Latter-day Saint women gather for semi-annual conference session

Women, young women and girls over the age of eight gather at the Mendon LDS Stake Center for dinner prior to attending a broadcast of the general women's session of the April 2017 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Latter-day Saint women, young women and girls above the age of eight gathered in meetinghouses throughout Cache Valley on Saturday for the general women’s session of the April 2017 Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The semi-annual women’s meeting is broadcast from the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City to female members of the church worldwide, traditionally one week before the Church’s general and priesthood sessions.

Speakers during the 75-minute broadcast included members of the presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary organizations, along with Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency. Music was provided by a Relief Society choir from Brigham Young University in Provo.

<a href=”https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/media/session_0_talk_3/5372724733001?lang=eng”>Bonnie H. Cordon</a>, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, spoke on placing trust in God. Using <a href=”https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/prov/3.5-6?lang=eng#p4″>Proverbs 3:5-6</a> as the focus of her remarks, Cordon described three ways to “lean not unto thine own understanding,” including reading the scriptures, coming to know the Lord through prayer and serving others.

“When we<em> </em><em>spiritually</em> lean to our own understanding, we lean away from our Savior,” Cordon said. “If we lean, we are not centered. We are not balanced. We are not focused on Christ.”

Illustrating how to become more focused on Christ through service, Cordon shared the story of a woman battling cancer whose treatment was so difficult that she “at one point declared chemotherapy a human rights violation.”

As she suffered, said Cordon, the woman, whose name is Amy, turned to service, gaining “light, hope, strength and courage through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Often unable to sleep at night, Amy would spend the hours on family history.

“Miraculously, the pain would subside and she was able to endure,” Cordon said. “‘Service,’ Amy testified, ‘saved my life.’”

Jamiel Martin, attending the broadcast in Mendon with three of her four daughters, quickly recognized Amy as her cousin. She was deeply moved by Cordon’s retelling of the story.

“I love what she said about service because you are truly happy when you can go outside yourself and serve others,” Martin said after the broadcast.  “I liked how she said the world is so dark and can be depressing when you focus only on yourself and your problems, but everything brightens up and there’s hope and love and light when you focus on other people. I’ve felt that in my life and I want more of that—just to not think about myself so much, but think about making other people happy and help lift their burdens.”

Following Cordon was <a href=”https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/media/session_0_talk_4/5372726064001?lang=eng”>Carol F. McConkie</a>, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency. Discussing the “Beauty of Holiness,” McConkie said, “Our hope for holiness is centered in Christ, through His holiness and through His grace.”

Holiness comes, she said, through keeping covenants, making sacrifices and seeking the influence of the Holy Ghost.

“Jesus Christ is the beauty of holiness,” she said, “Every good gift comes to us through Christ.”

McConkie, whose message included the New Testament account of Jesus visiting Mary and Martha in <a href=”https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/10?lang=eng”>Luke 10</a>, was followed by <a href=”https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/media/session_0_talk_5/5372724755001?lang=eng”>Linda K. Burton</a>, the Relief Society General President. Burton likewise spoke of women who served as disciples of Christ. Burton described these women as being “Certain Women” who were “convinced, positive, confident, firm, definite, assured and dependable” in their faith. She invited all Latter-day Saint women to “be part of the ‘Certain Women’ who will celebrate His return when He comes again.”

“The idea of being ‘Certain Women’ encourages us to keep going and keep strengthening ourselves,” said Brook Egbert, who attended the meeting with her daughter, Paige. “These are the fundamental things that help us become centered and testify of Christ.”

Concluding speaker of the general women’s session, <a href=”https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/media/session_0_talk_7/5372750887001?lang=eng”>Henry B. Eyring</a>, First Counselor in the First Presidency, shared his testimony of finding peace through Christ.

As Eyring spoke of humility, unity and charity, he emphasized the importance of seeking the companionship of the Holy Ghost to “encourage you, comfort you and inspire you to keep going.”

“The Lord promised peace to His disciples as He was about to leave them,” Eyring said. “He has made the same promise to us…and with that peace will come a feeling of bright hope and light and love.”

“It was so much for our time right now,” said Ellen Davis as the broadcast in Mendon concluded. “It was directed to women with the problems we’re dealing with right now, and that’s what struck me.”

“It was really cool and fun and inspiring to hear different stories from the scriptures and different places,” said Maddie Martin, Jamiel Martin’s daughter. “It was just really a neat experience.”

The remaining sessions of the <a href=”https://www.lds.org/church/events/april-2017-general-conference?lang=eng”>April 2017 General Conference</a> will take place April 1-2. The general sessions for individuals and families will be held on Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., with the general priesthood session being broadcast on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. More information is available at <a href=”http://www.lds.org/”>www.lds.org</a>. 

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