“It is not for you to be led by the women of the world,” President Joseph F. Smith said to women in the Church; “it is for you to lead the world and to lead especially the women of the world, in everything that is praiseworthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and that is purifying to the children of men.”[1]

More recently, in his landmark talk, “A Plea to My Sisters,” President Nelson pleaded, “We need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, and your voices.”[2] Then, in a follow-up talk to the women of the Church, President Nelson repeated the phrase quoted above and added, “We simply cannot gather Israel without you.”[3]

To answer the prophets’ plea and to improve the resources for young adult women related to covenant leadership, I (Barbara Morgan Gardner) worked with students and other women of covenant leadership to create a class that would prove to be life-changing for the fifty-plus covenant women involved. What began as an idea and a few phone calls has now culminated in the first Women of Covenant Leadership cohort. Over the course of the last semester, we have piloted a class at BYU focused on developing faithful covenant women into leaders in any setting they find themselves. This class began in small conversations between me and Elaine S. Dalton, former Young Women General President.

Upon reaching out to a few women to act as mentors and perhaps guests to participate in teaching the course, it quickly became apparent that many women were united in their desires to fulfill the plea of the prophet to both become better covenant leaders as well as mentor others in the process. Every woman I spoke with for counsel and possible participation in the class expressed not only agreement for the need for such a class but also immediate excitement and urgent desire for participation. Jane Clayson Johnson, for example, with merely a mention of the idea of having the class was willing to travel from Boston to Utah and help “in whatever way was needed,” because she strongly believed this class had the potential to fill a “critical need” that she has observed over the years. Sharon Eubank, director of Church’s humanitarian effort and former counselor in General Relief Society Presidency, would enthusiastically make whatever time was needed to visit with the students as a guest lecturer and mentor students on an individual basis throughout the semester as desired. Elaine Dalton was willing to not only help create the syllabus for the course, but was even willing, upon invitation, to help teach the weekly class and participate in any opportunity presented to her.

Over the course of the next few months, preparation for the class began to take root with distinctive and critical class elements coming to the forefront. The class would be unique among other courses taught in BYU Religious Education in various ways. For example, although I was the primary instructor of the course, it would be partially team taught with Elaine Dalton and would include weekly guests—women who we considered covenant leaders, who have served in various capacities of leadership in the Church, home, community, and world. Each of these women would instruct the students for a minimum of one hour on a principle of their choice associated with covenant leadership and would agree to be both grounded in the gospel and authentic and even vulnerable in sharing worthwhile experiences for the purpose of training future covenant leaders. With a heavy emphasis on experiential learning, this course would include an overnight retreat, field trips to the homes of leaders who were unable to come to campus, course projects which included further mentorship from these covenant women leaders in the form of interviews and editing for a future podcast and humanitarian efforts as well as time during class for questions and answers.

As I continued my preparation for the class, it became apparent that I needed young adult women students to act as both covenant leaders among their peers and that I needed to both train them and learn from them as I continued to write the syllabus and prepare for the class. I eventually chose Aubrey Clark and Olivia Osguthorpe as these peer mentors. In my efforts to help prepare Aubrey and Olivia for the heavy responsibility that would be theirs in being peer mentors, as well as fulfilling my need to learn from them what was needed for the class, I intentionally observed and listened to them in various capacities. For example, as we studied and analyzed material from church leaders on covenants, priesthood, and leadership as well as historical documents on women and the Relief Society I was able to see the gaps in both knowledge and experience of these young adult women as well as be astonished by their spiritual and intellectual maturity and wisdom. I also recognized how beneficial it would be for them to experience firsthand the truths and people we studied in their original historical context of Nauvoo.

With funding from the experiential learning grant, Olivia, Aubrey and I traveled to Nauvoo. We spent significant time in the Sarah Granger Kimball home, where the Relief Society began; the Red Brick Store, where the ordinances and covenants associated with the endowment were administered to women for the first time; and in the Nauvoo Temple. At these sites we studied the original writings and teachings associated with covenant women and leadership. In Nauvoo we more clearly understood both the unique role of women regarding covenant leadership and the generalizable principles that applied to all covenant leaders. These historical, doctrinal, and pedagogical foundations helped us to develop a model for both lecture and experience-based learning.

As we continued our preparation for the class by speaking with individuals such as those previously mentioned as well as Kim B. Clark, BYU administrators, and other general women leaders, the course syllabus became clear. Readings for the course and the course syllabus were a compilation of talks and scriptures produced by prophets and other Church leaders, both men and women, but were uniquely taught by, analyzed by, and discussed through the lens of covenant women. Doctrines and principles of the gospel including the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Godhead, plan of salvation, temple covenants, priesthood power, spiritual gifts, charity, covenant relationships, and the importance and unique role of women as covenant leaders became major themes of the class in both what and how the class would be taught.

After studying and praying over applications, thirty young adult female students were invited and accepted the invitation to participate in the class. As a part of the application process, we asked our cohort of thirty women to respond to a series of questions about their own personal commitment to their temple covenants and what their thoughts were on covenant leadership. Many of them recounted experiences from university study or eighteen-month church missions, which many of our cohort chose to serve. Before the class began, this is what they had to say about covenant leadership:

I’ve never considered the concept of covenant leadership before, but the first thought that comes to my mind is that those who truly understand and honor their covenants with Christ are striving to become like him, and he is the perfect leader. To me, the best leaders are those who see potential in people and in situations, and they nurture that potential until it blossoms. Rather than being the big voice driving the group, a leader is someone who is gentle but firm, who delegates and supports, and who reminds those around them of the ultimate goal and vision. These qualities are ones I think a covenant leader would possess, because they are the qualities of Jesus Christ.—L. C.

