From the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, this is the General Women's Session of the 187th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Featured speakers will be from the First Presidency and the general women's organizations of the Church. Music for this session will be provided by a choir of Relief Society sisters from Brigham Young University. Women, young women, and girls eight years of age and above are gathered together throughout the world to receive counsel and instruction from Church leaders.

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women General President, will conduct this session.

Dear sisters, we welcome you to the general women's session of the 187th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are grateful to be gathered in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and rejoice in knowing there are similar gatherings of sisters in meeting places throughout the world. We hope you feel of our love for each one of you. We welcome friends from other faiths who may be joining us this evening, and hope you enjoy our time together. President Thomas S. Monson has asked that I conduct this meeting. My name is Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women General President. We are grateful to have members of the First Presidency with us tonight as well as our advisers from the Priesthood and Family Department, who are seated on the stand. Also on the stand are those serving in the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society General Presidencies along with their respective board members. We feel blessed to serve together in this marvelous work. The music for this session will be provided by a choir of Relief Society sisters from Brigham Young University under the direction of Jean Applonie, with Linda Margetts at the organ. The choir will open this meeting by singing "Come, O Thou King of Kings." The invocation will then be offered by Sister Robin Bonham, who serves as a member of the Relief Society General Board, after which the choir will sing "I Feel My Savior's Love." [MUSIC PLAYING - "COME, O THOU KING OF KINGS"]

Dear Heavenly Father, our hearts are full of gratitude unto Thee for Thy love, Thy plan of happiness, the gift of the Holy Ghost. We are so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement and example of pure love. We thank Thee for our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, and pray that Thou wilt bless him. We are grateful for the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society and the opportunity it gives us as women to stand together and strengthen individuals, homes, and families through ordinances and covenants.

We, Thy daughters throughout the world, pray that Thou wilt please help us to become more like our Savior, to learn to love one another and take care of each other, that we might be prepared to receive the blessings of eternal life. Please bless us that our hearts might be soft and open to the comfort, counsel, and direction we will receive during this general conference. We love Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING - "I FEEL MY SAVIOR'S LOVE"] We will now be pleased to hear from Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency. She will be followed by Sister Carol F. McConkie, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency. Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President, will then address us.

While I was traveling in Asia, a dear sister approached me. She wrapped her arms around me and asked, "Do you really believe that this gospel is true?" Dear sister, I know it is true. I trust in the Lord. In Proverbs 3:5-6, we read this counsel: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." This scripture comes with two admonitions, a warning, and a glorious promise. The two admonitions: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart," and "in all thy ways acknowledge him." The warning: "Lean not unto thine own understanding." And the glorious promise: "He shall direct thy paths." Let's first discuss the warning. The visual image gives us much to ponder. The warning comes in the words "lean not"--"lean not unto thine own understanding." In English the word lean has a connotation of physically listing or moving to one side. When we physically lean toward one side or another, we move off center, we are off balance, and we tip. When we spiritually lean to our own understanding, we lean away from our Savior. If we lean, we are not centered, we are not balanced, and we are not focused on Christ. Sisters, remember, in our premortal life, we stood with the Savior. We trusted Him. We voiced our support, enthusiasm, and joy for the plan of happiness set forth by our Heavenly Father. We leaned not. We fought with our testimonies and "aligned ourselves with the forces of God, and those forces were victorious." This battle between evil and good has moved to earth. Once again we have a sacred responsibility to stand as a witness and put our trust in the Lord.

