General Women's Meeting

Last Saturday evening leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints addressed the women in the church ages eight and up. Their messages, which were broadcast to church buildings across the globe, gave direction, encouragement, and hope to those watching the meeting. For today's post, we asked two women--a mother with some kids still at home and some living on their own, and a teenager still in high school--to share the thoughts they had while watching the meeting. 

Janet Tavernier

Everything about the General Women’s Conference is wonderful, but once in a while, I feel an equal

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measure of excitement and melancholy when I watch broadcasts pertaining to General Conference. I have fond memories of the road trips that my family would make together to watch General Conference at our stake center, that was an hour and a half from our home, when I was growing up. Those were very fun times, when my family was all on the same path back to our Heavenly Father. Naturally, now that I am raising a family of my own, I am always excited to hear uplifting messages about Jesus Christ’s love for us, especially when I get to experience it all with my children beside me. However, along with that excitement, there is sadness in knowing that my own mother has chosen to no longer follow the path that she taught me to follow. When the General Young Women’s President, Bonnie Oscarson, talked about a sister in her ward that was called at the age of 81 to be the Mia Maid advisor in the Young Women’s organization, it made me think of my mother, who is not yet even 70 and still has so much to give, if she could just realize how true that is! Sometimes when sisters get older, they begin to feel that they no longer have an important role to perform in the church. This feeling of not being needed can happen at any stage of life, but it is my solemn testimony that every saint can make a great difference, no matter their age! President Henry B. Eyring stated it perfectly when he said, “As daughters of God, you are more alike than you are different”. President Eyring’s words are true no matter how young or old we are. As sisters in Zion, we all have something unique and extraordinary to give throughout every season of our lives; we have only to rely on our Savior, Jesus Christ, to discover our divine gifts and share them with love and happiness. It is my testimony that when we truly understand that we are God’s hands upon the earth, no matter our time of life, our purpose becomes clear and our lives are filled with unmeasurable joy.

Abby Rogers

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Contempt: the feeling that a person or thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.  Sarcasm: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt or an ironic or satirical remark that seems to be praising someone or something but is really taunting or cutting.  Sarcasm can be used to hurt or offend or can be used for comic effect.  In our time everyone is sarcastic.  Nobody gives sarcasm a second thought.  I have a friend who is a very sarcastic person—she makes sarcastic comments without a second thought.  In the first few months of knowing her, the comments that she made really affected me.  They hurt me even though I knew she was just joking.  I never let her know how much her sarcasm hurt me.  Her comments made me very self-conscious and I began comparing myself with others.  I have four sisters.  All of them are great artist and singers.  They are all really beautiful.  All of my friends are really popular and funny.  And then, there’s me.  I can’t draw or sing.  I’m not very stylish.  I’m really shy and really awkward when it comes to social interaction.  My friend was unaware of how I felt when she would say things like, “Wow Abby, I can’t believe you could be that stupid!” or “Abby you’re such a loner.” or “Abby you’re so pathetic.”  The more I hang out with sarcastic people, the more I compare myself with others.  In the general women’s meeting, Sister Oscarson talked about how as sisters we are hard on ourselves.  As she was talking about how Satan wants us to compare ourselves with each other, I couldn't help but think about what it says in True to the Faith under language:  “Speak kindly and positively about others.  Choose not to insult others or put them down, even in joking.”  Whenever people talk about this part of the booklet, everyone shrugs it off.  They say, “Well if that’s true, then I won’t say anything at all.”  Sitting in the general women’s meeting, hearing all the speakers talk about how we should cleave unto the commandments, I realized that if the prophets have told us to stop, we should not simply shrug it off.  You never know how a much a comment can hurt another.    

Here are some of the highlights from the conference: