Latter-day Saint women have a legacy of addressing the needs of the sick, afflicted, poor and needy and for adopting a pragmatic approach in solving issues in communities. The Relief Society, in fact, is founded on women’s efforts to help others and is exemplified in the Relief Society Motto “Charity Never Faileth.”
The leaders of the LDS church encourage its members “to be vigorously engaged in the world.”[1] Elder Robert S. Wood of the Seventy encouraged members of the Relief Society to “work with fellow members of community to bring about change” when there are issues in schools, neighborhoods and communities. The LDS people have also been counseled to petition media outlets, support public policies that strengthen families and be engaged in volunteer efforts and employment in education, local government, and charitable causes. [2] [3] [4]
Mormon.org states, “Being a good citizen can be as simple as researching political issues so you can be an informed voter, or organizing a soccer league so that kids in your neighborhood have something fun and safe to do after school. Or maybe you want to take on a bigger problem facing your city or state, like finding ways to reduce crime or improving the local library. However you choose to improve the world around you, you can be confident that “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).”
At WAVE, we are working to encourage civic involvement and advocacy efforts on issues that impact women around the world.
Many Latter-day Saint women are already engaged in volunteer activities or employment that address social concerns. Their particular issues of concern may be preventing domestic violence, raising awareness for health issues, seeking equal compensation for women and men in employment, creating access to education for women in developing countries, finding solutions to poverty and homelessness, and being involved in public service. Often the strength of these efforts comes when concerned citizens work together through letter-writing campaigns, signing petitions, joining with organizations and other citizens working on these issues.
WAVE’s Women’s Service Mission will be a place where advocates can come together around certain issues that they share an interest in. Consider it a clearinghouse of current civic involvement opportunities of interest to Latter-day Saint women. If you are looking to raise awareness, find supporters and work together with others on social concerns, you can submit your advocacy opportunity.
Perhaps you are unsure of which efforts you want to put your energy into or find it overwhelming to get started. With the Women’s Service Mission, you’ll be exposed to many different opportunities that will be as diverse as the women of the church. There will be plenty to choose from and you may find that adding your voice to an effort to effect change is easier than you thought.
The Women’s Service Mission will also highlight organizations and causes that support and promote certain public policies, programs or efforts that address the needs of women, families, children and communities. This way, readers will be exposed to and have the opportunity to expose others to many worthwhile and meaningful efforts.
To give you a taste of social concerns that will be highlighted by the Women’s Service Mission, expect to see advocacy opportunities on:
- Family policies like paid maternity leave and protected pumping breast milk breaks for breastfeeding mothers
- Preventing domestic violence and providing support to victims of domestic violence
- Environmental policies and sustainability
- International campaigns to fight hunger, increase access to education to women and girls, and alleviate poverty
- Efforts to reduce homelessness and poverty in local communities and on the national level
- Public health campaigns
- Campaigns to influence media’s portrayal of violence, advertising and depictions of women
WAVE readers are invited to submit information regarding your own volunteer and advocacy efforts, and to pass along advocacy opportunities that you encounter. You are also invited to write brief articles (250-750 words) regarding why a certain issue needs to be addressed and what can be done about it. Feel free to create your own calls to action and solicit support, involvement and encouragement from other WAVE readers. If an issue is posted that you disagree or agree with, write in and give us a for or against argument. The Women’s Service Mission can host rebuttals and debates on issues which can assist readers in seeing topics from a variety of sides as they formulate their opinions. From time to time, book discussions will be hosted on topics that WAVErs show interest in.
To submit your ideas, articles, suggestions, experiences and advocacy opportunities, email service@ldswave.org.
Remember that there is a diversity of thought among our LDS sisters and that we are counseled to be civil in our political dealings and to follow the dictates of our conscience in public policy and debates.[5] WAVE does not have a political platform or take a stance on the issues posted or shared, but merely offers the opportunities for individuals to work together and be actively engaged in civil discourse. Please be respectful of differing opinions regarding social issues and public policy. Please consider gospel principles when submitting and engaging in advocacy efforts. Explanations for how and why an opportunity has a foundation in gospel principles are encouraged.
WAVE is determined to give LDS women a voice in working for good in the world. The Women’s Service Mission provides ways to do that on a variety of issues affecting women and their families.
[1] “Uphold, Nourish, and Protect the Family,” Ensign, Mar 2009, 68
[2] M. Russell Ballard, “Let Our Voices Be Heard,” Liahona, Nov 2003, 16–19
[3] M. Russell Ballard, “What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest,” Liahona, Nov 2005, 41–44
[4] Dallin H. Oaks, “Unselfish Service,” Ensign, May 2009, 93–96
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