This article written by Katie Lambert appeared in the 7 November 2016 online edition of LDS Living.com.

On the eve of Election Day, many are contemplating their vote and the results tomorrow will bring.

But among those who fought for this right to cast their say in elections and hold political offices were valiant Mormon women.

In 1870, well ahead of August 1920 when the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, Utah—though not yet a state—became the second U.S. territory to pass an act allowing women to vote.

Two days after the act was signed, Sarah Young, grandniece to the Prophet Brigham Young, was the first woman to cast her vote in a municipal election, according to historytogo.utah.gov.

Though the act was repealed by congress in 1887, the right for women to vote was later added to Utah’s Constitution in 1895.

A year later, Utah yet again became the first state to carve out a milestone for women’s rights.

After a campaign trail of passionate speeches about women’s suffrage, Mary Elizabeth Woolley Chamberlain became the first woman in Utah to become a county clerk.

As Chamberlain wrote:

“I was nominated on the Republican ticket for county clerk of Kane County. . . . Women had never held office in Utah and the propriety of her doing so was a moot question which was thoroughly ‘mooted,’ I assure you” (Janelle M. Higbee, Women of Faith in the Latter Days, Vol. 3: 1846-1870, “A Strong and Abiding Testimony”).

But Chamberlain’s political career was not over.

On Nov. 7, 1911, Chamberlain became the first female mayor in U.S. history elected along with an all-female town council.

Unfortunately, this historic event was not taken as seriously as it should have been at the time.

“Our election was intended as a joke and no one thought seriously of it at the time. When election day dawned, there was no ticket in the field; no one seemed interested in the supervision of the town, so the loafers on the ditch bank (of which there were always plenty) proceeded to make up the above ticket as a burlesque, but there was no other ticket in opposition, so, of course, we were elected” (Janelle M. Higbee, Women of Faith in the Latter Days, Vol. 3: 1846-1870, “A Strong and Abiding Testimony”).

Initially disgusted by the “joke,” Chamberlain almost refused the nomination. But others talked her into keeping the position, and Chamberlain held the office of mayor of Kanab, Utah, from 1911 to 1913.

Her efforts as mayor inspired other women, including Susa Young Gates, daughter of Brigham Young. A strong women’s suffrage advocate and writer, Gates was especially enthusiastic about Chamberlain’s political achievements.

“Aunt Susa called me ‘Mayor’ and shouted it out wherever she met me, on the street, in meeting, at the temple, or elsewhere, much to my embarrassment at times, but she took great delight in it” (Janelle M. Higbee, Women of Faith in the Latter Days, Vol. 3: 1846-1870, “A Strong and Abiding Testimony”).

Though many women have worked valiantly to shape women’s rights, these Mormon women helped pave the way for women’s suffrage and women’s rights while leaving their mark on history.

Photo from deseretnews.com of the Kanab all-woman town council. From left to right: Luella McAllister, treasurer; Blanche Hamblin, councilor; Mary W. Chamberlain, mayor; Tamar Hamblin, clerk; Ada Seegmiller, councilor.

Guest Author

Eliza Roxcy Snow is one of the most revered women in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (frequently misnamed the “Mormon Church”). She was an incredible woman who, once she found the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, dedicated her life building up the kingdom of God on the earth.

Early Life of Eliza Snow

Eliza was born on January 21, 1804, in Becket, Massachusetts. She was the second daughter of Oliver and Rosetta Pettibone Snow. She was raised in a financially successful home and was well educated. Unusually for the time, Eliza was even employed as her father’s secretary for a period, proving herself quite capable. At different times in her life, she was also employed as a seamstress and schoolteacher.

Eliza is perhaps most famous for her poetry, but if she made any money with her poetry before she joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she did not make money for her poetry after her conversion. She believed it was a gift from God which she had a duty to share for free. Her first poem was published in 1825. Though there was a brief period of intense sorrow in her life, from about 1836 to 1838, where there is no record of her writing any poetry at all, for the most part, she continuously wrote poetry her entire life.

In 1828, Eliza encountered a suitor through her writings. He offended her, however, when he published a very presumptuous poem about her in the Western Courier, of which he was the editor. Though he pursued her with courtship, she denied him. This was several years before she joined the Church, but looking back at her early life, she said:

I remained single; and why, I could not comprehend at the time. But, when I embraced the fulness of the Gospel, in recalling the events of my past life, I felt, and still feel to acknowledge the kind overruling hand in the providences of God in that circumstance, as fully as in any other in my mortal existence; I do not know that one of my former suitors have received the Gospel, which shows that I was singularly preserved from the bondage of a marriage tie which would, in all probability, have prevented my receiving, or from the free exercise of religion which has been, and now is dearer to me than my life. (“Sketch,” in Beecher, Personal Writings, 16.)

Many members of Eliza’s family joined the Church. Eliza’s sister Leonora and their mother, Rosetta, joined first. It took more than four years for Eliza to be certain that was a step she wanted to take herself. She was 31 when she was baptized in 1835. Almost immediately upon being baptized, Eliza and her family began to experience the persecution that was the lot of the early Saints. Over the years, Eliza’s parents and some of her siblings distanced themselves from the Church due to the persecution. Eliza, however, remained faithful and valiant all her life.

