Women and the Priesthood

It is a controversy for a lot of women outside the church - the fact that women don't physically hold the priesthood. Those who misunderstand the church often take offense that the organization of the church seems particularly male dominated and that women are supposed to be these submissive, meek and obedient servants to their husbands and bishops. Personally, I've never given it much thought. I don't think I would want to have the responsibility that comes with holding priesthood power. Still, reading in Elder Busche's book Yearning for the Living God on the way home from Ohio, I stumbled across from really profound quotes that really just cleared up the matter. I'd never taken issue with the fact before - but now, I know, I never will.

The priesthood is neither male or female, although it has a male part and a female part. Through the eternal bond of marriage, built on the divine gift of love, the priesthood becomes complete. The roles of the two parts are, of course, vastly different.
Heavenly Father has given the female the role of bringing new life to this world. She does so in a physical dimension - by nurturing, tutoring, training and teaching - and in wearing of the very external virtues of chastity, loyalty and wholesomeness, which are essential to the very existence of humankind. Our Heavenly Father has given the male the role of providing, protecting and admiring. Male and female are in many ways mysteriously different and, because of that, there is a natural desire to love one another in harmony with the divine laws of the gospel.
The best way to gain an understanding of the male and female part of the priesthood is to be reminded of a tree. As we look at a tree, it appears to be complete with its trunk, branches, leaves and blossoms; but we know that another equally important part of the tre is invisible, the roots - which, quite unseen, lie deeply embedded in the soil - are constantly nourishing and strengthening the visible parts of the tree. The roots do not argue with the trunk. They both enjoy oneness.
The temple is the Lord's essential instrument used to establish a true understanding of the male and female parts of the priesthood. In the temple, both men and women wear the robe of the priesthood and are given the garments of the priesthood. Righteous men and women learn that although women are not physically involved in conducting the affairs of the priesthood, no man can excel in his priesthood callings for long without the blessing and care and guidance of a righteous woman. When we listen very carefully in the temple and learn to understand and accept our male and female roles, we will soon see ourselves in our own limitations. Those who concentrate their efforts in developing the purposes and virtues of their own gender will build tender, mutual respect and admiration, inspired by this divine, miraculous power of love. A society that fails to accept the eternal concept of this godly design must pay an unbearable price of confusion of the individual, which can potentially lead to chaos, destruction and the unhappiness of the soul. (pp. 214-216)

I read another book, A New Dawn, by Jack Weyland. He's a little cheesy, but I like his wit. And there was a discussion in his book that followed this line of thinking.

"But don't you ever feel boxed in? I mean you seem to always follow your husband. That to me isn't right. I don't understand how a waomn can play second fiddle to a man."
"...the ideal is this: The husband follows the Savior and His teachings, and the woman honors and sustains her hauband. Think about the way Jesus treated the women in his life. Any woman would feel comfortable with a man who treated he that way. A man like that wouldn't be a tyrant. He'd be patient, slow to anger, sentsitive to a woman's feelings, compassionate and gentle. He'd want his wife to develop her God-given talents.... [A woman should follow the Savior all by herself without her husband being the middle-man but] in a family somebody has to have the final say, and God's established that as the role of the husband."

So that's my stance on the whole situation.