Many Mormon Women readers will be happy to know that BYU Women’s Conference will be livestreaming the opening and closing sessions today from the Marriott Center. See this message from Elder Renlund, including an invitation to prepare through scripture reading for the messages he and his wife have prepared:

“Ruth and I are looking forward to speaking at the BYU Women’s Conference on Friday afternoon (April 29). The theme for the conference is ‘One in Charity.’ We plan to share our thoughts about what charity is, the relationship between unity and charity, and where charity comes from.

“In preparation for that session, we invite each of you to study Mosiah 4. Pay particular attention to defining ‘this’ in verse 12.

“We look forward to being with you great sisters on Friday.”

—posted Monday on Elder Renlund’s Facebook page

Live streams will be available on the homepage of lds.org, and on the Mormon Channel. The live streaming will be available in both English and Spanish.

•Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society general president, will speak during the Friday morning session at 9:00 a.m. MDT.

•Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Sister Ruth L. Renlund will speak at the closing general session on Friday at 3:45 to 5:00 p.m. MDT.

Share your insights and photos with the hashtag #byuwc

The post BYU Women’s Conference Livestream #byuwc appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

There are few gospel topics that matter to me more than the grace of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Following is a stunning rendition of Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) by BYU’s Noteworthy women’s a’capella choir. (Noteworthy recently competed on NBC’s The Sing Off.)

How sweet the sound.

The post Amazing Grace (BYU’s Noteworthy) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

This is always a favorite post of mine to publish each year. Select transcripts from the 2014 BYU Women’s Conference are available!

[Post has been updated. BYU Women’s Conference had a website upgrade, and I’m happy to say that they also included many more transcripts from 2014. Enjoy!]

New update: Select videos are also available at BYUTV.org. We’ve included links below for talks that had corresponding videos there. https://www.byutv.org/search?q=byu%20women%27s%20conference

• Annette Burton “Replenishing and Fortifying our Spiritual Reserves” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/4425548b-2567-4b96-aaf1-4a3fd283d2c1/byu-womens-conference-annette-burton-522014

  Clayton and Ann Christensen “Missionary Opportunities: The Courage to Open Our Mouths” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/68e0bdc3-8178-4e3b-a54c-4dcf0a11db31/byu-womens-conference-clayton-and-ann-christensen-512014

  David V. Clare “Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/2210043a-9050-4d23-a898-acfe5f2f15b8/byu-womens-conference-david-clare-2014

  Gaye Strathearn “Let Us Therefore Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace” https://www.byutv.org/player/cfa21ad7-7d9c-43a2-a88e-9fcbd525ff6e/byu-womens-conference-gaye-strathearn-512014

  Elder Bruce C. and Sister Marie K. Hafen “The Redeeming and Strengthening Powers of the Atonement” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/5b329d36-bbe0-4a52-a87d-94ea1ec926ee/byu-womens-conference-bruce-c-marie-k-hafen-512014

  Heidi Swinton “The Powerful Privilege of Women” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/209c9929-7c69-47c6-b337-051c1cbac31d/byu-womens-conference-heidi-s-swinton-522014

  Janie Penfield Rasmussen “The Moral Force that is Within You” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/eee39d64-0d0a-4ae6-8156-0fbde600b9d9/byu-womens-conference-janie-penfield-rasmussen-512014

  Mary Ellen Edmunds “Replenishing and Fortifying our Spiritual Reserves” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/00df64fc-bb38-4ada-bf01-0a07f150bbdb/byu-womens-conference-mary-ellen-edmunds-522014

  Nora Nyland Kerr “Come Boldly [with Confidence] find Grace to Help in Time of Need.” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/search?q=byu%20women%27s%20conference%20kerr

  Sheri Dew “Sweet Above All That Is Sweet” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/1d4f0f4e-ff51-4e38-b35b-8cdb6b4dd3ce/byu-womens-conference-sheri-l-dew-512014

  Virginia Pearce “Thin Places.” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/5adb6abc-04f8-4d10-a036-1dd2000a3db7/byu-womens-conference-virginia-h-pearce-512014

  Julie A. Anderson “Teaching Teens to Understand How the Atonement Can Help Daily”

  Cheryl A. Esplin “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women Rosa—An Example of Grace”

  Neill F. Marriott “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women Grace Under Pressure.”

