[MUSIC PLAYING]
Warm heartfelt greetings to all of you
who are joining us for the 2020 BYU Women's Conference
digital event.
My name is Sandra Rogers, BYU International Vice President
and Chair of this year's conference.
We love you and are so pleased and grateful
that through the magnificent efforts of the Women's
Conference staff in BYU Continuing
Education, our friends at BYUtv and Church Publishing Services,
we can gather virtually across various time
zones and geographic locations.
We share our faith, hope, and charity with you,
and add our prayers to the many that
are being offered to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You and your families are in our hearts.
We thank BYU President Kevin J Worthen for his steady support
and encouragement.
We express our gratitude for Sister Jean B. Bingham
and her counselors and their inspired direction
and friendship.
We appreciate the care and contributions of Sister Bonnie
H. Cordon and Sister Joy D. Jones and their counselors.
And we thank the Women's Conference Committee
and the many wonderful presenters,
including those who are speaking in our broadcast today
and those who were originally invited to speak
at the conference on campus.
We also express our thanks to Julie Rogers
for creating the beautiful artwork that
so eloquently depicts our theme, gather all safely in Christ.
We will begin our time together with an opening prayer
by Jeanne Burgon, a member of the BYU Women's Conference
Committee.
Then I will have the opportunity to share
some thoughts with you.
Following my remarks, we will hear a musical testimony,
"Someday He Will Come," sung by Lita Little Giddins, also
a member of the Women's Conference Committee.
The words and music are by Staci Peters and Tyler Castleton,
and Tyler is the accompanist.
After the musical number, we will
hear from Kate Holbrook, who will
speak on the topic of the continuing Restoration
and the gathering of Israel.
Sister Holbrook is a managing historian in the Church History
department.
She is a leading voice in the study of Latter-day Saint
women and their faith and the practice of everyday religion.
She has degrees from BYU, the Harvard Divinity
School, and Boston University.
She and her husband Samuel Brown are raising three daughters
in Salt Lake City.
Please read more about her on the Women's Conference page.
And now the opening prayer.
Our beloved Father in Heaven.
We are so grateful for the opportunity
of meeting together this morning at BYU Women's Conference.
Under these unusual circumstances,
we are so grateful for the efforts
of so many who have worked to prepare this conference.
We acknowledge those who plan to attend whose expectations are
not currently being met, but we thank these so very much
for the technology that makes this morning's
meeting possible.
And we ask that you please to bless
those who are managing that technology,
and please bless those who will be presenting and making
this gathering possible.
We are so grateful to know that the Spirit experiences
no limitations by distance or any other means,
and pray that He will be with each one who participates,
who presents, who listens, that all may be edified
through this experience.
We are very grateful for the blessing
of meeting under the direction of priesthood authority,
and we thank Thee for the Restoration
of the gospel of Jesus Christ that makes it possible.
We ask Thy blessings to please be
with President Nelson and all those who serve with him.
We are also grateful for individual priesthood power
that blesses each of us through personal faithfulness
and the keeping of covenants.
Again, we thank Thee for those who
have prepared for this morning.
We ask Thee to please bless them with clarity of thought,
with fluency of speech, with peace of mind and heart,
that they will be able to present
with the assistance of the Spirit
the messages that we know that they
have prepared with the assistance of the Spirit.
We pray that each person listening
will be able to receive the messages intended individually.
Please help them to know that Thy plan is
for them personally.
With all of our hearts we thank Thee
for the Atonement of Thy Son.
We are grateful for its infinite power, its infinite scope,
and its infinite individuality.
Again, we thank Thee for the Spirit
and ask Thee to help us to listen with mind and heart,
according to Thy will and with His guidance.
We offer this prayer expressing our love and gratitude,
in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, amen.
President Nelson has called upon the women of the Church
to assist in the gathering of Heavenly Father's children
on both sides of the veil to Christ in preparation
for His glorious Second Coming.
Every priesthood key, every covenant
with its associated priesthood power,
every spiritual gift, especially the companionship
of the Holy Ghost, and every revelation
has prepared and will yet prepare every needful thing
for this last hour of work in the Lord's vineyard.
How do we in a time of disruption, change,
and challenge gather all safely in Christ?
We know the answer Jesus gave to the lawyer who
asked Him to name the greatest commandment.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself."
If all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments,
certainly the gathering of scattered Israel does as well.
"Come, follow me" is the Savior's invitation
to walk His covenant path.
The first effort in gathering all safely in Christ
is to bring ourselves to Him.
As we draw near to Him in trust and obedience,
we learn to love Him.
We love Him when we have enough faith
to make sacred covenants with Him.
Our love for Him grows as we faithfully
make every effort to keep those covenants.
Though we do not fully comprehend
how the miracle takes place, we realize
that we can only be made clean and whole through His mercy,
His grace, and His charity.
We recognize with sublime gratitude
that He binds up our broken heart
and frees us from all things that held us captive.
Neither pain, abuse, intolerance, loss, sin,
sickness, disappointment, affliction, temptation,
or death are beyond His reach.
Our increasing faith and hope in Him casts out our fear,
and we are enabled by His power to have a disposition
to do good continually.
These uncertain times have taxed our souls.
We are separated from others, unable to show the same close
affection and care to grandchildren, elderly parents,
the ill, friends, or neighbors.
We face economic difficulties.
Our social sacrifices mean that we have experienced
losses we can't mourn in traditional ways,
and births and milestones we can't
celebrate as we would like.
We have taken on even more responsibilities which
have stretched us to the extremes of our elasticity,
but not to the end of our faith.
I believe the Lord sees our cares
and will give us strength as we climb this 2020 version
of a pioneer rocky ridge.
If there are blessings from this pandemic--and I believe there
are many blessings that come because, as Paul promised,
"all things work together for the good of them that love
the Lord."
Has home become a holy place, as we gratefully worship there?
Has renewing our covenants become
a more sacred and meaningful experience?
Do we pray more frequently and deliberately?
Are we learning what is eternally important for us
and our loved ones, and beginning to make adjustments
in our habits?
Has our testimony of His latter-day marvelous work
and a wonder been lighted or reignited
by general conference?
Are we turning to God more because the things that
were displacing Him in our lives have lost their allure?
Are we looking forward with great anticipation to gathering
with each other again?
Have we committed to enjoy temple blessings
more when the temples are open?
I join with many of you in bearing testimony
that blessings have come in this season of trial and testing,
blessings that are preparing us for a more consecrated effort
to gather all in Christ.
Just as relevant is the blessing of receiving the Holy Ghost
with new purpose and renewed gratitude.
The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of the great necessities
in the continuing Restoration of all things, for the Church
and for each of us.
The Holy Ghost is a revelator, a comforter, guide,
and He is a purifier.
The power of the Holy Ghost leads us to understand and live
the gospel.
The Holy Ghost tutors us in how to hear and love the Savior
and to become like Him.
The Holy Ghost also teaches us even in these restricted times
how to love our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, people
we have never met, and even those
who may be antagonistic to us because we love the Lord first.
When we are fully obedient to the first commandment,
we cannot help but obey the second.
President Eyring taught that when
we feel the influence of the Holy Ghost,
we also feel our natures are being
changed because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Quote, "[The pure love of Christ] is a gift we are
promised when the Atonement of Jesus Christ has worked in us.
. . .
And when we feel our desire for people
is moving toward being in line with His, that
is one of the ways that we can know that we
are being purified," end quote.
This process makes it possible for us
to engage in the work of the gathering
with all the power and great glory promised the covenant
people of the lamb.
Joseph Smith taught, "A man filled with the love of God,
is not content with blessing his family alone,
but ranges through the whole world,
anxious to bless the whole human race."
Through the gift of Christ's love and His power,
and as He labors with us through the companionship
of the Holy Ghost, we can follow the Savior's example
in gathering others to Him.
He was patient and forgiving with those who struggled.
He welcomed those outside the acceptable social groups
of that day.
He listened to honest, seeking questions
and taught saving doctrine with kindness.
He had compassion for those who suffered.
He reproved with loving gentleness.
He gathered the people in the Americas
to Him as He allowed them to feel
the prints of the nails in His hands and His feet one by one.
We gather people to Christ when we have His image
in our countenances, when their faith in Him
can take root and grow because they feel His love mercy,
and compassion through us.
As He explained to Peter, "When thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren."
While doing research in Nigeria, I visited a destitute home.
I didn't speak their language, but the struggles
of poverty and illness were written in the lines
on the parents' faces.
My colleagues said they had last eaten the day before our visit.
The father sent a child on an errand.
He returned to offer me a warm bottle of Fanta soda
on a rusty tray.
How could I possibly drink it in front of that hungry family?
The father turned away my protest,
saying it was his tribal duty to provide refreshment
for a guest, and begged me not to diminish his self-worth
and identity by refusing his gift.
I took a sip, and then with his permission
gave the rest to the children, and I sobbed quietly
during the rest of the visit.
As we left the home, my beloved colleague told me
the mother had said, "I never believed a white woman
would visit my house.
I also never believed a white woman would cry for me.
If a white woman can cry for a black woman,
maybe there is some hope in the world."
Now, I know that I'm not the best example of a Christlike
countenance, and I also know that crying is not enough
if I am going to keep my baptismal promise to bear
one another's burdens and mourn with those who mourn.
But she was right.
Crying for each other is a beginning.
We know that Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden
into the lone and dreary world.
When I was young, it seemed that artists
painted Adam and Eve being cast out to northern Arizona.
I loved my Arizona home, and wondered
why it was portrayed as the lone and dreary world.
I had a great revelation when I saw a painting
by Minerva Teichert.
Her inspired artistry showed the lone and dreary world
for what it really is.
