Did You Miss the Virtual 2020 BYU Women's Conference? Here Are Inspiring Quotes and Summaries from Each Address

On Friday, May 1, 2020, BYU Women’s Conference was held online as a virtual gathering with addresses from Church leaders and other Latter-day Saint sisters available to all. Below, LDS Living provides a brief summary and memorable quotes from all seven addresses. The full addresses are available through womensconference.byu.edu.

• •"Gather All Safely in Christ" by Sandra Rogers
• •"The Continuing Restoration and Gathering of Israel" by Kate Holbrook
• Sister to Sister Conversation with Sister Reyna Isabel Aburto, Sister Becky Craven, and Sister Lisa L. Harkness; moderated by Tracy Browning
• "Gathering Together in the Latter-days" by President Jean B. Bingham and Sister Sharon Eubank
• "The Lord Knows You and Is Aware of You" by Rosemary Thackeray
• "Gather to be Perfected but not Perfect" by Gaylamarie Rosenberg
• •"Taking Time to Talk: Communication in Marriage" by Maria Luisa Torres and David J. Torres

Summary: How can we gather others to Christ? Even in a time of quarantine and distance, the Holy Ghost can help us know how to love others and become more Christlike in the ways that we think about and serve others. If we love others as Christ does, we will be anxious to gather others to Christ through love.

Memorable Quotes:

• “I believe the Lord sees our cares and will give us strength as we climb this 2020 version of a pioneer Rocky Ridge.”
• “The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of the great necessities in the continuing restoration of all things for the Church and for each of us.”
• • “When we are fully obedient to the first commandment, we cannot help but obey the second.” 
• • “The lone and dreary world exists wherever the two great commandments have no influence on the hearts and minds of people.”

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Summary: When receiving personal revelation, sometimes we might wish it came with an instruction manual. Personal revelation is a process that must be developed and cultivated through time and study, in order to find answers. Acting on revelation does not promise that everything will fall into place, but when we pursue the Lord’s guidance, He will be there to strengthen us.

Memorable Quotes:

•  “We did not come to earth for easy. Being embodied is not easy and working with other people is not easy, but these are two of the major reasons we are here—to have the experience of having a mortal body and to work with and serve other people.”
• “If we don’t continue to pursue the Lord’s guidance, particularly when we encounter difficulties or frustrations, then we might overlook inspired solutions and fail to fix problems.”
• “Perfectionism can paralyze us and prevent us from accomplishing the good that can simply result from trying.”
• “We can do substantial good in this world, not because doing so is simple but because we are strong enough to do things that are hard.”
• “The better we become as Saints the more we can bless people outside of our Church as well as those within, and we can be open to things, the good things, people outside of the Church have to teach us.”

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Summary: Sister Aburto of the Relief Society General Presidency, Sister Craven of the Young Women General Presidency, and Sister Harkness of the Primary General Presidency participated in this year’s Sister to Sister Conversation, moderated by Tracy Browning of the Relief Society General Board. The sisters answered questions submitted by Saints around the world, covering topics like what they are doing during this time at home, emotional health, advice to young mothers, avoiding judgment, family struggles, spiritual resilience, and priesthood power.

Memorable Quotes:

• • “We can have faith that there will be healing. There is hope for us all because Christ has condescended below all things so he may know how to succor us, His people, in every kind of infirmity.” –Sister Harkness
• • “If you feel that you cannot take one more step, please ask for help. My plea to you is don’t give up. There is hope, there is healing, there is joy. There is love surrounding you. Please turn to the Lord’s redeeming grace and turn to the people around you. Don’t give up. Please don’t give up.” –Sister Aburto
• • “Motherhood is not just a condition of mortality or a biological function measured only by this present season along a very long timeline of eternity. The eternal and exalted title of mother, the call to be the mother of all living, was presented to women before our mortal experience and will continue with us after this estate. I love this quote from President Monson. It says, ‘May each of us treasure this truth: One cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.’ Can you imagine what learnings about that partnership and our divine role as mother still await us?” –Tracy Browning
• • “The Savior, I know, will bear our burdens if we allow Him to. We can let go of hurt feelings and anger when we allow the Savior’s Atonement to work in our lives.” –Sister Craven

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Summary: Using examples of Christlike ministering seen amidst COVID-19, President Jean B. Bingham and Sister Sharon Eubank taught the power of women all around the world. From a sister in Hanover, Germany, recording Primary songs for the children in her ward to a woman in the Pacific Area who made special white sacrament cloths for her ministering families; from sisters in Korea inviting their friends to join in virtual yoga classes to a senior missionary spending her time in quarantine doing family history, the women of the Church are extraordinary. COVID-19 has not stunted this power, it has manifested it in powerful ways—the women of the Church are showing up in their own unique ways and blessing lives globally. 