  Carol F. McConkie “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women.”

  Linda S. Reeves “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women Carrie Ann Rhodes, Dealing with Infertility.”

  Linda S. Reeves “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women.”

  Carole M. Stephens “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women Despair Does Not Look Good on Me, I’m Choosing to Wear the Atonement.”

  Jean A. Stevens “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women.”

  Rosemary M. Wixom “Strength from Grace: Faithful LDS Women.”

  Linda S. Reeves “The Atonement Heals, Comforts, Consoles, and Enables Us to Show Mercy and Grace unto Ourselves.” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/ddab432d-9f9c-4189-9464-24961e1dff91/byu-womens-conference-linda-burton-bonnie-oscarson-rosemary-wixom

  Bonnie L. Oscarson “The Atonement Heals, Comforts, Consoles, and Enables Us to Show Mercy and Grace unto Ourselves.” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/ddab432d-9f9c-4189-9464-24961e1dff91/byu-womens-conference-linda-burton-bonnie-oscarson-rosemary-wixom

  Rosemary M. Wixom “The Atonement Heals, Comforts, Consoles, and Enables Us to Show Mercy and Grace unto Ourselves.” VIDEO here: https://www.byutv.org/player/ddab432d-9f9c-4189-9464-24961e1dff91/byu-womens-conference-linda-burton-bonnie-oscarson-rosemary-wixom

  Elder Quentin L. and Sister Mary G. Cook “The Reward of Righteousness”

Other transcripts or or videos can be found below, provided by the presenters:

Rachelle Rasband Chase: “What is Grace?”

Stephanie Sorensen: “Come unto Christ and be Perfected in Him”

Please leave a comment if you know of any others!

The post 2014 BYU Women’s Conference Transcripts Available appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

This year’s theme is Psalms 84:11: “For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield: the Lord will give Grace and Glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

This year’s general session speakers include:

Sheri Dew

Linda K. Burton, Bonnie L. Oscarson, Rosemary M. Wixom (Young Women General Presidency)

Elder Bruce C. Hafen and his wife, Marie K. Hafen

Elder Quentin L. Cook and his wife, Mary G. Cook

Other speakers include Ann and Clayton Christensen, Stephanie Nielson (NieNie), Virginia H. Pearce, Heidi S. Swinton, Mary Ellen Edmunds, and many others.

The post BYU Women’s Conference is this week! #byuwc appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

There are a few transcripts from 2013 BYU Womens Conference talks that are now available.

If you are a youth leader or parent of a youth, or simply interested in pondering more about priesthood, we particularly encourage the messages from the Relief Society General presidency on the priesthood.

•  Carole M. Stephens Priesthood: “ A Sacred Trust to Be Used for the Benefit of Men, Women, and Children.”
•  Linda K. Burton Priesthood: “ A Sacred Trust to Be Used for the Benefit of Men, Women, and Children.”
•  Linda S. Reeves Priesthood: “ A Sacred Trust to Be Used for the Benefit of Men, Women, and Children.”
•  Carol F. McConkie “If The Savior Stood Beside Me, Would I Wear the Things I Wear?”

The post 2013 BYU Women’s Conference Transcripts Available #byuwc appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

With only three years of training under her belt, however, 21-year-old Mormon woman Rebecca Pedersen recently was named one of six winners of the Metropolitan Opera competition. She’s the second-youngest person to ever win in the 60 years the competition has been running. She competed against 1800 other singers in this competition.

Even with the many offers she has received from opera companies and agents, Rebecca plans to finish her education at BYU (Brigham Young University). You can hear her winning performance in the video below.

Read more in this BYU Newsnet story or in the story linked above.