It is not a geographic location at all.
It is the proud and selfish condition of people's hearts.
The lone and dreary world exists wherever
the two great commandments have no influence on the hearts
and minds of people.
Christ calls us with love out of the lone and dreary world.
He asks us to work with Him together
others out of the lone and dreary world this one
last time.
Let us come to Him, love Him, and labor
for Him with heart, mind, and strength.
May we receive the Holy Ghost who testifies of Christ
and who will show us how to bring the Father's
ransomed children home as Christ does with love and tenderness.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC--"SOMEDAY HE WILL COME"]
(SINGING) Someday He will come, sure as we live and breathe.
One day every man and woman living on the earth
will see His face.
Someday.
Someday He will come, sure as the seasons change.
He will call the children to Him.
He will bless the souls of every race.
Someday.
When He comes the world will melt away.
Earthly things will slip right through our hands,
leaving just our hearts to stand before Him, just
our lives to speak for what we've done, what we've become.
Someday He will come, sure as the end of day.
When I humbly bow before Him, will He
find me worthy of His mercy and His grace.
I will speak of Him with every breath.
I will seek His spirit all my days.
Everything I am, I will surrender, just
to know Him when this life is done, when He comes.
I will speak of Him with every breath.
I will seek His Spirit all my days.
Everything I am, I will surrender just
to know Him when this life is done.
When He comes some day.
When Joseph Smith went to the woods to pray one spring day,
he was not yet a prophet.
At that point, he was a boy who read his Bible
and sought earnestly for the gospel.
He felt eager to know God's will.
Some important messages come from the First Vision.
One of them is that family, status, education, wealth,
and maturity are not the things God takes into account when
deciding whom to speak with.
You know this already.
But let's just think about the beauty of that for a moment.
Not only does it not matter where
your parents went to college.
It doesn't matter whether they went to college
or whether they can read.
And those things don't matter about you either.
Are you out of money?
Not relevant.
Do you share a bed with your siblings?
Doesn't matter.
This is good news for those who throughout history often
had less access to institutional religious authority.
For many women in the world, for example, interaction with God
has felt out of reach because it was associated most often
with men and priestly office.
But the First Vision and the restored gospel
provide a balance to that.
Joseph Smith was in his early teens when he prayed
and he wasn't ordained to any priesthood.
Instead, he was a person who learned from the scriptures
and had enough faith to pray and ask for answers.
We do that too, although we aren't called by God to restore
the fulness of the gospel, God does call us
and teach us to be more effective, wise, and loving,
more like our parents in heaven.
In addition to teaching that you don't
have to be important or successful in the world for God
to talk to you, the First Vision teaches us
that God loves Jesus, responded to a boy's prayer,
and forgave that boy's sins.
But there is also a lot that the First Vision does not teach us.
For example, it does not teach us
about Relief Society, priesthood power, baptism,
or temple ordinances.
It does not teach us how often God will answer prayers
or in what form.
One major lesson the First Vision
does teach about revelation is that it is not the same thing
as an instruction manual.
Revelation is more like a treasure map.
My daughter drew this treasure map for me
and explained that x marked the treasure
and there were mountains, an oasis, and things in the lower
left and upper right corners that might be trees,
or they might be something scary from a children's book.
Revelation can be slow, spotty, and take a while to figure out.
In the words that I first heard from sister Sharon Eubank,
revelation is a process.
I have found that when you stick with it, you can find treasure.
Joseph Smith told people about the treasure of his First
Vision several times during his lifetime,
and I'm really grateful for that.
Sometimes a historian has only one source
to rely on to try to figure out what happened.
But Joseph Smith gave us more than one way to understand.
He described the experience differently at different times
because he was in front of different audiences
and wanted to emphasize what mattered
for each of those audiences.
Just as I tell an anecdote in one way to my adult friends,
another way to my children, and still another way
during a Gospel Doctrine class, depending on how I understand
the needs of each audience.
But I also think Joseph Smith described his sacred experience
differently at different times, because his understanding
of what happened increased over time.
The more experience he had and the more skill he
acquired in receiving and interpreting revelation,
the more he understood what had happened
that morning in the grove.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
founding meeting took place 10 years after the First Vision.
When it takes a long time for an initial revelation
to bear actual fruit, some of us can
start to doubt our interpretation
of the revelation.
And while it's good to be prayerfully
open to the possibility that we have misunderstood something,
it's also important to remember that revelation is a process
and takes time.
My study of Church history has taught me
that our leaders have pursued their planning and decision
making, quote, "by study and also by faith," end quote.
Revelation study and faith all interweave in the process.
It may seem as though President Nelson announced
a lot of fast changes once he became our prophet,
but in fact, many of those changes
had been under consideration for a long time, for years.
Church leaders had studied what those changes would look like,
and in cases such as to our church
and the new achievement programs for youth,
they did pilot programs to test them.
In short, they had been counseling together
and praying about many of these changes for years.
The 1978 revelation to restore and extend
temple blessings and priesthood blessings for black Church
members is a particularly moving example
of important revelation taking a great deal of time, thought,
and internal struggle.
I don't understand why it took so long,
but I do know that when it finally came,
the members of the First Presidency
and Quorum of the Twelve were united in their rejoicing.
I'll now share two examples from Church history
showing how revelation is a process
and essential to the continuing Restoration of the Church.
Living in Farmington Utah, 43-year-old Aurelia Spencer
Rodgers noticed a problem.
She's the one in front in the image you can see.
The boys were rowdy, inconsiderate,
and apparently not grounded in the gospel
that their elders had sacrificed security, comfort,
and relationships to preserve.
Remarkably, as Sister Rogers looked for solutions
to this problem, God whispered to her His approval
and encouragement.
So she pursued her solutions, which
have enriched Latter-day Saint lives around the world
ever since.
First, Aurelia Rogers shared her ideas
with Eliza R. Snow and other female leaders who
liked them, and described them to acting Church President John
Taylor.
Soon she had a mandate to gather the children in Farmington
and to figure out how an organization for them
should function.
Looking back, she later described
how she felt after accepting the calling.
Quote, "While thinking over what was
to be done for the best good of the children,
I seem to be carried away in the spirit.
Or at least I experienced a feeling of untold happiness
which lasted three days and nights.
During that time nothing could worry or irritate me.
If my little ones were fretful or the work went wrong,
I had patience, could control in kindness,
and manage my household affairs easily," end quote.
But those joyous feelings were not permanent.
While planning and working for the children,
she began to feel unworthy and depressed, so much
that she had trouble fulfilling her responsibilities.
Open quote, "I went to my meetings weeping by the way,
being humbled to the very earth, so much so
that whatever anyone said afterward in my praise
did not make me feel exalted or lifted up in my own mind,"
close quote.
Nonetheless, she went on to found what we now
call the Primary organization.
Maybe you wonder, as I have, why she
experienced this dark sadness while doing important work.
Shouldn't acting on revelation and being on the Lord's errand
feel endlessly blissful?
Shouldn't it keep negative feelings at bay?
That would only be true if Eve and Adam had not
eaten that special fruit.
In real life, acting on revelation
is not a promise that we will feel inspired all the time.
We did not come to Earth for easy.
Being embodied is not easy and working with other people
is not easy.
But these are two of the major reasons we are here,
to have the experience of inhabiting a mortal body,
and to work with and serve other people.
My middle daughter has recently learned to drive.
In her driver's education class, she drove a simulator machine
before sitting behind the wheel of a real car.
The real car is much harder to drive.
The stakes are so much higher.
On the simulator machine, if you run a stop sign,
it will tell you that you made a mistake
and make you start a new round.
In real life, if you run a stop sign,
you could severely injure another person.
Driving a real car is dangerous, but it's also the only way
to really learn.
Living in a body is also dangerous.
People, disease, gravity, and our own clumsiness hurt us.
They can kill us.
Or they can wound us in ways that
feel even harder than death.
But there are lessons that only our bodies can teach us.
Our bodies can also be sources of great joy.
For me this has included the feeling of exercise,
making my muscles stronger and my balance more sure.
Physical joy has included the experience
of cooking, which is a great source of pleasure to me,
a satisfying creative art, and a way to serve others.
My body also helps me to express and receive affection, hugs
and kisses from loved ones, but even hugs from people who
aren't in my closest circle.
Maybe you, like me, feel more aware of embodiment's joys,
now that the COVID-19 virus has taken some of them
temporarily away.
We learned from the sorrows of embodiment
as well as from the joys.
Our mortal experience also means that a veil separates us
from the presence of God.
Although we can receive revelation,
we also sometimes ignore or misinterpret it.
Just as for Aurelia Rogers, acting on revelation
did not yield uninterrupted happiness.
Acting on revelation does not promise
that all the support we need will fall into place.
Ardeth Kapp, whom you may remember as Young Women General
President during the 1980s, had experience with this.
Sister Kapp was well-prepared when
she was called as president.
She had already worked as a teacher and a consultant,
worked on the Church Youth Correlation Committee
and served in a Young Women General Presidency.
Immediately after accepting this calling,
she began to receive revelation.
She wrote in her journal, open quote,
"It seems to me the heavens are opening
and thoughts, directions, spiritual promptings
are coming fast and clear."
Even at that early time, she felt
the organization needed a charter statement and a goal
system that was based on values.
But it took three years of focused effort
before the Young Women theme and values were
fully created and announced, and five years
until the values-based Personal Progress manual came out.
Collaboration, execution, and further revelation took time.
So did getting approvals.
Sister Kapp was very good at counseling with others.
She called capable people to her board
and they worked collaboratively together.
Elder Bednar has taught that different members of a council
have different pieces of revelation,
and you need each person's input in order
for the whole vision to come together.