Covenant leadership to me means that I am in partnership with the Savior. Whether this is leadership in a calling or leading by example as we are bound to the Savior, we can lead like him.—K. M.

In addition, thirteen women who had experience with covenant leadership from different walks of life and professions were invited to become guest lecturers and mentors to the young adult women. These women were Brigitte C. Madrian, Sharon Eubank, Jane Clayson Johnson, Liz Darger, Virginia Hinckley Pearce Cowley, Brooke Romney, Becky Craven, Reyna Aburto, Julie B. Beck, Susan W. Tanner, Lisa Leonard, Bonnie L. Oscarson, and Elaine L. Jack. These women accepted the invitation to present the most important principle for young adult women to learn that would help them be the most effective covenant leaders in the way they thought was most effective. Supplemental principles and topics for the class from these covenant women leaders included such topics as charity, covenants and ordinances, meekness, consecration, covenant confidence, counseling, pride, history, doctrine, application of priesthood power for women, and spiritual gifts. There were as many pedagogical approaches as there were women.

As President Johnson has taught, frequent study of prophetic teaching leads to deeper conversion. To prepare for class, students were assigned readings recommended by the guest speaker, ranging from doctoral dissertations and academic articles to general conference talks and BYU speeches. Day-to-day class proceedings included a devotional by the students, instruction from Elaine Dalton and me, and an introduction of the speaker by a student. During the one-hour-fifty-minute block, the guest would speak from forty-five to seventy minutes. Before ever mentioning their achievements and Church callings, each of these covenant women spoke to their divine identities as children or God, children of the covenant, and disciples of Jesus Christ. Each of these women were authentic and real in their experiences as leaders in the family, community and church and allowed considerable time for Q&A with the students both during the class and on an individual basis.

Students were expected to take notes on what stood out to them personally and items pertaining to these questions:

• What did you learn from what was said regarding covenant leadership?
• What did you learn from how these covenant leaders taught?
• What are your reflections on the class period as a whole?

We asked students to turn in the answers to these questions for each lecture. In addition to notetaking, students participated in projects outside of class serving in their community or helping create a “women of covenant leadership” podcast by preparing and conducting interviews, editing content, setting up the studio every week, and running sound and lighting. The podcast was also an important place for students to forge relationships with each other and with the women invited as guests.

A highlight of the semester was a class retreat at Spring Haven in Hobble Creek Canyon. At the retreat, we took time to have organic bonding experiences by playing games and sharing meals as well as giving instruction and answering questions. We invited Liz Darger to join us in instructing and to participate in a panel where we discussed themes of leadership as well as priesthood power. This time together was not just intellectually enlarging or spiritually strengthening, it was also a major emotional boost. There is much power in connecting good women with good women; gathering is essential to the Lord’s work in our day. These were special relationships that could have only been made in a class like this.

At the conclusion of the semester, we asked students the same questions about what covenant leadership means. Some responses follow:

Covenant leadership could be described as a life lived in deliberate and devoted discipleship to Jesus Christ. That partnership with the Savior is, to me, the key of covenant leadership, as opposed to leadership in any other sense. We have learned that leadership is having influence, vision, and confidence—among other things. Taking these three points as an example: covenant leadership is not just to have general influence but to be filled with the Spirit so that your influence leads others to seek God; covenant leadership is to have spiritual vision—to see as God sees and to think celestial; and covenant confidence is all in Jesus Christ, for we know his promises are sure—and thus, as we are faithful, we need have no fear of evil or even of our own shortcomings.—K. G.

Covenant leadership is living life in a way that is in accordance with the covenants you have made with the Savior. It is realizing that you influence others just by living, and that is leadership—your influence, whether small or great. So, by being intentional and aware and committed to how you live your life and living it in accordance with those covenants you can influence others for good.—C. K.

Covenant leadership is not loud, self-proclaiming, self-focused, or worldly; it’s not about being at the top. This kind of leadership points everything and everyone to Christ, focuses on being an instrument for him, and applies principles of daily repentance, humble submissiveness, and seeking the will of the Lord in all things.—A. L.

All who make a keep covenants are covenant leaders primarily through example of living like Christ, who is the perfect leader. You do not need a calling or a position to be a covenant leader; rather, you need to know and strive to become like Christ.—G. O.

Students in this course experienced learning in a variety of ways, not just from what our speakers said and from what they read in their readings, but also from watching how our guest speakers interacted with them and how they interacted with each other. Having a small class facilitated relationships and allowed for very personal learning. At the conclusion of the class, one young adult woman wrote, “I did not know there were so many stalwart, covenant leaders among my peers on the BYU campus. I look forward to using the principles I learned in this class as I seek to increase my capacity to be a leader as President Nelson has pled. This experience has truly been a life-changer for me!” We are thankful for the prophetic invitations that led us to begin this class as well as the continued direction we receive from church leaders on how to be the covenant people God expects us to be. This was a wonderful class, and we are excited to continue Covenant Women’s Leadership (REL C 393R) this fall.

Notes

[1] Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1998), 185.

[2] Russell M. Nelson, “A Plea to My Sisters” (general conference talk, October 2015), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[3] Russell M. Nelson, “Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel” (general conference talk, October 2018), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.