Her love of poetry and writing made Eliza a well-known figure among the Saints almost immediately. She published poetry frequently in the Saints’ newspaper, the Deseret News. She also wrote many hymns, some of which are still sung and loved by the Saints today. In Nauvoo, Illinois, she was called to serve as a secretary for the first meetings of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. This organization, now known simply as the Relief Society, is the largest women’s organization in the world.

In Kirtland, Ohio, Eliza was present at the dedication of the temple there, which experience had a profound impact on her. There are many records of the miraculous things that happened at the dedication, and Eliza counted herself lucky to have been a part of it. She even gave her inheritance to the building of the Kirtland Temple and supported herself by teaching school. It was in Kirtland that Eliza’s younger brother Lorenzo visited her and eventually joined the Church as well. He became the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1898.

After increased persecution had caused the Saints to flee Ohio and settle in Missouri, tensions began to build in their new communities. These tensions in Missouri culminated in the Saints once again begin driven from their homes. Much later in life, as Eliza was writing for the Juvenile Instructor, a periodical for young Latter-day Saints, she tried to capture the state of affairs in a manner which a child could comprehend. She wrote of her family’s dog, Jack.

We had a very large watch-dog, which my father took with him from Ohio, on purpose to guard the wagons while we were traveling. As soon as my brother Lorenzo [who had been very ill] was strong enough to walk out, and carry a rifle, he amused himself by hunting turkeys, which were very abundant in that part of Missouri. Whenever he went on those little hunting excursions, the watch-dog, Jack, was sure to accompany him. Some dogs seem quite sensible, as my young readers will understand, and Jack was uncommonly smart, and seemed to realize that his master had but little strength—he would walk as stilly as possible, at my brother’s heels, until they came in sight of game, when he would place himself directly in front, and raise his head sufficiently, then hold his head perfectly still for his master to rest the rifle on his head, to shoot.

. . . Jack was highly prized by all the family, and although a dog, he was worthy of respect, because he was a true friend. . . . We had learned that Jack could be trusted, and when we knew that we were surrounded by mobocrats, we could lie down at night, feeling pretty safe, knowing that no one could approach the house, until the faithful dog had given the alarm.

I think by this time, my little friends are feeling enough interest for the dog Jack, to wish to know what became of him. I will tell you. Our Missouri neighbors (if I may call those neighbors who were plotting our destruction) saw that Jack was true to us, and they were afraid of him, and tried to entice him away, but when they found it impossible to coax him to leave us, they shot him. We all felt very sorry to lose poor Jack, and two of my younger brothers dug a grave and buried him with all the formalities that the occasion called for, and, with great childish lamentations, pronounced him a martyr. (Snow, “Little Incidents for Little Readers,” Juvenile Instructor, November 15, 1866, 2; as quoted in Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow, by Davidson and Derr.)

Days in Nauvoo and Plural Marriage

In late 1838, Joseph Smith personally asked Eliza to once again use her poetry to uplift the Saints. She rose to the occasion, though it was not easy for her, and wrote poetry the rest of her life. After the Saints were driven from Missouri, they settled in what became Nauvoo, Illinois, and, for a brief time, enjoyed peace and prosperity. Eliza loved Nauvoo and enjoyed her time there. She lived with Joseph and Emma Smith for a time.

She considered the privilege of receiving her temple endowment in the completed Nauvoo Temple one of the most important of her life. She served as an ordinance worker both in the Nauvoo Temple and later in Salt Lake at the Endowment House, helping other women who were receiving their temple ordinances. She loved the temple and working in the temple.

Another eternally significant event for Eliza took place during her time in Nauvoo. On June 29, 1842, she was sealed to Joseph Smith as a plural wife for time and eternity, “in accordance with the Celestial Law of Marriage, which God has revealed” (Snow, “Sketch,” in Beecher, Personal Writings, 17). Eliza was one of the first women to enter into plural marriage, and the principle was not shared with many until much later because public opinion was so violently opposed to it.

Pretty much everyone who first heard the principle was opposed to it, including Joseph Smith himself. He did not want to implement the practice, and postponed doing so as long as he could, but it is a testament to the truthfulness of the principle that those who were asked to live it had very spiritual, personal witnesses from the Holy Ghost that the principle was from God. Eliza was no exception to this.

She recorded that at the outset the idea was “very repugnant to my feelings.” The thought of Old Testament polygamy would be reinstated was not favorable to nearly anyone raised in a Western culture. However, over time, Eliza said that she became converted through faith and revelation. She said, “As I increased in knowledge concerning the principle and design of Plural Marriage, I grew in love with it.” She defended the principle the rest of her life and called it a “precious, sacred principle” (Personal Writings, 17).

Records show that Emma Smith vacillated in her public opinion of plural marriage. After Joseph Smith’s martyrdom, she declared that he had never taught the principle, which everyone close to him knew to be false. Still, out of respect for Emma, it wasn’t until after Emma Smith’s death and after Brigham Young’s death (Eliza’s second husband) that Eliza took Joseph’s name and was known until her death as Eliza R. Snow Smith. Eliza was a believer in the principle as it was revealed by God and defended it until her death. However, judging from her stalwart behavior, it is more than likely she would have been an advocate for the transition from plural marriage back to monogamy which the Church eventually followed under God’s direction. She believed the prophets were men called of God who spoke in God’s name and followed them in faith.

