The Heart of a Woman

• Women are the heart of society.
• It is essential that society has a heart.
• Men need a heart.
• Unity of man and woman requires a head and a heart.
• Man is the head.
• Woman is the heart.
• A heart is tender.
• We must protect the hearts of women.
  
  
• A woman without a heart is just a head.
• Without a real woman, there is no heart.
• A couple with two heads is just two heads, and no heart.
• If there is no heart, gender becomes irrelevant.
• Two men can be partners with two heads.
• Two women can be partners with two heads.
• Or, a man and a woman can be partners with two heads.
• It’s all the same when there is no heart.
  
  
• Why would a woman have no heart?
• Abuse creates a heart wall that nothing can penetrate.
• Society values their body instead of their heart.
• If women are emotionally damaged, they cannot give their heart.
• If they are exposed to evil they protect their hearts.
• A woman cannot give a broken heart.
  
  

We’re told that women are just like men, that they have all the same wants, needs, desires, and that we should treat them the same. A woman should work the same, and get paid the same, as a man.  A woman can do or be anything she wants. She could be “Rosie the riveter” or run big companies, or leader of the world. A woman should be just like a man... and a man should be just like a woman. This is an earthly concept -- of the world, temporal, temporary. In the world, money is the source of life, and is the measure of success so equality of men and women is found in seeking for power and glory in earning potential, houses, lands, clothing, toys, and all the things of the world that make life good. Why not put a woman in the White House? Women should be ordained to the priesthood. Women should have all the political and economic power in the world that a man may have.

The Big Picture

In the eternities, perhaps there is no difference between a man and a woman in the lower kingdoms of heaven. A man angel is the same as a woman angel. A woman can serve God in all the ways a man can serve God. There is no reproduction so there is no need for a body that can reproduce. There is also no difference in other functions, all are the same there. It doesn’t matter. So, perhaps when one is resurrected into a body that is terrestrial or telestial they are not as man and woman, but gender-neutral. Perhaps even in the celestial glory, the kingdom of the Father, two-thirds are gender-neutral. Thus, since they are not bound together in marriage, and there is no reproduction, gender is irrelevant, so everyone is the same. They become separate, single, androgynous beings. Their unity is sameness. They can be friends, but not sealed. Since they do not increase, gender-neutral is death. This is exactly what people of the world are fighting for. 

However, there is one place in the eternities where the distinction between man and woman makes a difference. The highest degree of the celestial glory means men and women are different, and, as the French say, “Vive le difference!” It is the only place where gender is meaningful. It is where a man and a woman are together for eternity, being a complete human being. It is the highest level of existence, eternal life. Exaltation is the pinnacle of human existence, where a man and woman are as different as can be, but become one. This unity is not sameness, but togetherness in their difference. A man is fully a man, and a woman is completely feminine, and they come together as one to become complete, whole, or perfect -- like God. God is a man -- Man of Holiness is His name. He has a wife. He protects her from the evils of the world, and provides for her. They are one. The difference between men and women is life.

The fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being restored to the earth. While all who have read the Bible since the death of the Apostles could understand heaven and hell -- if you’re good you go to heaven, and if you’re bad you go to hell -- they were missing the fullness, the ultimate glory, the pinnacle of success, our full purpose for existence: exaltation and eternal life. This concept was lost when the Apostles died. There was nobody left to teach it. It is that, as children of God, man can become as He is. The essential ingredient is that nobody is whole and complete as an individual, but together, a man and a woman form a complete human being -- a god. Jesus said: “Be ye therefore perfect” (Matthew 5:48) which means complete, or whole. This requires a man and a woman, together. What the prophet Joseph Smith restored is the ability to become one, the sealing power, the possibility of eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God. The purpose of the church is not to teach people how to become androgynous angels, servants to the gods, but rather how to become gods. Therefore, the Church of Jesus Christ will not make women and men the same. Instead, it will teach men how to be men, and women how to be women, and bring them together in unity and love, for when a woman is the heart, and the man is the head, and they are one, they are gods. 

