Of All Things

You’ve seen it a thousand times—a torch, a flame, a girl’s face in profile—the symbol of a young, worldwide sisterhood. But you’ve probably never seen the Young Women’s logo rendered quite like this before. Using a traditional art form, the Young Women of the Hyderabad Third Branch in Hyderabad, India, spent many hours making this version of the logo. They started with a bed of hard-packed earth, then they used rocks, objects, and various colors and textures of sand and color pigments to complete the picture.

Elmina was born in Middlefield, New York, in 1830. While teaching school she was taught and accepted the restored gospel. She married George Hamilton Taylor in 1856 and migrated to Utah by ox team in 1859. Susa Young Gates once wrote of Elmina, “By example, by attainments, and the spiritual refinement and elegance in bearing that would denote a Christian lady … it seems peculiarly appropriate that [she] was called to preside over the young ladies of Zion” (see History of the YWMIA, 5–6, 318–319).

Called in 1880 to be the first general president of the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association, Elmina S. Taylor served faithfully in that office for 24 years. During her administration, the YLMIA established uniform classes and programs, designated Tuesdays as Mutual night, and published the Young Women’s Journal. Elmina traveled by team and wagon to visit hundreds of local organizations and was much loved by those she served. She was an example of her admonition to young women leaders “to be kind rather than harsh, complimentary rather than critical.”