A quest for knowledge and new experiences seems to be a trademark of Janette C. Hales, newly called Young Women general president.
When she was a young mother, one of her favorite hobbies was to stay up at night and read a college catalog. "I would always just imagine what I would do if I had time," she reflected.As her children grew, Pres. Hales, 58, made an effort to take one class or be involved in something that enlarged her perspective. She received her bachelor's degree from BYU in clothing and textiles when she was 35 - her youngest of five children was a year old at the time.
Throughout the years, Pres. Hales, who was sustained as Young Women general president on April 4, could often be found reading her children's textbooks.
At age 40 she took up tennis and still plays today.
When her husband died, she was 55 and decided to act upon a desire to get involved in government and served in the Utah House of Representatives.
"I think each stage you are at in life is a little different and that's exciting," Pres. Hales commented. "It has been my inclination to always want to be doing something. And education has always been a high value in our home. My father-in-law, Wayne B. Hales, was one of the great influences in my life. He influenced a lot of people while he was a professor at BYU from 1935 to 1975."
Pres. Hales was born in Springville, Utah, the third of four daughters born to Thomas L. and Hannah Carrick Callister. She grew up in Spanish Fork, Utah, in a family that wasn't always active in the Church, but provided an atmosphere of love and security and encouraged her Church activity.
Her non-member father would often take her and her girlfriends to Church functions. And her mother always provided love and support and a place where friends were welcome.
Pres. Hales attended Primary as a young girl, and still remembers an experience she had when she was almost 11 years old.
"I was passing off the Articles of Faith at the home of the Primary president," she recounted. "After I finished, she took my hand and asked me, `Wouldn't you like to be baptized?' That was symbolic to me of how we reach out and give the gospel or make it available to others. I 've always tried to do that."
Growing up, she was given leadership responsibilities both at school and Church and planned to run for student government when she was at BYU.
But while a freshman at BYU, she met her future husband, Robert H. Hales. He had recently returned from a mission and was entering medical school. They were married two years later, on June 29, 1955, in the Salt Lake Temple.
In the next years, four daughters and a son became part of the family: Ann, 35; Tom, 33; Jane, 30; Karen, 27; and Mary, 24.
All the children have worked hard to get an education and all five have served missions.
Ann has a law degree and nursing degree and works part time as a nurse; Tom has a doctorate in math and teaches math at the University of Chicago; Jane has a degree in medicine and works part time at the BYU Health Center; Karen has a master's degree in organizational behavior and teaches at a private school; and Mary graduates with her bachelor's from BYU in dietetics next year.
"We assumed Tom would be the missionary, but when our older daughters went on missions, that planted the seed in the younger ones," Pres. Hales reflected.
The Hales family lived in Texas, New York and California while Brother Hales completed his medical internship and residency in ophthalmology. The family then settled in Provo when Brother Hales established his practice there in 1963.
But in 1988, life changed drastically for Pres. Hales when her husband died unexpectedly of cancer. "Everything that had been my life seemed like it was ending," she said.
"But I remember the encouragement I felt when I realized how what I had learned at home had prepared me for life. I was better prepared than I realized. When I talk to Young Women leaders, I tell them to never underestimate the quality of skills we learn in a family setting.
"As you learn to evaluate needs and resources and respond to members of the family, you're developing all of the leadership ability that is carried out in a government or business setting every day."
Pres. Hales considered going back to school after her husband's death, but thoughts about getting involved in politics - sparked during an earlier conversation with her husband - won out.
She was first appointed to the Utah State Legislature to replace the legislator who had moved from her district. She was later elected for one term to continue on in the House of Representatives.
"I have a great love and reverence for the process of free government," she remarked. "So many people know about politics from what they read in the paper, but I came to appreciate so much the opportunity to vote and to be represented. I feel that even more so now that I understand what happens there."
Pres. Hales served in the Legislature from 1988-1990, until she was called to be a counselor in the Young Women general presidency.
"My biggest accomplishment as a legislator was gaining an appreciation for diversity and learning how to work with people with different experiences and opinions," she said.
"I believe that we should encourage people to be themselves, to develop their own potential and to know that Heavenly Fathers knows them personally."
From the time she was called as a counselor in the Young Women general presidency, Pres. Hales said she has felt secure and enthusiastic about the teachings of the Young Women program.
"The theme and the values verbalize the feelings and commitments I had felt as a mother and in working with my own daughters in the past. I feel so appreciative of the women who have worked to develop the materials and the focus that we have in the Young Women program, and I commit myself to trying to continue that same message. We are going to work hard to continue planting values in the hearts and minds of youth."
Having served as second counselor to Ardeth G. Kapp, she added: "What a great advantage it is to follow a great leader because she has lived by
righteous principles and has set an example that I would be eager to follow.
"How generous Sister Kapp has been in preparing others to take her place. She always wanted them to have opportunities to help them prepare for the future, for the time when she would be having other experiences. I am not a bit reluctant to follow strong people because they leave things in a beautiful situation."
Pres. Hales continued: "My heart is so filled with desire in this new calling. I realize how important it is to turn the hearts of adults to youth and the youth to their parents and grandparents. I have felt a deeper appreciation for what everyone does to help the youth."
The last two years have been a blessing to her, she added, as she has witnessed the divine nature in the eyes of young women she has met.
"I feel like I understand the needs of the age group better than I ever have. I have also learned the importance of caring adults in encouraging youth during this period of their lives. I think they need caring adults beyond family to help with that transition."
Pres. Hales expressed appreciation for her new counselors, Virginia H. Pearce and Patricia P. Pinegar. "I felt so secure once my counselors had been called because I felt like I needed to find women in whom I had total confidence - in their judgment and in their personal commitment to our Heavenly Father," she said. "The diversity of our experiences will enlarge our understanding and the contribution we will make by being together."
(Additional information)
Janette C. Hales
Family: born June 7, 1933, in Springville, Utah, a daughter of Thomas L. and Hannah Carrick Callister; married Robert H. Hales on June 29, 1955; five children - Ann Nevers, Tom, Jane Ricks, Karen and Mary; three grandchildren.
Education: Received bachelor's degree in clothing and textiles from BYU.
Community service/profession: Served as member of the Utah State House of Representatives, president of the Utah County Medical Auxiliary, PTA president, member of curriculum committee of Provo School District.
Previous Church callings: Primary general board member, gospel doctrine teacher, counselor in stake Relief Society presidency, ward Relief Society president and teacher, Primary president and teacher, Guide Patrol leader (Blazer Scouts), Young Women counselor and adviser, and Missionary Training Center instructor.
