Latter-day Saint Women Podcast

Emelia Ahadjie was an early convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana and the first woman employed by the Church in West Africa. Join us as we talk with Emelia about her conversion story, her vital role during the government “freeze” on Church activity in Ghana in 1989, and how the experience led to her work today as the Church Communication Director in the Africa West Area. Emelia also shares how she and her husband, Richard, have found balance as they’ve raised their six children, pursued careers, and served together to help bring the Church "out of obscurity" in West Africa.

Emmeline B. Wells was one of the most influential Latter-day Saint women in the mid-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. To connect Emmeline’s remarkable story and contributions to Latter-day Saint women today, guests Cherry Silver and Sheree Maxwell Bench share insights from the diaries of Emmeline B. Wells, which provide a window into the life of this passionate woman. You’ll hear about her conversion to the restored gospel, empathize with her trials, and be inspired by her accomplishments as a suffrage activist, mother, prominent Church leader, and pillar of her community. Explore the Diaries of Emmeline B. Wells here. https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells?lang=eng

Old buildings that are loved for their stories and significance are a central part of the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day. Historic Sites curator Emily Utt introduces us to her predecessor Florence Smith Jacobsen, the first female Church curator, who used her passion, personal connections, and great influence to preserve our heritage through building preservation. Known for restoring many church buildings, including the Lion House, Beehive House, and the interior of the Manti Temple, and for her involvement in the creation of the Church History Museum, Florence connected the importance historic sites and artifacts to our lives today by teaching that the best way to preserve our pioneer legacy is by becoming worthy of that story. Emily also offers insights into her current work as curator to preserve historic sites and temples, including the Salt Lake Temple renovation project.

Though Latter-day Saint women have participated in missionary work by sharing the gospel since the beginning of the restoration, it wasn't until 1898 that the first "lady missionaries" were called to serve full-time missions. Church Historian and author Matthew McBride shares stories of what life was like for these first sister missionaries, why their influence was an important part of the growth of the Church in the early 1900s, and how they paved the way for the thousands of sister missionaries to follow. You'll be inspired by the faith and courage of the earliest sister missionaries, and understand how the contributions of women, past and present, are unique and vital to missionary work. Additional Resources: Learn more about some of the first full-time sister missionaries • Josephine Booth: Sister Missionary to Scotland https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2015/08/josephine-booth-sister-missionary-to-scotland • “An Ardent Desire to Speak for Myself”: Lecture Explores Evolution of “Lady Missionaries” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/an-ardent-desire-to-speak-for-myself-lecture-explores-evolution-of-lady-missionaries • Women in the Mission Field https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/landing/women-with-a-mission • Missionary Database https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/ • Log in to Family Search to discover the missionaries in your family tree https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/missionary

Through stories from her personal life, professional experiences, and Church service, Sheri Dew illustrates how we can increase our spiritual capacity to receive revelation and better understand our own unique personal mission. She shares her experience serving as the first unmarried woman in the Relief Society general presidency, and urges us to build bridges to people who may not feel, for a variety of reasons, that they belong or fit in the Church. Sheri inspires us to recognize how seemingly ordinary women can be extraordinary in their faithfulness, diligence, and dedication to Jesus Christ and His Gospel. She shares the power and blessings that come from asking questions, and committing and recommitting ourselves to patterns of temple attendance, scripture study, and obedience. Additional Resources: • Sheri Dew's October 2001 General Conference Talk, "Are We Not All Mothers?" https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2001/10/are-we-not-all-mothers • All General Conference Talks by Sheri Dew https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/general-conference/speakers?speaker=Sheri-L.-Dew&lang=eng&encoded=true • Sheri Dew Biography https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1997/05/news-of-the-church/sheri-l-dew-second-counselor-relief-society-general-presidency • Sheri Dew BYU Women's Conference talk and biography featured in "At the Pulpit" https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit/part-4/chapter-48

