Don't leave child-rearing up to world, Sister Beck says

The Deseret News ^ | 5.2.2008 | Amy K. Stuart

[Utah Girl]

Thousands of women filled most of the Brigham Young University Marriott Center on Friday to hear from Sister Julie B. Beck, general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sister Beck spoke to the theme "Strengthen Thy Stakes: Standing Strong and Immovable in Faith" for BYU's Women's Conference, which is co-sponsored by the LDS Relief Society.

"Our task is great in this world," said Sister Beck. She is also the former counselor in the Young Women general presidency for the LDS Church.

Sister Beck told a story about her mother, who was living in Brazil in the 1950s when Sister Beck's father was a mission president. Sister Beck's mother was to organize a Relief Society. Her first meeting, with seven sisters, was especially challenging since Sister Beck's mother didn't speak a lot of Portuguese.

Their first Relief Society meeting consisted of a song, a prayer, a five-minute talk by a sister, and then Sister Beck's mother simply bearing her testimony in a few short sentences of Portuguese.

"Sisters, that's about as complicated as it needs to be," Sister Beck said. "Sometimes we complicate the gospel to such an extent that we forget what it's really about," she said. "It's about knowing that we have a Father in heaven. It's about knowing we have a Savior and making covenants. It's about knowing we have a restored gospel on the earth. And it's about testifying to one another of its truths."

In her talk Friday, Sister Beck advised the women to not waste time but to use their energy to work and serve — and to especially fortify their homes with positive influence while creating and nurturing.

"How will we account for what we did with the privileges we have been given?" she said.

Using scriptural references, Sister Beck warned against worldly ways. Many people are selfish and believe it's all about them. They think they should play now and pay later — live it up to the fullest. "That is preached everywhere in the world," she said.

Sister Beck advised women not to lower their defenses, saying their strength is in their family and home — which should be a place of refuge. The home can be turned into "a small fortress," where they can pull up the drawbridge and be safe, she said.

Taking responsibility and knowing where your children are and what they are doing at all times is of utmost importance, Sister Beck said. "Who else will do it?" she asked.

Sister Beck spoke of pioneer women who travelled west to build a foundation for others. Did these women sacrifice so you can have shopping malls, pedicures and bigger wardrobes? she asked. The pioneer women would ask today, "What did you do with the opportunity I created for you?"

ShaRee Lifferth Yorgeson, 35, of Mattawa, Wash., said she felt Sister Beck's talk was a bold voice of advice and counsel "on what we can do to be better mothers and let our light shine — be better women in the world."

Verdi Dayton, 63, of Cokeville, Wyo., said, "I could have listened to her all day."

Many women kept busy while listening intently to Sister Beck's words. Their hands moved in quick little motions, knitting and crocheting projects with every color of yarn imaginable, from lilac to mango-orange. Some of the women were winding and preparing yarn for one of the Women's Conference service projects where they are making hats for cancer patients.

Felice Winger, 42, of Hyrum said she especially appreciated the part about not leaving responsibility to others. "So many people depend on the world to take care of children, but it is up to us as women," Winger said.

Le Ann Carroll, 65, of Salt Lake City agrees, "We are the ones accountable for teaching and leading our families."

Janice Legler, 59, of Kaysville said she thought Sister Beck's talk was "very, very key for our time."

With approximately 200 presenters speaking at about 100 sessions, this year's BYU Women's Conference theme was "Awake, Arise, and Come unto Him."

Legler said she enjoyed all the Women's Conference sessions she attended, saying she appreciated the warm and positive feelings she received and the spiritual lift she gained from the two days of classes.

"Each speaker I have listened to has given me something to think about," she said. "It's a time for reflection. It's a time for us to reevaluate our lives to see where we can improve and be better at who we are."

[Saundra Duffy]

CTR Bump

[RJR_fan]

Yo, my Mormon friends!

You guys have the resources, the internal discipline, and the ferocious commitment to family it would take to do what the Baptists are only talking about doing -- pull the plug on public schools! At this point, the only demographics that match you folks' love of children are traditional Catholics and home-schooling Protestants.

Now that you guys have established a reputation as landmarks in mainstream American culture, you don't need to keep participating in public education in order to maintain that facade. Go for it! Rescue your children from the unitarian socialists! Equip your families to home school, set up private schools in every ward and stake, and this Calvinist will pray for your success! (I'll also be praying for your conversion, as you do for mine, but that's another subject. We agree on the value of children.)

[Tax-chick]

Great observations, RJR_fan. This article is a challenge to committed parents of every faith. Are we really living what we believe?

[Grig]

I call the public school system the anti-Christian school system. Took my kids out of it years ago. Homeschooling is not a practical option for us, but we were able to enroll them in a Catholic school. Lots of other LDS kids go there too.

There isn’t enough of us up here where I am to make a private school of our own, but I can’t help looking at our church with all it’s classrooms that sits so empty during school hours....