The post Mormon woman wins Metropolitan Opera Competition appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Dear Aunt Marilyn,

I hope all is well with you. I think of you often and hope that the Lord continues to bless and guide you in your life. I’m also very glad for the interest that you have had in learning about the church. I think that is wonderful and know that it is the right thing to do. I have been so blessed myself for the direction and guidance that the Lord has given me and feel very peaceful because I know that his promises are true — that he will be there in our times of need, that he understands our needs, wants, and pains, and that the only thing that he desires more than anything is that we can have happiness and joy in our lives. Miracles are real and the strength and power I receive in the gospel is without a doubt a constant and consistent miracle that never stops flowing. I would like to share with you something that I learned while studying the Book of Mormon this last week that I thought was powerful.

I was reading in Helaman chapter 9 in the Book of Mormon and was very impressed by a comparison that, although not stated as such, compares the differences between faith in Jesus Christ and faith in Satan and his power. In this part of the Book of Mormon there are some very interesting events in play. The Nephite people have become very wicked to the point that the “chief judge”, one of the central government leaders, gives up his position of leadership and goes to preach the gospel. After some time of teaching the gospel and some success in parts of the land, he finds himself, and even more importantly the message he is sent to carry, rejected by many. In this very trying and difficult situation Nephi prays for success in preaching the gospel and coincidentally finds a group of people gathered watching him. I personally love this because I can imagine the Lord thinking about how it would really make Nephi’s day to have such an immediate response to his desire to share the gospel. Nephi, being the incredible person he is, immediately takes advantage of the opportunity and begins teaching them and warning them of the consequences of the decisions that they are making. In this moment he even is led to tell the people that the “chief judge” had been murdered. As you can imagine this comes as quite a surprise to those listening and the send some of those listening to check it out and see if he really is a prophet. Much to their surprise they arrive at the place of the chief judge and find him dead.

To cut to the chase a little those who are mad at Nephi for preaching the truth decide to accuse Nephi of having planned the murder of the chief judge because of course, how else would he have known? I can only imagine the thoughts of Nephi when suddenly he is being tied up and taken to be judged for having only spoken the truth that God himself inspired him to say. Perhaps many of us would begin to question at this point if what we felt inspired to do was right. I believe, however, that Nephi had a higher level of faith than this and was ready to accept whatever the Lord wanted him to do, whether he would be delivered or perhaps even accused and condemned falsely. The story continues that after being accused he is inspired to tell them what really happened. He tells them that it was the brother of the chief judge who had committed the murder and that they should do the following to confirm what he had said was true. First, he told them that they should ask if Nephi had conspired with them to murder his brother and that he would say “no.” Then ask him if he murdered his brother at which he would act surprised and shocked at their accusation but would be fearful; at which they should examine his cloak and find blood on it. Telling him that they knew he had murdered his brother Nephi prophesied that he would admit that he had committed the murder and testify that Nephi knew nothing of it unless God had told him. And thus it happened as Nephi had said.

What I find so incredible and amazing about this story is the difference between the faith of Nephi and, although in many ways quite opposite, the faith of Seantum, the brother of the chief judge. When Nephi was accused he had faith and had no need to worry about the outcome. He trusted the Lord and knew that the Lord would provide. Seantum, on the other hand, had faith. He believed that he would not be discovered. In fact, I believe that Satan had been whispering to him the whole time that he conspired and murdered his brother that he would never be discovered. Seantum would never have murdered his brother unless by some means he believed that he could get away with it. His faith, however, proved fateful.

I know that the Lord can always be trusted. I know that “he watches over his own.” Unlike the experience of Seantum, there is no need to fear. When we are on the Lord’s side we are promised as were the Israelites that he will “fight our battles.” My sincere desire is that we can all have this determination and faith at all times.

I wish you the best and hope to talk soon.
Love,
Luke

The post BYU student letters and reflections on scripture: The faith of Nephi appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

We are starting a new series at Mormon Women, where students at Brigham Young University will be sharing letters and reflections on scriptures from the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.

Brigham Young University is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (while often called the “Mormon Church” we prefer the full name of the Church to be used because it captures our central belief in Jesus Christ).

