Telling the young women of the Church they are an "indispensable part of what the Church and the world will be," President James E. Faust offered them "10 virtues that each of you can pursue in your quest for excellence and happiness."

Photo by Michael Brandy

Thousands of young women with their mothers and leaders enter Conference Center prior to their annual meeting. Youth were admonished to hold to their faith.

President James E. Faust

Photo by Michael Brandy

Young Women choir from Salt Lake, Holladay and Millcreek stakes perform during general meeting in Conference Center. The theme of the meeting was "Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ," taken from 2 Nephi 31:20.

"Many people do not fully understand the meaning of virtue," President Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, declared during the General Young Women Meeting March 29. "One commonly understood meaning is to be chaste or morally clean, but virtue in its fuller sense encompasses all of the traits of righteousness that help us form our character."

President Faust was the main speaker during the general meeting, which originated in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City and was broadcast via Church satellite to meetinghouses in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, and to Mexico, Central and South America. Also attending were President Gordon B. Hinckley and his first counselor in the First Presidency, President Thomas S. Monson. Seated on the stand were Elder L. Tom Perry and Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Cecil O. Samuelson of the Presidency of the Seventy.

Also offering remarks during the meeting were Young Women General President Susan W. Tanner and her counselors, Julie B. Beck and Elaine S. Dalton. This was the first general meeting for the Young Women general presidency since they were sustained in the October 2002 general conference. (Please see page 4 for highlights of their addresses.)

In his address, President Faust referred to a March 19, 2003, letter from the First Presidency to priesthood leaders "encouraging them to help Young Women in their challenging transition to womanhood. This is very important. The letter emphasizes that, while parents have the primary responsibility, bishoprics, Young Women and Relief Society leaders should work together to strengthen our young adult women in this transition."

Encouraging young women to "strengthen the virtues you have already acquired and resolve to develop many others," President Faust listed and expounded on 10 virtues:

• Faith: "I list the virtue of faith first because it is the most important. I promise you sweet young ladies if you will strive to live the commandments your faith will continue to grow. In exercising faith, we become cheerful and optimistic, charitable and courageous, because faith is the moving cause of all of these virtues."

• Honesty: President Faust related the account of an LDS university volleyball player who told the line judges in a championship match that she touched the ball last before it went out of bounds. An opposing player was so impressed she talked with the LDS young woman, who later gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon.

"You cannot be honest with others unless you are first honest with yourself," President Faust emphasized.

• Chastity: Those who engage in intimacy before marriage are likely to suffer guilt and emotional and physical hurt, President Faust cautioned. "In contrast, when these sacred gifts are exercised as the Lord intended within the bounds of a temple marriage, they bring us our greatest joy and happiness. We become co-creators with God in having family and posterity. Chastity before marriage followed by fidelity after marriage is a sacred passport to self-respect and happiness for everyone."

• Humility: "Humility is all about keeping one's balance. . . . You young ladies have learned much, but you have more to learn. A person who is humble is teachable."

• Self-discipline: "You must have the strength to discipline yourselves so that you can accomplish your goals and enhance your natural strengths. Habits of self-discipline formed while you are young will become part of the make-up of your character for the rest of your lives. . . . The principle of work is part of self-discipline.

• Fairness: "We need to be fair and compassionate in our dealings with other human beings. . . . If you will be fair to other people, they are more likely to be fair to you."

• Moderation: President Faust spoke of the spirit of the Word of Wisdom, part of which is moderation in all things, except things forbidden by the Lord. He also counseled young people to avoid extremes in dress, hairstyles, make-up, conduct, speech and music.

• Cleanliness: "Remember that you and the Church will be judged in part by your cleanliness and neatness in appearance."

• Courage: "You precious young ladies will need a lot of courage — courage to stand up to peer pressure, to resist temptation, to withstand ridicule or ostracism, to stand up for truth. You will also need courage to face the challenges of life."

• Grace: "Grace is a God-given virtue. It is a disposition to be kind and to do good. It is a charming trait or accomplishment; a pleasingly graceful appearance. Charm is attractiveness which comes from a feeling of personal dignity; an inner beauty that comes from a feeling of self-worth.

"We frequently find that the influence of good women is underrated. It is an influence that is often subtle but yet has tremendous consequences. One woman can make a great difference for a whole nation. I cite two examples from the scriptures, one for evil and one for good."

President Faust then spoke of Jared's beautiful daughter from the account in the Book of Ether in the Book of Mormon. She enticed Akish to marry her on the condition that he murder her grandfather, King Omer, so her father could sit on the throne. "At her urging, Akish formed oath-bound secret combinations which caused the destruction of the Jaredite nation."

In the other story, Esther, a Jewess was married to King Ahasuerus, who signed a decree that all Jews were to be put to death. Her cousin, Mordecai, urged her to intercede by saying, "Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this." The king listened to her plea for her people and they were spared.

"These are challenging times," President Faust said. "I believe your spirits may have been reserved for these latter days; that you, like Esther, have come to earth 'for such a time as this.' It may be that your most significant everlasting achievements will be your righteous influence on others; that your divine feminine inner beauty and intuition will find expression in your quiet strength, gentleness, dignity, charm, graciousness, creativity, sensitivity, radiance and spirituality.

"Enhance these sublime feminine gifts. They will make you appealing, even irresistible as you serve others as the handmaidens of God."

A choir of young women from Salt Lake, Holladay and Millcreek stakes in Utah provided the music. Cathy Jolley directed, with Linda J. Margetts accompanying. Offering the invocation and benediction, respectively, were Susan J. Groesbeck, a member of the Young Women general board, and Sarah Uda, a Laurel in the Payson Utah Mountain View Stake.

julied@desnews.com