Elder Quentin Cook and Sheri Dew will be among featured speakers
Brigham Young University will host the 2014 BYU Women’s Conference, the largest two-day gathering of women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Thursday and Friday, May 1-2. This year’s theme, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly,” comes from Psalm 84:11.
Elder Quentin L. Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve, will speak at the Friday afternoon closing session. Thursday’s featured speakers will include Sheri L. Dew, president and CEO of Deseret Book Company, and Elder Bruce C. Hafen, emeritus member of the Seventy, and his wife, Marie Hafen. Friday’s speakers will include Linda K. Burton, Bonnie L. Oscarson and Rosemary W. Wixom from the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary general presidencies.
The conference, co-sponsored by the Relief Society of The Church, will have more than 200 presenters sharing their perspectives and insights on a variety of topics of interest and concern to women of all ages. The conference also includes service projects, an instant choir and an evening concert.
Tickets
Tickets are still available ($59 for the full conference or $39 for a single day) and can be purchased at BYU's Harman Continuing Education Building lobby (770 E. University Pkwy), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily; and starting at 7:30 a.m. on May 1-2. Or on the each day of the conference at the Marriott Center outdoor ticket booths beginning at 7:30 a.m.
BYU faculty, staff and students and their spouses with a current BYU ID are eligible for a reduced registration price of $42 for the full conference or $28 for a single day.
The conference is for women and men age 16 and older. Logistical and safety constraints on campus do not allow the conference to accommodate nursing infants or young children in any conference session. This includes the Marriott Center, residence halls and all Thursday evening activities.
Conference Sessions
Each day will begin with a morning general session from 9 to 10:15 a.m., followed by three concurrent sessions at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., and close with an afternoon general session at 3:45 p.m. Those wishing to participate in the popular “instant choir” for the Thursday morning general session will need to be at the Marriott Center at 6:30 a.m. Thursday.
Participants can choose from session topics such as womanhood and sisterhood, understanding worth, overcoming trials, gospel principles, marriage, family and other practical and timely topics. As in previous years, the concurrent sessions will include sessions given in Spanish. ASL interpreters will also be available during all Marriott Center sessions.
Service Project
This year’s service portion of the conference is themed “By Small and Simple Things.” Thursday beginning at 8 a.m., there will be “Take, Make & Return” service projects in the Marriott Center. The service activities will also include an “Evening of Service” Thursday in the Richards Building and Smith Fieldhouse from 5 to 8 p.m., and “Sharing Stations” Thursday in the Richards Building from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. The various service projects will benefit local community agencies.
Concert
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, Sandra Turley, Mercy River, Jenny Oaks Baker and Hudson Lights.
Housing
Registration for housing is no longer available. Walk-on for housing begins on Wednesday, April 30 after 3:00 p.m. at BYU Cannon Commons. Space is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Parking
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 and north of the Indoor Practice Field. There will be courtesy shuttles available during the conference.
More Information
Selected sessions of the conference will be rebroadcast on BYUtv at a later date. The broadcast schedule will be available on the Women’s Conference website or at byutv.org.
For more information about BYU Women’s Conference, visit womensconference.byu.edu or call (801) 422-7692.
Writer: Brett Lee