Protect and Provide

Women are special. They have an other-world dimension of charity. They have the ability to make mankind whole. They have a heart filled with love. They are not just like men. Women are not men. Women should not be going to war. Women should not be slaying dragons. Women should not be doing all the worldly things to seek fame and fortune. These are fleeting; they whither, rot, and decay due to entropy with a final end in nothing. All that is bought with money is useless. Only love endures, and without real women there is no love. Children are only taught to make money, to be servants, to be workers in society. They don’t learn love, and don’t have hearts. Without a heart, a woman is just like a man, subject to all the evils of the world, seeking money and power. To maintain love, women should be out of the world, and completely immersed in eternity. Women need to be protected from the evils of the world so they can have a heart, so they can love and build trust, so they can put all their efforts into connecting couples, family, and society together. The glue that holds us together is love. 

The Lord explains that the heart of a woman is tender, and must be protected. The prophet Jacob clearly told the Nephite men that their lasciviousness caused broken hearts of their wives and lost confidence of their children, which brings condemnation on the whole society.

For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands. And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts. For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts. And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done. Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.

Jacob 2:31-35

Men break the hearts of their wives and lose the confidence of their children by seeking gratification. It is lasciviousness that ruins the world, breaks down families, and brings destruction on society. Hearts are broken, the glue of love is lost, and there is nothing but heads. Men look at women to lust after them, breaking their covenant to be true to their wives. Their children have no confidence. Their daughters don’t believe that a man will protect her so she protects herself. She builds a wall. Without a heart, she then becomes a head, she learns to get along in the world, seeking power, glory, honor, money, lands, houses, toys, and temporal things. She often becomes bitter and angry over the broken heart. She cannot love. She has nothing to give. She cannot fulfill her destiny. She feels empty with all her stuff, it doesn’t fill her true needs or help her fulfill her destiny. 

In that case, a man has the same issue, finding gratification of desires unfulfilling, and having no heart, he can become bitter and angry. What he really needs for fulfillment is the heart of a woman, but his desires have broken her heart and she cannot give it. They cannot become one. They cannot achieve their ultimate purpose. They are not complete nor whole, and cannot be perfect. That which they seek is lost, making them “ripe for destruction.”

The Lord commanded men to “take up their cross” and sacrifice their desires (3 Nephi 12:28-30). By making the sacrifice to not even allow the thought of adultery, men can receive so much more. What he really wants is her heart. The flesh is just a token of the heart, so it is deceptive. It feels like she gives her heart, briefly, but then reality comes and he knows she is not his, they are not really one. Sex is an impostor; there is no fulfillment. However, in making the sacrifice, he can allow his wife to feel safe and she will be able to give the real thing, and they can become one. By giving up the desire for her body he can have her heart. This is real. It fills the need. It brings fulfillment, love, and happiness.

Rather than force them into the world, men need to protect their women, wives and daughters, from wickedness and debauchery. They need to teach them faith, hope, and charity -- to trust in God -- so they don’t build a wall around their hearts. If men take responsibility to protect and provide, then women will be able to love because they won’t need a wall to protect themselves from evil, or provide for themselves -- they can transcend the world and give love. A man must protect all women from the evils of the world; the heart of a woman must be sacred. She must feel safe. She must be innocent. She is love, the glue that holds everyone together. In the world women need real men who are willing to slay the dragon, and fight evil for them so they can be open, loving, free, and able to give their hearts. They will give their hearts to their husbands, making the world a more loving place. Anger and bitterness will be replaced by love. Parents will love their children, and children who grow up with love will be able to love. There will be no misery, for all will be loved; peace will reign. 

If there is going to be unity, we must have women with pure hearts, unadulterated by the things of the world, not caring for money or power on earth, but for love, charity, and the power of God. Joseph Smith told the Women's Relief Society of Nauvoo that they “should be a select Society separate from all the evils of the world, choice, virtuous and holy.” Joseph Smith further taught women, "All must act in concert or nothing can be done." And "by union of feeling we obtain power with God.” The pure heart of a woman has the potential to bring unity - and the power of God - to the world. There is no way to place a monetary value on a woman who loves with an open heart, “for her price is far above rubies!” (Proverbs 31:10)

Creating World Peace

I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

Alma 34:33-35

Conflict

The soul is body and spirit.

There is a battle between the flesh and the spirit.

The body needs to live, and feel good.

The spirit needs to feel right and just.

If the body does all it wants, the spirit will not feel right.

If the spirit dominates, the body will never feel good. 

The battle is over filling the emptiness.

The body wants to fill it with things of the world.

The spirit wants to fill it with God.

The body would use chemicals, sex, food, and other worldly things.

The spirit wants to connect back to God through the Holy Ghost.