Persecutions raged so strongly in Illinois that Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were eventually martyred on June 27, 1844. The Saints were once again forced to flee their homes. Those who had killed Joseph expected his death to be the end of the Mormon movement, but they misunderstood the Saints’ faith. It was not Joseph Smith they worshipped. It was and is Jesus Christ who leads His own Church. Brigham Young was called by God to lead the Saints to the West and to be the second prophet of our day. Eliza accompanied the Saints on the long, arduous journey. It was filled with misery and death, but upheld by faith and determination. The journey began on February 12, 1846 and didn’t end until October 1847.

Women had few opportunities to support themselves at this time, and Eliza was married to Brigham Young for time only (until death do they part) in October 1844. A marriage of time gave Eliza protection and a home, though due to circumstances this wouldn’t actually be the case for two more years, once the Saints were settled in the Salt Lake Valley. Mormon doctrine teaches that marriages for eternity are what provide everlasting blessings, but a woman can only be sealed to one man. Since Eliza had already been married to Joseph for eternity, the marriage to Brigham Young was more to provide for her financially than it was to secure those eternal blessings.

The Saints Settling in Utah

Though the experience was a long and difficult one, Eliza did not complain much about the long trek to Utah, nor did the other Saints. Amidst intense suffering, their faith in God was solidified to a point where it could not break. Lifelong friendships were forged which helped to build the kingdom in what became the Utah Territory. It took many years, but the Saints made the desert blossom as a rose.

After living with a few different women, Eliza moved to the Lion House in Salt Lake, Brigham Young’s large home. She had her own room here, but helped with the children and around the house. She recorded that she was very happy there and loved to be with all the children. She was an excellent seamstress and devoted nurse.

Eliza continued to write poetry and published her first volume of poetry in 1856. Brigham Young called on her myriad talents several times to help further organize the Relief Society in 1867­–68. Two years later, he called her to establish a new organization for younger women, which was originally called the Retrenchment Associations and then the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Associations. She encouraged women to meet together and to edify their minds. She helped Mormon women develop cooperative stores in the different settlements, produce their own newspaper (the Woman’s Exponent), manufacture silk in their homes, and even helped many women attend medical colleges. Remaining very vocal about the gospel and its doctrine, Eliza continued to use both poetry and prose to reach people who were not members of the Church.

Much later in her life, in October 1872, Eliza had the opportunity to journey with several Church leaders to different parts of Europe and the Holy Land. It was one of the crowning points of her life. She shared her experiences with the sisters of the Church, who had helped fund her trip, by sending them articles and poems to publish in their paper.

It is hard to fathom that a single woman could have accomplished so much in one lifetime, but Eliza did not even stop there. In 1878, she and two other women decided to come up with an organization to help the young children of the Church. With full support from Church leaders, the women began organizing the children in different settlements. These became known as the Primary Associations. Today it is simply called Primary. The organization teaches children the principles of the gospel through lessons, activities, and music.

Continuing her pattern of service until the end of her life, Eliza took a trip from November 1880 to March 1881 to visit five Utah counties and strengthen the people in each. It was a difficult and uncomfortable journey at the best of times, but at her age it must have been an ordeal. She loved to visit with the sisters and the youth, though.

Her death on December 5, 1887, brought sadness to all who knew her. Her absence was felt keenly, but she left a legacy for members of the Church which continues today. Her faithfulness and endurance are an example to the world.

Sources:

Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow, by Karen Lynn Davidson and Jill Mulvay Derr.

dwhite

Doris White is a native of Oregon and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English and a minor in Editing. She loves to talk with others about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Early Life of Mary Ellen Smoot

Mary Ellen was born August 19, 1933, in Ogden, Utah. Her parents, Melvin and LaVora Blood Smith Wood, were a Mormon family, descendants of early Mormon pioneers. “Mormon” is a nickname sometimes used to describe members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her parents taught their six daughters to live the gospel and to work hard. They grew their own food and raised animals, all of which Mary Ellen helped with. She also worked in her grandfather’s canning factory. She developed a strong love of genealogy and authored several books on the subject.

As a teenager, Mary Ellen became involved in student government and held a number of volunteer church positions, which gave her experience in leadership. When she and her family attended a local Mormon conference, Harold B. Lee, a future prophet, was presiding. He invited her to come forward, without warning, to share her testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mary Ellen Smoot’s Community Service

Mary Ellen met her husband, Stanley Millard Smoot, while in her freshman year of high school. He served a mission in Hawaii as a young adult and when he returned, they married. Together, they raised seven children and also took in five foster children. While raising this large family, Mary Ellen managed to be involved in a wide range of activities. She served as the president of the PTA, an American organization made up of parents who work to improve the schools their children attend. She headed the Centerville (Utah) Women’s Republican Club. She also hosted a radio program for teenagers.

From 1966 to1971 Mary Ellen Smoot served on the editorial board for a Mormon children’s magazine, The Children’s Friend. She and her husband both served on Church public affairs committees and also directed the Church Hosting for VIPS program from 1993 to1997.

General Relief Society President

During her tenure as General Relief Society President, Mary Ellen spearheaded a project that resulted in providing 350,000 homemade quilts for Kosovo refugees, 50,000 more than had been requested. This allowed them to ship additional quilts to other countries with great need. Mary Ellen Smoot was the keynote speaker at the second World Congress on Families in Rome, Italy, in 1999. She often encouraged women to develop inner strength, to find the good in whatever life they were living, and to become everything they were capable of becoming.