We must each ask: How do I keep centered and lean not to my own understanding? How do I recognize the voice of the Savior when the voices of the world are so compelling? How do I cultivate trust in the Savior? May I suggest three ways to increase our knowledge of and trust in the Savior. You will find that these are not new principles, but they are foundational. They are sung in every Primary, echoed in Young Women lessons, and are the responses to many Relief Society questions. They are centering--and not leaning--principles. First, we can come to know the Lord and trust Him as we "feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye [shall] do." Several months ago, we were having family scripture study. My two-year-old grandson was sitting on my lap as we read. I was in full-blown grandma mode, relishing the visit of my son's family. With our scripture study complete, I closed my book. My grandson knew that it would soon be bedtime. He looked up with his eager blue eyes and spoke an eternal truth: "More scriptures, Nana." My son, a good and consistent parent, warned me, "Mom, don't be a weak link. He is just trying to get out of going to bed." But when my grandson asks for more scriptures, we read more scriptures! More scriptures enlighten our minds, nourish our spirits, answer our questions, increase our trust in the Lord, and help us center our lives on Him. "Remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby." Second, we can come to know the Lord and trust Him through prayer. What a blessing to be able to pray to our God! "Pray unto the Father with all ... energy of heart." I have a sweet memory of a prayer that I treasure. For one of my summer breaks from college, I accepted a job in Texas. I had to drive hundreds of miles from Idaho to Texas in my old car, a car I had affectionately named Vern. Vern was packed to the roof, and I was ready for the new adventure. On my way out the door, I gave my dear mother a hug, and she said, "Let's say a prayer before you leave." We knelt and my mother began to pray. She pleaded with Heavenly Father for my safety. She prayed for my non-air-conditioned car, asking that the car would function as I needed. She asked for angels to be with me throughout the summer. She prayed and prayed and prayed. The peace that came from that prayer gave me the courage to trust in the Lord and lean not to my own understanding. The Lord directed my path in many decisions I made that summer. As we make a habit of approaching Heavenly Father in prayer, we will come to know the Savior. We will come to trust Him. Our desires will become more like His desires. We will be able to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that Heavenly Father is ready to give if we will but ask in faith. Third, we can come to know the Lord and trust Him as we serve others. I share the following story with permission from Amy Wright, who came to understand the principle of serving even amid a terrifying and life-threatening illness. Amy wrote: "On October 29, 2015, I found out I had cancer. My cancer has a 17 percent survival rate. The odds weren't good. I knew that I would be in ... the fight of my life. I was determined to give it everything I had not just for myself but, more important, for my family. In December, I began chemo. I was familiar with many of the side effects of cancer-fighting drugs, but I did not know that it was possible for someone to be so sick and still be alive. "At one point, I declared chemotherapy a human rights violation. I told my husband that I was done. I quit! I was not going back to the hospital. In his wisdom, my sweetheart patiently listened and then responded, 'Well, then we need to find someone to serve.'" What? Did he miss the fact that his wife had cancer and couldn't take one more bout of nausea or one more moment of excruciating pain?