Open quote, "The contributions of all of the council members
add elements to the inspiration," closed quote,
he has taught.
Former members of Sister Kapp's board
have told me that she was gifted at drawing out
the people on her councils.
But effective collaboration takes time.
The program changes Sister Kapp oversaw were complicated
and getting the details right was slow.
There were delays, repetitive extra labor,
and other frustrations.
For the new Personal Progress Program,
she called a committee of women and men, most of the married
to each other, and they worked together for two years.
Furthermore, Sister Kapp was president
during a time when female officers of the Church
no longer interacted much with the First Presidency
as they previously had.
And they did not serve on high Church committees,
such as the Priesthood and Family Executive Committee,
as they do now.
The resulting communication gaps also
required extra time and work.
But the result was programs that effectively
nurtured the young women of the Church for over 30 years.
Not only were the programs good, but all
of the people with whom she had counseled
understood them well and could help
to explain, implement, and in other ways
support the new changes.
Sister Kapp's example motivates me,
because even when discouraged, she
continued to counsel with others, exercise faith,
fast, pray, and work hard.
When I read about her experiences,
I feel the Spirit testify that she acted on revelation
and that God magnified her considerable native talents
through collaboration with other people.
If we don't continue to pursue the Lord's guidance,
particularly when we encounter difficulties or frustrations,
then we might overlook inspired solutions
and fail to fix problems.
We and others may not learn what the Lord invites us to learn.
Now I'm going to shift from talking about others
revelations to talking about our own,
especially how our revelations can help us better
be better at helping others.
I have a quotation near my desk to remind me
that good thinking and good work take time and careful study.
The words are from Simone Weil, a French philosopher who
thought a lot about right and wrong,
and who went to great personal sacrifice to live in the ways
she thought were morally right.
Weil taught, "All wrong translations,
all absurdities in geometry problems,
all clumsiness of style, and all faulty connection of ideas,
all such things are due to the fact that
thought has seized upon some idea too hastily, and being
thus prematurely blocked, is not open to truth," closed quote.
To make ourselves feel less vulnerable,
we humans like to define things.
We often grab onto a definition quickly,
because having the definition makes
us feel comfortable and safe.
As Weil suggests, the problem with the speed
is that we can reach a wrong conclusion.
I believe this too quickly finding and holding tight
to a potentially false definition
is what leads to some of our greatest sins
against one another, such as bigotry,
which rears its ugly head in every nation
and every political party as we misunderstand
each other's intentions and lash out in response.
Excessive speed can also mean we teach a false principle
and a lesson, or argue on social media
in a way that treats someone unfairly.
On the other hand, not everything
needs to take a long time.
Perfectionism can keep us from ever getting anything done.
Burying a simple testimony, studying the scriptures
with another person, reaching out in ministry.
These can be part of our process instead of a perfect end.
They can be imperfect.
Prayers can be imperfect.
We can be imperfect.
In fact, in this life, we try to improve,
but we can't help but make mistakes.
We will not be perfect in receiving revelation either
because it is a process.
When perfectionism threatens to halt progress,
my husband quotes those wise words attributed to Voltaire,
open quote, "The perfect is the enemy of the good,"
closed quote.
What he means to say is that perfectionism
can paralyze us and prevent us from accomplishing
the good that can simply result from trying.
I'd like to acknowledge how painful it
can feel when you don't feel adept at receiving
and understanding revelation.
There are valiant souls among us who obey and seek,
who strive to do everything right, yet struggle with this.
That situation can be upsetting.
They can feel unworthy, although they are not,
isolated from God and from other members of the Church.
I have mourned that even Mother Teresa,
a devout and tremendous example of service
and spiritual wisdom, felt for long periods
that God was distant.
In one case, she asked someone she
trusted to pray for her that she would
do God's will when she herself couldn't hear God's will.
Open quote, "The silence and the emptiness
is so great that I look and do not see, listen
and do not hear.
I want you to pray for me, that I let Him have a free hand,"
closed quote.
So what do we do if we don't feel we receive answers
to our prayers?
Some people I admire deeply fall into this category,
and I have learned from observing them.
First, they recognize that some of us
have an easier time receiving and understanding revelation
than others.
Other gifts come more naturally to them.
And the gifts they do have, they use to serve others.
Next, they acknowledge that all the goodness that comes from
Church--they acknowledge all the goodness that comes from Church
participation.
They see the beautiful lives and relationships it fosters.
They trust in its goodness.
They continue to serve, pray, fast, and read
their scriptures, even when they do not
have strong spiritual feelings.
Finally, they are humble.
They remember the moments when they
have felt the influence of divine power, however slight.
Instead of stomping their feet that they don't have more,
they appreciate what they do have.
I also want to add a note of hope here.
When they served in their respective Relief Society
General Presidencies, both Sheri Dew and Julie Beck
taught that revelation is a skill we can develop.
I believe that is true.
I have watched a friend who doesn't believe
that he has the gift of personal revelation,
but generously serves anyway.
I see thoughts come to him with increasing frequency
to act in a particular way.
He has learned to trust those thoughts,
even if he can't be sure that they are a personal revelation.
He acts in faith, and comes closer to God as a result.
His life and those of many others
have been enriched by his willingness to try.
Another friend wrote to me.
"I do not experience revelations as feelings
of comfort or certainty," she said,
"and only rarely as insights or answers that come to my mind."
However, I have had vivid experiences
upon meeting particular individuals in which
a strong impression is conveyed to my heart
that I am responsible for offering them love, care,
and fellowship.
Those moments are powerful and the impressions persistent,
and I have come to recognize them as revelations.
These paths I've just described are not my own.
One of the great treasures of my life
is the gift of personal revelation.
Even so, this gift waxes and wanes.
Some weeks I receive insights to remember and act
on during several of my prayers.
Some weeks I do not.
Sometimes I receive less because I ask vague questions
or I fail to listen.
Other times I don't ask or listen well,
and I receive direction anyway.
And then are periods when God needs me to work things out
on my own.
In all of these stages, I know that where I fall short,
I can repent, and God will forgive and also compensate
others for my blunders.
I trust that God is the architect of the final picture.
As my friend Darl Huell says, "These are only battles.
God's already won the war."
By virtue of our membership in Relief Society,
we are called to instruct, inspire, and heal.
How could God not want to communicate with us when
God needs us to do this work?
Not all of us have the skills to easily understand revelation,
but I believe even those of us who
struggle with personal revelation
can grow closer to God in the process of doing good work.
Now, let's spend some time on the relationship of revelation
to the gathering of Israel.
President Nelson has been encouraging the youth and us
to participate in the gathering of Israel.
To my mind, the gathering of Israel
means a blessing for the whole world,
as well as for Church members and potential Church members.
Early members of Relief Society believed
that when, in the name of God, Joseph Smith turned the key
to women, he made possible things like the Seneca Falls
Convention, which was the first Women's Rights convention
in the United States.
They believed when he turned that key and promised, quote,
"And this society shall rejoice and knowledge and intelligence
shall flow down from this time.
This is the beginning of better days,"
unquote, that conditions would improve
for women throughout the world, not only for themselves.
When I first learned they believed that,
I thought it was quaint and sweet.
But as I've grown in understanding,
I've come to agree with them.
In a similar way, I believe that the better we become as saints,
the more we can bless people outside of our Church,
as well as those within.
And we can be open to things, the good things people outside
of the Church have to teach us.
Passages written by the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi
have helped me to imagine more about what
the gathering of Israel looks like.
Nephi describes this time from the perspective of mortals.
Open quote, "He gathered His children from the four
corners of the earth, and He numbereth His sheep
and they know Him.
And there shall be one fold and one shepherd,
and He shall feed His sheep.
And in Him, they shall find pasture," closed quote.
I love the image here of all of us
from every part of the earth finding pasture
together, under one perfect, all loving shepherd.
There is a pasture I love which I visit every summer.
Horses and cows graze there and deer.
The sky, mountains, meadow, trees, and streams
are beautiful.
The air is clear.
The animals have all that they need, and they are safe there.
To have all of us in a safe and beautiful place
where we are known, seen, and cared for,
I want to be in that place.
And I want to help others find it.
Revelation is crucial to the gathering of Israel.
Seeking God's will, both as it comes through our leaders
and to us individually is the way
we can find pasture and help others to do so as well.
Building bridges with people from countries
outside the one I was born in, especially but not exclusively
when I was a missionary in Russia,
has been one of the most meaningful experiences
of my life.
Watching God's love through the Holy Ghost
transcend linguistic and cultural barriers fills me
with hope.
That miracle makes me think that every good thing is possible.
It strengthens my faith in Nephi's words
that come just a few verses later than those I already
read, where he foresees that for those people who repent,
all nations, kindred, tongues, and people shall dwell safely
in the Holy One of Israel.
I long to see all of us dwell safely
in the Holy One of Israel, and that promise
motivates me to pursue revelation
so I can contribute to this process and help more of us
to the pasture of Jesus.
In some ways, the way we tell history
has misled us about how revelation works.
There was a long period in American history
where we came to think of useful history
as that history that gave us people to venerate.
We learned to tell histories that
only included the admirable.
This affected the way we often told church histories as well.
We made it tidier, the people simpler and easier
to understand than they really were.
The records themselves can be untidy.
We at the Church History department
are trying to tell stories of real people
in all their complexity and acknowledge the moments when
things did not go perfectly.
In doing so, we are recovering a more whole understanding
of past events.
Some people welcome this shift.
For others, it creates painful challenges.
Despite the pain of this transition,
which I feel sorry about, I believe
it is the right thing to do.
Only a few hours after the Church was organized,
God commanded us to keep a record.
