PROVO, Utah – Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified Friday, May 1, at the BYU Women’s Conference, “Only through the merits, mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah can we rise up and be blessed with the potential to become women and men of Christ.”
Elder Bednar and his wife, Sister Susan Bednar, were the closing keynote speakers for this year’s annual event. Their message was broadcast from Brigham Young University’s Marriott Center and streamed live online.
Their speech centered around this year’s theme, “May we rise and shine as women of light,” which was taken from a speech by Sister Wendy Nelson, wife of the late President Russell M. Nelson.
In his remarks, Elder Bednar shared three experiences, each of which taught lessons that can help us better understand what it means to “rise up.”
The Savior heals the paralytic
In the New Testament, four people carry a paralyzed man to a house, open the roof, and lower him into the room where Jesus was (see Mark 2). Christ forgave the man’s sins, got up, took up his bed, and told him to come into the house.
In his account, Elder Bednar said the Lord discerned the man’s needs and helped him emotionally, physically, and spiritually. “God enabled the person to do things he never thought he could do or believe he could do, and enabled him to look beyond his current circumstances and see what “really could be” (James 4:13).
Similarly, Elder Bednar said, before individuals can stand up for themselves, they must discern the truth about their own lives, or “things as they are.”
“Over time, the grace of the Savior and the power of the Holy Spirit help to remove the innate human traits within each of us: self-centeredness, selfishness, and self-doubt that limit our ability to rise up,” he taught.
Peter and John heal the lame man
The second experience Elder Bednar shared focused on the Savior’s ancient apostles, Peter and John. The Bible says that Peter caught sight of this man who was lame from birth and declared, “Look at us” (Acts 3:4).
The man may have been expecting a monetary gift, but Peter declared, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I give you I will give you.” In obedience to the command to “arise and walk,” Peter “took Jesus by the right hand and lifted him up” (Acts 3:6-7).
“The man was looking for money, but Peter saw a greater need. Peter blessed the man physically, gave him peace of mind, and supported him with confidence for the future. The command to rise was comprehensive, not just to the man’s body, but to his entire soul.”
Elder Bednar similarly said, “Before we seek to lead and bless our family, friends, and colleagues in humility, we must first kindle within ourselves the fire of testimony and spiritual growth. Only in this way can we recognize spiritual need and help others rise up.”
modern example
In October 2025, Elder and Mrs. Bednar visited the victims of a mass shooting at a church meetinghouse in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
In his address to the women’s convention on Friday, Elder Bednar read out several lessons that members of the Grand Blanc Ward learned from their experiences. He noted that many of their answers included “light,” “glory,” and “darkness.”
For example, one member wrote: “The most important lesson is that the light that comes from Christ is real, and even in our darkest moments, the light of Christ will never leave us.”
What can we learn from Michigan’s Latter-day Saints about rising up after devastating experiences? “An eternal perspective based on the Father’s plan of happiness is important. It is important to recognize that we can never rise without the power and blessings of the Savior’s Atonement. Covenants have been honorably and faithfully honored. Spiritual priorities based on the restored gospel of Jesus Christ are important. Consistency in learning, doing, and loving small, simple spiritual things is important at all times and in all places,” Elder Bednar said.
“As we humbly accept God’s will and timing in our lives, we receive divine guidance, protection, and spiritual power. We are blessed to ‘rise and shine.'”
In her talk, Sister Bednar issued two calls to the audience: “Rise now as women of light and shine.” The first is to testify and defend the importance of the family in God’s eternal plan, and the second is to serve one another.
“Dear compassionate and philanthropic sisters, let us ‘rise and shine as women of light’ by truly serving the sisters in our wards and branches in a higher and holier way, with love and compassion,” Sister Bednar said.
At the end of his address, Elder Bednar offered what Lalani Lyman, an attendee from Pleasant Grove, Utah, later called “apostolic encouragement” and blessed the audience to “rise up.”
“There was a power in his words. I thought it was incredible,” Lyman said.
For Melissa Hickson, a native of Goodyear, Arizona, the testimony of Grand Blanc Borough members was poignant. It reminded her, “beyond trials, to see the Lord’s hand in everything, because He is in every aspect of our lives. I think it’s amazing that even in that darkness, they were able to look and see all the good and all the light.”
