In what could be the most bold move of the year by a primary leader, a sister in my unit scrapped the hierarchy mandated sharing time lesson on tithing from the primary outline, replacing it with a well researched lesson on Frances Monson, the late wife of LDS church president. And it wasn't a "your role as a woman is to raise kids and support yor husband" take. It was rather feministic.

As many on this board are aware, the church does not smile upon deviation from assigned topics and discourages the use of outside materials.

Very little is known about Frances Monson. The primary leader was upset that in the official church release on her passing, everything that was said was in relation to her husband, as if she was a non-entity, just like Heavenly Mother, simply there to live for her husband, nothing special or unique about her in particular, her life boiled down as to how it relates to her husband. So she took matters into her own hands.

What resulted was a vey interesting lesson on aspects of Frances Monson's life that remain largely unknown to others: her college education, her four years of courtship, her handling of family finances and taxes, etc. The primary leader had to really search hard to find anything.

This was one of the most refreshing sharing times ever.

I received permission from this primary leader to post about this. I'm very proud of her courage. Please weigh in on what you think of her actions so I can provide her some feedback.

As we left primary, she whispered, "We can have a lesson on tithing another time." LOL

My first thought (one of my favorite quotes from the movie "Joe vs. The Volcano"):

"You're coming into focus, kid."

Big changes can start with little steps. Good for her.

Go, awesome primary leader!

Please congratulate her on setting a good example for the kids by giving a well-researched, truthful, positive lesson.

Yup! The human brain, when utilized correctly, is a glorious thing.

Good for her. I thought the articles on her in the church newsroom and the Deseret News were terrible. They even interviewed her daughter and all she talked about was how her Mom supported her Dad. Not even a funny story about a vacation they took or something like that.

I wonder if she has been reprimanded yet.

That was refreshing to read. She has my thanks!

That sort of presentation should have been done for Frances Monson while she was alive.

There have been lots of presentations about her husband, (what was his name again?), but none of substance about Frances.

I left so long ago I had no idea if Mrs. M. was living, dead, or what. I was always angered by how tscc idolized the wife of the current profit, and then when the profit died the wife was cast into total obscurity. At best, in a few years there would be a brief notice in "Church News" that she'd passed away. But while her husband was on top, the wife was praised, idealized, coated with gold. The throw-away tactic has also been used for the men; Bruce McConkie, whose books were virtually scripture 40 years ago, has vanished. This lunatic church doesn't know what it believes or who it admires.

If only there were more like that!