Summary of the Women’s Session

The women’s session of the April 2022 general conference featured five speakers. Summaries of each talk are below.

Watch the full Saturday evenning session now.

President Dallin H. Oaks: Introductory Message from the First Presidency

In brief remarks to open the session, President Oaks said the Saturday evening sessions of general conference have a history of different purposes and audiences.

“This evening we add to that history as we embark upon a new purpose and procedure for the foreseeable future,” President Oaks said. “The gospel of Jesus Christ does not change. Gospel doctrine does not change. Our personal covenants do not change. But over the years, the meetings we hold to communicate our messages do change, and very likely will continue to change over the years.”

The focus of this session, he added, is the concerns of Latter-day Saint women.

“What we are initiating here is responsive to the communication resources currently available to the Lord’s worldwide Church leadership and membership,” President Oaks said. “The doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone, so that is our principal motive and extent of dissemination. We honor the daughters of God in this special session by concentrating on their concerns and those of their organizations.”

President Oaks concluded by invoking a blessing “upon the leaders of these organizations and upon the faithful women and girls who serve the Lord in these organizations and in their individual lives.”

Sister Susan H. Porter: Lessons at the Well

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Five years ago, as Sister Porter of the Primary General Presidency grieved the death of her husband, she pled with God for guidance. A few weeks later, a painting of the Samaritan woman at the well with Jesus caught her eye. “That is what you are supposed to do,” the Holy Spirit told her. She said she was being invited to come to Jesus and learn.

Sister Porter shared three lessons she is learning since following that counsel: 1) our past and present do not determine our future; 2) we have power to do good; and 3) even small acts of goodness are significant.

“Even though you may feel alone as the storms of life are raging, you can shine a light in the darkness of misunderstanding, confusion and unbelief,” Sister Porter said. “Your light of faith in Christ can be steady and sure, leading those around you to safety and peace. Sisters, hearts can be changed and lives blessed as we offer a pinch of salt, a spoonful of leaven and a ray of light.”

Sister Rebecca L. Craven: Do What Matters Most

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Sister Craven of the Young Women General Presidency said “being a disciple of Jesus Christ involves more than just hoping or believing. It calls for effort, movement and commitment.” She encouraged women to “shine our gospel light all over the world by stepping up and standing out.”

Sister Craven encouraged women to focus on essential things that will bring lasting joy. Echoing some of Sister Porter’s counsel, Sister Craven urged women to see deeper meaning in what may appear, on an individual level, to be small offerings of service.

“Let us not underestimate our capacity to do those things that matter most,” Sister Craven said. “Our divine heritage gives us courage and confidence to do and be all that our loving Heavenly Father knows we can be.”

President Jean B. Bingham: Covenants with God Strengthen, Protect and Prepare Us for Eternal Glory

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The Church’s outgoing Relief Society General President (she will conclude her service on August 1, 2022; see this article) compared the covenants that Latter-day Saints make with God in temples to rock climbing. In rappelling, she said, the anchor bolt must be securely set and trust given to a climbing partner who will apply tension to the rope as you descend.

“With Jesus Christ as our anchor and perfect partner, we are assured of His loving strength in trial and of eventual deliverance through Him,” Sister Bingham said. “The spiritual equipment that keeps us from being broken on the rocks of adversity is our testimony of Jesus Christ and the covenants we make.”

Sister Bingham said we are never out of the Savior’s healing reach. But, she stressed, “we each must put on the harness and make sure the knots are securely tied. We must choose to be anchored to the Savior, to be bound to Him by our covenants.”

Elder Dale G. Renlund: Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny

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Elder Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited women to center their lives on Jesus Christ and remember the foundational truths found in the Church’s Young Women theme.

“The profound doctrine taught in the Young Women theme is important for young women, but it is applicable to all, including those of us who are not young women,” Elder Renlund said.

The theme’s opening sentence reminds women that they are daughters of heavenly parents. This, the Apostle said, is one of the Church’s distinctive beliefs. He said what is known about Mother in Heaven is summarized in this gospel topics essay. “Once you have read what is there, you will know everything that I know about the subject,” Elder Renlund said. “I wish I knew more. You, too, may still have questions and want to find more answers. Seeking greater understanding is an important part of our spiritual development, but please be cautious. Reason cannot replace revelation.”

Elder Renlund touched on the other aspects of the Young Women theme — the divine nature of women, our eternal destiny, the importance of becoming like Jesus, the need to always be a witness of God, and the gift of daily self-improvement.

“All members of the Church are needed as witnesses of God,” he said. “Imagine a soccer match in which only the goalie protects the goal. Without the help of the other team players, the goalie will not be able to adequately defend the goal and the team will always lose. So, too, everyone is needed on the Lord’s team.”

The Apostle encouraged women to focus on the Atonement of Christ, which allows everyone to “repent, learn from our mistakes and not be condemned by them.”

“Our Heavenly Father wants you to become His heir and receive all that He has,” Elder Renlund concluded. “He cannot offer you more. He cannot promise you more. He loves you more than you know and wants you to be happy in this life and in the life to come.”

Video Presentation

A video shown during the women’s session repeated words from President Russell M. Nelson’s talk, “A Plea to My Sisters,” from October 2015 general conference.

Expounding on the role of covenant-keeping women, the video began with words from President Spencer W. Kimball in a 1979 talk that his wife, Sister Camilla Kimball, read to the women of the Church while he was in the hospital.  

“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers,” read Sister Kimball. “This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different — in happy ways — from the women of the world.”

The video then quoted President Nelson explaining that the day President Kimball foresaw is today: “You are the women he foresaw! Your virtue, light, love, knowledge, courage, character, faith and righteous lives will draw good women of the world, along with their families, to the Church in unprecedented numbers!”