Sister Tracy Y. Browning presented her first talk in the general conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this past October just over two months after beginning her service as the 2nd Counselor in the Primary General Presidency.
“While I was surprised that I was asked and invited to share a message so soon into my service, I really focused on making sure that I was doing that significant of an invitation justice by being very prepared and very prayerful about what it was that I was being asked to do,” Sister Browning said.
After accepting the invitation to present a message, Sister Browning made history as the first Black woman to speak in general conference. She maintained a gospel-centered perspective about this pioneer moment.
“We exist in a world where we count firsts which is common, and normal, and totally appropriate for us,” she said. “I recognize that this represents for a lot of people something new that they haven’t seen before, and people may feel connected as a result of that. If I can be a vessel that allows people to connect themselves to the restored Church, to point them to Jesus Christ, then that’s okay. That’s a positive thing.”
Her talk entitled “Seeing More of Jesus Christ in our Lives” prominently featured the analogy of eyeglasses as a symbol of God’s role in leading with clarity.
“When we see through him, we’ll be able to see more of him because as the scriptures tell us all things denote that there is God. So, we’re looking for Him, we’re looking through Him, and we’re using the things that He has given us to help us in this experience of Earth life,” she said.
Because she was baptized at 16 years old, Sister Browning did not get the chance to attend Primary. However, she has taken to Instagram and shared her thoughts on select Primary songs, her favorite of which is “I'm Trying to be Like Jesus.” She loves how these hymns invite children to understand their covenants and to understand the doctrines of Christ.
Primary is the foundation for deeper learning in the Young Men ’s and Young Women’s programs. Sister Browning recognized how lessons learned in Primary can prepare individuals to make better choices as outlined in the updated For the Strength of Youth pamphlet.
“Once [Primary children] start to learn the voice of the Lord, they’re starting to recognize that they’re receiving personal revelation. Those things that they’re receiving, and feeling is an invitation from the spirit to act and to do something, and that’s where we’re connecting God’s inspiration with our agency,” she said.
You can see Sister Browning in a Friend to Friend Broadcast this Saturday, November 5 at 10 a.m. This year's theme is "My Heavenly Father Loves Me." She invites members of all ages to join the broadcast and receive powerful instructions on how to feel Heavenly Father’s love and show our love for Him more intentionally. To learn more, visit the Church website.