As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series, students currently enrolled in scripture study classes will be sharing their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these letters, we fulfill the students’ desire to speak to all of us relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, of God’s plan of happiness for each of us, and of the Book of Mormon as a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in and cherish the Bible. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be scripture. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.

Some of the names you will see in letters sharing Book of Mormon scriptures may be unfamiliar; these names are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ: Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and others. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.

As we share these letters here at Mormon Women, we welcome your thoughts about how the scriptures they quote (or other verses) help you in your own life. We invite you to share these letters with a friend.

And please let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon.

The post New series: BYU Students Share Letters and Reflections on Scripture appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Sister Elaine S. Dalton, General President of the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently spoke to Brigham Young University (BYU) students in one of the weekly campus devotionals. It’s a powerful talk about specific ways young adults (and really, all of us) can make priorities in our lives to help be a part of the Lord’s hastening work. She talks of the recent lowering of the age for missionary service for both young men and young women. She also talks about how missionary work can also be done by “everyday missionaries” (using Clayton Christensen as an example…see more ideas about being an everyday missionary (there’s a Facebook group as well)). She talks of temple and family history work, and of how the technology of our day and all of these opportunities and invitations from the prophets are coming together in a miraculous way.

Hear more of her counsel in her talk at byutv.org. You can also see some similar topics in this article at lds.org.

[More quotes below have been added from transcript that is now available.]

“We are being invited to take part in the greatest race there has ever been.”

“One virtuous man or woman led by the Spirit can change the world.”

” I believe the Lord is calling to each of us to become dedicated disciples. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said that in order to become a dedicated disciple, “it is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport.”

“[A]s dedicated disciples we must act and make prophetic priorities our priorities. In order to do this we will need to be riveted on the words of the current prophets, seers, and revelators. Some of those prophetic priorities include (1) missionary work, (2) teaching and learning for youth, and (3) temple and family history work.”

“As you witness these prophetic priorities unfolding and as you participate in many of them, I would like to give you some counsel similar to the counsel Paul gave to his young friend Timothy. Paul said, ‘Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

“The Lord loves and trusts the youth. He always has. He gave Joseph Smith the responsibility to open this dispensation, to translate the Book of Mormon, to hold the keys of the priesthood and the sealing power, and to receive prophetic witness and guidance. He was just fourteen. Through a prophet of God the Lord called Mormon when he was just ten to continue in his habit of being quick to observe and to prepare to keep the record when the time came. That record guides you and me today: the Book of Mormon. To Mary and Joseph, God entrusted His Only Begotten Son to be raised in virtue and holiness. They were young. Moroni led an army to defend family, religion, and God when he was about your age. And to Samuel was entrusted a kingdom because the Lord looked on his heart, not on his age. To 2,060 young men was given the responsibility to defend their parents’ covenants. And the list goes on and on and on. “

The post Elaine S. Dalton: Prophetic Priorities and Dedicated Disciples appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

More than 250 items are on display at "Beauty and Belief," the MOA exhibit of Islamic art.

A new exhibit is on display at the Brigham Young University Museum of Art. “Beauty and Belief” brings together over 250 pieces of Islamic art. Brigham Young University is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormon Church“).

It is our hope that these works of art and the meaning and spirit they convey will enable our students, … Mormon and Muslim communities and people all across the nation to develop a greater understanding and shared sense of purpose and affinity one with another,” said Dr. Stephen Jones, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications.

The exhibit includes pieces from various lenders from a combination of 10 different countries, 42 institutions, and various private art collectors. Institutional lenders include the Dar al-Athar-al-Islamiyyah (DAI) museum in Kuwait (the largest lender), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Library of Morocco, the British Museum, and others.

It is the hope of the BYU Museum of Art and Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir (director of the traveling exhibit), that this Islamic art will help build bridges across cultures and faiths, celebrating the beauty of both the commonalities and differences across religious belief systems. “Beauty and Belief” will be at BYU MOA until September. For more information, see the website for Beauty and Belief: Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture.

The post Beauty and Belief – Islamic Art Exhibit at Mormon University appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.