Julie B. Beck, general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will speak today in the Marriott Center at 11:05 a.m.
Carri Jenkins, university spokeswoman, said in an email that members from the general auxiliaries of the Church are invited to speak about six months in advance and that BYU works closely with the Church in making these assignments.
“We are always so grateful for the messages and counsel our leaders share with us in our devotional settings,” Jenkins said.
Sister Beck is the 15th general president of the Relief Society, which was established in 1842. In a Relief Society meeting in 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith said that the Relief Society is “a select Society separate from all the evils of the world, choice, virtuous and holy.”
Students are excited about the opportunity to hear from Sister Beck.
“I love Sister Beck,” said Alyssa Child, a senior from Bountiful majoring in English teaching. “I always enjoy listening to her speak because I feel like she has really great insights.”
Sister Beck began her service as general Relief Society president on March 31, 2007. Prior to her call to the Relief Society general presidency, she served as first counselor in the Young Women general presidency from 2002-2007.
According to lds.org, today there are more than five and a half million Relief Society sisters in 170 countries throughout the world. It also said that the general presidency of the Relief Society consists of a president and two counselors, who “spend much of their time traveling the world to visit, learn from and teach the women of the Church. They also counsel with other Church leaders about strengthening the women of the Church and their families.”
Sister Beck has held many positions within the Church, and prior to her call to the Young Women general presidency she was a full-time homemaker.
She received an associate’s degree from Dixie College in 1974 and a bachelor’s degree in family science from BYU in 1981.
In her recent address in General Conference of October 2011 Sister Beck helped to explain the purpose of Relief Society.
“From the day the gospel began to be restored in this dispensation, the Lord has needed faithful women to participate as His disciples,” Sister Beck said.