God didn't tell Church leaders only
to record the easy times or members actions
that were clearly 100% correct.
Since humans are involved in history,
that would have made for a short record.
I find Church history inspiring because I see the love of God
in it, over and over.
And I also see people who have the love of God in them
and people who are resourceful.
Church history puts real stories in my heart,
like the story of my great great great great grandmother,
whose husband left her repeatedly, and then
finally for good, but who raised children across the plains
and served as chair of the Female Council of Health
in early Utah history, where she shared
a recipe for medicine that had come to her through a vision.
Church history includes the story
of her descendant, my dad, who made
good choices and bad choices.
Instead of giving in entirely to bad choices
at times when they were adding up, part of him
kept trying to make good choices.
He made awkward phone calls to me once or twice a year.
His priesthood and temple privileges
were restored around the time of his death.
The flame of my own courage is strengthened
when I think of the courage it took
for him to pursue those reinstatement
and to place those phone calls to the daughter he
had abandoned when she was six weeks old.
For all of the mistakes he made, I
feel to honor him for the hard things that he did right.
His is not a tidy story.
But in addition to forewarning me, it does also inspire me.
Adopting a view of revelation as a process
requires patience and hope.
By definition, hope is something we have despite negative past
experience or evidence that points to the contrary.
Hope is something we choose.
When you feel acutely one of the world's problems,
you can spend all of your energy in anger and criticism,
or you can study, pray, and choose
to hope in the solution that comes,
your role as part of the solution.
Criticism is vital to good thinking,
but I believe we must balance it with hope
and with positive action.
We can hold that hope out in front of us to light our way
and to light the way of others.
This image has been meaningful to me for a long time.
When I was in the Missionary Training Center,
my friend Laura cut it out of a catalog, mounted on foam core,
and mailed it to me.
I took it with me everywhere.
A year or two after I returned, my friend Emily
found a larger version and asked her artist husband
to frame it for me for Christmas.
I have displayed it in my home ever since.
Note all of the things strapped to her body
so that she doesn't drop them.
One of them is a baby.
One of them is a rope.
One of them is a musical instrument.
I wonder whether that candle is the reason she can fly.
Imagine yourselves as this woman.
What is strapped to your body?
To mine is strapped three daughters and a husband,
but they also help me, so maybe we're
all attached to each other by ropes extending out.
I carry along a pen and paper, books, a salad to deliver,
a garden shovel, someone else's baby,
because I like to help younger moms,
a list of people to pray for, a vacuum cleaner,
a folder of writing to edit, Esther Akerberry's recipe
for Swedish pancakes.
What for you with the flame be that you hold?
For me, that candle is hope, and all the things
that make up that hope.
The gospel of Jesus Christ as restored by Joseph Smith
and woven into our Church institution by every prophets
since.
Latter-day Saint women's experiences from the past 200
years.
My ancestors, my friends, and you.
Fire is contagious, and others' flames keep mine burning.
We can do substantial good in this world,
not because doing so is simple, but because we
are strong enough to do things that are hard.
Our Heavenly Father is waiting to help us to make us stronger.
He needs us to follow through on answers to the questions
He is waiting for us to ask.
He needs us to follow through on answers to the questions
He is waiting for us to ask.
Sisters, we are endowed with godly power.
Let's exercise that power to light this world
with God's love.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Thank you, Sister Holbrook, for that timely and foundational
message, and Sister Giddins for the beautiful music.
We are remarkably blessed to have knowledge
of the continuing Restoration and continuing
process of revelation in preparation
for the return of the Savior, both in our individual lives
and as a Church.
Dear sisters, I would like to take
a moment of personal privilege.
This unique digital event marks the conclusion
of my 18 years of service as the chair of the BYU Women's
Conference Committee.
I offer my deep and sincere gratitude
to our Heavenly Father for His mercy and watchful
hand over us.
I give my love and thanks to all who
have made Women's Conference possible:
the presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women,
and Primary; the creative, loyal staff;
the dedicated, thoughtful committee members;
the many presenters and musicians;
the BYU employees across campus; and all of you
who brought a special spirit of love and belief to our time
together.
May the Lord bless and keep all of you.
President Worthen has given me the honor
of introducing Rosemary Thackeray
as the incoming Women's Conference Chair.
You will become better acquainted with her
through her message in a video on-demand session.
She is currently the assistant to the President for Planning
and Assessment at BYU.
But more importantly, she is a woman of spiritual strength,
faith in Jesus Christ, and a love for the women
young and old of the Church.
I know her heart and her capacity.
Women's Conference could not be in better hands.
Now, this morning we'll make history again
by hosting our second Sister to Sister event.
We thank Sister Reyna I. Aburto, Second Counselor in the Relief
Society General Presidency, Sister Becky Craven,
Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency,
and Sister Lisa L. Harkness, First Counselor
in the Primary General Presidency for participating
this year, along with Sister Tracy Browning from the Relief
Society General Board as the moderator.
Please read more about them on our web page.
The event will certainly have a different look
from last year's broadcast from the Marriott Center.
In order to follow recommendations
on social distancing and the number of people
in the same space, we are bringing to you
a pre-recorded conversation with these beloved sisters
on questions some of you have submitted.
Before the Sister to Sister conversation,
we will hear a musical message of faith
and hope, "Come, Ye Disconsolate,"
from Sister Kelsey Dominguez Eastmond.
The words are written by Thomas Moore and Thomas Hastings,
with music arranged by Rob Gardner.
She is accompanied by her mother, Sandra Dominguez.
Following the music, we will enjoy the Sister
to Sister conversation, after which the benediction will
be given by Lynn Nelson, a member of the BYU Women's
Conference Committee.
Thank you for joining us today.
Please enjoy our four video on-demand sessions
as your time permits.
Thank you for all you are doing to gather others
to Christ, even during this time of severe restrictions.
Thank you for your faith and your service.
May you all have the blessings of heaven
to be with you and your loved ones.
We truly love you.
And now, the musical number.
[MUSIC - "COME, YE DISCONSOLATE"]
(SINGING) Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish.
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish,
Earth has no sorrow that Heav'n cannot heal.
Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
"Earth has no sorrow that Heav'n cannot cure."
There is hope and joy in its pastures.
There is light and life in its songs.
There is peace and love in its meadows.
There is healing on its shores.
There is peace and love in its teachings.
There is comfort in its words.
Here see the Bread of Life; see waters
flowing forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come ever
knowing Earth has no sorrow but Heav'n can remove.
Earth has no sorrow that Heav'n cannot heal.
Welcome to the Sister to Sister conversation
as part of BYU Women's Conference.
I'm Tracy Browning of the Relief Society General Board
and I'll be your moderator for today's discussion.
I'm coming to you from my makeshift home
studio in my basement, albeit a little less casually dressed
than I have been for several weeks.
Today I'll be asking questions to our panelists
that women have submitted over the last few months.
I am so excited to introduce our first panelist, Sister Reyna
Aburto, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General
Presidency, who's in an isolated studio in Provo, Utah.
Let me introduce you to our next panelist, Sister Rebecca
Craven, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency,
who is joining us from her home in Utah.
And finally, Sister Lisa Harkness, First Counselor
in the Primary General Presidency, who's also joining
us from her home in Utah.
Sister Aburto, Sister Craven, Sister Harkness, and I
welcome you to this unique Sister to Sister event,
held completely online.
We wish we could meet with you in person at the Marriott
Center on the Brigham Young University campus,
but instead we're sending you virtual hugs and lots of love.
We're grateful to you, sisters, for joining
us to view this conversation, and to our sisters
participating in today's discussion,
we so look forward to what you're going to teach us today.
I want to start with this question
because we're all in a similar situation.
Most of us are sheltering in place
at home, and with that comes some unique challenges
and opportunities.
For me, I'm never really quite sure what day of the week
it is.
Sisters, let me ask you, what have you
been doing since you've been spending more time at home?
Sister Craven?
Well actually, not a lot has changed
in really any of our schedules.
We're just doing things from home, like we're doing today.
We sure hope that even though we aren't physically together
with you, that you can feel how much we love you.
But one thing that I enjoy is growing potted lemon trees.
So one of the fun things about being at home at this time
is that I've been able to spend more time tending my trees
and watching my lemons grow.
But the other thing that I've been watching grow is my hair.
So, so far I have missed two hair appointments,
and I think probably if you look carefully,
you can even see my sparkles growing out too.
I think we can all relate to missing our hair
dressers during this time.
Sister Harkness, what have you been doing with your time?
Well, I've been doing a lot more cooking than I usually do.
I love, love food, and I've rediscovered
snacking in a whole new way during this time at home.
Just recently, I saw a funny meme
that I can really relate to.
It said something about that now it's
suggested that we all wear masks in our homes,
not to prevent us from catching a virus,
but to prevent us from excessive snacking.
Well, I think it's time for me to find
a really good mask to prevent me from excessive home snacking.
Really wise counsel, thank you.
Sister Aburto, how about you?
Well, what I have noticed lately is that my family and me,
we are spending so much time with our dog
now that she's getting so spoiled.
So I'm thinking about setting some social distancing
guidelines with her, because this is going too far.
But on a more serious note, I'm really
impressed and amazed to see how the Lord's work continues
on the Earth, and how each of us can still participate on it.
I want to tell everyone who's listening to us today
that we are here as four members of Relief Society
having a conversation.
Our intent is not to address all the questions we have received.
We don't pretend to have all the answers either.
Like all of you, we also have our struggles,
our longings, our wounds.
We are all in need of peace, solace,
and healing from our Savior.