Mary Ellen will likely be best remembered, however, for introducing the Relief Society Declaration, a statement that outlined the role of a Latter-day Saint woman in God’s world. She introduced it at the 1999 conference for Mormon women. It was written to unite all Mormon women around the world who, though living in far-flung places in very different lifestyles and circumstances, would find commonality in their eternal heritage. It began with this bold assertion: “We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity.”

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

During my teen age years I had a few lessons with Leopold Godowsky, a famous pianist, who had a friendship with my teacher and visited Salt Lake City on a few occasions. He encouraged me to pursue a concert career and to study at a conservatory in the east. We thought long and hard about this possibility. My father said he would give me a blessing so I would know what I should do. With my parents we fasted before the blessing. Mother came in the room, and my father blessed me: ‘Your Father in Heaven wants you to continue with your work on the piano, but as for a concert career, He has other things in mind for you.” The way my life has unfolded, everything was based on that blessing.

Ruth Hardy was born in Chicago, IL on February 11, 1917 to Thomas Frederick and Polly Reynolds Hardy and raised in Salt Lake City where she began piano lessons when she was five years old. By the time she was in high school she was well known for her musical ability and often accompanied performers at East High School (‘34). In addition to performing for Godowsky, she also played for Helen Keller.

She was a student body officer in high school and college as well as president of her sorority, Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Utah (‘38). She graduated with a degree in music and married Marcus C. Funk in the Salt Lake Temple. They moved to Chicago where he attended dental school at Northwestern University. The couple had four children, 19 grandchildren and 39 great-grandchildren.

Sister Funk was called to the MIA general board (the original youth program) when she was only 29 years old. In 1962 she was called by Elder Harold B. Lee to be a member of his newly-formed Correlation Committee. For ten years she evaluated and wrote church curriculum, including materials for the Young Women’s program.

She began teaching at East High School in Salt Lake City in 1969 and continued until 1972, when President Lee, who had been called as the new Mormon prophet, appointed her to succeed Florence Jacobson as the General President of the Young Women. She served with her counselors Hortense Hogan Child Smith and Ardeth Greene Kapp until 1978 and was also on the executive committee of the National Council of Women during that time. While she was president, Personal Progress and the Young Women Recognition Award were implemented throughout the LDS Church.

Sister Funk was asked to speak in the Mormon general Women’s Conference just after she had been released as president. She testified:

Jesus Christ is our Savior, our brother, our friend. He is as near as we allow him to be. Our only ultimate joy and happiness is predicated upon our relationship with him. Our only peace, through disappointments, sorrow, and challenges, will come as we draw nearer unto him. With such love for our Redeemer, every difficult experience may be met with courage, acceptance, and even gratitude. His love for us is a gift beyond price. What does he ask in return? “Love one another; as I have loved you.” (John 13:34.)

Sister Funk was a member of the Utah State Board of Education from 1985 to 1992, where she served as chairman for a year. She also served as the chairman of the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women in Utah and as a board member for Bonneville International Corporation. In addition, she was on the boards of Bonneville International and Promised Valley Playhouse.

In 2009, President Thomas S. Monson honored Sister Funk at a special Church luncheon. Mary N. Cook, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, said this about Funk: “Always an optimist and with an incredible zest for living, she has shared that zeal with countless children and youth. She is known for her love of music and youth and those two loves were often combined during her service.”

Sister Funk died February 5, 2011, just a week before her 94th birthday. In a final tribute,  her obituary read:

She leaves us all with remarkable memories of those moments when as a mother, wife or grandma she shared many “one-on-one” adventures accompanying her on her travels to cities all around the world – from New York to Auckland. No obituary could ever embody the remarkable spirit and contributions of this uniquely loving, passionate and generous woman. But the lives of all those who were blessed to be a part of Ruth’s life were undoubtedly made “more marvelous” because of it.

Article written by Jan

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Margaret Romney Jackson Judd was the first Hispanic Mormon woman leader in the Young Women’s presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Mormon Church” by some). As an LDS woman leader, Margaret was asked by the living prophet David O. McKay to lead Mormon youth as a counselor in the Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association (YWMIA), which is presently called the LDS Young Women’s organization. (Caroline H. Benzley, “134 Years Young!”, New Era, November, 2003). The Young Women’s organization today still invites Mormon youth worldwide to participate in the program’s weekly activities, frequent service opportunities, annual girls camp, and Sunday services. I have attended in Mexico, the USA, and Europe and know that regardless of location, the same opportunities and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ are taught to Mormon women.

Mormon Women Leads the Young Women’s Organization

For 11 years, Margaret served as the Young Women’s first counselor with several Mormon women leaders such as Florence Smith Jacobsen (sixth YWMIA president) and Dorothy Porter Holt (second counselor) (Florence Smith Jacobsen). Margaret was the first Mexican Mormon woman to serve in the YWMIA presidency. During her presidency service from 1961-1972, she blessed the lives of many Mormon women. Important milestones included youth conferences held worldwide, the 1969 YWMIA centennial celebration, the annual Promised Valley presentations, the restoration of the Beehive House and Lion House, and the publication of the New Era (magazine for youth) (Florence Smith Jacobsen). Elder Neil L. Andersen (modern apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ) said in an issue of The New Era magazine:

Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step by step, line upon line. We first build a foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We treasure the principles and ordinances of repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient, and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon (“You Know Enough,” June 2012).