The things of the body suppress the things of the spirit.

Separation of the body and spirit is death.

They must go together.

One must win, and bring the other along.

Both cannot have what they want and remain together.

There is a constant battle.

Truce

The default is not peace, but truce.

Truce is when the body and spirit are still enemies, but there are no battles.

Truce is suppression of either the spirit or the body.

Denial of the battle causes domination of the body over the spirit.

The flesh dominates by default because of immediate needs.

Domination by the body is truce because the spirit will always be empty.

Suppression of the spirit brings guilt and shame.

Spiritualists put the needs of the spirit over the body.

The spirit dominates by suppression of the needs of the flesh.

When the spirit dominates, the body rebels, causing addictions, pain, and fatigue.

Truce isn’t peace because the body and spirit are still at odds.

Truce is false integration by domination.

Truce  is temporary.

Truce eventually ends in war because enmity still reigns.

Truce, whether dominated by the body or the spirit, maintains division.

The Spirit of God cannot dwell in unholy temples.

If we aren’t integrated there is no peace.

Integrity comes from unity.

Unity only exists in the absence of domination.

True integrity of soul is peace.

Peace

Unity comes from repentance.

Repentance is submission of my whole soul to God.

The body obeys Christ.

The spirit obeys the Holy Ghost.

The flesh and the spirit are one.

They are integrated when both are subject to God.

Neither the body nor the spirit wins the war.

Peace is to have both the body and spirit subject to God.

Peace is integration of body and spirit.

Integration is being one.

Integrity is unity.

Unity is found in Christ.

Christ can bring a remission of sins, removing guilt and shame.

Only Jesus Christ can bring peace because of forgiveness.

Forgiveness allows the Holy Ghost to be with me.

The Holy Ghost cannot dwell in unholy temples.

I can receive the Holy Ghost if I repent and am forgiven.

The Holy Ghost fills the void.

The Holy Ghost becomes the guide for my soul.

Peace comes when the Holy Spirit is inside me.

Nothing outside of me can disturb my peace.

Peace is internal.

Peace is forever.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

John 14:27

The peace of the world is, like everything else of the world, only temporary. Lack of conflict by suppression of one side of warring parties is a truce. They are still at odds. Either way it is truce -- being spiritual, religious, pious, faithful, believing, or otherwise devoted to the spirit can bring a truce by suppressing the body, like a Stoic. However, in a way, it is no different than being Epicurean, hedonist, indulgent, licentious, or incontinent. One favors the flesh, the other favors the body. There is still incongruity inside. Having a truce may seem like peace, but the enmity still exists.

Those who are self-indulgent suppress their spirit, bringing remorse, guilt, and shame. They fight against the shame. They blame others for shaming them. They blame their parents for raising them with shame. It feels like they can suppress their shame by giving it to someone else. They are constantly running away from themselves, and how they feel about themselves. They compare themselves to others, trying to look good on the outside. Guilt is hidden by creating battles. The guilty take up causes and otherwise fight against what they see as evil. They belong to the “right” political party, religion, or other organization. They raise funds for the downtrodden and oppressed. They prove they have no reason to feel guilty by doing things they think are good. They recruit others to their cause so they can have “a cloud of witnesses” that they are basically good, right, true, and that they have integrity. They may appear to have integrity because they have a truce, but there is no peace in an hedonist truce. 

The other truce is just as tenuous. When the spirit takes over and suppresses the appetites of the body, the body rebels and causes pain, addictions, chronic fatigue, and all sorts of illness. People try to assuage their guilt and shame by suppressing their appetites, and simply become suppressed addicts. In 12-Step programs I am told that I am an addict, and I will always be an addict. The best I can ever be is a controlled addict. Thus, I must go to meetings incessantly, and suffer other addictions that come from trying to control one. If I’m “clean and sober” from drugs, I might be smoking, drinking alcohol, or using large amounts of caffeine. I still have a chemical problem, I just trade around which one I’m using. Often, giving up chemical addictions brings on food addictions. Obesity is rampant, especially in those who are religious, and exceptionally pious about avoiding sinful chemicals. Meditation, yoga, iron man races, fasting, extreme dieting, or other ways of suppressing the appetites and needs of the body may also produce rebellion. Life is pain. In a truce, the war just goes on, underground. There is no peace in a stoic truce.