So some questions are probably too
personal and specific to answer in a setting like this,
but please be assured that we have read all of them,
and that we will continue to read them,
and we will have them in our heart
as we continue serving in our calling
and in the councils of the Church where we participate.
Our prayer as we have this conversation
is that we can all get closer to our Heavenly Father
and also get closer to our Savior so we can hear Him,
so we can hear His voice, so we can also
get closer to each other as Latter-day Saints,
as women in Zion, as covenant women, as women of faith,
so we can work together in gathering Israel
and in preparing the earth for the Second Coming.
I would like to ask each of you to please listen
to the promptings you will get and take
note of what the Spirit will tell you, specifically
as we counsel together.
Please listen to the principles, listen
to the doctrine, as we gather all safely in Christ today,
and as we gather together in one all things
in Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.
Thank you for that inspired counsel, Sister Aburto.
So Sisters, to kick off our discussion,
a topic that we heard a lot from our sisters
was around emotional health.
Many of us, as you're aware, are struggling
in our current situation because our healthy social
and emotional connections are less available to us right now.
This can be compounded by the fact that some of us
may already struggle with feelings of sadness,
hopelessness, and despair.
What would you say to those of us
who face depression, anxiety, or who
struggle with those feelings?
Sister Harkness?
Well, these are really very real concerns,
and whether we struggle ourselves or know someone close
to us that does, what we are learning
is that this is a shared experience for so many.
But isn't it wonderful that we are living in a day
when we can talk more openly about our feelings
so we can help bear one another's burdens
without judgment or confusion?
Right here now I'm thinking about Alma's teaching
to his people, and I think it applies
so well to these concerns.
He taught that Christ would go forth
suffering pains, afflictions, temptations,
and infirmities of every kind.
This helps us know our Heavenly Father is keenly
aware of every difficulty we experience,
including these emotional struggles and afflictions.
Sisters, we can have faith that there will be healing.
There is hope for us all, because Christ has condescended
below off things, so He may know how to sucker us, His people,
in every kind of infirmity.
Now, while our emotional struggles
may make our mortal experience very, very difficult at times,
our struggles do not define our potential as children of God.
When we return to His presence, we
will be whole, fully capable, and
free from our present mortal afflictions.
Thank you, Sister Harkness.
Sister Aburto, what would you say
to a loved one who may struggle with these feelings?
Well, I think that the first important thing
that we need to do is to acknowledge
that there is a challenge that needs to be addressed
and to try to do whatever we can to address it.
I feel that whatever our situation is,
we should not try to cope with it alone.
Let us ask for help from Heavenly Father and the people
around us.
You know, when my daughter suffered from depression
and anxiety in her late teen years, it was hard for me
because I didn't know how to help her.
But then I remember offering a prayer one night,
and then the next morning I woke up with this thought
in my head, that I really didn't know much about
emotional ailments.
And I said, OK, I need to learn more.
So I started researching, and I felt
that I was able to support her better because of that.
So I feel that we all need to increase our knowledge
and our understanding about these emotional ailments,
especially now when the effects of the pandemic
will probably last for a while.
You know, the Church has provided articles, videos,
and other resources, so we should probably
study them and ponder them.
And also read the end notes used as sources.
And of course, we need to also turn to the scriptures
and to the words of our living prophets,
because we will find guidance in them.
Now, I know that there were some questions
about suicide of loved ones.
And regarding that, I would like to say
that I know that it's very difficult to cope with that.
I myself still don't understand my father's suicide.
It's something very hard to grasp.
But there are some things that I know.
And I know that my father, my family, and me
can receive the healing that this Savior offers
through His Atonement.
And I know that one day I will see my father again
on the other side of the veil, and I'll
be able to give him a hug and tell him how much I love him.
I know that at that time, because of the resurrection
with Christ, our bodies and our souls will be restored,
and we will have the opportunity to live in a state of happiness
that has no end.
So if you feel that you cannot take one more step,
please ask for help.
My plea to you is don't give up.
There is hope.
There is healing.
There is joy.
There is love surrounding you.
Please turn to the Lord's redeeming grace
and turn to the people around you.
Don't give up.
Please don't give up.
Thank you, Sister Aburto, for that powerful answer.
Sister Craven, what thoughts would you
share with someone who may be struggling?
Well, I've been aware of emotional illnesses nearly
my entire life, and I know that not all of these illnesses
are permanent; some of them can be temporary
just based on the circumstances we might be in.
But I do know that all of them need to be taken seriously.
Something I've learned is that anybody struggling
with emotional difficulties needs somebody in their life
that they can trust, and I hope that we can be that person.
I hope we can be observant, and I
hope we can be understanding and not judgmental.
And I hope that we can be a trusted friend.
I have loved ones who have daily struggles
combating suicidal thoughts, and one dear
loved one who even took their life.
So I understand the fear and the anxiety
and the reality of losing someone we love.
And I know what it's like to have
to call for emergency help.
I also hope that we can follow the promptings of the Spirit,
because we just don't know if showing up at someone's door
or making a phone call or just sending a note
might make all the difference in their life.
I know that the Lord is aware of each of us,
and He wants us to be happy and healthy.
He wants us to find joy in life, because He said that we
are that we might have joy,
and I believe that He really does want that for us.
And if we turn to Him, He will help
us know where to find the help that we need,
whether that's for our self or for somebody else that
is in need of our help.
I love that.
I love it.
Thank you, Sister Craven, and thank you to all the sisters
who provided such powerful inspired answers
to this question.
Sisters, mothers would love to hear
a bit about your own personal experience
being a young mother.
What was life like for you when you were
raising your young children?
Can you remember what your daily schedule was like?
Sister Harkness.
Well, that's a really fun question.
I do remember a bit.
Our five children were born very close together.
And between their feeding schedules, colds, and upset
tummies, and then the mounds of work for me to do,
meals to cook, and of course regular housework, sometimes
I couldn't tell you what day of the week it was,
let alone if there was a schedule or not.
Until it was Sunday.
Then I remember patting myself on the back in my efforts
to get everyone cleaned up, dressed up,
and then sitting down in church, usually on time.
To tell you the truth, that was sometimes my biggest scheduled
accomplishment during the week.
And I was OK with it.
I knew that children grow up and someday my schedule
and theirs would look differently.
Sisters, the work of motherhood is a ministry
of love and sacrifice.
And it's done by all women, regardless if we
have borne children or not.
Women mother as we discern and meet the needs of others.
It is a partnership with God.
You know, I thought I understood motherhood
pretty well until I watched my own daughters bring children
into their families.
Now I see motherhood in a brighter light.
It is more noble, more divine, and a whole lot busier
than I remembered.
The mothers of today really are real heroines.
They are battling to keep the influences of the world out
of their homes, and at the same time
they are fiercely devoted to making their homes centers
of faith and gospel learning.
Now, in the middle of all this, sometimes the intense demands
of motherhood could cause us to feel trapped,
without a chance to use or develop
our talents and interests.
But recently, Sister Jones taught us about hats.
Do you remember in the last general conference
when she said that women wear many hats,
but that it is impossible and unnecessary that we wear them
all at once?
I just love this analogy, because while it
may be tempting to feel discouraged
in the middle of the wonderful, crazy normalness of raising
children, our consistent efforts to teach eternal truths
are worth every effort, every sacrifice, and all
our commitment.
Thank you so much.
Sister Craven, as young mothers are
doing the good work of building the centers of faith
that Sister Harkness discussed, what did you
do to keep from burning out?
How did you make time to care for yourself?
Oh, I think this whole conversation is just so
relevant today, because I remember
when each of our daughters were expecting their first babies.
At some point, each of them came to me pretty much
in tears saying, "Mom, I am so tired."
And my response to them each time I'm afraid
was not very comforting, because I think I said something
like, "I know, and I'm sorry, but it's never
going to go away."
But life in general can be exhausting for all of us.
And it's really easy for anybody to get discouraged.
Satan is particularly good at discouraging young mothers,
I think.
I remember being very discouraged
at certain times myself.
My thoughts on the topic is really
a question about what we might be
able to do to help young mothers.
One of our daughters lives away from us in another state,
and so I'm not able to help her with her children
like I wish I could.
But there is a sister in our daughter's ward
who watches her three little kiddos for a couple hours
every week, just to give her a break.
I absolutely love this sister.
I asked our daughter once what she did during her alone time,
and she told me that sometimes she goes to the temple.
Sometimes she goes grocery shopping.
But a lot of times she just stays home and takes a nap.
It's OK for us to be away from our children for a while,
and I think it's good for them too.
And if possible, I think that we can plan it in our budget
to hire a babysitter occasionally, or like I did,
I traded babysitting with a friend every week
for just a few hours.
And I can't tell you how good it was for my psyche.
And it was also for our children,
because they had a regular play date every week.
It's important to take time for ourselves, sisters.
And that applies to all of us, not just
those who have young children.
Here is a truth that I absolutely know, that all of us
as women by our divine nature, we mother.
It's just part of our eternal DNA.
And so with those divine motherly instincts,
wouldn't it be wonderful for each of us to consider ways
that we might be able to help support our fellow Relief
Society sisters who have small children?
Thank you, Sister Craven.
Sister Aburto, what would you say to young mothers?
Well, besides what had been said, that I think
it's just wonderful advice.
I feel that sometimes we are just maybe
too hard on ourselves.
And two things come to my mind as we are talking about this.
One of them is the consecration covenant
that we make in the temple.
I feel that probably we need to understand that better,
and I think that I am still trying to understand
what it really means.
But I feel that sometimes we think
that it has to do only with callings
or the time we spend at church.
Or sometimes we think that it's something from the past
or it's going to be in the future.
But I feel that it has to do really
with consecrating our life and what we are spending time on.
