Mormon women continue to contribute to the world at large while practicing their faith. Two of the most prominent examples of women who had positions of influence in the world as well as in the church are Chieko Okazaki and Sheri Dew. Okazaki was a teacher and school principal and Dew is currently the CEO of Deseret Book. Unlike many of the other women we’ve studied in this course, neither of them was the president of the Relief Society but because of their powerful writing and speeches they continue to have an impact on Mormon women.
READINGS
Chieko Okazaki
Listen to a short speech of Sister Okazaki 's - "Baskets and Bottles."
A classic talk by Sister Okazaki where she teaches through a concrete example (quilt patterns) and stories from her own life--“Strength in the Savior,” Cheiko Okazaki, lds.org
A candid interview with Sister Okazaki talking about several topics including her time serving in the General Relief Society Presidency.
Sheri Dew
You can hear flashes of her trademark humor in this talk "Knowing Who You Are--And Have Always Been."
Sister Dew has spoken about how distraught she was when she asked to give a talk on the family at General Conference because she is single and has no children. She shares some of that material in this videotaped presentation given at the Claremont Colleges where Dew talks about Women and the Priesthood (note that the audio gets better around 11 minutes in).
This is the talk she references about her thoughts on motherhood - “Are We Not All Mothers."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Both Okazaki and Dew could be seen as "outsiders." Okazaki because she was a convert, married to a nonmember (initially) and a non-Caucasian. Dew because she is single. And both because they worked outside the home in a time when fewer Mormon women did. How have they used their "outsider" status to connect with people who might have felt marginalized?
2. Like their literate predecessors, Emmeline B. Wells and Susa Young Gates, Okazaki and Dew have shared their beliefs through their writing. What do women writers bring to leadership callings?
3. Okazaki was also a teacher and a principal in her professional life. Do some professions prepare people better for church callings and leadership? (For example, why do we see an abundance of lawyers in leadership roles in the church?)
4.The best writers and speakers are able to take personal anecdotes and apply them broadly. Both Okazaki and Dew excel at this. What are some of their memorable personal stories and how have they impacted you?
5. Dew is open about the challenges of being single in a church that heavily promotes marriage and family. How do you think her willingness to talk about this aspect of her life has changed the lives of single women in the church?