Young women 'arise and shine forth'
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President James E. Faust urged "young women of great promise" in the Church to "develop a testimony and have faith in Christ, to focus on Christ rather than on the world. . . . He will love and help you."
President Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, was the main speaker during the annual General Young Women Meeting held March 25 in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.
President Gordon B. Hinckley presided over the meeting, which was broadcast via Church telecast to meetinghouses throughout the Church. President Hinckley was seated on the stand with President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Faust. Also attending were other Church and auxiliary leaders.
Offering brief remarks were Young Women General President Susan W. Tanner, who also conducted the meeting, and her counselors Julie B. Beck and Elaine S. Dalton. (Please see excerpts on page 4.)
Banners of the Young Women colors adorned the Conference Center as thousands of young people, their mothers and leaders, filled the seats. A choir of young women from stakes in Ogden, Utah, dressed in spring pastels, provided music for the annual meeting, with one young woman, Hillary Dodd, from the Logan Utah East Stake, performing a solo as the choir sang, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives."
The invocation was offered by Annette C. Burgess of the Young Women general board. Jessica Barth, a Laurel in the Salt Lake Monument Park Stake, gave the benediction. Merrilee Webb directed the choir and Bonnie Goodliffe accompanied at the organ.
During his address, President Faust referred to the theme of the meeting, "Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations."
President Faust said, "I see the light shining in your faces. That light comes from the Lord, and as you radiate that light, it will bless you as well as many others."
Continuing, he related the account of 15-year-old Mary Elizabeth Rollins and her 13-year-old sister Caroline, who saw mobs destroying the printing press in Independence, Mo., in 1833. Seeing the printed pages of revelations received by the Prophet Joseph strewn in the street, they grabbed the precious pages and hid in a cornfield until the mob stopped looking for them.
"I believe the light of the Lord directed Mary Elizabeth and Caroline as to what to do and where to go for safety. Sisters, that light shines in you, and it will guide you as it did the Rollins girls. It will keep you safe even when danger lurks. . . .
"My dear young friends, you can stand apart from evil, just as the Rollins sisters did, if you will develop your testimony of the Savior. As you do so, you will grow in spiritual strength. Cherish spirituality and you will learn how sweet it is.
"You want to make your own decisions, but you ought to make those decisions with an eternal perspective. With age, experience and faith, you will have the wisdom to make good decisions, and also make the right ones. I believe you young people know where to go to get the right answers. In the words of Mormon, 'Ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ.' "
Joan of Arc, who led 12,000 French troops in four victories over the British, had the light of Christ, President Faust said, and "also the courage to follow the promptings and make a difference."
President Faust said, "To other girls in the 15th century, Joan of Arc seemed to be very different. Sisters, don't be afraid to be different in our century! Sometimes we have to be different in order to maintain Church standards. . . . Many girls are concerned about their friends' conduct and style of dress. Such conduct may be motivated by a desire to be accepted by the peer group. Joan of Arc did not worry about what her friends did, but rather about what she knew she should do."
Further, President Faust said, "In our society, I see so many people who blame others for their failures. I have observed that those who accept personal responsibility for their actions are more successful than those who blame their shortcomings and lack of accomplishments on someone else."
President Faust said members can show their light in different ways and related the account of a man who daily noticed a young woman at a bus stop who always smiled. Soon his daughter spoke of a new friend who invited her to attend church services, and later missionaries were introduced to the family. That new friend was the young woman at the bus stop. This man and two of his family joined the Church.
"Each one of you can be a friend to someone, even if it is only by smiling. Like Vicki (the young woman at the bus stop), you can let the sunshine that is in your heart show on your face. The Apostle John wrote of 'a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet.' Similarly, you young women can be bearers of light."
Then, speaking of the parable of the bridegroom and the 10 virgins, President Faust referred to an address by former Church President Spencer W. Kimball, who defined the drops of oil for spiritual lamps. He defined the "oil of family prayer," the "oil of fasting," the "rare oil of service," the "tithing oil," and the "oil of chastity."
"My dear young friends, many of you put oil into your lamps last year when you followed President Hinckley's challenge to read the Book of Mormon. You can continue to do so every time you read the scriptures, partake of the sacrament, and offer your daily prayers. And as you each put oil into your lamps, your light will become 'a standard for the nations,' " President Faust said.
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