Last year my husband and I went to South Africa to visit people and places from his mission. It was an incredible experience. I loved meeting the people there and visiting the three wards we attended. The people were so warm and inviting, and many remembered my husband as the red-headed missionary who either taught them the gospel or served in their ward.
Although we met many amazing people, one young woman in particular stood out to me. This young lady is smart. As we talked, I was impressed with her depth, her understanding, and her ease of expression for a youth. She, of everyone I met, impressed me deeply, and as I returned home I have often thought about her and the things I learned from her in our conversations.
Then one day recently she appeared on lds.youth.org in a video where she is reading a poem she wrote about virtuous young women and how they are significant. As I watched it, tears came to my eyes. I wish the young women in my ward had this kind of understanding. I wish they could individually learn half of what’s expressed in this heartfelt poem.
It’s my wish and my hope for all the young women of the world, actually. It’s so easy to feel insignificant and invisible to the world, especially when you’re doing everything in your power to be the kind of woman the Lord wants. Virtuous women exude a quiet confidence; a steady influence that’s hard to miss if you’re looking for it. But so much of the world doesn’t look for it. So much of the world looks for the loud, gaudy, and flashy.
I love how the poem and the video put together by the church capture the peace and poise of a virtuous woman. And I hope that it will help inspire young women around the world recognize how significant they really are.