Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman was sustained as a general officer of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1, 2023, and officially began her service on Aug. 1, 2023.
Over the past year, she has taught and ministered to youth, missionaries and Latter-day Saints around the world. The Young Women leader was born on Dec. 31, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts — the oldest of six children.
She attended the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, where she became reacquainted with Gregory Garth Freeman, one of the full-time missionaries who had served under her parents when they were mission leaders.
The two celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary earlier this month and are the parents of five children.
Prior to her call, President Freeman was an author, speaker, podcaster and teacher; and has served as a seminary teacher, Gospel Doctrine teacher, ward Young Women president, ward Relief Society president and in other callings.
In honor of her birthday today, here are nine of her quotes from the past year.
1. Hold up Jesus Christ
During Christmastime, President Freeman and her counselors invited youth to “add light” to Christmas traditions.
“It reminds me of the verse that we read in the Book of Mormon where it talks about sharing our light and Jesus says, ‘I am the light which ye shall hold up’ (3 Nephi 18:24). ... Every time we add light, whatever that is in this next month, we are holding Him up, and He is becoming part of Christmas for us.”
— Young Women Worldwide Instagram live video, Dec. 2, 2025
2. ‘A great work for you’
“We trust you. The Lord has a great work in store for you. And rise up to the privileges that are yours, the opportunities that are ahead of you. The Lord has a great work for you to do.”
— Announcement of mission age change for young women, Nov. 21, 2025
3. ‘Jesus Christ is our strength’
“I know that Jesus Christ is our strength. And I know that the Holy Ghost will not fail us if we listen and respond to His promptings. Then we will be led to look unto Christ in every thought.”
— Worldwide youth devotional broadcast, Oct. 26, 2025
4. God leads His Church
“We were reminded that God still talks to men and women on earth today, that He speaks through a prophet to a true and living Church that has been restored.”
— Devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center, Oct. 14, 2025
5. Gifts from God
“When God says that He has a great work for us to do, He also has gifts for us to accomplish that great work.”
— Youth devotional in Germany, Aug. 30, 2025
6. ‘Become lifelong disciples’
“This is how we become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ — we accept His invitations, and we acquire His attributes. One by one.”
— 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 21, 2025
7. Children of God
“Our relationship as a child of God offers us some really important privileges. Because He knows us, and because He loves us, we can trust Him even in our trials and in our weaknesses. He will support us through them.”
— Devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center, May 27, 2025
8. Qualified by belief
“[President Russell M. Nelson] didn’t ask for my resume [when extending the call as Young Women general president]. He didn’t ask for my qualifications. He didn’t ask what I was good at. ...
“He just asked if I believed. … I think sometimes we forget that our belief can help us do things that we would never have imagined would be true about us,” President Freeman said.
— Ministry in the Church’s Asia North Area, Feb. 11, 2025
9. Look to Christ
“Every time I have chosen to look to [Christ], it has improved, it has brought strength, it has given direction, comfort and insight in ways that I would not have been able to experience on my own.”
— Discussion on the 2025 youth theme, Jan. 1, 2025