Memorable Quotes:

• • “Isn’t it interesting that each of these examples of love and service began with one person who listened to the Spirit? One woman with her own hands and hearts and talents found a way to serve and lift and love. Sometimes that initial effort expanded to include a larger group of givers and receivers but always the original recipient, if only one, was blessed.” –President Bingham
• • “Something extraordinary is not going to be stopped by a little social distancing.” –Sister Eubank
• • “Caring for those in need is part of our DNA when we’re disciples of Jesus Christ and we’re always looking for ways that we can follow His examples. Most opportunities aren’t hard, they just require us not to procrastinate and think that someone else is going to do it.” –Sister Eubank
• • “It is understandable that people are now stressed physically, economically, and emotionally. However, you have an advantage, because of your knowledge and testimony of the gospel, your spiritual strength can help you not only cope but be resilient in the face of these challenges. In one way these current circumstances are a blessing because they are forcing us to prioritize, to simplify, to be intentional, and to be creative. It is a gift and we are up to receiving it." –President Bingham

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Summary: Sister Thackeray shares four truths about our relationship with the Lord as well as several touching story examples of God seeing and knowing each of us. The Lord sees and knows who each of us is and where we are, and that can encourage us no matter what challenges come our way.

Memorable Quotes:

• •  “The Savior knows us. The question is, do we know Him?”
• “ Hearing the Good Shepherd’s voice allows Christ to gather us and for us to safely gather others to Him.”
• • “The Lord’s love is deeper and more enduring than any fleeting praise and adoration the world has to offer.”
• “The Good Shepherd has extended the invitation to each one of us. We can use our agency to respond or not. He will never force us. Our positive response will result in Him gathering us into the fold.”

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Summary: For many of us, we might feel alone in our efforts to become like the Savior because we are plagued by perfectionism and feel as if we will never measure up. However, Heavenly Father does not expect us to be perfect—our efforts do not have to be perfect to be a success. Being patient with ourselves allows us to recognize the progress we have already made. Our joy will increase when we focus on what we have accomplished rather on what we haven’t accomplished.

Memorable Quotes:

• • “If your weaknesses are overwhelming, you are not alone. We all have imperfections. No one is exempt and none of us like them.”
• • “Feelings of inadequacy must not prevent us from pressing forward. They are often the very means by which we open our hearts and seek the Savior’s companionship.”
• • “Patience allows us to walk together without our imperfections blocking our path.”
• • “Joy will increase if we focus on what we can do and instead of what we can’t do. And focus on what we have instead of what we don’t have.”

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Summary: The highest challenge in mortality is to emulate Jesus Christ, said Maria Luisa Torres, and that emulation is also needed in marriage. In their address, Maria Luisa Torres and her husband, David J. Torres, share how to foster successful communication as eternal companions. The couple will reach 45 years of marriage this September.

Memorable Quotes:

• “Overlook the failings of your spouse. Look for that which is good and tell them often how you value that in them, even the small things that you love about them. Listen to them carefully and express to them verbally what you hear them saying to you. In response, express ideas that are uplifting and strengthening to them.” –Maria Luisa Torres
• “We all know men and women are different. I have noticed there may be times where you may need to express your communication needs lovingly and clearly. Our spouses really desire to fulfill our needs, but sometimes they need a little direction.” –Maria Luisa Torres
• “Always remember, both husband and wife have the testimony of Jesus and have the promise to receive revelation. Please, please realize that all decisions need to be agreed upon unanimously just like it is taught in Doctrine and Covenants 107:27 where it teaches every member in each quorum must be agreed to its decisions. Now if that doesn’t happen in companionship its either not the correct thing to do or it may be something that needs to wait for another time or it may simply be that we haven’t discovered the correct solution yet, but if we’ll do our homework, the solution will come.”–David J. Torres
• “Because we love and respect each other, we are willing to learn from each other. We have to because we are planning to spend eternity together and we build our eternity right here on this earth.” –David J. Torres

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Images: Video Screenshots