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Carole Mikita reporting Tens of thousands of woman have descended on Brigham Young University for the school's annual Women's Conference.
The attendees participate in a number of activities. They are there to listen to inspirational speeches and to take part in humanitarian work. The combination attracts quite a crowd.
Tens of thousands of Latter-day Saint women are attending a two-day annual conference, listening to speeches on everything from spiritual growth to household budgets. The sessions are broadcast by satellite around the world.
Bonnie D. Parkin/ General Relief Society President "TRUE WELFARE IS ALL ABOUT THE HEART. IT'S TAKING WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AND USING IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE."
BYU's new president spent his first day on the job here. He likes the message this conference sends.
Pres. Cecil O. Samuelson/ BYU's New President: “SO THAT THE WORLD CAN SEE, HOW IMPORTANT THE THOUGHT AND THE INPUT AND THE DIRECTION, SPIRIT AND TESTIMONY OF WOMEN ARE, TO ALL OF US. "
There's another side to women's conference. When the attendees are not listening, they are working. And what they create goes to help needy people throughout the world."
The more than 200 quilts they make may go to Afghanistan, Ukraine, Tonga, or anywhere in the world. And there are many other projects.
Brita Scott/ Humanitarian Projects Supervisor "THEY ARE ACTUALLY DOING 45-THOUSAND HYGIENE KITS THIS AFTERNOON... 15- THOUSAND SCHOOL KITS AND 5-THOUSAND NEWBORN KITS. IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SO GENEROUS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE COME OUT TO SERVE."
A group that crochets is creating some of the 2-thousand bandages for leper colonies. Each one takes as much as 15 hours to make.
Carol Adams/ Orem Volunteer "Carole asks: 'Satisfying work, though?' "IT IS TO ME... BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE WHO NEEDS SOME HELP..."
And these women are building little teddy bears. Some stuff and some sew the bears.
Sharon Lambert/ Project Leader "THERE ARE LIKE 500-MILLION CHILDREN WITHOUT A TOY IN THE WORLD...WE JUST FEEL LIKE THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY..."
Work on those humanitarian projects continues this evening and the conference goes on again tomorrow beginning at 9:00 AM and ending at 5:00 PM.
