Mormon Women Mark a First for Church

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Female members of the Mormon church gathered around the world Saturday night for what leaders called a historic meeting of the faith. The church's General Women's Meeting for the first time brought together all female members from the age of 8 and older. More than 20,000 girls and women gathered in Salt Lake City while millions more watched in Mormon meetinghouses worldwide for the united meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' three female auxiliaries. They are the Relief Society for adult women, the Young Women group for 12- to 17-year-olds and the Primary organization for 18-month- to 11-year-olds. Young Women group general president Bonnie Oscarson called it "one of the most faith-filled and powerful assemblies in the history of the church, if not the world."