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Elder Dale G. Renlund, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, delivered a powerful message to the women of South Africa during a Sisters’ Devotional at the Sandton Stake Center on February 21, 2025. This visit, part of a broader ministry to Latter-day Saints in the region, focused on faith, faithfulness, and discipleship.
Elder Renlund was accompanied by his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund, and Elder Carlos Godoy, General Authority Seventy and President of the Africa South Area, along with his wife, Mônica Godoy.
A Message of Divine Worth and Repentance
Elder Renlund began by reminding the sisters of their divine worth as daughters of God. 'You are beloved daughters of Heavenly parents with a divine nature and an eternal destiny,' he said. He then spoke about the power of repentance and keeping covenants with Heavenly Father and His Son. By doing so, he explained, women can invite strength into their lives. He emphasized that the worth of each soul is great in the sight of God and that Christ’s Atonement offers a path for repentance and a way to draw closer to Him.
Quoting from Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–11, he reminded the sisters, 'Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; for, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.'
With tears in his eyes, Elder Renlund spoke about the infinite nature of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 'He did it so we can all come to Him,' he said. 'He did it so that anyone can come to Him. He did it so that even one person can come to Him. He did it so that even you can come to Him. He would have done it, His Atoning sacrifice, if it was only for you.'
He emphasized that discipleship doesn’t require perfection, as the Savior is perfect. “God can make the willing able, but He can't or won’t make the able willing,” Elder Renlund said.
The Power of Women and Eternal Vision
Sister Ruth Renlund, who accompanied her husband, shared a message of encouragement, referring to the women of South Africa as 'superheroes.' To illustrate her point, she wore a Wonder Woman apron, highlighting the real powers women need to cultivate.
She spoke about two essential powers for women to develop:
1. Eternal Vision – the ability to see beyond the present moment and understand the eternal perspective.
2. The Power to Connect to Heavenly Powers – emphasizing the importance of drawing closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Sister Renlund acknowledged that this can be difficult, but reminded the sisters, 'We do not have to be perfect. We have to partner with Jesus Christ, who is perfect.'
The Blessing of Tithing
Elder Godoy spoke about the importance and blessings of paying tithing. He shared a personal story from shortly after he and Sister Mônica Godoy were married. Their apartment was broken into, and though they had very few possessions, the thieves took their most valuable items—a recorder, a camera, and their tithing money, which they had kept in their nightstand. Despite this, Sister Mônica insisted that they still needed to pay their tithing. This decision, grounded in her conviction, led them to continue paying tithing, and Elder Godoy has since seen the blessings of that faithful act. 'You have the power to influence many lives,' he said. 'Be an example of faithfulness.'
Q&A Session and Closing Remarks
The evening concluded with a question-and-answer session, where Elder and Sister Renlund answered questions on topics ranging from identity and trials to covenants and sharing the gospel. They emphasized that through small and simple things, great things are brought to pass, encouraging the sisters to remain steadfast in their faith and commitment to discipleship.
Before departing, Elder Renlund shared a message from President Russell M. Nelson, who sent his love to the women of South Africa. Elder Renlund expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to be with them and took time to shake hands with each of the more than 700 sisters in attendance, thanking them for their presence.
Post-Devotional Reflections:
Reflecting on what made Elder Renlund’s message particularly meaningful, Zinhle Trom shared: “I think sometimes, as sisters, we forget our divine potential. Elder Renlund reminded us to know and remember our worth as daughters of God, daughters of Heavenly Parents. Sometimes, the focus is so much on the Priesthood, on the men of the Church, that we as sisters can feel neglected or unseen. So, when there are moments of reaffirmation about my status and my place in Heavenly Father’s plan, I’m deeply grateful and take it to heart.