Amy goes on to explain: "My symptoms gradually worsened to where I ... had one or two 'OK' days a month [where] I could somewhat function as a living, breathing human being. It was those days when our family would find ways to serve." On one of those days, Amy's family distributed chemo comfort kits to other patients, kits filled with items to cheer and to help relieve symptoms. When Amy couldn't sleep, she would think of ways to brighten someone else's days. Some ways were big, but many were just small notes or text messages of encouragement and love. On those nights when her pain was too great to sleep, she would lie in bed with her iPad and search for ordinances that needed to be completed on behalf of her deceased ancestors. Miraculously the pain would subside, and she was able to endure. "Service," Amy testifies, "saved my life. Where I ultimately found my strength to keep moving forward was the happiness I discovered in trying to relieve the suffering of those around me. I looked forward to our service projects with great joy and anticipation. Still to this day it seems like such a strange paradox. You would think that someone who was bald, poisoned, and fighting for [her] life was justified in thinking that 'right now it is all about me.' However, when I thought about myself, my situation, [and] my suffering and pain, the world became very dark and depressing. When my focus turned to others, there was light, hope, strength, courage, and joy. I know that this is possible because of the sustaining, healing, and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ." Amy came to trust in the Lord as she came to know Him. If she had leaned even a little to her own understanding, she might have rejected the idea that she serve. Service enabled her to withstand her pain and afflictions and to live this scripture: "When [you] are in the service of your fellow beings [you] are only in the service of your God." Jesus Christ has overcome the world. And because of Him, because of His infinite Atonement, we all have great cause to trust, knowing that ultimately all will be well. Sisters, each of us can trust in the Lord and lean not. We can center our lives on the Savior by coming to know Him, and He will direct our paths. We are on earth to demonstrate the same trust in Him that allowed us to stand with Jesus Christ when He declared, "Here am I, send me." My dear sisters, President Thomas S. Monson testified that "our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though ... storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us ... as we walk uprightly. ... There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us." I add my testimony to that of our beloved prophet. If we trust our Father in Heaven and in our Savior and lean not to our own understanding, They will direct our paths and will extend the arm of mercy towards us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Beloved sisters, as I have prepared for this meeting, my heart has turned to the many faithful sisters that I have met, near and far. For me, they are best described in a psalm of thanksgiving by King David: "Give unto the Lord the glory due ... his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." I see the beauty of holiness in sisters whose hearts are centered on all that is good, who want to become more like the Savior. They offer their whole souls, heart, might, mind, and strength to the Lord in the way that they live every day. Holiness is in the striving and the struggle to keep the commandments and to honor the covenants we have made with God. Holiness is making the choices that will keep the Holy Ghost as our guide. Holiness is setting aside our natural tendencies and becoming "a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord." "Every moment of [our lives] must be holiness to the Lord." The God of heaven commanded the children of Israel, "For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves." Elder D. Todd Christofferson has taught: "Our Heavenly Father is a God of high expectations. ... He proposes to make us holy so that we may 'abide a celestial glory' and 'dwell in his presence.'" Lectures on Faith explains, "No being can enjoy his glory without possessing his perfections and holiness." Our Father in Heaven knows us. He loves us, and He has provided for us all that is required so that we can become holy as He is holy. We are daughters of Heavenly Father, and each of us has a divine heritage of holiness. Our Father in Heaven has declared, "Behold, I am God; Man of Holiness is my name." In the premortal world, we loved our Father and worshipped Him. We desired to be like Him. Out of perfect paternal love, He gave His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior and Redeemer. He is the Son of Man of Holiness. His "name is Holy," "the Holy One of Israel." Our hope for holiness is centered in Christ, in His mercy and His grace. With faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we may become clean, without spot, when we deny ourselves of ungodliness and sincerely repent. We are baptized by water for the remission of sins. Our souls are sanctified when we receive the Holy Ghost with open hearts. Weekly, we partake of the ordinance of the sacrament. In a spirit of repentance, with sincere desires for righteousness, we covenant that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, remember Him, and keep His commandments so that we may always have His Spirit to be with us. Over time, as we continually strive to become one with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we become partakers of Their divine nature. Holiness is keeping our covenants. We recognize the multitude of tests, temptations, and tribulations that could pull us away from all that is virtuous and praiseworthy before God. But, sisters, our mortal experiences offer us the opportunity to choose holiness. Most often it is the sacrifices we make to keep our covenants that sanctify us and make us holy. I saw holiness in the countenance of Evangeline, a 13-year-old girl in Ghana. One of the ways she keeps her covenants is by magnifying her calling as the Beehive class president. She humbly explained that she goes to the homes of her friends, the less-active young women, to talk to their parents to allow them to come to church. The parents tell her that it is difficult because on Sunday the children must do household chores. So Evangeline goes and helps with the chores, and by her efforts, her friends are often permitted to come to church. If we will keep the associated covenants, the sacred priesthood ordinances will change us, sanctify us, and prepare us to enter the presence of the Lord. So we bear one another's burdens; we strengthen one another. We retain a remission of sins when we give spiritual and temporal relief to the poor, the hungry, the naked, and the sick. We keep ourselves unspotted from the world when we keep the Sabbath day and worthily receive the sacrament on the Lord's holy day. We bless our families and make our homes holy places. We bridle our passions so that we may be filled with pure and lasting love. We reach out to others in kindness, with compassion, and stand as witnesses of God. We become a Zion people, of one heart and one mind, a pure people who dwell together in unity and righteousness. "For Zion must increase in beauty and in holiness."

