queen. Not only was she beautiful, she was a righteous woman that kept the commandments of God. Through her faith in God and her fasting and prayers she was able to save her Jewish people living in the Persian Empire from the designs of wicked men trying to have all the Jews killed. You can read this inspiring story in the Book of Esther in the Bible. Not all righteous women are going to be able to save an entire race of people, but around us are opportunities to help and lift others as so many wonderful women are doing.
Jocelyn Turley Relates Her Experiences and Thoughts
“I loved living vicariously through the characters in my books because I was certain that someone as ordinary as me could never be a hero. Most of the people who’ve changed my life aren’t social media moguls or billionaires or renowned experts. My heroes are people who have taken the time to show me Christlike love and help me understand who I truly am. Our power as righteous women comes from realizing our own importance, our divine identity, and our capacity for accomplishing many things. In turn, realizing our own worth allows us to help others understand their strengths and their infinite worth as well. Furthermore, as mighty as we can be as individuals, we are far stronger when we come together. Burdens can be heavy when we stand out or stand alone, but together we can ‘bear one another’s burdens’ by mourning ‘with those that mourn’ and comforting ‘those that stand in need of comfort’. (Mosiah 18: 8-9 in the Book of Mormon). We need to stop judging and competing with one another as the world does.
When I was younger, I defined heroism as one person saving the world through an extraordinary sacrifice. Heroism was something you would see in a news story—a daring firefighter pulling a baby out of a burning building or a brave husky rescuing its owner during a brutal winter storm. But my definition of heroism has been expanded. Heroism is the loaf of bread from a ministering sister because she was inspired to serve you. Heroism is sending an encouraging text to someone because you felt a prompting that they needed to hear your words. Heroism is offering your shoulder to be stained by the tears of a mourning sister. Heroism is humble, quiet, and brave. Heroism is the courage to take small steps to serve and love others, even in moments of exhaustion, uncertainty, or apathy. Heroism is wrought in small ways, for ‘by small and simple things are great things brought to pass’. (Alma 37: 6 in the Book of Mormon)
“While the light of our individual heroism may have a seemingly small radius, it is together that the light of Christ’s love can reach every corner of the world. President Russell M. Nelson, has said: ‘My dear sisters, nothing is more crucial to your eternal life than your own conversion. It is converted, covenant-keeping women … whose righteous lives will increasingly stand out in a deteriorating world and who will thus be seen as different and distinct in the happiest of ways.’
“One day, when I read the book of my life, I want to see that I was patient in the face of adversity, kind in the face of cruelty, and meek in the face of hate. I want to read about me conversing with the lonely and defending the marginalized, helping them see themselves the way God sees them. I want to know that because I was confident in who I was and knew the power of my influence, I helped change the world for good, helped further the work of the Lord (even in small ways), and helped prepare the world for His return. And when I do, I’ll see I did it with the help and influence of my beloved sisters and women who have been amazing examples of discipleship.”
The Worth of Righteous Women
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. (Proverbs 31: 10 in the Bible)
“Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” (Matthew 15: 28 in the Bible)
Dallas Jones, a local leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Quoted part of an article by Jocelyn Turley entitled “The Heroic Influence of Righteous Women”, March 2021 Liahona Magazine.