Sister Jones’ talk:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/14jones?lang=eng

I’m grateful to focus my remarks today on women’s continuing roles in the Restoration. It is clear that throughout history women have held a distinctive place in our Heavenly Father’s plan. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “It would be impossible to measure the influence that … women have, not only on families but also on the Lord’s Church, as wives, mothers, and grandmothers; as sisters and aunts; as teachers and leaders; and especially as exemplars and devout defenders of the faith.”

Which women have had the most profound influence on your life? How?

In the early Relief Society in Nauvoo, 178 years ago, the Prophet Joseph Smith counseled the sisters to “live up to [their] privilege.” Their example teaches us today. They unitedly followed a prophet’s voice and lived with steadfast faith in Jesus Christ as they helped lay the foundation we now stand upon. Sisters, it is our turn. We have a divine errand from the Lord, and our faithful, unique contributions are vital.

What do you think it means to have a ‘divine errand from the Lord’?

How would that divine errand manifest itself?

How do you feel that you can more fully fulfil that divine errand?

The Lord loves effort, and effort brings rewards. We keep practicing. We are always progressing as long as we are striving to follow the Lord. He doesn’t expect perfection today. We keep climbing our personal Mount Sinai. As in times past, our journey does indeed take effort, hard work, and study, but our commitment to progress brings eternal rewards.

D&C 58: 26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

How do you feel that you have progressed as you have striven to follow the Lord?

The Lord instructed Emma Smith to “receive the Holy Ghost,” learn much, “lay aside the things of this world, … seek for the things of a better,” and “cleave unto [her] covenants” with God. Learning is integral to progression, especially as the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost teaches us what is needful for each of us to lay aside—meaning that which could distract us or delay our progression.

‘One of the great challenges each of us faces every day is to not allow the concerns of this world to so dominate our time and energy that we neglect the eternal things that matter most. ^{[See Doctrine and Covenants 25:10} We can be too easily diverted from remembering and focusing upon essential spiritual priorities because of our many responsibilities and busy schedules. Sometimes we try to run so fast that we may forget where we are going and why we are running.’ (Elder David A Bednar, General Conference, October 2017).

Has the Holy Ghost taught you about things you needed to set aside?

In this conference, we will hear truths that inspire us to change, improve, and purify our lives. Through personal revelation, we can prevent what some call “general conference overwhelm”—when we leave so determined to do it all now. Women wear many hats, but it is impossible, and unnecessary, to wear them all at once. The Spirit helps us determine which work to focus on today.

What ‘hats’ do you wear? What happens if you try to wear them all at once?

‘We have the seed of the gospel word. It is up to each of us to set the priorities and to do the things that make our soil good and our harvest plentiful. We must seek to be firmly rooted and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Colossians 2:6-7). We achieve this conversion by praying, by scripture reading, by serving, and by regularly partaking of the sacrament to always have His Spirit to be with us. We must also seek that mighty change of heart that replaces evil desires and selfish concerns with the love of God and the desire to serve Him and His children.’ (Dallin H Oaks, General Conference, April 2015)

How do you prioritise your time and efforts?

The Lord’s loving influence through the Holy Ghost helps us know His priority for our progression. Heeding personal revelation leads to personal progression. We listen and act. The Lord said, “Ask the Father in my name in faith, believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient.” Our continuing role is to receive continuing revelation.

President Henry B. Eyring said:

“Now, if you and I were visiting alone (I wish we could be), where you felt free to ask whatever you wanted to ask, I can imagine your saying something like this: ‘Oh, Brother Eyring, I’ve felt some of the things you have described. The Holy Ghost has touched my heart and mind from time to time. But I will need it consistently if I am not to be overcome or deceived. Is that possible? Is it possible, and, if it is, what will it take to receive that blessing?’

“Well, let’s start with the first part of your question. Yes, it is possible. Whenever I need that reassurance—and I need it from time to time too—I remember two brothers. Nephi and Lehi, and the other servants of the Lord laboring with them, faced fierce opposition. They were serving in an increasingly wicked world. They had to deal with terrible deceptions. So I take courage—and so can you—from the words in this one verse of Helaman. The reassurance is tucked into the account of all that happened in an entire year, almost as if to the writer it was not surprising. Listen:

“‘And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be much strife. But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many revelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that same year.’ [Helaman 11:23]

“They had ‘many revelations daily.’ So, for you and for me, that answers your first question. Yes, it is possible to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost sufficiently to have many revelations daily. It will not be easy. But it is possible. What it will require will be different for each person because we start from where we are in our unique set of experiences in life” (“Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times” [Brigham Young University fireside, Sept. 10, 2006], 3–4, speeches.byu.edu).

Preach My Gospel page 95 says: Joseph Smith said, ‘Salvation cannot come without revelation; it is vain for anyone to minister without it.’

At the April 2018 General Conference President Nelson taught:

‘Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”’

• pray
• listen
• record thoughts and feelings
• follow through on promptings

President Nelson then challenged us:

‘I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation.’

Why is this an important challenge that we should all accept?

‘Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.’

What important keys to increasing our spiritual ability to receive revelation does President Nelson set out?

Brothers and sisters, we all seek God’s power in our lives. There is beautiful unity between women and men in accomplishing God’s work today. We access the power of the priesthood through covenants, made first in the waters of baptism and then within the walls of holy temples. President Nelson taught us, “Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God.”

D&C 121:46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

Preach My Gospel page 4 says: ‘Whoever functions in an office or calling received from one who holds priesthood keys exercises priesthood authority in performing his or her assigned duties. (President Oaks, April 2014)

My personal admission today is that as a woman I didn’t realize, earlier in my life, that I had access, through my covenants, to the power of the priesthood. Sisters, I pray that we will recognize and cherish priesthood power as we “cleave unto [our] covenants,” embrace the truths of the scriptures, and heed the words of our living prophets.

How can you access the power of the priesthood? What difference can that make in your life?

NB: Passages in italics are excerpts from Sister Jones’ talk.