So I feel that if we are helping our family,
if we are embarked in school to prepare for the future,
if we are caring for a sick family member,
for example, or maybe we are working hard
to provide for ourselves and our family,
or if we are constantly looking for ways to minister to others
and bringing them to Christ, or if we are constantly
seeking the Lord's will for us, maybe then we
are living the law of consecration,
and we probably just need to be more intentional.
I feel that one of the most important things
is what we are becoming and what we are helping others
to become.
So each morning we can offer our day to God,
ask Him to help us, then have a constant prayer in our heart
so the Spirit can guide us.
And then each night we can ask Him to accept our offer.
The second thing that comes to my mind
also is that we need to look back and see the hand
of the Lord in our lives.
I feel that when we hear older people's stories
or we read stories in the scriptures,
they are relating the stories in retrospective.
Even though it may take us just one minute to read a chapter,
a single chapter may have covered months or years.
And a lot of the details and the daily routines
are not spelled out.
So let us take the time to look back
and see the great things that we are achieving.
Let us also picture the future and enjoy each moment.
So let's not be so hard on ourselves.
We are not as bad as we think.
But of course, we can always do better, a little bit better.
And one more thing is that we don't
have to do it all at once, just a little bit at a time,
one day at a time, and one small step at a time.
You know, Sister Browning and I were talking
about this just a few days ago.
And she said something really profound.
Can you please share it with us, Sister Browning, please?
Sure.
Thank you, Sister Aburto, for the invitation
to share a thought.
This is a meaningful question to me,
because I can so relate to our sisters
seeking counsel on this topic, because I too
have been pondering and prayerfully
seeking guidance to understand what opportunities there
are for me to improve my mothering to my young children.
I still have a young son at home,
and I have a tendency to spend a lot of time navigating
the temporal and temporary aspects of the work
that I do in my home as a mother.
The battles with the laundry and the schoolwork
and the activities, the illnesses, the mealtimes,
and what feels like a daily rinse and repeat cycle.
But in all that good and important work
addressing those temporal, and again, temporary needs,
because some of these tasks will change
with the passage of time, there is
a knowledge that has been planted deep
within my heart that seeks to remind me that motherhood is
not just a condition of mortality
or a biological function measured only
by this present season along a very long timeline of eternity.
The eternal and exalted title of mother,
the call to be the mother of all living,
was presented to women before our mortal experience
and will continue with us after this state.
I love this quote from President Monson.
He says, "May each of us treasure this truth.
One cannot forget mother and remember God.
One cannot remember mother and forget God.
Why?
Because these two sacred persons, God and mother,
partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service,
are as one."
Can you imagine what learnings about that partnership
and our divine role of mother still await us?
I know that each of us will be champions
of this season of motherhood.
And we will be prepared for the many glorious seasons ahead.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
I love it.
Thank you.
Beautiful.
Thank you, sisters.
Our next topic is on comparison and judgment.
Some of us inevitably see or hear
things that make us feel really bad about ourselves
and we begin to compare our life and efforts to others,
often leading to thoughts that we're simply
not good enough or talented enough, spiritual enough,
and so on.
How can we resist the urge to compare ourselves to others?
Sister Aburto, what would you share with us?
Again, I will say that I feel that we are just too hard
on ourselves and on others.
We need to realize that we are all imperfect people
in the road to perfection, through the redeeming grace
of Jesus Christ.
But for some reason we have the tendency
to label ourselves or others.
And I know that we need ways to describe ourselves
and our experiences in life, but we should not allow
our experiences to define us.
They can refine us, but they should not define us or others.
So my advice is to try to avoid labeling.
We have so much in common.
We all have a divine nature, and each of us is a child of God.
Each of us is a child of heavenly parents.
And we are all sisters and brothers,
and we are all disciples of Christ,
and we are all trying to become like Him,
and we are making our best effort,
and we need to believe that.
And even though there is an ideal we are all
trying to achieve, we are all on our way there together,
and we are not there yet.
Something else is that I feel that there is not really
a mold in the Church or a cookie cutter
in which we feel that we all have to fit.
Because each of us is different.
And if we think that there is a mold, then
maybe it means that we don't really
know the people around us.
Some of us choose not to tell our whole story
because it may be too painful.
But I know, because it has happened to me many times,
that when we take the time to hear older people's stories,
when we take the time to get to know them,
we realize that we all have struggles,
that we are all healing from something.
And so maybe that's the reason why we should treat everyone
like if they are carrying a heavy burden,
because there is a big chance that it is the truth.
Even the ones who seem well put together or who
seem to have a perfect life.
And I know that if we do this, our perspective will change.
Because we are all trying, and we all
have something to contribute as well through formal callings
or through the Spirit.
And then church, church is really
a place to gather together, to strengthen each other,
to make and renew our covenants, and to gather together
in one all things in Christ.
So we can then go on our daily life
and participate in the work of salvation and exaltation,
with that knowledge and with that power,
in our organized way as members of Relief Societies,
priesthood quorums, and classes, and in individual ways
in our personal lives.
So we have work to do.
So let's lock our arms and do it together.
So any of you would like to say something else about this?
I love that.
I would, Sister Aburto.
Thank you for that counsel there.
And that makes me think of something that Sister Jean
Bingham recently taught us about how Satan incites comparison
as a tool to create feelings of being superior or inferior
to each other.
I think that is such a great observation.
We can certainly see this happening in our day,
don't you think?
So often when we compare ourselves with others,
we focus on what they have, and then we
desire their blessings, their talents, and their experiences.
When we do this, we're taking our eyes off the Savior
and instead looking sideways to the mortals in our lives.
Sisters, I think if we're not very careful here,
we might completely overlook our divine, unique gifts,
just like Sister Aburto was teaching us.
Think about it for a minute.
If Satan can keep us distracted, thinking about somebody else's
talents, somebody else's gifts, or somebody else's skills,
then we are not engaged in the work
our Heavenly Father has sent us here to do,
using the tools and gifts He expects us to use.
Now, when we feel tempted to compare ourselves, and we will,
we can choose instead to express gratitude for even the smallest
blessing in our lives.
I have found this works for me.
When I choose to be grateful, I can
make connections between the gifts Heavenly Father has
given me and the work He has asked me to do.
It helps me to avoid comparison.
Now, we all know that Heavenly Father
is very generous in giving.
But are we equally generous in receiving and using
what He has given us?
Sisters, through personal revelation,
the Holy Ghost will help us come to understand
more about our divine nature and gifts, those
that we have been given to accomplish
our mission on earth.
Thank you, sisters, for that inspired instruction.
Sister Craven, we'd love your council on this next topic.
We know that family relationships are important,
but we do recognize that sometimes they
can be a real struggle and cause pain that we
may feel by our family members.
How can we let go of the pain of difficult relationships
and be at peace?
Relationships, whether they're with our family
or if they're with friends, are meant
to be supporting and loving, and I think
they should be fun as well.
But sometimes we find ourselves in a hurtful situation,
and we find it very difficult to let go of that hurt and anger.
So this question really resonated with me
because there was a time that I was in a similar situation.
And because of the circumstances,
I found myself very hurt and betrayed.
And I was extremely angry.
And for years, I had let those feelings fester
within my heart, and I became dependent
on somebody else's actions to determine my mood, my thoughts,
and I'm really sorry to say, even what I talked about.
It was not good for my emotional or for my physical health.
And it took me a really, really long time to get over it.
And I say that because my heart was so hard
that it did take a long time.
I eventually realized that I had created a trap for myself.
And I started to pray really hard to know what to do.
And then I had a personal revelation.
And it was as if a voice had entered into my mind,
and I heard the words of the Lord
which we read in Mormon chapter 8 that says that "Man shall not
spite, neither shall he judge, for judgment is mine,
saith the Lord."
And then I realized that I cannot be the judge of anyone,
that the only thing that I have to choose and to judge are
my own thoughts and my own actions.
And I recognized that I was carrying a burden that the Lord
had already carried.
And I can't adequately describe how I felt at that moment,
but I felt lighter.
And for the first time in a really long time, I felt free.
I felt free from the bondage of such intense anger.
Now, that doesn't mean that we have to be
best buddies with everyone.
But we do need to be kind.
And we need to refrain from speaking ill of anybody,
because that just fosters contention in our hearts,
and we know that contention comes from Satan.
And that even includes using sarcastic remarks,
because they can be very damaging
and hurt feelings as well.
The Savior, I know, will bear our burdens if we allow Him to.
We can let go of hurt feelings and anger
when we allow the Savior's Atonement to work in our lives.
But I also like to just mention briefly
the importance about communication,
because we're a Church of councils.
You may have heard it said that revelation
is sprinkled among us.
And I believe that.
But we have to remember that counseling is more than just
talking, that it requires us to listen with our ears
and with our hearts.
My husband often says that "reasonable people working
together can come up with reasonable solutions."
And I love this familiar scripture
that we find in Matthew that says, "For [when]
two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them."
And to me, the most important part of that scripture
are the words "in my name."
Because when we counsel together and invite the Lord
into our conversations and seek personal revelation,
there are so many questions and concerns that can be resolved.
I love that.
Thank you for that wise counsel, Sister Craven.
Sisters, as we know, we're unable to predict the future.
Wouldn't that be something if we could?
Unforeseen circumstances absolutely
will happen during our lives.
How might we build spiritual and emotional resilience
that can prepare us for unexpected personal
difficulties in the future?
And I'd love to hear from everyone on this question.
Sister Harkness, let's start with you.
Well, that's a great question.
You know, you're right.
Even though we can't see into the future,
there are no surprises to God.
He knows the end from the beginning.
And we can be assured He is always several steps ahead
of our present circumstances.