Youth can read more in the New Era about these messages from modern Mormon leaders, scriptural stories of Christ, and examples of Mormon youth living their beliefs globally. (See this link to read this month’s issue.)

Mormon Women: Margaret Romney Jackson Judd

Margaret Romney was born on September 7, 1909, in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, to Junius and Gertrude Stowell Romney. She was the fourth child among two sisters (Olive, and Kathleen) and two brothers (Junius, and Eldon). At a young age, her family fled their country during the Mexican Revolution of 1912, and she became one of the Mormon Exodus refugees. Despite the challenges of living in a foreign country and learning another language, she graduated from LDS High School and the University of Utah (Obituary: Margaret Romney Jackson Judd, Deseret News, April 4, 1999).

Margaret was baptized a member of the LDS Church, and she was among righteous individuals who were

…desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:8-10).

Margaret was married in a Mormon temple (or House of the Lord) where couples can be married for time and all eternity. “Margaret married Junius M. Jackson September 15, 1931, in the Salt Lake Temple. He died February 4, 1981. She later married Dr. George E. Judd. He predeceased her.” At the time of her death, on April 1, 1999, Margaret had 5 children, 28 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren, and one great great-grandchild. [1] She believed she could live with her family forever and would agree with the modern prophet’s teachings (1995) in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” which states, “The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”

Margaret followed the example of the Lord Jesus Christ by serving her family and community. An ancient prophet king recorded in The Book of Mormon, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). Margaret helped “her husband Junius while he presided over the New England States Mission. She also served as a member of the YWMIA General Board and as a hostess at the Church Office Building. Her community involvement, among other things, included terms as president of the PTA, the Classics Club and the Sigma Chi Mothers Club” (Obituary: Margaret Romney Jackson Judd, Deseret News, April 4, 1999).

Mormon Women Today

As a young Mormon woman, I was taught to follow the teachings of modern prophets:

Service to others is an important characteristic of a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is willing to bear other people’s burdens and to comfort those who need comfort. Often Heavenly Father will meet the needs of others through you (Service, For Strength of the Youth).

I know that serving those around me is important and I have felt touched by others who have reached out to me and lifted me up. I invite you to follow our Savior’s example, obey the prophets, and do something nice for another person today.

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Mormon Women Leading the Young Women’s Organization

From 1948-1961, Bertha served as the fifth Young Women’s president with several LDS women leaders such as Emily H. Bennett (first counselor) and LaRue C. Longden (second counselor). Bertha succeeded Lucy Grant Cannon as president, and when her second husband died in 1961, Florence S. Jacobsen took her place as the subsequent young women’s president (Bertha S. Reeder, Wikipedia.org).

During her presidency, she accomplished a lot and blessed the lives of many Mormon women. Bertha began individual awards, a series of posters titled “Be Honest with Yourself”, and an “Era of Youth” section in the Improvement Era. During the beginning of Bertha’s presidency, the young women groups were realigned as the Beehives (ages 12–13), Mia Maids (ages 14–15), Junior Gleaners (ages 16–17), and Gleaners (ages 18–24). Toward the end of her presidency, in 1959, the Gleaners class was renamed Laurels and young women classes are still known today as the Beehive class (ages 12-13), Mia Maid class (ages 14-15), and Laurel class (ages 16-17) (Bertha S. Reeder, Wikipedia.org). Bertha was humble and credited her success to others:

I can’t say enough for the counselors who worked with me and the general boards… We worked together thirteen and a half years and we never had a cross word. Never [did] any of the workers ever [feel] like they were criticized; we never felt we had to get after anybody. They all seemed to want to do everything they could do and we just loved each other.

A president never works alone, and she’s only as good as her counselors and the workers she’s with. The general president isn’t good unless she gets the support of the wards and stakes. We felt we had the support of the wards and stakes because they were allowed to work on their own and a lot of them would come and ask to initiate a program (Janet Peterson, “Lessons from the Lives of the Auxiliary Leaders-The Priciple of Presidency,” Meridian Magazine, August 14, 2008).

Biography of Mormon Woman Bertha S. Reeder

Bertha Julia Stone was born on October 28, 1892, in Ogden, Utah. She attended Weber Academy. In 1912, she married Christopher Aadnesen and bore two children. In 1934 (four years after Aadnesen died in a hunting accident), she married William Henry Reeder, Jr., whose previous wife had left him with a son. She was a church missionary for seven years in Massachusetts and her husband the president of the New England States Mission. William died in 1961, and she married I. L. (Lee) Richards, who died in 1981. Because of her several marriages, her name is unusually long: Bertha Julia Stone Aadnesen Reeder Richards. She died at the age of 90, in Pocatello, Idaho, where her daughter lived (Bertha S. Reeder, Wikipedia.org).

