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This devotional address entitled Taking Up the Cross was given on January 4th of

1976 by Neil A. Maxwell, then an assistant to the quorum of the 12 apostles of the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I do appreciate more than I can say the opportunity to be with you as you begin the winter

semester.

I'm grateful that all members of my family can be here tonight, but particularly that my wife

and my daughters are here, and that creates a moment when before proceeding to my text,

I would like to observe that the role of women in the church has never been more important

than it is now, because never has the church been so directly important and so influential

to so many members of the human race as it is now.

While the church will always be priesthood-led and priesthood-centered,

we must not make the mistakes, brothers and sisters,

of assuming and drawing wrong conclusions from that reality.

I hope the young women of the church will do all they can to develop their God-given

talents and to stretch themselves intellectually and spiritually during their youth and young

adult years, for the learning process is scaffolding for the soul. We desire our women

to be an arguably superb individuals, wives, and mothers.

And they can contribute so much to this outcome by making the most of their educational

opportunities, both now and by having a posture of lifetime learning.

A short time ago, during one of the few times at my own ward's sacram meeting, our bishop

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