Young Women general president Emily Bell 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 August 1, 2023.
For the past year, she has been teaching and serving youth, missionaries, and Latter-day Saints around the world. This young female leader was born on December 31, 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts, the eldest of six children.
She attended the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, where she was reunited with Gregory Garth Freeman, one of the full-time missionaries she had served with when her parents were mission leaders.
The couple celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary earlier this month and are parents to five children.
Before his call, President Freeman was an author, speaker, podcaster, and teacher. She has served as a seminary teacher, Gospel Doctrine teacher, ward Young Women president, and ward Relief Society president.
In honor of her birthday today, here are nine quotes from her from the past year.
1. Lift up Jesus Christ
At Christmas time, President Freeman and his counselors encouraged the youth to “add light” to their Christmas traditions.
“It reminds me of the Book of Mormon scripture that we read about sharing our light, and Jesus said, “I am a light that you shall hold up” (3 Nephi 18:24). . . . No matter what happens next month, every time we add light, we are supporting Jesus, and Jesus has become a part of Christmas for us.”
— Instagram Live Video of Young Women Around the World, December 2, 2025
2. “Great job for you.”
“We trust in you. The Lord has great things in store for you. And rise to your privileges, to the opportunities that are before you. The Lord has great things in store for you.”
— Young Women Mission Age Change Announcement, November 21, 2025
3. “Jesus Christ is our strength.”
“I know that Jesus Christ is our strength. I also know that the Holy Spirit will not fail us if we listen to and respond to his promptings, and we will be led to look to Christ in every thought.”
— Worldwide Youth Devotion Broadcast, October 26, 2025
4. God Directs His Church
“We were reminded that God is still speaking to men and women on earth today, speaking through prophets to the restored, true and living Church.”
— Dedication at Provo Missionary Training Center, October 14, 2025
5. A gift from God
“God tells us we have a great work to do, but He also gives us gifts to accomplish that great work.”
— German Youth Devotional, August 30, 2025
6. “Become a lifelong disciple.”
“Thus we become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. We accept His invitation and acquire His attributes one by one.”
— 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 21, 2025
7. Children of God
“Our relationship as children of God gives us a truly important privilege. Because God knows us and loves us, we can trust Him in our trials and weaknesses. He will sustain us through it.”
— Dedication at Provo Missionary Training Center, May 27, 2025
8. Qualify by belief
“(President Russell M. Nelson) did not ask about my resume (in extending his call as Young Women general president). He did not ask about my qualifications. He did not ask what I was good at.
“He just asked if I believed. … I think we sometimes forget that our beliefs can help us do things we never imagined would be true for us,” President Freeman said.
— The Church’s Mission in Asia North, February 11, 2025
9. Look to Christ
“Each time I chose to turn to[Christ]it improved, brought strength, and gave me direction, comfort, and insight that I would never have had on my own.”
— 2025 Youth Theme Discussion, January 1, 2025
