By JESS MALLARD
The theme for this year’s Women’s Conference, “Rise to the Divinity Within in you,” will focus on the divine nature of women and will take place Thursday and Friday (May 4-5, 2006).
Participants can look forward to a variety of new speakers, inspirational topics and a variety of service activities. This is an excellent opportunity for women of all ages to interact with other women who experience similar joys and sorrows, as well as have the same faith, said Caye Wycoff, the program administrator for Continuing Education.
“One of the great blessing of the Restoration is to know that we each have a spark of divinity within us, that we have not only divine potential, but the capacity to reach that potential,” said Sandra Rogers, chair of the BYU Women’s Conference.
This year will be the first conference in which a panel of university president’s wives will discuss gospel issues related to women.
The panel of University President’s wives will be during the Thursday afternoon closing session and will include:
* Sue L. Clark-BYU Idaho
* Sharon G. Samuelson-BYU
* Carolyn M. Shumway-BYU Hawaii
* Suzan S. Young-University of Utah
* Carri P. Jenkins- moderator
“We thought their viewpoints and experiences would be interesting for the participants to listen to,” Wycoff said. “These are women many people respect and admire.”
Sandra Rogers will the address the opening general session and President Boyd K. Packer will address the closing session.
“The feeling is very spiritual and at the same time very festive,” Wycoff said. “The women leave feeling strengthened.”
Thursday’s evening of service, “To Cheer and to Bless,” will allow thousands of women the opportunity to provide service for people around the world, said Jennefer Johnson, the assistant program administrator of BYU conferences and work shops.
The women will complete a number of projects including:
* 30,00 hygiene kits
* 13,500 school kits for the LDS Humanitarian Center, which will be distributed to children who don’t have school supplies worldwide
* 65,000 newborn kits which provide basic necessities such as blankets, booty socks, layette gown, soap, pins and cloth diapers
* 19,000 yards of cut fleece for EFY blankets. EFY participants will use these fleece cutouts for tie blankets for community agencies
* 200 comfort pillows
“Women’s Conference is a chance for women to come and strengthen their testimony by listening to the speakers or help other sisters, and have a lot of fun while doing it,” Johnson said.
Available parking lots:
Main parking areas: north and east of the Marriott Center (lots #19 and #20)
-north of the Bean Museum (lot #22)
-southeast of LaVell Edwards Stadium (lot #49)
-west of the stadium (lot #45)
Parking lot closures due to activities:
-north half of the parking lot west of the Richards Building (lot #39) closed until May 5
-southern portion of lot #39 can be accessed from 150 East until midnight on Wednesday.
-lot north of the Smith Fieldhouse (lot #39) closed from midnight on Wednesday, May 3, through midnight on Thursday, May 4, when both lots #38 and #39 will be closed.
-portions of the parking lot west of the Smith Fieldhouse will be closed from midnight on Wednesday through midnight on Thursday.
