More than 20,000 Mormon women will swarm the campus of Brigham Young University next week, buzzing about mothering, marriage, the media and dozens of other spiritual and secular topics.
It's the annual BYU Women's Conference, co-sponsored by the school and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' women's organization, the Relief Society. It offers two days of lectures, beginning Thursday morning with a speech in the Marriott Center by Elaine Dalton, General President of the LDS Young Women Organization. She will discuss the role of temple worship among Mormons.
This year's conference theme is, "In the Strength of the Lord" and event chairwoman is Sandra Rogers, BYU's International Vice-President.
"The scriptures repeatedly remind us that when we put our trust and confidence in the Lord's strength we can be prepared for any challenge, do any hard thing, face any difficulty, and feel at peace in any circumstance," Rogers writes on the program's Web site, http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference.
"At a time when the world attempts to entice women away from fundamental and eternal truths, we have the reassurance that the Lord's promises are sure."
Speakers will address a wide range of topics including: the infinite power of hope, perfectionism and personal growth, replacing fear with faith, becoming not only good but holy, strengthening and supporting our military servicemen and women, the power and influence of good music and enduring the trials of cancer and other illnesses.
In addition to the lectures, women can participate in a service project to crochet scarves, hair pins, dish towels, and blankets, fill hygiene kits for the LDS humanitarian center and make procedure doll kits for use in medical settings.
"It is an amazing experience to meet and sing together," said LDS General Relief Society President Julie Beck, "as we share sisterhood and camaraderie."