Sisters, come to the temple. If we are to be a holy people prepared to receive the Savior at His coming, we must arise and put on our beautiful garments. In strength and honor, we forsake the ways of the world and keep our covenants, that we may be "clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness." Holiness is taking the Holy Ghost as our guide. Holiness is a gift of the Spirit. We accept this gift when we choose to do those things that will increase the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost in our lives. When Martha received Jesus Christ into her home, she felt a tremendous desire to serve the Lord to the best of her ability. Her sister, Mary, chose to sit "at Jesus' feet" and to hear His word. When Martha felt burdened about serving without any help, she complained, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?" I love the words of the most gentle rebuke that I can imagine. With perfect love and infinite compassion, the Savior admonished: "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Sisters, if we would be holy, we must learn to sit at the feet of the Holy One of Israel and give time to holiness. Do we set aside the phone, the never-ending to-do list, and the cares of worldliness? Prayer, study, and heeding the word of God invites His cleansing and healing love into our souls. Take time to be holy, that we may be filled with His sacred, sanctifying Spirit. With the Holy Ghost as our guide, we will be prepared to receive the Savior in the beauty of holiness. Holiness is becoming a saint through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. According to the words of King Benjamin, those who become saints through the Atonement of Jesus Christ are those who are submissive, meek, humble, patient, and full of love, as the Savior is. He prophesied that Jesus Christ, "the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay." He came to bless the sick, the lame, the deaf, the blind, and to raise those who had died to life. And yet He suffered "more than man can suffer, except it be unto death." And though He is the only one through whom salvation comes, He was mocked, scourged, and crucified. But the Son of God rose from the grave, that we may all overcome death. He is the one who will stand to judge the world in righteousness. He is the one who will redeem us all. He is the Holy One of Israel. Jesus Christ is the beauty of holiness. When King Benjamin's heard these words, they fell to the ground, so great was their humility and reverence for the grace and the glory of our God. They recognized their carnal state. Do we see our utter dependence on the grace and mercy of Christ our Lord? Do we recognize that every good gift, temporal and spiritual, comes to us through Christ? Do we remember that according to the Father's eternal plan, peace in this life and the glories of eternity are ours only in and through His holy Son? May we join with the people of King Benjamin as they cried aloud with one voice, "O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things." I testify that as we come unto the Holy One of Israel, His Spirit will come upon us, that we may be filled with joy, receive a remission of sins and peace of conscience. Heavenly Father has given each of us the capacity to become holy. May we do our best to keep our covenants and take the Holy Ghost as our guide. With faith in Jesus Christ, we become saints through His Atonement, that we may receive immortality and eternal life and give God our Father the glory due His name. May our lives ever be a sacred offering, that we may stand before the Lord in the beauty of holiness. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

