I recently sat with a number of members of the Community of Christ, previously known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as part of an interfaith dialogue. I have great love and respect for these people, those I consider brothers and sisters in the faith. We talked openly and in a friendly manner about similarities and differences between our two churches and landed squarely on the topic of women and the priesthood. One of the women in the room who had been ordained to the priesthood described her responsibilities and shared her feelings regarding the blessing it was for her to be able to perform priesthood ordinances.

I was called as the mission president of the France Bordeaux Mission in 1989, and we arrived in Bordeaux in the month of July. The mission was just opening, and we were the first family to live in the mission home, which was still being furnished when we arrived. The mission home needed a piano, and we were encouraged to visit local music stores to find one. It seemed with each store we entered, seeing our missionary tags with the name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the proprietor of the store would say, “I know one of your members, Philippe Moreau.” Philippe was a concert pianist of some reputation in Bordeaux, and I was impressed that he was so open about his beliefs. I expected to meet him soon. When we did not meet him, I asked the leaders in Bordeaux about Philippe Moreau. Their countenances saddened at the question, and they informed me that he was no longer a member of the Church. They explained that he had joined the Church in his late teens and had been a fervent disciple of the Savior, but then had moved away from the Savior’s teachings.

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