The 2024 BYU Women’s Conference opened up with another controversial talk. Is it really controversial, or are haters just gonna find more ways to hate? Here are my thoughts.

Sis. Johnson was a practicing lawyer while married and raising three sons. She chose a career outside of the home. Wasn’t she listening when earlier prophets stated very clearly that women belong in the home and should not choose a career? Does this make her disobedient and a hypocrite?

No. I don’t think so.

Spiritual Maturity

Her quote from Pres. Oaks, about timing, coupled with letting God prevail, were probably the most important things she said in her talk. Each of us is on a personal journey with our Savior. If we let Him prevail in our lives, we start listening better to His timing as He leads us to what’s best for us. And we become spiritually mature enough to stay on the covenant path.

Several years ago, the world was pushing women into the workforce. Feminism was roaring about freedom from the kitchen sink. Latchkey children were invented. The door was thrown open for women to step forward and “make something of themselves.” The standard was being forgotten and women were really struggling to know what to do. We had loving prophets warning us and helping us to maintain our spiritual maturity. It was a process then.

Satan will do anything to distract us women, and face it, we get distracted a lot. We can’t keep up with all the “causes” we are interested in. Satan has tried so many different things to keep us off-center. Why? Because he knows how great our influence is in this world.

The standard has always been to multiply and replenish the earth. This was the very first commandment given in the Garden of Eden, and it has never been rescinded. God wants all of His children to have a chance on this earth and if mothers choose a different course, we are all done for. Civilization ends. Our prophets are forever warning us and helping us along the path.

Influence

As Pres. Nelson said, “If the world should ever lose the moral rectitude of its women, the world would never recover.” Pres. Nelson is talking about a woman’s greatest weapon–influence. This is our secret power, sisters. Our spiritual maturity fuels our positive influence and Satan can’t stand that. He wants to exploit our influence to gain the destruction of God’s plan. On the other hand, God grants this incredible power to His daughters because He truly knows our divine potential, worth, and natural ability–all of which He designed in us.

So, are we quibbling about whether a woman should work outside the home or not? Or, are we recognizing the power and influence we have because of our spiritual maturity? As 21st Century, Latter-day women, literally reserved for these final days of the war that started in heaven, we have all the knowledge, power, and spiritual maturity, to overcome Satan and his side hustles, to choose God and allow Him to truly prevail in our lives. Whether we work in or outside the home. This is something ALL women can participate in. We are women with enough spiritual maturity to influence the world in righteousness. Righteous men and women, equal in their spiritual maturity, can and must, follow Jesus Christ to successfully participate in our Father’s Plan. Can They trust us? Do we trust Them?