Priesthood Helps Keep Young Women safe, Leaders Told
Contributed By By Michelle Garrett, Church News staff writer
Women leave the Conference Center Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah, following a Young Women auxiliary training session April 4 for ward and stake leaders.
Article Highlights
- Young Women auxiliary training for stake and ward leaders was April 4, 2013.
- Webcasts of the training are available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
- Leaders can help young women understand and stay worthy of priesthood blessings.
“We can be blessed and benefit by that great [priesthood] power that was restored to the earth. We as women can have access to that personal revelation with regard to our families and with regard to our callings.” —Sister Mary N. Cook of the Young Women general presidency
“The beginning of a baby’s life is symbolic,” said Sister Elaine S. Dalton, general Young Women president, referring to what happens when a baby is first blessed. “She is encircled with the priesthood power.”
Leaders came together from across the world for auxiliary leadership training during the days prior to general conference. Evening sessions for Young Women, Primary, Relief Society, and Sunday School were carried by webcasts and are available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Training for Young Men leaders will take place May 15.
Speaking in the Conference Center Theater on April 4, the general Young Women presidency focused their training on the importance of the priesthood.
Sister Mary N. Cook, first counselor in the general Young Women presidency, said that the theme for the youth curriculum in June will be the doctrine of the priesthood. She challenged the Young Women leaders to study Doctrine and Covenants 107 to prepare to help the young women increase in understanding and knowledge of the priesthood.
Sister Cook also talked about the importance of Young Women leaders working closely with the leaders who hold the priesthood keys.
“It’s so important that we as leaders … access these keys,” Sister Cook said. “We want to know what [the priesthood leaders’] vision is for [the young women]. We want to know what their inspiration is that has come. We want to know what their goals and objectives are for them. With their vision, we can follow their examples and we can follow their objectives and magical things will happen.”
Sister Ann M. Dibb, second counselor in the general Young Women presidency, said as President Thomas S. Monson’s daughter she has witnessed how her mother has honored her father’s priesthood and the gratitude her father has expressed for that support. Because of two righteous parents, she said she’s been able to feel the power of the priesthood in her life.
Sister Cook used an umbrella to demonstrate the function of the priesthood. She opened the umbrella over herself and Sister Dibb. Like the priesthood, though only one person holds the umbrella, it can benefit and protect everyone who stands underneath it.
“The thing we want you to leave with tonight, most important, is that that power and those blessings are accessible to you as women through your personal righteousness, that the priesthood is not ‘them’ and ‘us,’” Sister Cook said. “We can be blessed and benefit by that great power that was restored to the earth. We as women can have access to that personal revelation with regard to our families and with regard to our callings.”
Sister Dalton pointed out that these are the latter days and the opposition against young women is strong. “We can access the power of the priesthood, and it will help us keep these young women safe,” she said. She emphasized the importance of virtue in keeping the young women pure and worthy of the Holy Ghost so He can guide them in everything they do.
Sister Dalton showed the video that had been shown in the General Young Women Meeting, “Standing in Holy Places.” She said that this video doesn’t just show a young woman on her way to the temple, but it is symbolic of the journey young women are meant to take in their lives.
“The Lord does guide and direct our paths,” Sister Dalton said. “We each have individual and unique plans for our lives. That is why we are having the curriculum we’re having and why we need to be so spiritually prepared as leaders—so that the Holy Ghost can give us the guidance that we need and so that we can be instruments in His hands. The young women are spiritually so sensitive, and we just need to protect them so they can stay pure enough to have that constant companionship as well.”