Bertha had a love for nature and God’s creations. She said:

Nature does indeed renew those who keep close to her. . . . If I were in my teens, I would take time to come close to nature. . . . I would realize again more fully the infinite variety in God’s creation. I would learn to feel the difference in the seasons and to love each for what it gives to me. I would know that rain and sunshine are both important in God’s plan (“If I Were in My Teens,” Improvement Era, June 1954, 470) (“Presidents of the Young Women Organization through the Years,” Ensign, June 2008, 40–45).

Mormon Women Leading Today

As a Mormon youth, I attended Young Women’s camp and learned for myself about God, His majestic creations, and my identity as a child of God. I still love escaping busy life to witness the quiet and calming peace found outdoors. A modern apostle of Christ said, “Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You Matter to Him,” Ensign, October 2011).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR0pd4DSTqw

Additional Resources:

Read another article about other LDS women leaders: LaRue Carr Longden

Visit the LDS website about “God’s Plan for You”

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Mormon Women Lead the Young Women’s Organization

As an LDS woman leader, she had an equal but complimentary role to men in the church. For eleven years, Dorothy served as the Young Women’s second counselor with several LDS women leaders such as Florence Smith Jacobsen (sixth YWMIA president) and Margaret Romney Jackson Judd (first counselor) (Florence Smith Jacobsen). In 1984, Dorothy served six years as the Relief Society President of the LDS Hospital Branch (local congregation). Relief Society is an organization for adult women worldwide, the oldest and largest such organization in the world. Dorothy also served five years in a special assignment for the Church Public Communications Department. She and her husband hosted visitors from around the world (“Obituary: Dorothy Porter Holt,” Deseret News, August 10, 2006).

During her presidency service from 1961-1972, Dorothy blessed the lives of many Mormon young women. Important milestones included youth conferences held worldwide, the 1969 YWMIA centennial celebration, the annual Promised Valley presentations, the restoration of the Beehive House and Lion House, and the publication of the New Era (magazine for youth) (Florence Smith Jacobsen). The New Era magazine contains messages from modern leaders (called of God) written to the audience of Mormon youth. I love reading the uplifting examples of youth worldwide who live and stand up for their beliefs. (See this link to read this month’s issue.)

Mormon Women: Dorothy Porter Holt’s Biography

Dorothy was born on February 5, 1912, to Joseph Smith Porter and Elizabeth Lambert Porter in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dorothy married Albert Palmer (Butch) Holt in 1932 in the Salt Lake Temple and gave birth to five children. From 1979 to 1980, she served a mission with him at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitor’s Center. She and her spouse were called by a prophet of God to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They left their family and home to voluntarily teach others that families are eternal and have great purpose in God’s plan. A temple is the House of the Lord where holy ordinances are performed. I know that our Heavenly Father wants us to return to Him and that couples can be married for the eternities (or sealed together) inside of the Lord’s House. Any worthy and righteous LDS member can enter a Mormon temple, if he or she prepares to receive such blessings.

This short movie explains why Mormons build temples:

Her husband died in 1992 and she died on August 9, 2006 (“Obituary: Dorothy Porter Holt”, Deseret News, August 10, 2006).

Dorothy was a loving mother, grandmother and friend. Her heart and home were always open to family, friends and many others. Her home was a gathering place, and she welcomed anyone needing a place to stay. She taught the importance of a loving family by gathering the family together for frequent dinners and memorable family reunions. She was an optimistic and cheerful person, always looking on the bright side of life. Her strong faith in God and her loving example were an inspiration to all who knew her (“Obituary: Dorothy Porter Holt”, Deseret News, August 10, 2006).

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Mormon Woman Influenced Young Women & Church History

For eleven years, Florence served as the sixth Young Women organization’s president with several other LDS women leaders who were called of God. Florence worked closely with her counselors Margaret Romney Jackson Judd (first counselor) and Dorothy Porter Holt (second counselor). Although Lucy Grant Cannon (previous Young Women organization’s president) was no longer the president, Florence looked up to her next door neighbor and her aunt as a role model. (Lavina Fielding, “Florence Smith Jacobsen: In Love with Excellence,” Ensign, June 1977, 25–26). Florence was guided by God to reach out to every girl and remind them of their identity as daughters of God:

It is my prayer that we can be so dedicated that not one single girl in this great Church will be forgotten (“Women, This Is Our Time,” Ensign, Mar. 1972, 39) (Florence Smith Jacobsen).

During her presidency from 1961-1972, Florence was guided by God to bless the lives of many young Mormon women with stronger testimonies of Jesus Christ. Important accomplishments included youth conferences held worldwide, the 1969 YWMIA centennial celebration, the annual Promised Valley presentations and festivals, the restoration of the Beehive House and Lion House, and the publication of the New Era (magazine for youth) (Florence Smith Jacobsen). The New Era magazine is still available worldwide in many languages for youth. This magazine contains messages from modern Mormon leaders written to the audience of youth and uplifting examples of youth worldwide who live and stand up for their beliefs. (See this link to read this month’s issue.)

In the June 1977 Ensign, Lavina Fielding wrote that Florence:

…helped shape the program of social and cultural activities, spiritual lessons, community service, and camping and homemaking skills. With emphasis on individual achievement, the girls kept personal historical journals; planned, prepared, and conducted annual leadership conferences; set personal goals; met in youth councils with the bishops; were called and set apart to serve in class presidencies; and planned their own activities—all part of the new program for Young Women as well.

