Women from all over the world gathered at Brigham Young University in 2001 to hear messages of optimism and encouragement. 'Wherefore, be of good cheer,' sisters were told, 'and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come' (D&C 68:6).In this collection of thirty-eight essays selected from addresses given at the 2001 BYU Women's Conference, men and women of faith testify and teach of the Lord's command to 'bear record' of him, 'the Son of the Living God.' Whether we are mothers, daughters, sisters, neighbors, or friends, we are all women of God who must answer the Lord's call to be of good cheer and fear not. These essays will help readers discover how to bear record in their own lives and stand united as women of God:

'If you want to see the light of heaven, if you want to feel the inspiration of Almighty God, if you want to have that feeling within your bosom that your Heavenly Father is guiding you to the left or guiding you to the right, then, 'Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved' (D&C 87:8). And then the Spirit of our Heavenly Father will be yours.'Thomas S. Monson

'Something powerful happens when righteous women unite together, aligning our lives, our purposes, and our efforts. We are strengthened by knowing that we are part of something grand, something divine, which is directed by the priesthood of God.'Janet S. Scharman

'As with all commandments, our prophet's exhortation to reach out and be friends with people of other faiths is a blessing, not a burden. The Lord loves them as much as he loves us. He not only uses us to bless their lives, but so very often also uses them to bless our lives.'Elizabeth A. Clark

'As children of our Heavenly Father, we are learning to walk an eternal path. Sometimes we are unsteady; sometimes we fall. We are not perfect. But, just as we encourage our wobbly toddlers to keep trying and trying, . . . knowing they will receive their share of bumps and bruises, we must always remember that our Father in Heaven encourages our every effort and is there to comfort us when we make mistakes.'Barbara Ballard

'Our spirits long for us to remember the truth about who we are, because the way we see ourselves-our sense of identity-affects everything we do. It affects the way we behave, the way we respond to uncertainty, the way we see others, the way we feel about ourselves, the way we make choices. It affects the very way we live our lives.'Sheri Dew

'Of this you may be certain: The Lord especially loves righteous women-women who are not only faithful but filled with faith, women who are optimistic and cheerful because they know who they are and where they are going, women who are striving to live and serve as women of God.'M. Russell Ballard

Contributors:
Kathleen Bahr, Barbara Ballard, M. Russell Ballard, Merrill J. Bateman, Connie Cannon, Elizabeth A. Clark, Lyn H. Denna, Sheri Dew, Bruce C. Hafen, Marie K. Hafen, Virginia U. Jensen, Natalie Curtis McCullough, Coleen K. Menlove, Carol S. Middleton, Gail Miller, Helen Monson, Thomas S. Monson, Barbara Naatjes, Margaret D. Nadauld, JoAnn Ottley, Bonnie D. Parkin, Virginia H. Pearce, Janet S. Scharman, S. Brent Scharman, Mary Ellen Smoot, Tricia Henriksen Stoker, Gretel Swensen, Heidi S. Swinton, Jeffrey C. Swinton, Dana Templeman, Carol B. Thomas, Diane Toronto, James A. Toronto, Wendy Ulrich, Wendy L. Watson, Brad Wilcox, Debi Wilcox, Carol Wilkinson, Marleen S. Williams, Jane Henriod Wise

Published: April 2002