Mary Ellen Smoot, recently sustained Relief Society general president, admonished the 4 million women of the Church to "unitedly [stand] firm in the principles of the gospel as a beacon for all the world to see."

Speaking May 2 during the closing session of BYU Women's Conference, she shared a story told by Bishop H. David Burton of the Presiding Bishopric that illustrated how lighthouses emanate a beacon of light to guide ships to safety and away from danger."From a spiritual perspective," she said, "we have been given beacons to help us safely travel through our sojourn here on earth. Each of these beacons rely on the same source of light or truth. That light being the eternal truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. . . . He was the perfect beacon."

Pres. Smoot referred to the 11 years that she and her husband, Stanley, served in Church Hosting. "Those who we have hosted include royalty, leaders of nations, ambassadors, journalists, and business and religious leaders throughout the world."

But, she said, "people from around the world do not need to visit Church headquarters to see the gospel's light." She then quoted President Gordon B. Hinckley in the October 1996 general conference who said, "The only things that can ever embarrass this work are acts of disobedience to its doctrine and standards by those of its membership. That places upon each of us a tremendous responsibility. This work will be judged by what the world sees of our behavior."

The new Relief Society general president explained: "We, as sisters in the gospel, must come to realize that we, too, can be powerful beacons of our Savior's light regardless of our position in life. During this sesquicentennial year, we have been blessed to learn more about many of our pioneer predecessors who emanated His light to the world in the face of ruthless persecution and seemingly endless trials."

Sister Smoot spoke of "external factors which can severely diminish the visibility of a beacon light. Haze, smoke or bad weather such as fog, rain or snow can obscure or dim the signal. Our spiritual beacons sometimes fall prey to similar obstructions. The trends of the world detract us from the light of Christ and lead us into dangerous waters.

"In the past several decades, the ills that result from the deterioration of families have become far too prevalent. Those evils are mounting with alarming momentum, and without adherence to the counsel of our prophet, will spell the failure of society as we know it today."

Calling on the sisters to be beacons of light in the world, Sister Smoot said: "There is no activity that has a more profound impact for good on society than a mother spending loving time nurturing and training a child in the true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Please guard against any influence or circumstance which would take a mother from the side of her child more than is absolutely necessary," she said.

"I humbly stand before you," she said, "having few credentials by the world's standards. But I am not on the world's errand. I am on the Lord's errand. I bring to this calling a lifetime of experiences as a daughter, wife, mother and servant within the Kingdom. Never once has the Lord let me down, nor have I ever regretted my obedience to the eternal truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

In her concluding remarks, Sister Smoot said: "There is nothing more beautiful in this world than a woman aglow with faith and testimony, who has looked within herself and to the Lord for strength, a woman filled with compassion and love willing to serve and lift others everywhere she goes. We all have the ability to become that kind of a woman."