Virginia H. Pearce

First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency (April 4, 1992 – October 4, 1997)

General Conference Addresses

• October 1996 General Conference
  • The Ordinary Classroom—a Powerful Place for Steady and Continued Growth
    • “It seems too hard to think about the possibility, even the probability, that not all of us will continue to “cling to the Church and live its principles.” Many of us will leave and never return to this happy fellowship. Some of us will leave for a time and find our way back with a heightened sense of gratitude for participation in the kingdom of God on earth. The reality of life is that each of us is daily at risk for drifting or even marching into inactivity.”
    • “The fundamental curriculum for all classes in the Church is the scriptures—they contain the unchanging doctrines of the kingdom of God. These truths are what brought us into the Church. If we fail to continue learning them, we may not stay.”
    • “A teacher’s goal is greater than just delivering a lecture about truth. It is to invite the Spirit and use techniques which will enhance the possibility that the learner will discover the truth for herself and then be motivated to apply it.”
    • “The skilled teacher does not want students who leave the class talking about how magnificent and unusual the teacher is. This teacher wants students who leave talking about how magnificent the gospel is!”
• October 1993 General Conference
  • Ward and Branch Families: Part of Heavenly Father’s Plan for Us
    • “Now, I would enlarge her invitation, inviting you young men and young women to learn the names of the adults and the children. Overcome your natural timidity and greet as many people as you can by name each week. Our wards will be better places if, like Benjamin, everyone hears his own name four or five times between the chapel and the classroom. We can each help that to happen.”
    • “When friends express confidence in me, especially when I feel overwhelmed by difficult circumstances, the light at the end of the tunnel burns brighter. A steady belief in ward members can often be of far more value than casseroles or loaves of bread.”
    • “As we concentrate on the needs of others, our own needs become less controlling.”

Other Talks

• March 1996 General Young Womens Meeting
  • Listening with New Ears
    • “All at once, the light turned on! General conference! No wonder I look forward to those meetings and messages! Here are my experts: the prophets who reassure me that basically my swing is good and then give instructions about what I should do or should stop doing that will make a big difference. Not only are these men experienced, but their instructions come directly from Heavenly Father to me by way of the Holy Ghost—personalized to my exact, immediate, and individual needs. Who could be trusted more than this combination: the Lord, his mouthpiece, and the Holy Ghost?”
    • “Don’t be discouraged—keep trying until you succeed. We are entitled to the help of the Lord when we are trying to do his will. Pray for that help and keep trying.”
• March 1995 General Young Womens Meeting
  • Trying the Word of God
    • “Every song, every scripture read, every story told, and all counsel given tonight is meant to encourage each of us to (1) make an individual decision to read the words of God, to understand more ways to (2) nourish and enjoy scripture reading, and to (3) recognize the good feelings and changes that eventually come with regular scripture reading. In Alma’s words, to (1) give place, (2) nourish, (3) feast.”
• March 1994 General Young Womens Meeting
  • Faith Is the Answer
    • “We all know that more faith won’t make our problems disappear. But I believe as our faith increases, we become more able to not only survive the hard times but become better because of them. I believe faith is the answer.”
    • “As you can see, I didn’t really understand the difference between a patriarchal blessing and a Chinese fortune cookie. But I did understand one important difference: I didn’t believe in messages in cookies, but I did believe in patriarchal blessings.”
    • “Remember, remember, remember how God has worked in these lives. Remember how he has worked in your life. Write in your journal about the times when you have felt his love for you. Write about the times when he has intervened in subtle or obvious ways, to make everything work out okay for you. And when you feel abandoned and desperate, those memories will renew your faith and keep you trusting until you understand better.”
• September 1992 General Womens Meeting
  • Fear
    • “As we read the scriptures, we find that fear has been a part of the history of individuals ever since the world began. I can even imagine that in the preexistent world, when the two plans were presented, some may have chosen Lucifer’s plan because of fear—the fear of leaving the presence of the Father with no guarantee that we would return. Lucifer perhaps played on those fears by assuring that with his plan, all would return.”
    • “A large part of conquering daily fear is simply doing things that we don’t know how to do—yet.”

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