Sister Rosemary M. Wixom: Divine nature within you

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary General President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints, focused her remarks on the divine nature that is found within each individual, as the first speaker at the LDS General Women's Conference session.

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary General President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, addressed women about their divine natures at the General Women's Session of the 185th Semiannual General Conference. (LDS.org)

'There are two important days in a women's life: the day she is born and the day she finds out why,' Sister Wixom said.

The speaker explained that part of our purpose on earth is to prepare the way for Jesus Christ's Second Coming and to return to our Heavenly Father.

She encouraged the women of the LDS Church to turn to God in prayer to discover if they are God's daughters and if He loves them, explaining that divine nature is a gift from God.

'Every breath we take, we strive to follow him,' Sister Wixom said.

As young children, LDS members often are taught 'I am a Child of God.' But Sister Wixom encouraged women to add the phrase 'therefore what?' at the end of the song's title.

'What will I do to live my life as a child of God?' and 'How can I develop the divine nature that is in me?' she asked, trying to show that there are many roles and gifts one receives being a child of God and that women should do more than just exist, but to make God's will their will.

The General Primary President also expressed that God knows each of his children's potential, and that he needs us to go out and serve others.

As an example of service she shared involved a story about a man in Ethiopia who was taking a long journey to a feeding station in the 1980s. Along the journey he heard a baby crying and later found the baby beside its dead mother.

The man, because of his divine nature, did not abandon the babe, but walked the remaining 25 miles to the feeding station with the child. Also instead of being concerned about himself when he reached his destination, the first question he asked was ''What can be done for this baby?'

'The divine nature within us ignites our desire to reach out to others and prompts us to act,' Sister Wixom said after the story. 'Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ helps us find the strength to do so.'

Sister Wixom explained in closing, that as one turns to God and develops their divine nature, service would come naturally and allow us to exercise this precious gift.

Other General Conference news:

LDS Church announces three new apostles

Three new apostles to represent Christ throughout the world

English only at LDS General Conference

LDS Quorums of the Seventy now called General Authority Seventies

Slideshow: General Conference Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015

Women’s general session:

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: Now is a part of eternity

Sister Carol F. McConkie: The Lord’s agents

Sister Linda S. Reeves: Rewards will come

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom: Divine nature within you

Saturday morning session: