Experiment upon the word of God was the message to young women throughout the Church during the General Young Women Meeting March 25.

Endorsing this message was President Gordon B. Hinckley, in his first address from the Salt Lake Tabernacle pulpit since being called as president of the Church."I am grateful for emphasis on reading the scriptures," the prophet said. "I hope that for you this will become something far more enjoyable than a duty; that, rather, it will become a love affair with the word of God. I promise you that as you read, your minds will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. At first it may seem tedious, but that will change into a wondrous experience with thoughts and words of things divine."

President Hinckley presided at and was the final speaker during the meeting held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. He was accompanied by his counselors, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust. Other speakers during the meeting were President Monson; Young Women Gen. Pres. Janette C. Hales and her counselors, Virginia H. Pearce and Bonnie D. Parkin. (The reports on President Monson's address and on other speakers are on page 6.)

Offering brief testimonies about the importance of scripture study were Melanie Eaton, a Laurel from the Spanish Fork Utah West Stake; Andrea Allen, a Laurel from the Brigham City Utah Stake; Hilarie Cole, a young woman from the West Jordan Utah Stake who advanced from Young Women to Relief Society a year ago; and Karen Maxwell, Young Women president from the Salt Lake Monument Park Stake. Each spoke on the meeting's theme, "Experiment Upon My Words."

Other Church leaders attending the meeting were Elder Robert D. Hales of the Council of the Twelve and Elder Charles Didier of the Presidency of the Seventy. Elders Hales and Didier are priesthood advisers to the Young Women organization. In addition, the general presidencies of the Relief Society and Primary attended, along with a former Young Women general president, Ruth H. Funk; and several past counselors.

The General Young Women Meeting was telecast live over the Church's satellite network to more than 3,000 meetinghouses in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Languages transmitted, including English, were Spanish, French, Tongan, Samoan, Laotian, Cambodian, Hmong, Vietnamese, Korean and Navajo.

A stirring moment during the telecast was a short video that contained a scene from the April 1966 general conference during which then-Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Council of the Twelve spoke on the importance of studying scriptures. As he spoke, the video faded to present-day as President Hinckley continued his comments on scripture study: "If you will read that wonderful literature which we call the holy scriptures, there will come into your hearts a conviction of the truth of this great work and a new luster will be added to your hearts."

Also on the video were young women from many nations expressing their testimonies of how the scriptures affect their lives. In addition, a Young Women general presidency meeting was shown, during which Pres. Hales and her counselors and administrative assistant Susan Hollingsworth studied the scriptures together.

At the conclusion of the evening, President Hinckley offered what he called "a few words of postscript" to the talks delivered during the telecast, President Hinckley said: "Much of good counsel has been given from which each of us can benefit. I hope that we will never forget the things we have heard, and that they will become guideposts in our lives."

President Hinckley commented on the uniqueness of the gathering, as well as previous Young Women conferences that have originated in the Tabernacle.

"There are hundreds of thousands of young women gathered this evening in halls scattered far and wide across the earth," he said. "How marvelous a thing it is to contemplate that each of you is a daughter of God, a girl with a divine birthright and a divine destiny."

He said that when he and his wife were much younger and "less stiff and brittle," they would go to dances.

"She would tell you that this stopped right after we were married. I must confess that I enjoyed her company more than I enjoyed dancing," said President Hinckley, drawing laughter from the congregation.

During those days, he said, there was a popular song, the opening lines of which were:

"Somebody loves you, I want you to know,

"Longs to be with you wherever you go."

"I have interpreted those words differently from the meaning given by the original author," President Hinckley said. "I wish you - each of you wherever you are - to know that you are loved. You are loved by your Father in Heaven, of whose divine nature you have partaken. And He desires that His Holy Spirit will be near you wherever you go if you will invite it and cultivate it.

"There is something of divinity within each of you. You have such tremendous potential with that quality as a part of your inherited nature. Every one of you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity to do good in the world. Train your minds and your hands that you may be equipped to serve well in the society of which you are a part. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you the quality of mercy which comes as a part of the divine attributes you have inherited."

He noted that some may feel they are not as attractive, beautiful and glamorous as they would like to be.

"Rise above any such feelings," he admonished. "Cultivate the light you have within you, and it will shine through as a radiant expression that will be seen by others.

"You need never feel inferior. You need never feel that you were born without talents or without opportunities to give them expression. Cultivate whatever talents you have, and they will grow and refine and become an expression of your true self appreciated by others.

"In summary, try a little harder to measure up to the divine within each of you. As Alma said, `Awake and arouse your faculties . . . .' (Alma 32:27.)

"I thank you for the goodness of your lives, for the desire within your hearts to do the right thing, for the fact that you are prayerful and kind and good. We have every confidence in you. We love you. We pray for you. We leave our blessing with you."

Providing music for the telecast was a 360-voice Young Women Chorus from the Centerville Utah Region, with Celia Baker conducting and Bonnie Goodliffe at the organ. Adding a warm touch to the music were choral scriptural readings before several of the choir numbers. Young women interpreting in sign language accompanied the choral readings.

Offering the invocation for the meeting was Sally Reynolds, a Laurel from the Salt Lake Parleys Stake. The benediction was given by Jan J. Zwick of the Young Women General Board.