My beloved sisters, how we love you and we thank you for your tender-hearted and enthusiastic response to the First Presidency's invitation in the #IWasAStranger effort. Please keep praying, listening to the whisperings of the Spirit, and acting on the promptings you receive. Whether I travel locally or throughout the world, it is not unusual for someone to ask, "Do you remember me?" Because I am painfully imperfect, I must admit I often can't remember names. However, I do remember the very real love Heavenly Father has allowed me to feel as I meet His precious daughters and sons. Recently I had the opportunity to visit some beloved women who are in prison. As we said our heartfelt goodbyes, one darling woman pleaded, "Sister Burton, please don't forget us." I hope she and others who want to be remembered will feel so as I share a few thoughts with you tonight. Our sisters across the ages have demonstrated the faithful pattern of discipleship that we too strive for. "The New Testament includes accounts of [certain] women, named and unnamed, who exercised faith in Jesus Christ [and in His Atonement], learned and lived His teachings, and testified of His ministry, miracles, and majesty. These women became exemplary disciples and important witnesses in the work of salvation." Consider these accounts in the book of Luke. First, during the Savior's ministry: "And it came to pass ... that [Jesus] went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, "And certain women ... Mary called Magdalene, ... and Joanna ... , and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him." Next, following His Resurrection: "And certain women ... which were early at the sepulchre; "... When they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had ... seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive." I have read and passed over the seemingly unremarkable expression "certain women" numerous times before, but recently as I pondered more carefully, those words just seemed to jump off the page at me. Consider these synonyms of one meaning of the word certain as connected to faithful, certain women: "convinced," "positive," "confident," "firm," "definite," "assured," and "dependable." As I pondered those powerful descriptors, I remembered two of those New Testament certain women who bore positive, confident, firm, assured testimonies of the Savior. Though they, like us, were imperfect women, their witness is inspiring. Remember the unnamed woman at the well who invited others to come and see what she had learned of the Savior? She bore her certain witness in the form of a question: "Is not this the Christ?" Her testimony and invitation were so compelling that "many ... believed on him." Following the death of her brother, Lazarus, Martha, the beloved disciple and friend of the Lord, declared with what must have been great emotion, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Consider her certainty as she continued, "But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." She further testified, "I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." We learn from these sisters that certain women are disciples centered in the Savior Jesus Christ and have hope through the promise of His Atoning sacrifice. Anciently, certain women sacrificed as they testified and lived the teachings of Jesus. Certain women in the early days of the Restoration did the same. Drusilla Hendricks and her family were among those who, as new converts, suffered during the persecution of the Saints in Clay County, Missouri. Her husband was permanently paralyzed during the Battle of Crooked River. She was left to care for him as well as provide for her family. "At one particularly distressing time, when the family was out of food, she remembered that a voice told her, 'Hold on, for the Lord will provide.'" When her son was needed to volunteer for the Mormon Battalion, at first Drusilla resisted and wrestled in prayer with the Lord until "it was as though a voice said to her, 'Do you not want the highest glory?' She answered naturally, 'Yes,' and the voice continued, 'How do you think to gain it save by making the greatest sacrifices?'" We learn from this certain woman that covenant-keeping discipleship requires our willingness to sacrifice. I have mentioned certain women in the Savior's day and in the early days of the Restoration of the gospel. But what about examples of discipleship and testimonies of certain women in our own day? On my recent assignment to Asia, I was once again inspired by the many certain women I met. I was particularly impressed with the first-generation members in India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, who strive to live the gospel culture in their own homes, sometimes at great sacrifice, as gospel living often clashes with family and country cultures. The multigenerational certain women I met in Hong Kong and Taiwan continue to bless the lives of their families, Church members, and communities by remaining centered in the Savior and willingly sacrificing to keep covenants. Similar certain women are found throughout the Church. A certain woman who has blessed my life for decades has battled for the past 15 years the debilitating, difficult, and progressive disease called inclusion body myositis. Though confined to her wheelchair, she strives to be grateful and keeps up her "Can Can List": a running list of things she can do, such as I can breathe, I can swallow, I can pray, and I can feel my Savior's love. She bears her Christ-centered certain witness almost daily to family and friends. I recently heard Jenny's story. She is a returned missionary whose parents divorced while she was serving her mission. She told how the thought of returning home "scared [her] to death." But at the end of her mission to Italy, as she stopped in the mission home on her way home to the United States, a certain woman, the mission president's wife, tenderly ministered to her simply by brushing her hair. Years later, another certain woman, Terry--a stake Relief Society president and disciple of Christ--blessed Jenny's life when Jenny was called as a ward Relief Society president. At that time, Jenny was working on her dissertation for her doctorate degree. Not only did Terry serve as a mentor to Jenny as a leader, but she also sat with her for 10 hours at the hospital when Jenny received the alarming diagnosis of leukemia. Terry visited the hospital and drove Jenny to appointments. Jenny confessed, "I think I may have thrown up several times in her car." Despite her illness, Jenny continued to serve valiantly as the ward Relief Society president. Even in her extremity, she made phone calls and sent texts and emails from her bed, and she invited sisters to come see her. She mailed cards and notes to people, loving her sisters from a distance. When her ward requested a photograph of her presidency for their ward history, this is what they got. Because Jenny is a certain woman herself, she invited all to share others' burdens, including her own. As a certain woman, Jenny testified: "Not only are we here to save others but to save ourselves. And that salvation comes from partnering with Jesus Christ, from understanding His grace and His Atonement and His feelings of love for the women of the Church. That happens through things as simple as brushing someone's hair; sending a note with an inspired, clear, revelatory message of hope and grace; or allowing women to serve us." Sisters, when we have become distracted, doubtful, discouraged, sinful, sorrowful, or soul-stretched, may we accept the Lord's invitation to drink of His living water as did the certain woman at the well, inviting others to do the same as we bear our own witness, our certain witness: "Is not this the Christ?" When life seems unfair, as it must have seemed to Martha at the death of her brother--when we experience the heartaches of loneliness, infertility, loss of loved ones, missing opportunities for marriage and family, broken homes, debilitating depression, physical or mental illness, stifling stress, anxiety, addiction, financial hardship, or a plethora of other possibilities--may we remember Martha and declare our similar certain witness: "But I know ... [and] I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God." May we remember the many certain women who refused to abandon our precious Savior during the excruciating experience He suffered on the cross and yet hours later were privileged to be among the certain witnesses of His glorious Resurrection. Let us be found staying close to Him in prayer and scripture study. Let us draw ourselves near to Him by preparing for and partaking of the sacred emblems of His atoning sacrifice weekly during the ordinance of the sacrament and as we keep covenants by serving others in their times of need. Perhaps then we might be part of the certain women, disciples of Jesus Christ, who will celebrate His glorious return when He comes again. Sisters, I testify of loving Heavenly Parents; of our Savior, Jesus Christ; and His infinite Atonement in our behalf. I know the Prophet Joseph Smith was foreordained as the prophet of the Restoration. I know the Book of Mormon is true and was translated by the power of God. We have been blessed with a living prophet in our own day, President Thomas S. Monson. Of these truths, I am certain! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Thank you, sisters, for your inspiring messages. The congregation will now join with the choir in singing "Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah." [MUSIC PLAYING - "GUIDE US, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH"]

