Millions of women and girls ages 8 years old and older from around the world will come together as part of the second general women’s meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this Saturday, 27 September, at 6:00 p.m. mountain daylight time.
The semiannual meeting will be held in the Church’s Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will be translated into 85 languages and broadcast worldwide in local meetinghouses and on television, radio and the Internet. Leaders of the Church, including a member of the First Presidency and members of the general presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary organizations, will speak.
- Sister Linda K. Burton at September 2014 general women's meeting rehearsal
- Sisters Wixom Oscarson and Burton at a general women's meeting choir rehearsal
- Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson general women's meeting rehearsal September 2014
- Sisters Wixom, Burton and Oscarson at choir rehearsal for September 2014 general women's meeting
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The women leaders of the Church said they felt that including girls and women of such a wide age range helped to foster a sense of unity and sisterhood. “We build each other when we’re together,” said Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society general president. “There’s an energy, a feeling of love; it’s a connection to each other.”
In reference to the decision to invite younger girls to the meeting, Sister Burton said, “We knew that the 8-year-old girls were supposed to be there. There was no question about that.” She explained how the leaders felt that since the girls are old enough to be baptized, they’re old enough to participate in the meeting.
Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, general Primary president, added, “They weren’t just invited — we need them.”
On a visit to several European nations this summer, Sister Wixom asked members for feedback about the first semiannual general women’s meeting held in March 2014. “They told me how they had gathered together and that not only did they feel united with each other, they felt united all over the Church.”
“It is truly edifying to be together,” said Sister Carol F. McConkie, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency. “There’s a unity that comes by the Spirit. The Savior said, ‘If ye are not one ye are not mine,’ and this meeting is a manifestation of our desires to truly become one, to break down the barriers, to not define ourselves by our differences, but to see and feel the true power of unity in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
A live stream of the meeting will be available on the LDS General Conference YouTube channel, the General Conference website, BYUtv, Mormon Channel, Mormon Channel mobile apps, Mormon Channel on Roku and Facebook.com/LDS. People who would like to participate in general women’s meeting conversations on social media can follow or use the hashtag #WomensMeeting.