Latter-day Saint women around the world exercise faith to overcome the unique challenges of being members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their homelands. In this episode, we discuss an exciting Church History project called Global Histories, which seeks to share the inspiring story of how the message of the Restoration has been embraced and the Church established around the globe. Ryan Saltzgiver, a historian and writer with the Church History Department, shares stories of pioneering women in various countries and their key contributions to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through their faith and service. Explore the Global Histories project. https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/landing/global-histories

The most influential Latter-day Saint woman of her time, Eliza R. Snow taught religious doctrine, emphasized practical principles, shared her political opinions, and conveyed love and encouragement for church members throughout her life. On today’s episode, we talk with Jenny Reeder, a nineteenth-century women’s history specialist at the Church History Department, about an incredible project: The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow. For the first time, these discourses have been gathered and published, opening a wide window into the life and personality of Eliza R. Snow and providing insight into key church doctrine. Explore The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow

Neill Marriott, former counselor in the Young Women general presidency, with her unique warmth and candor shares about accepting, learning from, and finding meaning and joy in each season of life. She shares her recent experiences serving as a missionary in Portugal with her husband, and what she learned as they unexpectedly returned home early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Neill reflects on her time serving as a general officer in the Church, shares heartfelt encouragement and advice to mothers of both young children and adult children, and reflects on her experiences as a convert to the Church at age 22. Neill reminds us that anchoring our lives in the gospel of Jesus Christ will bring peace and assurance through life’s challenges and opportunities. Additional Resources: Neill Marriott Biography https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/neill-f-marriott General Conference Talks by Neill Marriott https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/speakers/neill-f-marriott?lang=eng

What is the role of art in our worship, and how does it shape and reflect our faith? Church History Museum art curator Laura Paulsen Howe introduces listeners to Alice Merrill Horne, an early champion of arts in the Church and leader in the Relief Society, as well as a mother, legislator, and educator. We discuss the importance of art in our homes, places of worship, and communities, and learn more about the Church’s efforts to gather inclusive and diverse art from members around the world through the International Art Competition. Additional Resources: Church History Biography: Brief Biography of Alice Merrill Horne https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/people/alice-smith-merrill-1868?letter=M&lang=pau 2016 Church News Article: “Poetry, Paintings, and Essays: LDS Women in Art and Culture” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/poetry-paintings-and-essays-lds-women-in-art-and-culture?lang=eng Gospel Media Image Collections https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/collection/images?lang=eng International Art Competition Information: Exhibits of Past International Art Competitions https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/collection/museum/international-art-competitions?lang=eng Participate in the 12th International Art Competition: 12th International Art Competition Details https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/content/museum/competition-details

Utah Relief Society women were among the first in the United States to receive the right to vote, and Seraph Young, the grand-niece of Brigham Young, was the very first woman to cast a ballot in the United States under a women's equal suffrage law in 1870. In this episode, historian Katherine Kitterman shares highlights of the story of Relief Society and the women’s suffrage movement, discussing how Relief Society participation empowered Utah women to be articulate, effective, and organized as they helped elevate and increase the standard of living for women throughout Utah and the United States. Additional Resources: 2020 Church History Museum Exhibit: Sisters for Suffrage https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/landing/museum/sisters-for-suffrage;https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/sisters-for-suffrage-exhibit-2019?imageView=Photo-Nov-21,-5-43-56-PM.jpg February 2020 Church magazine article: "The Beginning of Better Days": How the Relief Society Works to Bless the World https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/02/the-beginning-of-better-days-how-the-relief-society-works-to-bless-the-world?lang=eng Video: Latter-day Saint Women and the Right to Vote https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2019-03-1080-latter-day-saint-women-and-the-right-to-vote?lang=eng Church History Resources: Suffrage and Relief Society https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/training/library/latter-day-saint-womens-suffrage-research-guide/suffrage-and-relief-society Additional Information: UtahWomensHistory.org