Now, we know that He prepared a way for our growth
before we were born on earth, so it should be no surprise to us
that He continues to prepare us for unforeseen events
and experiences that are yet to come.
As you look back in your life, can you
see examples of how God was preparing you
for the very trials you are experiencing right now?
They are there.
And the Spirit will help us understand Heavenly Father's
efforts to prepare and strengthen us.
You know, sometimes when we are in the middle
of a difficult trial, time seems to slow down
and every bump in the road of our journey
can feel more pronounced, more painful, and perhaps even more
unfair.
Disciples of Christ have never been spared difficulties,
hardships, or tragic accidents.
But we do have the reassurance that we are never alone.
Just as God prepares us to meet our challenges,
He stands close by, helping us endure them.
And one way He does it is through personal revelation.
President Russell M. Nelson recently told us that "when
[we're] surrounded by uncertainty and fear,"
you know, kind of like right now in our situations,
"[our Heavenly Father knows that] what will help us . . .
most is to hear His Son."
Sisters, we can feel prepared for the future
by heeding President Nelson's plea for us
to develop or increase our ability
to receive personal revelation.
Hearing His son is Heavenly Father's way
of helping us prepare for the future
and endure the present in faith.
That's great.
Thank you, Sister Harkness.
Sister Craven, what will you share with us?
Oh, well this pandemic has certainly
caused the unforeseen return home of more than 30,000
missionaries.
And I know that this has been difficult
for many missionaries and their families.
My husband was a mission president.
And I can tell you from our experience
that this is also a very difficult time
for mission presidents and their companions.
But while we were serving our mission,
missionaries returned home early for a variety of reasons,
sometimes well beyond their control,
such as physical and emotional illnesses.
But before those missionaries returned home,
my husband always shared with them
this scripture that is found in Doctrine and Covenants section
124.
And I'd like to read it.
It says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
that when I give a commandment to any
of the sons [or daughters] of men to do a work unto my name,
and those sons of men go with all their might
and with all they have to perform that work,
and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come
upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold,
it behooveth me to require that work no more
at the hands of those sons of men,
but to accept of their offerings."
Now, the enemy could be many things.
It could be an illness or even a pandemic.
But for any who have returned home
from a mission early and worthy, or in the spirit of repentance,
we should refrain from judging.
And those missionaries should not put an asterisk
by the side of their mission.
We hope that they can each declare
confidently when and where they served without adding
any type of a qualifier.
As the scripture I just shared tells us,
the Lord will accept their offering.
What relevant counsel.
Thank you, Sister Craven.
Sister Aburto.
Well, I'm so grateful for the counsel that it has been given.
And I know that we are living also
through really peculiar times right now.
But I feel that this is a time to reflect on and cherish
the blessings we have received from God.
I feel that this is the time to get to know ourselves better
and to get to know the people around us.
This is the time really to minister to others
according to our circumstances.
And we are seeing this around the world,
as people are just helping each other in different ways.
It's so wonderful to see people helping
their friends, their neighbors, and even others
that they don't know personally.
So I feel that this is a time to see the miracles around us,
and to take the time to hear the Lord, to hear His voice,
to trust and believe in God's plan of happiness.
And I think that, like we are reading
this week in the Book of Mormon, this
is a time to lift up our heads and rejoice,
and put our trust in God.
Thank you, sisters.
Sisters, here's another topic that is of significant interest
to a lot of our sisters that wrote in.
We have been blessed by many messages
from the brethren and the sisters
teaching us about the priesthood of God.
And we know that the power of keeping priesthood covenants
blesses both men and women.
Sister Aburto, how can we be more
prepared to call upon the power of God in our lives?
Well, first of all, I would like to read something
that President Nelson told us women last October.
And he said, "Those who are endowed
in the house of the Lord receive a gift
of God's priesthood power by virtue of their covenant,
along with a gift of knowledge to know
how to draw upon that power."
I feel that we just need to open our eyes and ears so we
can hear what the Lord is trying to teach each of us,
so we can hear Him, and really understand
what this means for each of us.
And I also feel that all that we are learning about God's power
is not new doctrine.
Some of the basic principles are that all of God's children
are invited to make covenants with God,
and that when we keep their covenants we have made,
God blesses us according to the terms of the covenant.
And His power and blessings flow into our lives.
We are endowed with priesthood power to do the work of God
on the Earth through our covenants
and our righteousness.
And the more we act on it, the more we will receive it.
The truth is that we have already
been drawing upon God's power without knowing it.
But maybe we just need to be more intentional
in our personal life and in our callings as we hear
and follow the voice of the Savior.
I want to tell you something that
happened to me in Johannesburg, South Africa, a few years ago.
I was there on an assignment.
And on a Sunday evening, we were going
to have a devotional with young adults.
And that was a busy day.
And I remembered that that morning, I
had some impressions, and I kind of wrote down
some kind of outline of the things
that I wanted to share with those young adults
that evening.
And I thought I was ready.
But then just a few minutes before that devotional started,
just a few minutes before, I had this feeling that probably I
needed to make a change, that I didn't
need to just give them a message,
that we needed to counsel together.
And it was a little bit scary because I was like, really?
Is that what I need to do?
So I followed the prompting.
And I just gave them a short message of about five minutes.
And then I asked them, what are your concerns?
What is in your heart?
What keeps you awake at night?
And it was amazing to see all those young adults coming up
with things that mostly had to do with their friends.
And that was really, really something
that impressed me a lot, because many of them
were worried about their friends who suffered from anxiety
and depression, or their friends who were not coming to church,
or their friends who were not members.
And they were also worried about education
and how to help each other find the best options.
So what we did is that they divided in small groups,
and each group started counseling together
about each of those issues.
Just for a few minutes.
And then when we reconvened again,
it was so amazing to feel God's Spirit that came to that room.
As they were sharing the things that they
had felt in their heart as they counseled together
that they could do for their friends,
the amount of energy and faith and power
that was present in that room was just amazing.
After we ended the meeting, we had
to stay in the building for a little while,
because some leaders needed to have a meeting.
And then when we left the building,
40 minutes after the devotional had ended,
there were so many of those young adults
still there counseling together on finding ways
to bless their friends.
They were really talking about ministering to each other.
So that evening, what I learned was
that when we are humble enough, when we follow the Spirit,
we are empowered, and we can use that power
to bless the lives of our brothers and sisters around us.
And that's what those young adults were doing.
They were finding ways to help, and they
had decided to go and do the things that they
had been inspired to do.
So for me, that is a great example of what feeling
that power is.
And that's what I learned that evening.
Thank you, Sister Aburto.
Sister Harkness, Sister Aburto discussed being
endowed with priesthood power.
What does it mean that women have been endowed
with God's priesthood power?
Well, that's a great question.
And it's certainly one that so many women have.
But first, when we talk about priesthood power,
we must be careful to never compare it to the model
that the world assumes about how a person gets, maintains,
or loses power.
In the world as we know, power is often
an all or nothing possession.
There is never enough of it to go around it seems,
and it's often used to control others.
It's usually also maintained only by force.
In contrast, though, God's priesthood power
is distributed very differently.
It is given, bestowed, conferred,
and shared based on conditions of worthiness.
It operates on the principles of righteousness.
The use of God's power elevates and transforms
our characters to become more like the giver who is God.
Our understanding of God's power is distilled upon us
as we keep covenants made through priesthood ordinances.
Now, when God covenanted with Abraham,
He promised that through his posterity
all the families of the earth would
be blessed with the blessings of the gospel, which
are the blessings of salvation, even life eternal.
As we now enter into any sacred covenant,
from baptism through sealing covenants in temples,
we do so by God's priesthood authority,
which allows our covenants to be binding on earth and in heaven.
Then, as Sister Aburto was talking about,
as we faithfully keep these priesthood covenants,
God bestows upon us His promised power
and blessings, including the highest blessings of salvation
and exaltation.
Sisters, what could we learn if we
ask ourselves questions like, what are the blessings that I
receive from each covenant I have made with God?
And what am I empowered to do because of the covenants
I have made with God?
And also, how can I then share these covenant blessings
with others?
Let's think about this for just a minute.
The meaning of the word endowment
refers to a gift that is given to bless those in need.
As we consider how the powerful blessings we receive
from keeping our covenants meet our dearest needs,
we can better understand God's divine power
and its exalting purpose.
Thank you, Sister Harkness.
Thank you so much for those inspired questions
that we should consider.
Sister Craven, how is having a better understanding of how
we can receive God power in our lives a game changer for women?
Well, I was thinking that last October
during the women's session in general conference,
that President Nelson asked each of us
to study the priesthood so that we could understand it better.
This is what he said.
"You might begin with Doctrine and Covenants sections
84 and 107.
Those sections would lead you to other passages. . . .
As your understanding increases and as you exercise faith
in the Lord and His priesthood power,
your ability to draw upon this spiritual treasure
that the Lord has made available will increase."
So I did what the Prophet asked us to do,
and I have to tell you that my understanding has increased,
and I'm really grateful for the things that I've learned.
It wasn't until I was an adult that I started to understand
the oath and the covenant of the priesthood, which is found
in the 84th section of the Doctrine and Covenants,
one of the sections the Prophet asked us to study.
I really never paid much attention to it,
because I thought it really only applied
to my dad and my brothers.
But as I matured in the gospel, I
began to realize that it actually
had everything to do with me.
So I now understand a little bit better
that as we keep the priesthood covenants
that we make in the temple, that the Lord blesses us
with an oath that He will bestow upon us
some wonderful blessings.
What we covenant to do is to receive the priesthood
or the power of God into our lives, which
includes making and keeping sacred priesthood ordinances
and covenants.
But now, listen to what the Lord promises us.
