There has been a lot of discussion about the 2024 Worldwide Relief Society Devotional held three weeks ago. I hope that the conversations around power and authority triggered by the infamous Instagram post will lead to change. As flawed as some of the messaging was, I would like to highlight something positive I saw in the devotional.
[Noting that I’ve recently come back to church after a long time on the margins and out in some significant ways, so a lot of things that may not be new, seem new to me.]
At the beginning of the video presentation, I found the presence and portrayal of the nine women general auxiliary leaders standing closely together striking. Speaking as a unit, I saw a quorum of powerful women portrayed in a way that I had not seen before. I wish it was a full quorum of 12 women. But in the nine women leaders, I think the church has selected women who represent more diversity of life experience than previous general women leaders in the church. I have enjoyed reading about and learning about these women. For example, being single, I really appreciate that there are two single sisters – Sister Kristin Yee, never married, and Sister Susan Porter, who is widowed. In the devotional, Sister Yee did an excellent job speaking to how she builds a relationship with God not being in a traditional family, acknowledging the challenges of being single. I think the leadership of the church is trying to elevate the roles of the women leaders even if imperfectly.
So as we go into general conference this weekend, I’d like to highlight the nine general women auxiliary leaders of the Church as I wish we would hear more from them in conference. Also I’m sharing the links to biographies, profiles, talks, etc, to save anyone interested from a multiplicity of search engine searches that it took me to create the list of material (which I think is pretty comprehensive but don’t promise as I may have missed relevant links).
My sincere hope is that these women leaders can better represent the women in the church and are given more opportunities to do so. Will we hear from more than three in conference though? I hope so but I’m not holding my breath.
Relief Society General Presidency – April 2022, Church Newsroom, Sltrib
President Camille N Johnson – Bio – Instagram – Facebook – Profiles: KSL, Church News – Talks:
Relief Through Alignment with the Lord, April 2024 Liahona
You Belong to the Relief Society; As His Covenant Daughters, We Are a Conduit through Which Jesus Christ Provides Relief; Invitations; March 2024, RS Devotional
Aligning with the Lord, 2023 BYU Women’s Conference
Jesus Christ is Relief, April 2023 General Conference
Bound Securely to the Savior, 2022 BYU Speeches
Invite Christ to Author Your Story, Oct 2021 (Given while Primary General President)
Seeking Heaven’s Help, 2021 Latter Day Saint Women Podcast
Sister J. Anette Dennis – Bio1 – Bio2 – Instagram – Facebook – Profiles: Church News – Talks:
Accessing God’s Power Through Covenants, March 2024, RS Devotional
His Yoke is Easy and His Burden Light, Oct 2022, General Conference
Sister Kristin Yee – Bio – Instagram – Facebook – Talks:
Becoming One With God Through Your Covenants, March 2024, RS Devotional
Our Covenant Relationship with God: A Wellspring of Relief, Oct 2023, BYU Speeches
What Faith Looks Like, 2023 Latter Day Saint Women Podcast
For the Strength of Youth, 2023 Denton Stake Youth Devotional
Trusting in the Lord, My Greatest Education, Oct 2022, BYU Pathway
Beauty for Ashes, the Healing Path of Forgiveness, Oct 2022, General Conference
Young Women General Presidency – April 2023 – Newsroom, Church News, Instagram, Facebook
President Emily Belle Freeman – Bio – Instagram – Facebook – Profile: YouTube Interview – Talk:
Walking in Covenant Relationship with Christ, Oct 2023, General Conference
Sister Tamara W Runia – Bio – Instagram – Talk:
Seeing God’s Family Through the Overview Lens, Oct 2023 Conference
Sister Andrea Munoz Spannaus – Bio – Instagram – Profile: YouTube Interview – Talk:
The Lord Multiplies Our Efforts, 2023 Latter Day Saint Women Podcast
Primary General Presidency – April 2022 – Church Newsroom, SLTRIB
President Susan H Porter – Bio – Instagram – Facebook – Profile: Church News – Talks:
So Great A Crowd of Witnesses, 2023, BYU Speeches
Avoiding Spiritual Overwhelm, 2023, BYU Women’s Conference (with Tracy Browning)
Receiving the Gifts of God, 2022, BYU Speeches
God’s Love: The Most Joyous to the Soul, Oct 2021, General Conference
Pressing Forward with Hope, Latter Day Saint Women Podcast
Sister Amy A Wright – Bio – Instagram – Facebook – Profile: Church News – Talks:
Seeking Personal Revelation, March 2024, BYU Devotional
Abide the Day in Christ, Oct 2023 General Conference
Not a Story About Cancer, 2023 Latter Day Saint Women Podcast
Follow the Prophet, Fall 2022, BYU Devotional
Christ Heals that Which is Broken, Oct 2022 General Conference
Sister Tracy Y Browning – Bio – Instagram – Talks:
Remember, Remember, 2023 Christmas Devotional
Preserving Our Relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, 2023, BYU Speeches
Avoiding Spiritual Overwhelm, 2023, BYU Women’s Conference (with Susan Porter)
Seeing More of Jesus Christ in Our Lives, Oct 2022, General Conference
Inclusion, Unity, and Loving Better, Latter Day Saint Women Podcast
Added Bonus Links (because I’d really like to better understand the role of the women on these councils as well)
Relief Society General Advisory Council
10 Responses
This is totally awesome!! Thanks so much!
You’re welcome
Just scanning through the titles I see that these concepts are mostly the same as most other religions. Maybe not the one titled Follow the Prophet, which is substituted with Follow the Savior. This is a great resource, thank you.
Thanks, yes I hope it’s a helpful resource.
Thanks for collecting all of this info into one spot! I agree there send to be a little more life diversity and that’s a really good thing.
It’s definitely a good thing.
Thank you for compiling all of this! Also, I did not realize that the Latter-Day Saint Women podcast has had new episodes since September 2023 (they aren’t on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for some reason). That podcast really helped me through a hard time, and when I thought it was gone, I was so disappointed. I’m so glad you helped me find it again! Thank you!
I wasn’t familiar with the podcasts except by this search. The dates however are confusing – some of the dates may actually be upload/update dates from the website. But there are definitely many on the church website. I’m not sure if the podcast is ongoing though. But it’s definitely a wealth of interviews I look forward to listening to.
It’s definitely a re-upload. I did some digging, and it looks like in September of 2023, the Church decided to move all podcasts to the church website and gospel library, instead of using podcasting platforms (I’m not a fan of that move, but not my choice). Anything uploaded after October 2023 looks to be new. At least I don’t remember those episodes, and I had listened to all of the ones before that. They’re really great interviews! The one with Reyna Aburto and her daughter on mental health is amazing. Plus any with Jennie Reeder or Kate Holbrook!
Yeah I’m going to make a point to listen to the one with Kate Holbrook