My internal war rages on like war in the Middle-East. There are times of truce only because one population is suppressed. Israel represents the spirit, and the Palestinians represent the body. When it was Palestinian territory, there were no borders, the people were nomadic, going around in tents, living wherever they desired. Israel came in and made lines, borders, ownership, infrastructure. They suppress the Palestinians. There is truce, but it is tenuous at all times. Palestinians are so suppressed, they feel the only way out is to strap a bomb to themselves and take a few Israelis with them. Israel must be constantly vigilant with a big army, including every young man and woman. It is costly to maintain a truce.

All the answers given of the world bring truce, not peace. Counselors, life coaches, therapists, psychologists and the like have an agenda to allow either the spirit or the body take control of the soul. But, having one side suppress the other is not unity, it is a truce. People may say they are being true to themselves by choosing one or the other, but it is not true integrity. It’s false, because one whole part is missing. Both are important. Both are necessary for me to become whole. I need both to become perfect. 

Be ye therefore perfect

    Matthew 5:48

How do I become integrated without suppressing either my body or my spirit? The answer, like most answers in the world, that both are wrong. Neither one is the right way. Neither the body nor the spirit dominates. The right way is repentance and faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. The body and spirit both submit to Christ and they become one. There is true unity. There is no war. It’s not a truce because they are not enemies. They do not fight, nor rebel, because there is nothing to fight against. Neither are trying to dominate the other. Each is committed to the Lord. The Lord becomes the lord of my soul -- body and spirit. He is the Lord of my body. He is the Lord of my spirit. Where there was conflict, now there is none because both have one lord, the Lord of lords.

...the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:3

The Lord of my body trains me to care for the body. I get enough, but not too much. I train carefully. I use contrast in all things: feast and fast, exercise and rest, wake and sleep. I keep a good circadian rhythm. All appetites, passions, and desires are kept within the bounds the Lord sets for them. Sex, food, drugs, exercise, and all things of the body are regulated, not suppressed. Each need is filled, and feeling is expressed, in the proper time, place, and way. The regulation of the body is done using guidelines without hard-and-fast rules. The guidelines keep things in their proper place, but allow for changes at any time.

...the Holy Ghost... will show unto you all things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:5

The Lord is lord of my spirit, giving connection with God, comfort, forgiveness. I have no guilt or shame. The spirit can rest. There is hope. There is love. There is peace. The spirit is happy. I can have the Holy Ghost with me to guide me and to comfort me. When the war is past, my spirit can learn about the body, the power of feelings, and physical strength. I can become one with my body. There is no more war, no more truce, no more rebellion. I have integrity through true integration in Christ. I am one. There is one “I” not two. One.

I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.

Doctrine and Covenants 38:27

Repentance brings peace in all things. If both the Israelis and the Palestinians turn to the Lord, there would be peace in Israel. They would become one people, as it was described in the Book of Mormon. The Nephites and Lamanites had been mortal enemies for hundreds of years, with multiple times of war and truce, but the Lord changed that. When He came to visit the people, they all turned to Him. Neither side won the war, it was God that brought peace.

...the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.

4 Nephi 1:2-3

This sounds ideal! This is what everyone wants! This is the society everyone is trying to create, in their own way. Some are fighting against poverty, others are fighting against corruption, but all this fighting is just hacking away at the leaves of evil. The roots are inside each person. When the people have internal peace, when they are all converted to the Lord, Jesus Christ, then we can truly have peace because all will have inner peace. Nobody will need justification. Nobody will be hedonist or stoic. All will be Christian. Love will abound.

 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

4 Nephi 1:15-16

When all have integrity, and peace, there is no more reason to fight, there is nothing to fight against. When there are no internal wars, then there will be no external wars. 

The answer is repentance. Don’t obey your body. Don’t listen to the “wisdom” of your body. Your body is not omniscient, it only knows what it wants and needs right now. On the other hand, don’t suppress the body with your spirit. Rather submit your whole soul to God, being obedient only to Him. If we all turn to the Lord, we will have inner peace, not just a truce. It will not be suppression, but true peace. The Lord will fill the inner needs. The Lord will comfort every sorrow and dry every tear. Conversion to the Lord, Jesus Christ, will bring the peace everyone craves. There is no other way. Everything else is just a truce. Only Christ brings peace.

No Christ, no peace.
Know Christ, know peace.

Now is the time to repent. Now. Don't wait. Repentance is not an event, it's a lifetime process. Start now.