Young Women Organization Research GuideYoung Women Slogans/Themes/Mottos

Young Women Slogans/Themes/Mottos

Young Women Organization Research Guide

The Young Women organization uses slogans, themes, and mottos to help define the work of the organization, plan lessons, and help young women in their personal development and goal setting. Originally, there was a new slogan each year. In 1936 the term slogan was discontinued and replaced by themes. This term was perceived as more spiritual than slogan. Themes were discontinued in 1971 but then reinstated in 1980. “Each year’s theme builds upon themes of the past, building on the idea that Christ is at the center of our lives. . . . Young women learn they have control of their lives as they endeavor to live the commandments of the Lord in daily thoughts and actions.”1

In 1985 a general theme for the Young Women was introduced. This theme was recited by young women all over the world. That theme was adjusted twice (2001 and 2009). In 2019 a new theme was introduced.

Slogans

“We stand for”:

1914 - A sacred Sabbath and a weekly half holiday

1915 - A weekly home evening

1916 - State and nationwide prohibition

1917 - Thrift and economy

1918 - Service to God and country

1919 - Spiritual growth through attendance at sacrament meetings

1920 - The nonuse and nonsale of tobacco

1921 - Loyal citizenship

1922 - A pure life through clean thought and action

1923 - Divine guidance through individual and family prayer

1924 - The commandment “honor thy father and thy mother”

1925 - An individual testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ

1926 - A testimony of the divine mission of Joseph Smith

1927 - A fuller knowledge of the Book of Mormon and a testimony of its divine origin

1928 - Law, for the people who live it and the officers who enforce it

1929 - The preservation of our heritage through obedience to law

1930 - Loyal adherence to Latter-day Saint ideals

1931 - Physical, mental, and spiritual health, through observance of the Word of Wisdom

1932 - Enrichment of life through constructive use of leisure and personal service to fellowmen

1933 - Inspired by the refining influences of Mormonism, we will develop the gifts within us

1934 - By my actions, I will prove my allegiance to the Church

1935 - Spirituality and happiness in the home

Themes

1936 - “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45).

1937 - “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

“He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (Psalm 24:3–5).

1938 - “By love serve one another.

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:13–14).

1939 - “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).

1940 - “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

“Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

“When thou goest, it shall lead thee; and when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee” (Proverbs 6:20-22).

1941 - “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10).

1942 - “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

1943 - “Let us all do the will of our Father in heaven today, and we will then be prepared for the duty of tomorrow, also for the eternities which are to come” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant [2011], 30).

1944 - “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5–6).

1945 - “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Psalm 34:13-15).

1946 - “Let every one get a knowledge for himself that this work is true. . . . Then let every person say: ‘I will live my religion. . . . I will walk humbly before my God and deal honestly with my fellow beings’” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 429).

1947 - “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life” (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7).

1948 - “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

1949 - “How glorious and near to the angels is youth that is clean; this youth has joy unspeakable here and eternal happiness hereafter” (“The Message of the First Presidency to the Church,” Improvement Era, May 1942, 273).

1950 - “Learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God” (Alma 37:35).

1951 - “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

1952 - “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).

1953 - “Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:86).

1954 - “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:7).

1955 - “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16).

1956 - “Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works” (Jacob 4:10).

1957 - “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent” (John 17:3).

1958 - “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

1959 - “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

1960 - “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers” (Doctrine and Covenants 112:10).

1961 - “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7).

1962 - “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:5).

1963 - “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 10:4).

1964 - “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32).

1965 - “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).

1966 - “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

“And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21).

1967 - “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18).

1968 - “Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life” (2 Nephi 10:23).

1969 - “For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled” (Mormon 8:22).

1970 - “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (Articles of Faith 1:13).

1971 - “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24).

Themes were discontinued after 1971 and then reinstated in 1980.

1980 - “Search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil” (Moroni 7:19).

A young woman learns gospel principles and how to apply them in her life. She learns to make correct choices and to stand up against evil, even when no one else does.

1981 - “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

A young woman gains confidence and strength as she learns to live by the Spirit. She knows she has a precious place in our Heavenly Father’s kingdom and that she need not be afraid.

1982 - “The Lord is the strength of my life” (Psalm 27:1).

A young woman becomes closer to the Lord as she learns to trust in Him and His plan for her. She develops Christlike qualities. She understands who she is and prepares herself to make a difference in the world.

1983 - “Behold, my joy is full” (3 Nephi 17:20; Jesus’s statement to the faithful Nephites).

This is the year—for the young woman to count her blessings and be of good cheer as she finds ways to share with others some of the abundant blessings she has received. She realizes that joy comes from faithfulness and discovers how much more full her joy can be as she learns to put the principles of these themes into her life.

1984 - “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded” (1 Nephi 3:7).

Doing denotes action. These words of Nephi remind young women that it isn’t enough to know the gospel. They must also live the gospel. As we learn line upon line and precept upon precept, our lives should be changed and our knowledge translated into good deeds. As President Spencer W. Kimball has often said, “Do it!”

1985 - We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places . . .” as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith,

Divine Nature,

Individual Worth,

Knowledge,

Choice and Accountability,

Good Works,

and Integrity.

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

2001, 2008 - We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith,

Divine Nature,

Individual Worth,

Knowledge,

Choice and Accountability,

Good Works,

Integrity,

and Virtue.

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

2019 - I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I strive to become like Him. I seek and act upon personal revelation and minister to others in His holy name.

I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places.

As I strive to qualify for exaltation, I cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day. With faith, I will strengthen my home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, and receive the ordinances and blessings of the holy temple.

Motto

1904 - Improvement our motto; perfection our aim

1925 - The glory of God is intelligence

1989 - Stand for truth and righteousness

Gleaner Sheaf

1930 - I will gather “treasures of truth”!

1937-72 - “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

“He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (Psalm 24:3-5).

I, a Gleaner, from this season’s gleaning, shall come forth bearing my fourfold sheaf:

First, I shall bring a clean body—nothing forbidden shall enter it—no corruption shall touch it. It is my surety of eternal joy.

Second, I shall bring from my gleaning a pure heart. From it shall flow high ideals, pure thoughts, clean speech, righteous actions. By the pure eye of faith I shall see God.

Third, from my season’s gleaning I shall bring an humble, obedient spirit.

I shall obey God’s laws with delight.

I shall honor my womanhood.

I shall intelligently, diligently, and prayerfully perform my duties. I shall know God.

Fourth, from season’s gleaning I shall bring an honest mind.

I shall not bear false witness.

I shall speak truly.

I shall honor my word.

I shall learn the truth and the truth shall make me free.

Thus, bearing my fourfold sheaf, I shall hope to ascend into the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place; then shall I receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of my salvation.”

Sources:

1. Elaine Cannon, “Themes Chart Course,” Church News, Jan. 23, 1982.