At least 150,000 girls, about 30,000 leaders, and no-one-knows-how-many… have awards signed personally by Sister Jacobsen. They will also remember the Parent and Youth Nights, which were among the earliest programs to focus attention on the family.

One of her secretaries during that time comments, “Those were difficult years to preside over that organization. Loud rock music, modern dancing, miniskirts, long hair, blue jeans—all of them seemed to happen then and there wasn’t a day when she didn’t answer a letter or a phone call on standards. This was in addition to reviewing manuals, festivals, lessons, and activities personally to be sure that everything was presented with the highest standard of excellence. The Personal Record Books won an award for excellent design and were the first step toward personal histories for many women who are now raising their own families” (“Florence Smith Jacobsen: In Love with Excellence”).

In 1972, Ruth H. Funk took her place as the young women’s president and the following year, the prophet Harold B. Lee asked Florence to serve as the LDS church curator (Florence S. Jacobsen, Wikipedia).

By collecting, preserving, and displaying the art and artifacts of Church history, she… nourish[ed] and strengthen[ed] testimonies and inspire[d] some to investigate the restored gospel of Jesus Christ (Lavina Fielding, “Florence Smith Jacobsen: In Love with Excellence,” Ensign, June 1977, 25–26).

Florence also served as a member of the Church’s Arts and Sites Committee. Florence asked the prophet Spencer W. Kimball for construction of the Church History Museum which displays historical artifacts. She received the Junius F. Wells Award from the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation for her work rescuing, restoring, and preserving historic LDS sites and artifacts such as the Lion House, Beehive House, Manti Utah temple, Brigham Young home, Wilford Woodruff home, EB Grandin Building, and Newell K. Whitney home.

President Packer said…”There’s a saying that excellence does not call attention to itself, and that’s Florence Jacobsen,” he said. “When the Lion House was being renovated, the Florence you see tonight… was scrubbing the floors. And that part of her, in all this time, I think has not been understood.” (See R. Scott Lloyd, “Life of building,” Church News, May 1, 2010.)

Florence not only preserved important church history but she also made her personal home a clean and beautiful place. Florence helped her parents and seven siblings by dusting and making them lunches daily. Quotes by Mormon woman Florence include:

I’ve noticed that my four little grandchildren can tell the difference… When we do not properly set the table or eat in the kitchen they carelessly seem to forget their table manners. When we eat in the dining room with place mats or a linen tablecloth, they carefully display their best manners. I feel the same way. By treating myself and others as worthy of the best that is possible, I find that people become better. And I feel that this principle carries over into every area, including the way we dress. By making our environment as beautiful and as excellent as possible, we become a more excellent people, mentally, visually, physically, and spiritually.

…No woman—and no man either—can fulfill herself by focusing first on her own needs. Serving others fulfills you by making a bond between you and them that you can’t duplicate any other way (Lavina Fielding, “Florence Smith Jacobsen: In Love with Excellence,” Ensign, June 1977, 25–26).

Biography of Mormon woman: Florence S. Jacobsen

Florence grew up in a family that taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ, and from a young age she began following her Savior’s example. Florence Smith Jacobsen was born on April 7, 1913, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Willard Richards Smith and Florance Grant. Both her maternal and paternal grandfathers were prophets of God: Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant (R. Scott Lloyd, “Life of Building,” Church News, May 1, 2010).

In 1935, she started her own family when she married Ted Jacobsen in the Salt Lake City Mormon Temple (a House of God, where couples can be married for eternity by someone who has God’s authority). She raised three boys and later moved to New York, where she was a motherly influence to the missionaries in the Eastern States Mission as her husband served as the mission president (R. Scott Lloyd, “Life of Building,” Church News, May 1, 2010).

Although she graduated from the University of Utah in 1934, Florence remained involved in its community. She served on the advisory council of the Family Living and Consumer Studies department and wrote “vigorous letters protesting television programs and magazine articles she doesn’t approve of.” (Lavina Fielding, “Florence Smith Jacobsen: In Love with Excellence,” Ensign, June 1977, 25–26). The College of Social Work currently bestows students with the Florence Smith Jacobsen Scholarship which focuses on women issues and strengthening families. Lavina Fielding wrote:

There’s more! Sister Jacobsen also serves on the governor’s committee for cultural and historical sites, and has just finished a two-year term as third vice-president for the National Council of Women and is now chairman of the Child and Family Committee. She’s also adviser to the executive committee, adviser to the financial committee, and is serving a three-year term as vice-treasurer of the International Council of Women—an organization that has great impact on social and community action programs through its influence on legislatures and state boards of education. As chairman of the National Council of Women’s Child and Family Committee from 1965 to 1972, she represented the United States at four international conferences. These conferences have, in turn, presented plans to national councils, and she recalls that one of her greatest thrills was “putting a fence at the top of the cliff instead of an ambulance down in the valley.” The majority of the delegates seemed to be in favor of recommending paid-maternity leave and full day-care facilities for working mothers. She opted for a program of teaching responsible parenthood that would begin in the home and be carried on in elementary school and throughout a person’s educational life. Here was a clear choice between a long-range program that would demand years in the interests of excellence rather than a short-term program that would demand an influx of funds for its immediate results. Her program passed. The United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has already implemented trial programs on responsible parenthood in selected grade schools—“with great success” ( “Florence Smith Jacobsen: In Love with Excellence,” Ensign, June 1977, 25–26).

