SALT LAKE CITY — Everyone can choose to be happy — regardless of their circumstances, Latter-day Saint women across the globe were told Saturday evening.
“God has a plan for each one of us, and our individual purpose began long before we came to this earth,” said Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary general president.
Offering the first talk of the 185th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sister Wixom said divine nature has nothing to do with personal accomplishments, status, popularity or self-esteem.
“Our divine nature comes from God,” she said. “It was established in an existence that preceded our birth and will continue on into eternity.”
Her message was echoed by other speakers and short video clips presented during the LDS Church's General Women's Session. A capacity congregation of 21,000 women and girls age 8 and older filled the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City for the meeting.
The session was translated and sent to more than 7,400 church buildings in 100 countries via television, radio, satellite and Internet broadcasts.
In addition to Sister Wixom, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency; Sister Carol F. McConkie of the Young Women general presidency; and Sister Linda S. Reeves of the Relief Society general presidency also spoke. President Thomas S. Monson presided at the women’s session — which was conducted by Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women general president — and attended by members of Relief Society, Young Women and Primary general presidencies and boards and other General Authorities.
Keri Seelye and her daughter, Olivia, 9, from Hyrum, Utah, attended the meeting in the Conference Center.
Despite a world filled with tragedy and sorrow, Seelye said she learned at the meeting there is goodness everywhere.
“You can always find hope … and look for happiness,” she said. “You can find it, if you have eyes to see it. You can choose how you see things.”
During her address, Sister Wixom said life is a gift and asked Latter-day Saint women to discover the divinity within.
“I promise as you seek to discover the depth of the divine nature that lies within you, you will begin to further magnify your precious gift,” she said. “Let it guide you to become his daughter, walking the path back to him.”
Sister Wixom said Latter-day Saint women have been born to help build God’s kingdom on this earth and to prepare for the Second Coming of his Son, Jesus Christ. They identify with their divine nature as they feel and give God’s love.
“We have the agency to nurture it, let it flourish, and help it grow …,” she said. “We are able to take our validation vertically from him, not horizontally from the world around us or from those on Facebook or Instagram.”
Sister Wixom said often the first Primary song children learn is “I Am a Child of God.”
“Now it is time to take that beloved phrase ‘I am a child of God’ and add the words ‘Therefore, what?’ We might even ask questions such as these: ‘What will I do to live my life as a child of God? How can I develop the divine nature that is within me?’”
Sister McConkie asked women across the globe to “choose to serve a righteous cause as valiant emissaries of our Lord Jesus Christ."
“Whatever our circumstances, wherever we are along the path toward salvation, we unite as one in our commitment to the Savior,” she said. “We sustain one another in his service.”
During her remarks, Sister Reeves asked LDS women to be “worthy of our promised blessings.”
“Our bodies are sacred gifts from our Heavenly Father,” she said. “They are personal temples. As we keep them clean and pure, we can be worthy to help our Heavenly Father create bodies for his beloved spirit children.”
President Uchtdorf taught LDS women that the pure love of Christ is “what makes us happy.” He shared a story of a young girl named Eva, who stayed with her Great-Aunt Rose for a summer. As she spent time with her aunt, she began to recognize the things that bring joy and happiness into their lives.
Eva's aunt taught her that as she relied on the Savior, she was able to see how to be happy in the moment — not just looking forward to happiness in the future — and find joy in life. It is through filling life with meaningful things individuals can experience the heart of Christ’s gospel — love. And that — the pure love of Christ — the wise woman said, is what makes people happy.
President Uchtdorf concluded his talk by saying, “As you walk along your own bright path of discipleship, I pray that faith will fortify every footstep along your way; that hope will open your eyes to the glories Heavenly Father has in store for you; and that love for God and all his children will fill your hearts.”