And He promises us with an oath which He cannot break.
We will be sanctified by the Spirit.
We will be numbered among the elect of God.
And all that the Lord has will be given to us.
So back to the question, what do we do with this knowledge?
Sisters, we do the same thing that we've
been doing all along.
But I believe that we can do it with greater confidence,
that we have power to do the things that we've
been called upon to do.
I believe it gives us energy.
And I think that it gives us a greater understanding
of the importance of our callings
and the responsibilities that we have in the work of salvation
and exaltation.
Thank you, Sister Craven.
Well sisters, we have about 10 minutes left in our discussion.
And I wanted to take some time to ask a question that we heard
from quite a few of our sisters so that we can
get a bit of a response here.
It's regarding Church callings.
What would you say to women who may feel discouraged
or who feel like they're capable and are willing to serve,
but don't feel like they're needed?
Sister Harkness, can you provide us
some instruction on this topic?
Sure, great question.
You know, so often when we talk about the work of the Lord,
we talk in terms of our present callings,
and we say things like, I'm the Relief Society president,
or I'm a Sunday School teacher, a family history consultant.
And sometimes we say, I'm just a Primary teacher.
With very few exceptions, every calling in the Church
is temporary.
We will have many over the course of a lifetime.
And there may even be stretches of time
when we don't have a designated calling.
The Lord has said, if we have desires to serve Him,
we are called to the work.
You and I express our desire to serve God when we make and keep
sacred priesthood covenants.
These covenants bless and empower us
to do the Lord's work, just like we mentioned
a few minutes ago when we were talking about the priesthood.
What a wonderful thing it is to be called to the Lord's work
as we keep our covenants.
President Nelson reminded us what this work looks like.
Do you remember when he said, "[The gathering of Israel is]
the greatest challenge, cause, and work on the earth"?
And he also reminded us as women that we are all
invited and desperately needed in the work.
When we focus on the work and not the title
of our temporary calling, we will
see there is enough work for us to do.
It is all around us.
And we can participate no matter our circumstances,
marital status, age, or experience
in Church leadership.
Remember that anytime we do anything
that helps another person take a step along the covenant path,
we are helping to gather scattered Israel,
and this is the work that we all have in common as covenant
disciples of Jesus Christ.
Every calling in the Church is involved in this same work.
Some may do it in a family history library
or at their home computer.
Some do it in Primary singing time, and some play the piano.
Some help youth learn how to lead.
And many, many sisters minister like angels.
As we engage in this work that we've
been called to do as disciples of Christ,
we can be sure that it will require our best
effort, our courage, our time, skill, energy, and creativity.
But sisters, we will be blessed for every effort
we make in the work of the Lord, because everything we do
is for Him.
Thank you for that important counsel, Sister Harkness.
Sister Aburto, we've received numerous questions
about ministering.
What do we need to know?
How can you help us with this topic?
I would just like to say a few things.
I know that much has been said about ministering.
But I feel that ministering is putting into practice the two
great commandments, which are to love God
with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength,
and to love others like the Lord loves us.
So if we love God, if we truly love God,
we will naturally feel love for others.
So let's look for revelation on how
to minister to other people.
Let's get to know the person.
And asking them how they would like to be ministered to
is one of the best ways to know.
Also praying by name is very powerful.
We can ask in sincere prayer, what can I do for this person
so she or he can get closer to the Savior?
And many times our presence may be the most important thing
that we can offer.
I love what Brother Petelo said in this last conference when he
said, "We cannot sit idly and expect the Lord to use us
in His great work.
We must not wait for those who need our aid to seek us out."
So let's just keep finding that revelation
and following the revelation that we feel,
and that we receive on how to minister to others.
I know that this is God's work and that He will help us.
I know that He will.
Thank you, Sister Aburto.
As we wrap up here with our last few minutes together, sisters,
what are your final thoughts that you'd like to share?
Sister Harkness.
Well, thank you, Sister Browning.
Before we end, I would like to share a few things
based on a recent conversation I had with a good friend of mine.
She is going through an experience that
would cause many of us to ask a lot of questions, some of which
have no answer.
When I asked her "How are you holding on to your faith
with what you are experiencing?" she said to me, "Well, I
read my scriptures every day.
I pray many times every day.
And I have committed to myself that I will never
allow someone else's comments or example to prevent me
from living the gospel of Jesus Christ."
I was so touched by her answer.
She's a wonderful example to me of determined discipleship.
These three things could also help us all
when we have unanswered gospel questions.
You know, questions like gender issues, Church history facts,
heavenly mother, and so many others.
Sisters, even when there are things
we don't know or understand, we can always
know the most essential truths.
For example, we can know our Heavenly Father loves us
because we are His children.
We can know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer,
and that peace in this life is found
by following in His footsteps.
We can know what His voice has to tell us
as we improve our ability to receive personal revelation.
And we can know God will always fulfill His promises.
Sometimes though, His promises may
look like they are very far away from us.
You know, kind of out on the horizon somewhere.
But sisters, their distance has nothing
to do with their very real existence.
God's promises are sure.
I know we can believe Him.
You are loved.
May you go forward in faith with a firm commitment
to keep your covenants, relying always
on the merits and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Sister Harkness.
Sister Craven.
I'd also like to end by saying something
about personal revelation.
I love that the Lord knows me so well
and He knows how I hear Him best.
There are times when I hear Him in the middle of crazy loud
chaos and confusion, but mostly it's
during times that I'm quiet that I hear Him the best.
Like when I'm reading my scriptures or saying my prayers
or just being really still.
But there was a time when I was worried about my ability
to stay focused during my prayers and scripture study,
because I found myself just being distracted like a lot.
Things just kept popping into my head that
had nothing to do with what I was praying about
or studying about.
And I was really bothered about that for a long time
until I realized that the Lord was actually speaking to me.
I wasn't being distracted at all,
but rather that the Spirit was bringing thoughts and ideas
to my remembrance that the Lord needed me to know or do.
So now I pay really close attention
to those thoughts that pop into my mind.
I know that we all have questions.
And we don't know the answers to many things.
And I certainly have a lot of questions as well.
But this just does not shake my faith.
I have had spiritual experiences in the past
that I draw upon when I need to draw upon them.
And I intentionally now seek for spiritual experiences
that I can draw upon in the future.
Those experiences help me stay rooted in the gospel.
Now, I don't know everything.
But I do know what I know.
And I know that I am a daughter of heavenly parents.
I know that Jesus is my Savior.
And I know that when we seek revelation
by counseling with the Lord in all of our doings,
that He will direct us for good.
And I count on that.
Thank you, Sister Craven.
And Sister Aburto.
Well, I would just like to say that I
know that there have been many questions that have not
been answered.
Well, we just need to keep looking
for that revelation from God.
And I know that we will receive it.
And also, when we seek spiritual knowledge,
let's concentrate in the principles, in the doctrine,
in the promises.
And let us also remember that repentance is a joyful thing.
I also would like to take just a minute or two to invite
all of us to try to understand better what Relief Society is.
You know, since I have had this calling,
I have sisters coming to me and apologizing.
They just say things like, oh Sister Aburto, I'm so sorry.
I am not active in Relief Society
because I have been serving in Primary or Young Women.
And you know what I do?
I just give a hug to that sisters
and I tell them, "My dear sister,
you are among the most active members of Relief Society
because you are blessing our children and our youth."
So I just would like to tell all of us,
Relief Society is not a room in a building.
It's not an hour every two weeks when we get together.
It's not an activity.
It is the women of the Church.
It is us.
Each of us, all of us.
And we can be armed with righteousness
and with the power of God to prepare
the earth for the Second Coming, to save souls,
to defend our soul and our homes from spiritual dangers,
to declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation,
to perpetuate righteousness in an organized way, collectively
and also individually.
So we are always in Relief Society.
So let us seek first "the kingdom of God
and His righteousness; and all of these things
shall be added onto [us]."
Let us fill ourselves with charity,
so "the doctrine of the priesthood
[can] distil upon [our souls like] the juice [of] heaven."
I know that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us.
I know that we have a Savior, and that we
need to try to hear Him, and follow His Spirit that
will guide us through our life.
Please my dear sisters, keep trying.
Please don't give up.
We love you.
We pray for you.
You are laying the foundation of a great work,
and out of small things proceed that which is great.
And I say this humbly in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
Thank you, sisters, for this beautiful conversation today.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences
and instruction with us.
It's been a privilege and truly inspiring to learn and feel
the Spirit together in this very unique way.
We know that during this time, every day holds
a new set of feelings for all of us,
and we've been so strengthened by your words,
by your testimonies, and by the Spirit that we've felt.
And to our dear sisters who have joined
us to listen to today's conversation, we love you
and we pray for you, particularly
that you keep safe and healthy until we meet again.
Our dear Father in Heaven, we are
very thankful for the Spirit that we have felt,
and for the many counsels that we
have received this session of Women's Conference.
We're thankful that we can meet together remotely
and feel of each other's love and concern.
We thank Thee for the inspired guidance
and efforts of the members of the Women's Conference
Committee.
And we thank Thee for a living prophet,
for his words of love and encouragement in these times
of uncertainty and anxiety.
Please bless us with a portion of Thy wisdom
so we can be brave and strong as we confront the challenges that
lie ahead of us.
We thank Thee and we're very grateful for our Savior,
for His love and His atoning sacrifice, for His teachings,
and His example so we can return to Thee.
Please help us so we can be faithful
in keeping Thy commandments and that we
can be steadfast as we journey along our covenant path.
Please bless our efforts to gather safely
in Christ, our families, our friends, our communities,
and ourselves.
As we prepare for Thy coming, we pray in the name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
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