Mormon Women Leading Today

I am grateful for the values I was taught as a Mormon youth and the many service opportunities I’ve been involved in. I remember the majority of Young Women activities were service oriented, whether we assembled hygiene kits, quilted, babysat, or cooked meals. I know that we are all children of God and that we each have great potential to bless our families and communities. I’m grateful to Florence’s Christ-like example and feel like I truly relate to her—I also have 7 siblings and am a social worker.

Additional Resources:

Attend services and free Young Women activities at your local church

Visit the LDS website about “Service to Others”.

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Mormon Women Leading the Young Women’s Organization

Within the Church of Jesus Christ, women leaders have equal but complimentary roles. Lucy T. Andersen served as a counselor in the young women’s organization. She interacted with various Mormon women leaders such as Lucy Grant Cannon (the fourth young women’s president from 1937-1948), and Helen S. Williams (first counselor until Verna W. Goddard replaced her in 1944). Lucy replaced Verna W. Goddard as second counselor from 1944-1948 (Timeline of Young Women General Presidents).

During her presidency service from 1944-1948, she blessed the lives of many Mormon youth. Verna helped organize the Big Sister program (1944, for young women and mothers who needed work during the war) and the “100th anniversary celebration of pioneers entering Salt Lake Valley observed by YWMIA members through festivals, music, parades, and square dancing” in 1947 (“Presidents of the Young Women Organization Through the Years,” Ensign, June 2008, 40–45). Around the time Lucy served in YWMIA, the young women were split into classes by age which are known today as the Beehives’ class (ages 12-13), Mia Maids’ class (ages 14-15), and Laurels’ class (ages 16-18) (Young Women, Lucy Grant Cannon).

Lucy encouraged the young women to recite an annual theme at each YWMIA meeting worldwide (Young Women, The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1992). Today this practice continues as young women recite the Young Women theme:

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity and
Virtue.

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation (Young Women: Theme and Logo).

Mormon Women: Biography of Lucy T. Andersen

Lucy was born on August 26, 1900, and in June, 1978, she died at the age of 77. She lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Lucy Andersen, Ancientfaces.com). She married Waldo McKinley Andersen.  On February 14, 1929, Lucy gave birth to one child named John Waldo Andersen who was an active LDS member in Salt Lake City, Utah. She taught him that “family was his first priority” (Obituary: John Waldo Andersen, Deseret News, November 5, 2006).

Mormon Women Leading Today

As an LDS youth, I learned the importance of families in God’s plan of happiness. Every single one of the happiest times in my life have been with my family. Modern prophets still teach that families should be founded upon the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ:

Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” 1995).

Additional Resources:

Find activities for young women at your local Mormon meetinghouse

Visit the LDS website about Jesus Christ

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Mormon Women Leading the Young Women’s Organization

Within the LDS Church, Mormon women leaders have equal but complimentary roles. Verna served as a counselor in the young women’s organization. She interacted with various LDS women leaders such as Lucy Grant Cannon (the fourth young women’s president from 1937-1948), Helen S. Williams (first counselor until Verna replaced her in 1944), and Lucy T. Andersen (who replaced Verna as second counselor from 1944-1948) (Timeline of Young Women General Presidents).

During her presidency service from 1937-1944, she blessed the lives of many Mormon youth. Verna helped organize the Golden Gleaner awards, Sunday evening firesides (1940), and the Big Sister program (1944, for young women and mothers who needed work during the war) (“Presidents of the Young Women Organization Through the Years,” Ensign, June 2008, 40–45). During this presidency, the young women were split into classes by age which are known today as the Beehives’ class (ages 12-13), Mia Maids’ class (ages 14-15), and Laurels’ class (ages 16-18) (Young Women, Lucy Grant Cannon). During Verna’s service, the young women recited an annual theme at each YWMIA meeting worldwide:

For example, in 1941 the theme was, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (D&C 82:10). (Young Women, The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1992).

Mormon Women: Biography of Verna Wright Goddard

Verna W. Goddard was born in 1889 and died on November 29, 1949, in Salt Lake City, Utah (Deceased Page: Verna Wright Goddard, Nameinstone.com). She married Joshua Percy and gave birth to at least two boys (Orson and Harold) and 3 daughters (Norma, in 1913, and Alice, were two) (“Death: Norma Goddard Hobson”, Deseret News, April 12, 1992). Norma taught her children the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and also influenced other children in her community. Elder G. Homer Durham spoke of Verna’s example:

There were many senior friends among the great women of my circles. They were examples during my growing-up years. There was Verna W. Goddard, neighbor, wife of one of our stake presidents. She was the Gleaner leader in the ward (young women 17 to 25). Her home was open to us, and we took advantage of it. By the time we were adults she was a member of the General Presidency of the YWMIA. We were grateful that her leadership was now extending throughout the Church (“Friends”, New Era, June 1984).

Mormon Women Leading Today

As a Mormon youth, I learned the importance of preparing to become a better mother by developing faith in Jesus Christ, recognizing my worth as a daughter of God, and developing important skills/talents. I know that as I follow the counsel of living prophets and leaders, I will be a better daughter, future mother, and able to serve my community:

Each [person] is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny… The family is ordained of God… Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” 1995).

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/