{"id":11868,"date":"2010-03-19T05:24:01","date_gmt":"2010-03-19T10:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/?p=11868"},"modified":"2010-03-19T05:24:01","modified_gmt":"2010-03-19T10:24:01","slug":"do-titles-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/2010\/03\/do-titles-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Titles Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"WifeThere is a long-standing tradition in the church to use honorific titles identifying priesthood positions for men at just about every level beginning when they become missionaries. Elder, Bishop, President.<\/p>\n

Women \u2014 even those who hold similarly named positions \u2014 are generally referred to as simply “sister.” In my 45 years in the church, I can recall less than a handful of times when a woman was referred to by title.<\/p>\n

When I was 19 we moved to England while my dad took a sabbatical from BYU. My mom soon made a dear friend in the mission president’s wife. We spent hours and hours helping her fulfill her various duties. (My mom out of friendship, me out of a desire to hang out with cute missionaries.) This was more than a full time job.<\/p>\n

Upon returning home, I started paying attention to the Church News announcements of new mission presidents. The notices generally told about the man who’d been called, what his career was, what callings he’d held \u2014 and ended with something like, “President Jones is married to the former Mary Johnson.”<\/p>\n

Years later the husband of a friend was called to serve as a mission president. As I witnessed the preparations to leave for three years, packing up an entire home, learning a new language, leaving friends and family, it was obvious that the woman was making as serious a commitment as the man. But she wasn’t given a calling or title to go with it. In fact, her service was barely recognized other than her support role.<\/p>\n

When temple presidents are called, the wife is called the “matron.” I suppose that’s a title (although I’ve never heard anyone in such a position addressed as “Matron Thompson”), but really it just means “sober, middle-aged, married woman.” Which is kind of like giving a guy the title of “geezer.”<\/p>\n

When I was in high school my dad was called to be a bishop in a married student ward. My mom was the ward mother, attended both our ward (because I was still at home) and my dad’s ward (as requested). She served tirelessly there, without recognition.<\/p>\n

When I was in college, Dad was called to serve as a branch president at the MTC. My mom was expected to attend and serve, and she did. My dad was given a missionary name tag. So was my mom. Hers said, “Sister Moore \u2014 Wife \u2014 Branch Presidency.”<\/p>\n

In the past, whenever I’ve asked someone about this disparity, the answer I get is generally one of these:<\/p>\n