Dear sisters of every age, we express our sincere appreciation to each of you for sharing this evening with us. We thank the choir and all others for their participation and gratefully acknowledge those who have assisted in preparing for this meeting in any way. Our concluding speaker for this session will be President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency. Following his remarks, the choir will close this meeting by singing "My Heavenly Father Loves Me." The benediction will then be offered by Sister Elizabeth Rose, a member of the Relief Society General Board. President Eyring.

My dear sisters, we have been blessed by the Spirit of God tonight. The inspired messages from the powerful sister leaders and the music have fortified our faith and increased our desire to keep the sacred covenants we have made with our loving Heavenly Father. We have felt an increase in our love for the Lord Jesus Christ and an appreciation for His marvelous gift of His atoning sacrifice. My message tonight is a simple one. We have all felt peace tonight. All of us would like to feel such peace often within ourselves, in our families, and with the people around us. The Lord promised peace to His disciples as He was about to leave them. He has made the same promise to us. But He said that He would give peace in His way, not in the world's way. He described His way of sending peace this way: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The sons of Mosiah needed that gift of peace as they embarked on their mission to the Lamanites. With more than a little anxiety as they sensed the greatness of their task, they prayed for reassurance. And "the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted." At times, you may long for peace as you face uncertainty and what seem to you to be looming challenges. The sons of Mosiah learned the lesson that the Lord taught to Moroni. It is a guide for us all: "If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all [who] humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Moroni said that when he "heard these words," he "was comforted." They can be a comfort to all of us. Those who do not see their weaknesses do not progress. Your awareness of your weakness is a blessing as it helps you remain humble and keeps you turning to the Savior. The Spirit not only comforts you, but He is also the agent by which the Atonement works a change in your very nature. Then weak things become strong. You will at times have your faith challenged by Satan; it happens to all disciples of Jesus Christ. Your defense against these attacks is to keep the Holy Ghost as your companion. The Spirit will speak peace to your soul. He will urge you forward in faith. He will bring back the memory of those times when you felt the light and the love of Jesus Christ. Remembering may be one of the most precious gifts the Spirit can give you. He will "bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever [the Lord has] said unto you." The memory may be of an answered prayer, of a priesthood ordinance received, of a confirmation of your testimony, or of a moment when you saw God's hand in your life. Perhaps in a future day when you need strength, the Spirit may bring to your memory the feelings you are having during this meeting. I pray that this may be so. One memory that the Spirit often brings to my mind is of an evening sacrament meeting held many years ago in a metal shed in Innsbruck, Austria. The shed was under a railroad track. There were only about a dozen people present, sitting on wooden chairs. Most of them were women, some younger and some older. I saw tears of gratitude as the sacrament was passed among the small congregation. I felt the love of the Savior for those Saints, and so did they. But the miracle I remember most clearly was the light that seemed to fill that metal shed, bringing with it a feeling of peace. It was nighttime and there were no windows, and yet the room was lit as if by noonday sunshine. The light of the Holy Spirit was bright and abundant that evening. And the windows that let in the light were the humble hearts of those Saints, who had come before the Lord seeking forgiveness of their sins and committing to always remember Him. It was not hard to remember Him then, and my memory of that sacred experience has made it easier for me to remember Him and His Atonement in the years that followed. That day the promise in the sacrament prayers that the Spirit will be with us was fulfilled and so brought feelings of light and peace. Like you, I have been thankful for the many ways the Lord has visited me with the Comforter when I needed peace. Yet our Father in Heaven is concerned not just about our comfort but even more about our upward progress. "Comforter" is only one of the ways the Holy Ghost is described in the scriptures. Here is another: "And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good." Most often, the good He will lead you to do will involve helping someone else receive comfort from God. In His wisdom, the Lord has brought you together in organizations and classes in His Church. He has done so to increase your power to do good. Within these organizations, you have specific charges to serve others for Him. For example, if you are a young woman, you might be asked by your bishop or your Young Women leader to reach out to a Laurel who has become what we sometimes call "less active." You may know her better than does the bishop or the Young Women leader. You may know that she is feeling troubled at home or at school or perhaps both. Your leaders may not know why they felt impressed to ask you to reach out to her, but the Lord does, and He directs this work through the inspiration of His Spirit. Success in your efforts will take a miracle of change both in your heart and the heart of the young woman you were sent to rescue--and that requires the companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit can allow you to see the less-active Laurel as the Lord sees her. The Lord knows her heart and your heart, and He knows the possibilities of hearts being changed. He can visit you both with His Spirit to inspire humility, forgiveness, and love. That Spirit can inspire the words, the deeds, and the patience necessary for you to invite a lamb back to the flock.

