Conferencegoers line up to enter the Conference Center before the women’s session of the 189th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. | Colter Peterson, Deseret News
Theme references heavenly parents, classes will be organized by age ‘according to the ward’s specific circumstances’ and terms ‘Beehive,’ ‘Mia Maid’ and ‘Laurel’ will be retired
SALT LAKE CITY — Changes to the Young Women program include adding “heavenly parents” to the theme recited in classes while deleting the Young Women values and retiring the terms Beehive, Mia Maid and Laurel from the lexicon of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The revisions to the Young Women theme memorized by hundreds of thousands of teenage girls are significant, based on the announcement by Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, the Young Women General President on Saturday evening during the women’s session of the faith’s 189th Semiannual General Conference.
She announced four adjustments:
• The revised Young Women theme.
• New flexibility to the basic organizational structure that previously included three age-group classes.
• The retirement of the iconic names for those classes.
• A renewed emphasize on having the young women in each class presidency lead.
The revised theme begins by emphasizing individual progress by changing the word “we” to “I.” Then it refers to Heavenly Parents, a change from the previous theme that referred to Heavenly Father.
“These truths apply to you individually,” Sister Cordon said, adding that those and other updates she announced are “inspired adjustments that will help you ‘develop your sacred personal potential’ and increase your righteous influence.”
Sister Cordon read the revised Young Women theme:
I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I strive to become like Him. I seek and act upon personal revelation and minister to others in His holy name.
I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places.
As I strive to qualify for exaltation, I cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day. With faith, I will strengthen my home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, and receive the ordinances and blessings of the holy temple.
She said all classes now will be called Young Women classes, marking the end of Beehives, Mia Maids and Laurels. A ward with fewer young women might have one class. A ward with many young women might have six, she said.
No matter how many classes there are, she said, “Every class should have a class presidency,” which she said is called of God and trusted to lead a group of his daughters.
She counseled that Young Women ward leaders should stay close to the presidency, “but don’t take over,” echoing the same advice given in the Saturday afternoon session by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who announced major changes to the church’s Young Men program.
Those presidencies are set apart by priesthood authority, a key fact being emphasized by church leaders.
”You have been set apart by one who has priesthood authority,” Sister Cordon said. “This means as you perform the duties of your calling you exercise priesthood authority. You have an important work to do. Be sensitive to and act on the promptings of the Holy Ghost. As you do so, you can serve with confidence, for you do not serve alone!”
Class presidents also will serve on the new ward youth council announced earlier by Elder Cook.
The adjustments can be effective immediately or instituted by Jan. 1.
Sister Reyna I. Aburto, second counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, gave a landmark talk on toxic perfectionism, mental illness, suicide and ministering.
“Untreated mental or emotional illness can lead to increased isolation, misunderstandings, broken relationships, self-harm and even suicide,” she said.
In fact, her father died by suicide.
“His death was shocking and heartbreaking for my family and me,” she said. “It has taken me years to work through my grief, and it was only recently that I learned talking about suicide in appropriate ways actually helps to prevent it rather than encourage it. I have now openly discussed my father’s death with my children and witnessed the healing that the Savior can give on both sides of the veil.”
She counseled women to be believing and understanding when other women describe the black clouds of depression, anxiety and other forms of mental and emotional affliction. She also asked them to learn how to see the signs of those illnesses and how to talk about them in families, congregations and communities.
“Even if we do not know how to relate to what others are going through,” she said, “validating that their pain is real can be an important first step in finding understanding and healing.”
She said mental illness can be caused by stress or fatigue, not weakness or sin, and sometimes can be improved by adjusting diet, sleep and exercise, but therapy or medication prescribed by professionals may be needed. In her footnotes to her talk, she said she has sought help from therapists multiple times.
She asked women surrounded by darkness to turn to God, who loves them.
“Remember that Christ is your Savior and Redeemer, and God is your Father,” she said. “They understand. Picture them close by you, listening and offering support.”
She counseled them to do all they can and trust in atoning grace.
“Your struggles do not define you, but they can refine you,” she said, asking them, as guided by the Holy Spirit, to “share your story in order to ‘succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down and strengthen the feeble knees.’”
Sister Lisa L. Harkness, first counselor Primary General Presidency said baptized women bear the name of Jesus Christ and must act accordingly.
“We have no place for self-degrading comparisons or overbearing judgments,” she said. “With our eyes on the Savior, we see ourselves for who we really are — a cherished child of God. Our covenant remembering quiets worldly worries, turns self-doubt into courage, and gives hope in times of trial.”
from Deseret News https://ift.tt/31Uw7pC
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