Differences Between Men &
Women
Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal,
and eternal identity and purpose (“The Family: A Proclamation to
the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).
Romans 12:6
Men and women have different divine roles and responsibilities and
have “gifts differing according to the grace that is given to them.
There must be respect one for another, notwithstanding such
differences. In fact, the differences may make the companionship
more interesting (President Gordon B. Hinckley, Cornerstone of a
Happy Home [pamphlet, 1984], 4-5).
The differences make important contributions to dating and
marriage relationships.
Tale of Two
Brains
Perceived Traits:
 Meek
 Independent
 Loving
 Competitive
 Emotional
 Decisive
 Tactful
 Takes a Stand
 Considerate
 Aggressive
 Active
 Adventurous
 Dominant
 Outspoken
 Creative
 Understanding
 Aware of others feelings
 Gentle, Kind
 Grateful
 Strong Conscience
 Ambitious
 Devoted
 Self-Confident
 Meek
 Enjoys Art & Music
The Husband Store
A store that sells husbands has just opened in New York City,
where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the
instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store
operates. You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!
There are 6 floors and the attributes of the men increase as
the shopper ascends the flights. There is, however, a catch…
you may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may
choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except
to exit the building!
So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.
On the 1st floor the sign on the door reads:
These men have jobs and love the Lord.
The 2nd floor sign reads:
These men have jobs, love the Lord, and love
kids.
The 3rd floor sign reads:
These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids,
and are extremely good-looking.
“Wow,” she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.
She goes to the 4th floor and the sign reads:
These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are dropdead good looking and help with the housework.
“Oh mercy me” she exclaims, “I can hardly stand it!” Still,
she goes to the 5th floor and the sign reads:
These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are dropdead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong
romantic streak.
She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the 6th
floor and the sign reads:
Floor 6 - you are visitor 4,363,012 to this floor.
There are no men on this floor.
This floor exists solely as proof that women are
impossible to please.
Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.
Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a
nice day!
Romance Mathematics
Smart man + smart woman =
romance
Smart man + dumb woman =
affair
Dumb man + smart woman =
marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman =
pregnancy
Shopping Math
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t need.
General Equations & Statistics
A woman never worries about the future until she gets a
husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife
can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
Happiness
To be happy with a man, you must understand him a
lot and love him a little.
To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and
not try to understand her at all.
Memory
Any married man should forget his mistakes, there’s no
use in two people remembering the same thing.
Appearance
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/699866#i1,p4,d1
Propensity To Change
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, and she
does.
Discussion Techniques
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the
beginning of a new argument.
Hooray for the Differences!
President Boyd K. Packer said, “We should
recognize that there is a distinct masculine
nature and a distinct feminine nature essential
to the foundation of the home and the family.
By grand design, male and female are supposed
to be different. Otherwise God would have
made Addie and Eve or Adam and Steve. But
then none of us would be here (“The Relief
Society,” Ensign, May 1998, 72).
By acknowledging differences and
working with and through them, couples
can have very successful marriages.
Baggage of Your Own:
We each bring with us the baggage of
the past, some of which is good and
some of which needs to be discarded.
God-Given Traits of Men & Women as taught
by Latter-Day Prophets
Physical
“Except Adam and Eve by nature be different from one
another, they could not multiply and fill the earth. The
complementing differences are the very key to the plan
of happiness” (Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Nov. 1993).
“…We are created as men and women to fit together in
such a union. In this ultimate physical expression of one
man and one woman they are nearly as literally ‘one’ as
two separate physical bodies can ever be” (Jeffrey R.
Holland, “Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments”).
Social and Emotional
“You were not created to be the same as
men. Your natural attributes, affections,
and personalities are entirely different
from a man’s. They consist of faithfulness,
benevolence, kindness, and charity. They
give you the personality of a woman. They
also balance the more aggressive and
competitive nature of a man” (Ezra Taft
Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson,
547-48).
INTELLECTUAL
“The business world is competitive and
sometimes ruthless. We do not doubt that
women have both the brainpower and
skills..to compete with men. But by
competing they must, of necessity become
aggressive and competitive. Thus their
godly attributes are diminished and they
acquire a quality of sameness with man”
(Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft
Benson, 548).
“I firmly believe that our dear faithful sisters enjoy a
special spiritual enrichment which is inherent in their
natures” (James E. Faust, Ensign, Nov. 1993, 38-39).
“Women should maintain their spiritual superiority in
marriage…She has…the opportunity to encourage, uplift,
teach, and be the one who sets the example in the family
for righteous living…Perhaps it is just a man’s viewpoint,
but it seems to me that sweetness and spirituality in the
home are often brought about by the conduct of the
woman” (Howard W. Hunter, Teachings of Howard W.
Hunter, 138-39).
Camilla Kimball, wife of President Spencer W. Kimball said:
“Sometimes I almost feel in the press of your many
responsibilities that I don’t matter very much any more.
Anyone who thinks being the wife of one of the general
authorities is a bed of roses should try it once, shouldn’t
they? Theoretically I realize and appreciate all the blessings
and advantages, but sometimes I selfishly feel it would be
nice to not have to share my husband with a million others.
I do love and appreciate you, dear, and admire your sterling
qualities. I wouldn’t have you be one whit less valiant in the
pursuit of your duty…but it is comforting to be reassured
once in a while that you realize I am standing by..” (in
Caroline Eyring Miner and Edward L. Kimball, Camilla: A
Biography of Camilla Eyring Kimball [1980], “Camilla,” 130).
Men want to feel trusted, appreciated, admired,
approved of, encouraged, and viewed as competent and
needed.
In the book, “Spencer W. Kimball,” (191) we find this example:
“When President Kimball was called as an apostle, he and
Camilla and their family were living in Arizona. The phone
call from the First Presidency in Salt Lake City was so
overwhelming to President Kimball that after hanging up the
phone, feelings of inadequacy overcame him and he sank to
the floor, sobbing. Camilla sat on the floor with him,
stroking his hair, trying to quiet him. President Kimball
wrote: ‘My wife is my salvation. She comforted me and
encouraged me and continued to say there was only one road
to follow.’”
We can learn from each other.
Who better to learn how to be more nurturing
than from one who has that God-given gift?
Who better to learn how to be more kind, or
charitable, or loving, than from one who has that
God-given gift? God has perfected all these traits
If we hope to become like God we, too, must
develop all the attributes of Godliness. We can
do that best by learning from those who can best
teach us. This suggest that we each have a
responsibility to emulate, for others, the qualities
God has given us.
Elder Richard G Scott said that man’s natural tendency
to be aggressive and competitive often cause him to
want to be perceived as being as close to right as
possible (Ensign, Nov. 1996, 73).
“From my experience, It would seem that faithful
mothers have a special gift that we often refer to as
mother’s intuition. Perhaps with the great blessing of
motherhood, our Heavenly Father has endowed them
with this quality, since fathers, busy in priesthood
callings and with the work of earning a livelihood,
never draw quite as close to heavenly beings in matters
that relate to the more intimate details of bringing up
children in the home” (Harold B. Lee, “The Teachings
of Harold B. Lee,” 291).
“All virtues listed in the scriptures – love,
joy, peace, faith, godliness, charity – are
shared by both men and women, and the
highest priesthood ordinance in mortality is
given only to men and women
together…The woman, by her very nature…is
the primary nurturer of the children.
Virtues and attributes upon which
perfection and exaltation depend come
naturally to a woman and are refined
through marriage and motherhood” (Boyd
K. Packer, Ensign, Nov. 1993).