Women’s Conference: YW presidency inspires belief in divine identity

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From left: Sister Michelle D. Craig, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon and Sister Becky Craven from the General Young Women’s presidency for the LDS Church address the BYU Women’s Conference on May 3, 2018. (Savannah Hopkinson)

Sister Bonnie L. Cordon, Young Women’s General president, Sister Michelle D. Craig, first counselor and Sister Becky Craven, second counselor, encouraged women to believe in their divine identity during BYU Women’s Conference on May 3.

“Our hearts are full with gratitude for your goodness, your strength and devotion to the Lord,” Sister Cordon said as she and her counselors expressed love for the women of the LDS Church.

The unified presidency, standing arm in arm at the pulpit, introduced themselves using only “C” words because their last names each start with the letter “C.” They shared their favorite candies, chips, childhood memories and Christlike attributes.

The “C” theme then carried into their talks, each outlining a topic relating back to the value of knowing one’s divine identity.

Sister Craven spoke about having confidence in one’s divine identity, which then increases one’s confidence in the Lord.

“We know exactly who we are,” she said. “We are extraordinary women of God.”

Following Sister Craven’s remarks, Sister Craig spoke about finding calm, quiet, Christ-centered moments throughout busy lives.

Sister Craig shared a story about when her stake went on trek with the theme, “What will you take with you? What will you leave behind?” Sister Craig explained that life is a personal trek, begging the question of what to take and what to leave behind.

Though life is often filled with storms, Sister Craig said it is adamant people remove themselves from distractions and find quiet time to communicate with Heavenly Father.

After quoting from President Nelson’s recent General Conference talk, Sister Craig said, “There is great power in setting aside quiet, prayerful, pondering time as President Nelson has asked us to do.”

Following Sister Craig, Sister Cordon quoted the Young Women’s theme.

“We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love Him,” she said, mentioning the spiritual DNA inside each child of God.

Lifting those who suffer and responding to the Spirit is better than just delivering cookies, Sister Cordon said.

Sister Cordon then encouraged sisters to look to the example of Jesus Christ and develop Christlike attributes. She posed the questions, “If not now, when? If not you, who?”

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