Wow! This talk from Elder Dale G. Renlund, given in a session of conference that “concentrated on the concerns of latter-day Saint women”, was FULL of eternal truths. He focused his remarks around the young women theme and dived into the various doctrine within that. On a personal note, it was nice to read and dive into the theme myself because I have been out of young womens since they have changed it and so it was neat to read the new theme more closely.
Elder Renlund begins his remarks by teaching about our divine heritage. That we as women, are beloved daughters of Heavenly Parents. This is such an important truth and one I feel like is crucial for us to know and believe.
One of our favorite shows as a family to watch is called “Relative Race”. We cry almost every time – sometimes more than once. But they are happy tears because you are seeing family connections being made and it just fills our spirits with joy. That same joy can be experienced when we make those connections with our Heavenly Parents. God loves us because we are His daughters – nothing we do can change that.
I loved his comments about God’s love. He said that “sometimes we may not feel His love, but it is always there. God’s love is perfect. Our ability to sense that love is not.” This may seem like an obvious truth – but I know I have felt, at times, an absence of God’s love in my life. I feel guilty admitting that but there have been times when heaven has felt oh so very far away. And even though I know that God’s love is constant I loved the counsel given by Elder Renlund that it is US, our ability to feel that love, that is not always constant. So maybe during those times when heaven feels far away, maybe I need to look inside more and see what may be blocking that connection.
The other point in Elder Renlund’s talk that really hit home for me, complements the last, but that our most important identity is our divine nature as a child of God. We live in a world that loves labels. I really do not. I find them limiting. I understand their necessity at times, but I still do not like them.
This was such an important reminder that the only label that matters – when we look at ourselves and others – is that we are all children of God with an eternal destiny. There is so much potential and light in each of us. But that eternal destiny is dependent on our choices. Elder Renlund counsels, “we cannot create our own path and expect God’s promised outcomes.”
Elder Renlund’s message was encouraging. I believe it was truly inspired for the women of the church to hear what he said – I know I needed to hear it. Elder Renlund ended his talk with an invitation – to center our lives on Jesus Christ and remember these foundational truths that are taught in the young women theme. I pray that I can do that. That I can wake up each day with intention in how I will live my day with Christ at the center of all I do.
Highlights
“The Young Women theme begins, “I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny.” This statement contains four important truths. First, you are a beloved daughter. Nothing you do – or do not do – can change that. God loves you because you are His spirit daughter. Sometimes we may not feel His love, but it is always there. God’s love is perfect. Our ability to sense that love is not.
The Spirit plays a pivotal role in communicating God’s love to us…Behaviors that distance us from the Holy Ghost, including sins, make it difficult for us to perceive God’s love for us.
The second truth is that we have heavenly parents, a father and a mother. The doctrine of a Heavenly Mother comes by revelation and is a distinctive belief among Latter-day Saints.
Demanding revelation from God is both arrogant and unproductive. Instead, we wait on the Lord and His timetable to reveal His truths through the means that He has established.
The third truth…is that we have “a divine nature.” This is intrinsic to who we are. It is spiritually “genetic,” inherited from our heavenly parents, and requires no effort on our part. This is our most important identity, regardless of how else we choose to identify ourselves…Remember that your most important identity related to your divine nature as a child of God.
The fourth truth is that we have an “eternal destiny.” Such a destiny will not be forced on us…Realizing our eternal destiny is dependent on our choices. It requires making and keeping sacred covenants. This covenant path is the way we come unto Christ and is based on absolute truth and eternal, unchanging law. We cannot create our own path and expect God’s promised outcomes.
Heavenly Father’s prescribed path leads to the best eternal outcomes. We are free to choose, but we cannot choose the consequences of not following the revealed path…We cannot deviate from Heavenly Father’s course and then blame Him for inferior outcomes.
The second paragraph in the Young Women theme reads: “As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I strive to become like Him. I seek and act upon personal revelation and minister to others in His holy name.” We can develop a testimony of Jesus Christ by acting in faith…We can follow the Savior’s teachings and help others come unto Him. In this way, we join Him in HIs work.
The Young Women theme continues, “I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places.” All members of the Church are needed as witnesses of God…Everyone is needed on the Lord’s team.
The final paragraph of the Young Women theme beings, “As I strive to qualify for exaltation, I cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day.” Because of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, we can repent, learn from our mistakes, and not be condemned by them.
When we sincerely repent, no spiritual scar remains, no matter what we have done, how serious it was, or how many times we repeated it. As often as we repent and seek forgiveness with real intent, we can be forgiven. What a remarkable gift from our Savior, Jesus Christ!
Even after sincere repentance…we may stumble. Stumbling does not mean that the repentance was inadequate but may simply reflect human weakness.
The Young Women theme concludes, “With faith, I will strengthen my home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, and receive the ordinances and blessings of the holy temple.” Strengthening home and family may mean forging the first link in a chain of faithfulness, carrying on a legacy of faith, or restoring it. Regardless, strength comes through faith in Jesus Christ and by making sacred covenants.
In the temple, we learn who we are and where we have been…We live as perpetual children if we are ignorant of the eternal perspective gained in temples. There we grow up in the Lord…and become more fully committed as disciples of the Savior. As we keep our covenants, we receive God’s power in our lives.
I invite you to center your life on Jesus Christ and remember the foundational truths in the Young Women theme. If you are willing, the Holy Ghost will guide you. Our Heavenly Father wants you to become His heir and receive all that He has. He can not 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.”
FULL text and video of Elder Dale G. Renlund’s talk can be found HERE.
Other messages from the April 2022 General Conference that I have found particularly impactful:
- The Power of Spiritual Momentum by President Russell M. Nelson
- But We Heeded Them Not by Elder David A. Bednar
- Steady in the Storms by President Henry B. Eyring
- Divine Love in the Father’s Plan by President Dallin H. Oaks
- Our Heartfelt All by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
