Brigham Young University will host more than 16,000 women from around the world Thursday and Friday, April 28-29, during the annual Women’s Conference. This year’s theme, “By Small and Simple Things Are Great Things Brought to Pass,” comes from Alma 37:6-7.
The conference, co-sponsored by the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will feature speakers in a variety of sessions and more activities such as service projects, an instant choir, book signings and an evening concert.
Tickets are $49 for the full conference or $29 for a single day. Women and men ages 16 and older may register for the conference online at womensconference.byu.edu or by calling (801) 422-8925. In-person registration is also available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Harman Continuing Education Building lobby at BYU and on the day of the conference at the Marriott Center outdoor ticket booths beginning at 7:30 a.m.
BYU faculty, staff and students with a BYU ID are eligible for a reduced registration price of $17 for the full conference or $10 for either Thursday or Friday. A BYU ID number will be required to complete the online or phone registration.
Thursday’s featured speakers will include Virginia H. Pearce, former member of the Young Women general presidency, and Susan W. Tanner, former Young Women general president, and her husband John S. Tanner. Friday’s speakers will include Julie B. Beck, general president of the Relief Society, and Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church, and his wife Susan K. Bednar.
Each day will begin with a morning general session from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by three breakout sessions at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. and an afternoon general session at 3:45 p.m. Those wishing to participate in the “instant choir” for the Thursday morning general session will need to be at the Marriott Center at 6:30 a.m.
As in previous years, the concurrent sessions will include special sections conducted in Spanish. ASL interpreters will also be available during all Marriott Center sessions.
Participants can choose from session topics such as the Atonement, creating a lasting marriage, single parenting, scripture study, self-worth, forgiveness and becoming a woman of God.
This year’s service portion of the conference is themed “Errand of Angels.” On Thursday at 8 a.m., there will be a “Take, Make ‘n’ Return” activity in the Marriott Center. Participants can take kits from the Marriott Center and make cancer ribbons and crochet mittens, scarves, slippers and other items while they listen to the sessions. Completed items can then be returned to the Wilkinson Student Center Garden Court.
The service activities will also include an “Evening of Service” Thursday in the Richards Building and Smith Fieldhouse from 5 to 8:30 p.m. There will be various service projects that will benefit local communities and people throughout the world.
Thursday night’s Shadow Mountain Artists Concert, which will begin at 8 p.m. in the Marriott Center, will feature popular Latter-day Saint performers Hilary Weeks, Kirby Heyborne, Josh Wright, Jenny Oaks Baker and BYU’s Vocal Point.
Those interested in on-campus housing for the event must be full-conference participants. There are different housing options available on the Women’s Conference website, ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/on_campus_housing.cfm. For off-campus housing, the website also has some listings at ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/off_campus_housing.cfm.
Parking is available in the lots north and northeast of the Marriott Center. Overflow parking is also available in the southeast lot of LaVell Edwards Stadium. There will be courtesy vans available for seniors and those with disabilities. Logistical and safety constraints on campus do not allow the conference to accommodate nursing infants and young children in any conference session.
Delayed broadcasts of selected sessions will be shown May 16-18 on BYUtv, KBYU-TV and byubroadcasting.org. For more information about rebroadcasting, visit byub.org.
For more information about Women’s Conference, visit womensconference.byu.edu or call (801) 422-7692.
Follow BYU events on Twitter: @BYUcalendar.
Writer: Mel Gardner
