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Video: ‘Women are a vital voice,’ President Ballard says

President M. Russell Ballard says women have the ‘most important voice that a bishop can hear’ when counseling about the needs of a ward

The Relief Society general presidency attends a Welfare and Self-Reliance meeting at the Church Office Building.

Sister J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, and Sister Kristin M. Yee, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, attend a Welfare and Self-Reliance Executive Committee meeting at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022.

Laura Seitz, Deseret News


Video: ‘Women are a vital voice,’ President Ballard says

President M. Russell Ballard says women have the ‘most important voice that a bishop can hear’ when counseling about the needs of a ward

The Relief Society general presidency attends a Welfare and Self-Reliance meeting at the Church Office Building.

Sister J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, and Sister Kristin M. Yee, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, attend a Welfare and Self-Reliance Executive Committee meeting at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022.

Laura Seitz, Deseret News

In an interview with Church News, President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said councils need to include and encourage the voices of women.

“Women are a vital voice,” he said. 

President Ballard said he questions how a bishop can administer or minister in a ward without counseling with the sisters who lead the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary organizations of the ward. 

“I’ve been an advocate all my time as a general authority that the priesthood leaders ought to help call capable, good, smart women … and then they ought to be a full and participating part of a ward council.”

This video, titled “The Voice of Women,” features President Ballard speaking about the need to include and listen to women in ward councils and other council settings. 

“Many, many times, the voice of women in a ward council is the most important voice that a bishop can hear,” he said.

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