Abish

 Sister Elaine S. Dalton

October 2011 General Conference

"In the Book of Mormon, Abish was converted by her father's sharing with her his remarkable vision. For many years thereafter, she kept her testimony in her heart and lived righteously in a very wicked society. Then the time came when she could no longer be still, and she ran from house to house to share her testimony and the miracles she had witnessed in the king's court. The power of Abish's conversion an testimony was instrumental in changing an entire society. The people who heard her testify became a people who "were converted unto the Lord, [and] never did fall away," and their sons became the stripling warriors!"

Temples are the Reason

The temple is the reason for everything we do in the Church. ³The temple was the reason our pioneer ancestors left their established homes and came west. It was the reason they suffered privation and even death. Temple covenants were the reason that, although babies were buried along the way, those pioneers could sing:

Come, come, ye Saints,

No toil nor labor fear;

But with joy wend your way. ⁴

Some lost everything but came into the valley with everything, really—temple ordinances, sacred covenants, and the promise of eternal life together as families.

Elaine S. Dalton, Oct 2008

Mirror of Eternity

Young women, look into the mirror of eternity. Remember who you are! See yourself as our Heavenly Father sees you. You are elect. You are of noble birth. Don’t compromise your divine inheritance. You were born to be a queen. Live so you are worthy to enter the temple and there receive “all that [the] Father hath.” ¹⁸Develop deep beauty. There is no more beautiful sight than a young woman who glows with the light of the Spirit, who is confident and courageous because she is virtuous.

Elaine S. Dalton

Guardians of Virtue

What can each of you do to be a guardian of virtue? It starts with believing you can make a difference. It starts with making a commitment. When I was a young woman, I learned that some decisions need to be made only once. I wrote my list of things I would always do and things I would never do in a small tablet. It included things like obeying the Word of Wisdom, praying daily, paying my tithing, and committing to never miss church. I made those decisions once, and then in the moment of decision, I knew exactly what to do because I had decided beforehand. When my high school friends said, “Just one drink won’t hurt,” I laughed and said, “I decided when I was 12 not to do that.” Making decisions in advance will help you be guardians of virtue. I hope each of you will write a list of things you will always do and things you will never do. Then live your list.

Elaine S. Dalton, “Guardians of Virtue,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 121–24

Change the World

 “Remember who you are.” “Work hard.” “Train for adversity.” “Dream big.” “Winners do not always finish first.” “Run into your marathon of faith and life. Don’t get discouraged by the hills, but see that opportunity in adversity. Go with a sure foot and a sure knowledge that you are never alone. . . . I truly believe that one virtuous young man or young woman led by the Spirit can change the world.”

Elaine S. Dalton, Young Women general president, BYU-Hawaii graduation commencement address, April 14, 2012.