Julie B. Beck

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Julie Bangerter Beck (born 29 September 1954) has been the general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 31 March 2007.

[edit] Biography

Born in Granger, Utah to William Grant Bangerter and Geraldine Hamblin, Beck grew up in Utah and in São Paulo, Brazil, where her father served as a mission president for the LDS Church for five years. Beck graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in family science. On 28 December 1973, she married Ramon P. Beck in the Salt Lake Temple.

In October 2002, Beck was asked to be the First Counselor to Susan W. Tanner in the Young Women general presidency of the LDS Church. Beck served in this capacity until her call in 2007 as the general president of the Relief Society, succeeding Bonnie D. Parkin. Beck is the fifteenth general president of the Relief Society since it was organized in 1842. As Relief Society president, Beck is an ex officio member of the executive committee of the Board of Trustees of the Church Educational System and is a member of the church's Board of Education. Beck is assisted by two counselors, Silvia Henriquez Allred and Barbara Thompson.

[edit] Family

Beck and her husband have two daughters and one son and currently reside in Alpine, Utah.

Beck's father, William Grant Bangerter, has been a general authority of the LDS Church since 1975, when he was called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Beck is also the niece of Utah's thirteenth governor, Norman H. Bangerter, who held office from 1985 to 1993.

[edit] Controversy

At the October 2007 general conference of the LDS Church, Beck delivered a sermon that caused some controversy among some members of the church.^[1] In her sermon, Beck equated "nurturing" with "homemaking" — which Beck said "includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home" — and stated that "Latter-day Saint women should be the best homemakers in the world".^[2] A report issued a few days after Beck's speech stated that "she has caused a stir among Mormon women not seen since 1987, when President Ezra Taft Benson said unequivocally that mothers should not work outside the home except in emergencies."^[1]

Beck reiterated her counsel in a March 2008 address:

Some of you women are deciding now whether you should marry and have a family or choose a career. You are bright and qualified, and you have opportunities your grandmothers never dreamed of. The possibilities for earning credentials and making a mark for yourselves on the world stage have never been greater. But I hope you are making your decisions with the blessings of Abraham in mind. Latter-day Saint women should understand that no matter how many other people they enlist to help them with their home and children, they cannot delegate their role as the primary nurturer and teacher of their families. Righteous motherhood will always stretch every reserve they have to meet the needs of their families. As a daughter of God who has made covenants with Him, each of you carries the vital and indispensable female half of the responsibility for fulfilling the Lord’s plan. Each of you has the agency to prayerfully and humbly choose how to approach your career opportunities. Every choice has a consequence. You cannot have everything and do everything. You must choose with eternal priorities in mind. I would hope that you will understand that there are no glamorous careers. Every form of employment has its own innate challenges. Many choices available in the world today compete with eternal goals and responsibilities. Many choices could persuade you to delay or limit the number of children you invite into your family. Many choices could rob you of critical time and energy necessary to adequately care for your spouse, your children, and your responsibilities in the Lord’s kingdom. These decisions are between you and the Lord. He knows the desires of your heart and your unique situation.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• “Julie Bangerter Beck First Counselor, Young Women General Presidency”, Ensign, Nov. 2002, 124
• "Julie B. Beck: Relief Society General President", Ensign, May 2007, 127.