Last spring, Elna Williams stood in front of her ward during sacrament meeting and performed a solo in her rich alto voice. "Inspiring" was how one ward member later described it.

Obviously, Sister Williams' concerns before singing were unfounded. The 90-year-old had hesitated when ward music chairman Pam Smith asked her to sing. Sister Smith had replied, "None of us knows the voice you used to have, but the voice you have now is the one we love."

And members of the Cedar Hills (Utah) 10th Ward certainly love her voice — whether teaching a gospel principle or singing in the ward choir. For years, Sister Williams was a Relief Society teacher and was released only in the past year. Now she is the Relief Society accompanist, is a visiting teacher — and has been for some 65 years — and crochets hats, tropical bandages and other items for Church Humanitarian Services.

And she doesn't stop there. She's a member of the Madsen Memorial Chorus in Provo, Utah, and joins other chorus members in performing in rest homes and senior centers. She also attends the temple three days a week, taking family names gathered by her son-in-law, Howard Wattleworth.

"I think if you follow the Savior you have to serve," Sister Williams, in her quiet voice, told the Church News. "That should be our goal all the time to serve others. I feel sorry for people whose health prevents them, but if you have health you need to keep going."

Sister Williams, who is quick to express gratitude for her good health, believes "people who try to stay active are healthier."

She certainly stays active. She makes seven or eight hats and/or bandages for the humanitarian center each month. And Relief Society enrichment counselor Annette Olson said of the nonagenarian: "When the Relief Society teachers get a substitute, they get Elna because she's such a great teacher. We've just gleaned from her knowledge. She's very spiritually in tune.

"Talk about endure to the end. Elna is the symbol of endure to the end."

Sister Williams' life seems to depict devotion and dedication. She has served twice as Relief Society president, in Pioche, Nev., and in Tooele, Utah. Her husband, Glen R. Williams, who died in 1977, served in three bishoprics and a stake presidency. They have seven children, five sons and two daughters "scattered everywhere from West Virginia to Richfield [Utah]," Sister Williams said. At a recent reunion in Nauvoo, Ill., there were 69 family members, including 26 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, "with more on the way."

Sister Williams plays the piano and organ and has also played the violin. "Most of my work [in the Church] has been in music. I've been an accompanist and choir director for most of my Church work."

Knowing her musical talents, Sister Smith has turned to Sister Williams often. But the one thing Sister Smith notices most about the unassuming Relief Society accompanist is her friendship and kindness. For three years now, Sister Williams has been a visiting teacher to Sister Smith.

"She listens when you say something. I know because it came back to bite me," Sister Smith said, laughing. She recalled how she shared an experience with prayer once to her visiting teacher. About two months later, Sister Williams, then a Relief Society teacher, asked her to share the experience as part of a lesson.

"She listened and she remembered. It was important to her," Sister Smith related.

Sister Williams is quick to brush off praise. When she talks about diligently serving into her 90s, she points to one brother who is 100 years old and another who is 96 years old.

"It's in the genes."

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From time to time, the Church News will feature members who are 80 years of age or older who serve in their wards, stakes or communities. Readers are invited to send submissions to Julie Dockstader Heaps, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110; or e-mail:julied@desnews.com.