Changes for Young Women

A leadership change during the Saturday morning session of the LDS Church's 177th Annual General Conference included the release of two members of the general Young Women presidency and the calling of a new counselor.

Sister Mary N. Cook was called as second counselor to Sister Susan W. Tanner, who remains as president of the organization. Former first counselor Sister Julie B. Beck was released and called as the new general Relief Society president of the church. Former second counselor Sister Elaine S. Dalton will now serve as first counselor in the general Young Women presidency.

Sister Cook has been serving on the Young Women General Board. She and her husband were previously called to preside over the newly created Mongolian mission, where they had served as full-time missionaries. She had also accompanied her husband to Hong Kong, where he served in the Asia Area Presidency.

A special education teacher, administrator and elementary school principal, Sister Cook received bachelor's and master's degrees in speech pathology and audiology as well as her Ed.S. degree from Brigham Young University. She is stepmother to four children and stepgrandmother to 17 grandchildren.