PROVO, Utah — Latter-day Saint women and girls can and should link arms, walk with Jesus Christ and walk each other home, the opening speaker said Wednesday night at the 2025 BYU Women’s Conference.
“I hope you can feel the sisterhood in this room and that you’ll remember that we are all daughters of heavenly parents and spiritual sisters, no matter our ages or appearance, no matter our race or background, no matter where we live,” said Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “There are millions of us throughout the world, God’s covenant daughters, members of this divinely inspired organization of Relief Society and future members.”
Sister Dennis delivered a relatable sermon based on two scriptural stories and urged thousands of girls and women at the Marriott Center on BYU’s campus to trust Christ.
Without Christ, it was impossible for Enoch to become an eloquent, articulate speaker whose city was raised into heaven and for the Jaredites of the Book of Mormon to cross the ocean, she said.
God could have made the underwater Jaredite vessels more comfortable, but the wind that tossed and turned them also drove them across the ocean to their destination.
“He cares more about our growth than he does our comfort,” Sister Dennis said.
Young women ages 11 to 18 were invited to the Wednesday evening kickoff to Women’s Conference, which continues Thursday and Friday.
The evening included a surprise appearance by Donny Osmond at the end of the night during a presentation by his boyhood friend, Brother Brad Wilcox, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency.
There also were several musical performances, including “Look Unto Christ,” the 2025 Youth Theme of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sister Dennis noted that Christ invited Enoch to walk with him.
“That is what He invites each of us to do — to walk with him,“ she said. ”We cannot of ourselves do all that we are called to do in our lives, including being able to face the myriad trials and challenges in this journey of mortality — physical and emotional health challenges, challenges in our relationships, faith challenges, economic insecurity, disabilities, natural disasters, unfairness of many kinds and on and on."
She asked women and girls to follow the examples of Enoch and the Jaredites and not to fear the future.
“There is no need to fear. Our Savior is more powerful than the adversary and his miñions. I promise that you can trust him,” she said. “Remember the lessons of that ocean voyage; remember the lessons of Enoch. Put yourselves in the Lord’s hands. Let him guide you. Walk with him.”
Sister Dennis said women’s decisions about marriage and children are among those that should be made without fear.
“Don’t allow the voices of the world or even the voices of some of those around you tell you what you should and shouldn’t do,” she said. “Seek the Lord’s direction. Remember the voice of a prophet of God: ‘There is no limit to the Savior’s capacity to help you,’” she said, quoting President Russell M. Nelson.
She added, “Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Imagine what he can do in your life as you choose to trust him and walk with him!”
Sister Dennis issued several invitations to the women and girls.
The first was to spend the next few months studying five talks by President Nelson — "The Everlasting Covenant," “Spiritual Treasures,” “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation” and “Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys.”
Sister Dennis called audience members to action, asking them to make a single document to gather the promises, blessings, privileges and power available to women by making and keeping covenants with God.
“You will be amazed at what the Lord is offering you and the strength and protection it will give you,” she said. “Our Father in Heaven wants us to understand the blessings that can come to us through a deeper covenant relationship with him and the Savior.”
Her invitations included rewatching “O Youth of the Noble Birthright‚” Brother Wilcox’s 2024 general conference talk, and “Your Repentance Doesn’t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy‚" a general conference talk given in April by Sister Tamara Runia, first counselor in the Young Women General Presidency.
Sister Dennis also invited those who had not yet made temple covenants to prepare to do so.
“Sisters, this is how our ‘vessels’ can become airtight and how we can more deeply abide in Christ, and he in us,” she said, “so that the winds and waves and storms of life don’t destroy us, so that the world doesn’t take us off course, so that that the adversary doesn’t have power over us and so that we can access the power of God and have angels help us.”
Wednesday night’s other presenters were Shima Baughman, who spoke about the personal nature of Christ’s Atonement, and Lisa Valentine Clark, who said women should embrace their creativity as a divine gift.
BYU International Vice President Renata Forste said the evening was full of “beautiful insights and heartfelt music that has uplifted and inspired us.”
One of the other songs performed was “Rescue."