By Amber Dutton
Women today need to rise up to the divinity within them as they strive to withstand the buffeting of the adversary, said the 2006 Women”s Conference chair, Sandra Rogers.
Sandra Rogers, a BYU graduate in nursing, has served as chair of the Women”s Conference for four years and currently serves as vice president of International Affairs at BYU.
Throughout her talk, Sandra emphasized the necessity for women to develop their divine nature to the best of their abilities as she advised them to not do more than they are able and to turn to the Lord for help.
“Satan has turned up the intensity and enmity of his attack on the divine roles and contribution of women hoping that we, who have critical responsibilities for and influence over God”s children, will fail to successfully choose our way through his tempting, but deceitful alternatives,” she said.
Because of this, she said women need to take precautions to spiritually protect themselves.
Rogers was the opening speaker of the 2006 Women”s Conference located at the Marriott Center at BYU on Thursday. The Conference theme, “Rise to the Divinity within You” was taken from President Hinckley”s closing remarks in the October 2002 Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In her address, Rogers quoted President Grant by saying, “The true spirit of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives to women the highest place of honor in human life” to show women their vital roles to their families and to society.
Rogers then presented doctrinal truths that can be incorporated into the lives of women to help them find and shine their inherited divine nature.
The first truth, she said, was the understanding and realization that we are the literal children of God, the Father.
“If we truly understood this inheritance and capacity and worth, we would never succumb to the enticements of the world,” she said.
Secondly, she emphasized the importance and the enabling power of the Atonement as a second source of strength and character. She then implored women to place their faith and trust in the Savior.
“When we willingly and completely put our divinely inherited legacy from our Father in heaven into the masterful hands of His son the very best of our own instrumentation is developed and enhanced,” Rogers said. “I can think of no better hands in which we might place ourselves.
Rogers offered caution and encouragement to her audience.
“As the world slides dangerously father away from the Lord”s standard, we cannot be content to be just a little bit better than the world,” she said. “A match can be a little bit better than no light at all in the darkness, but when true light is brighter than the noonday sun, how can we be content with being a match in the darkness?”
Rogers concluded her remarks by repeating a statement made by President Hinckley.
“I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity,” Rogers quoted. “Please don”t batter yourselves with thoughts of failure. Do not set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve them. Simply do what you can do in the best way you know and the Lord will accept your effort.”
