Mormon Young Women
Counseled to 'Be Not Moved'

At the annual General Young Women Meeting Saturday night, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged young women to remain firm in their beliefs when they encounter difficulty and opposition, to “stand … in holy places, and be not moved” (D&C 87:8).

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency, and the Young Women general presidency spoke, and Church President Thomas S. Monson and first counselor Henry B. Eyring attended the meeting. President Uchtdorf told young women that God will help them stand firm as they face challenges. “Your Heavenly Father knows you,” he said. “Even when no one else hears you, He hears you.”

Young Women general president Sister Elaine S. Dalton said young women have a “great destiny” before them. “I truly believe that one virtuous young woman, led by the Spirit, can change the world,” she said.

Sister Dalton said young women are facing “gale-force winds of opposition, adversity, peer pressure and moral pollution.” She said the young women of the Church “stand immovable” against these storms and must continue to do so.

She noted the recent choice of many young women to serve missions. “Thousands … resolutely responded, ‘I will go, I will do’ when our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, announced the opportunity for young men and young women to serve missions at a younger age,” Sister Dalton said.

President Uchtdorf compared life to a journey and said Heavenly Father has provided a map to help His children find their way. “He didn’t send you on this journey to wander aimlessly on your way,” he said. “This map is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news, and the joyful way of a disciple of Christ.”

President Uchtdorf urged young women to love their fellow travelers on life’s journey. “Every person you see — no matter the race, religion, political beliefs, body type or appearance — is family,” he said.

Sister Mary N. Cook, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, said young women who choose to stand firm in their beliefs bless all those connected to them. Second counselor Ann M. Dibb said young women can create holy places of solace for themselves no matter where they are, “even in the hardest times you have ever experienced.”

The Church’s Young Women organization provides instruction, encouragement and support in living the gospel of Jesus Christ for teenage girls ages 12 to 17. Young women and their leaders from around the world attend the general meeting, held each March. The meeting is translated into more than 50 languages and broadcast by satellite to many areas of the world.

The purpose of the organization is to help young women build their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, understand their identities as daughters of God, obey God’s commandments and feel and recognize His guidance in their lives.

Sister Elaine Dalton is the 13th president to lead the Young Women organization, which originated in 1869. For more on the Young Women organization, see the Mormon Newsroom’s Young Women topic page.

Video of the meeting is available on the Church website, and additional coverage is available on Church News and Events, a news source intended primarily for Latter-day Saints. Also available there is a conversation with the Relief Society general presidency, the Young Women general presidency and the Primary general presidency discussing the identity of Latter-day Saint women and how that impacts the way they dress, speak, think and act.