And He can touch the hearts of the flock in the Laurel class to love and welcome the lost sheep so that when she returns, she will feel she has come home. Your power to do good as a group of God's daughters will depend, to a great degree, on the unity and love that exist among you. This is another gift of peace that comes through the Holy Ghost. Alma understood this. That is why he pleaded with his people "that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another." Unity is necessary for us to have the Spirit in our class and in our family. But you know from experience, as I do, that such loving unity is hard to maintain. It takes having the Holy Ghost as a companion to open our eyes and temper our feelings. I remember once a seven- or eight-year-old son of ours jumping on his bed hard enough that I thought the bed might break. I felt a flash of frustration, and I moved quickly to set my house in order. I grabbed my son by his little shoulders and lifted him up to where our eyes met. The Spirit put words into my mind. It seemed a quiet voice, but it pierced to my heart. It was, "You are holding a great person." I gently set him back on the bed-- [LAUGHTER] --and apologized. Now he has become the great man the Holy Ghost let me see 40 years ago. I am eternally grateful that the Lord rescued me from my unkind feelings by sending the Holy Ghost to let me see a child of God as He saw him. The unity we seek in our families and in the Church will come as we allow the Holy Ghost to affect what we see when we look at one another--and even when we think of each other. The Spirit sees with the pure love of Christ. Listen to the words Mormon used to describe charity. Think of the times you have felt it: "Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren [and I add sisters], if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail-- "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren [and sisters], pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons [and daughters] of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure." This is the goal your Father in Heaven has for you, His precious daughters. It may seem to you like a distant goal, but from His perspective, you're not that far away. So He visits you with His Spirit to comfort you, encourage you, and inspire you to keep going. I leave you my sure witness that the Father knows you, knows your needs and your name, loves you, and hears your prayers. His Beloved Son is inviting you to come unto Him. And They send the Holy Ghost to attend you in your efforts to serve others for Them. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost will have a sanctifying and purifying effect on your spirit. You will then feel the peace the Savior promised to leave with His disciples. With that peace will come a bright hope and a feeling of light and love from the Father and His Beloved Son, who leads His kingdom on earth through revelation to His living prophet. I so testify in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING - "MY HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ME"]

Our beloved Father in Heaven, we are so thankful that we have had the opportunity to hear these beautiful messages, given with great power and authority from our beloved leaders this night. We pray that their words can go deep into our hearts, that we can go home and act upon the things that we've heard and learned this night. We pray that we can be certain and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ and that we can keep our lives and our focus centered on Him. We pray that we can become holy women and have the Holy Ghost to be our guide, that we can live as Thou would have us live. We are so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We're thankful for each other. May we be unified in this great work that we have been given the responsibility to be part of in these, the latter days. We pray for Thy Spirit to attend us always. We pray that we can go forward this night with love and peace in our hearts and be the disciples that Thou needs us to be. And we say these things humbly in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.