Full feminine splendor

What does it mean to live the “full feminine splendor” of womanhood?

That’s the phrase Elder Richard G. Scott used in Sunday’s LDS general conference, and I’ve found myself searching to define exactly what this means ever since.

I loved Elder Scott’s talk. He spoke of his late wife with respect, love and admiration when he said that she was a woman who “with grace and devotion lived the full feminine splendor of her righteous womanhood.”

It was a pretty unusual and wonderful description in a world where women are praised for being tough and femininity is often viewed as a weakness. So I’m wondering what it means to be a woman living in “full feminine splendor.” What does it take to be this kind of woman?

So far, I’ve come up with two things that I think are requisite to live with “full feminine splendor.”

The first is sacrifice. Selflessness is a common trait in all of the women I most admire and hope to become. They put others first and think nothing of giving away their time, money and love. Motherhood was a crash course in sacrifice for me, and I’m still learning everyday what selflessness really means.

The second quality I would say is necessary to live in “full feminine splendor” is grace, which Elder Scott also mentions. To me, grace is an intangible quality of elegance and dignity. It may not look the same on every woman, but a woman who lives with grace is one who forgives easily, speaks kindly and brings an air of peace wherever she goes.

I would love to one day merit the description as a woman who lived her full feminine splendor. What attributes do you think qualify a woman for such high praise?

Erin Stewart is a regular blogger for Deseret News. From stretch marks to the latest news for moms, Stewart discusses it all while her 4-year-old daughter crams Mr. Potato Head pieces in her little sister’s nose.