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2021 BYU Women’s Conference
Thursday, April 29, 2021
The week before Valentine’s Day, I received a phone call inviting my husband and me to meet with Elder Quentin L. Cook. At the time, I had been serving as a member of the Young Women general advisory council. As I hung up the phone the thought occurred to me, “You are going to be released.” I was surprised to discover that I instantly felt peace. The last two and half years serving with Sister Cordon, Sister Craig, and Sister Craven, along with the other council members, had been a miraculous and revelatory experience that I cherished dearly. I guess I just figured that the Lord intended for someone else to now have an opportunity to experience this sacred sisterhood and incredible trajectory of growth.
In preparation to meet with an Apostle of the Lord, my husband and I decided that we would attend the meeting fasting. The car ride to Church headquarters was filled with silence. I am not sure what the protocol is for conversation when you are preparing to meet a special witness of our Savior Jesus Christ. However, after about 15 minutes in silence, we decided to listen to President Russell M. Nelson’s talk titled “Let God Prevail.” About halfway through his remarks, I had a clear, matter of fact impression come to my mind—almost as if someone had simply told me that the sky was blue or the earth was round. The impression was this: “You are going to be called to serve as the Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency.”
Before I could even begin to process this information, almost immediately came a very distinct pattern of uninvited thoughts that flooded my mind. “You are not enough! You are not good enough. You are not smart enough. You are not talented enough. You are not worthy enough.” Every single “enough” that you could possibly imagine. I closed my eyes and silently prayed that my mind would be clear and that my heart would feel peace. I think that it would be fair to assume that the comfort and peace that I was seeking would come in the form of validations. “You are enough. You are good enough. You are talented enough. You are going to do great.” Instead, I was a little taken aback to discover that the impression that came to my mind was this: “You are right. You are not enough. And you will never be your definition of enough. But Jesus Christ is enough. He is more than enough and therefore everything will be okay.”
This experience was a tender reminder to me that this great work “is [His] work and [His] glory,” not mine. Christ is perfectly capable of doing His own work. However, the extraordinary thing is that He shares His sacred work with us so that we can have opportunities to learn and grow.
After my call was extended, Elder Cook led my husband and I into the Quorum of the Twelve boardroom, where I immediately saw Sister Porter with her trademark smile and radiant countenance. I already knew and loved Sister Porter dearly. We have had the privilege of serving together as part of the Utah Area Leadership Council. She is a woman of great faith, tenderness, and capacity. However, as mentioned earlier, this was the first time that I had met Sister Johnson. The miracle of this experience is that instantly a feeling of love and sustaining and sisterhood filled my entire being from head to toe. It was as if I had just been reunited with a long-lost friend, and it was a joyful reunion! Oh, how I love her! She too is a woman of incredible capacity who loves the Lord and knows how to hear His voice. And it is a glorious thing to behold! I testify, for the Spirit continues to witness to me again and again, that Sister Johnson has been called of God to serve as the Primary General President at this time for a very specific purpose.
I love in 3 Nephi 12 where Christ calls his 12 disciples and then “delivers to the Nephites a discourse similar to the Sermon on the Mount.” Here He is introducing a new way of living, a new kingdom, for “his teachings transcend and take precedence over the law of Moses.” In His kingdom you are blessed if you are “poor in spirit,” if you “mourn,” if you are “meek,” if you are “hungry and thirsty,” if you are persecuted” or “revile[d]” against. These are all really hard things and yet in verse 12 we are admonished to “have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.”
I testify that if we endure our trials and challenges well, we will not only have great joy in heaven, but we can also experience great joy now. There is power and purpose and potential in stretching. Or as my son who is serving a mission in Africa recently indicated, “I am gradually getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.” The path of discipleship is a path of progression and growth. It is a path that is not always easy, and yet it is secure. God wants our choices in life to be intentional. He wants us to intentionally choose Him.
Sisters, our Father in Heaven knows us personally and loves us perfectly. And as we seek guidance and direction in our lives, He will speak to us in a way that we can understand. I also testify that our worth cannot be quantified by any form of earthly measurement for “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” Our value comes from our identity as beloved daughters of heavenly parents. It is part of our spiritual DNA. Our value also stems from who, through our Savior Jesus Christ, we can become.
This I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.