Sister Bonnie D. Parkin
Eternally Encircled in His Love
October General Relief Society Meeting 2006
"I know of a young mother with five little children who called an older sister, her valued mentor, and asked, "can we go on a hike?" Her friend knew that meant she needed to talk. Halfway through an eight-mile loop, the young mother finally said, "I just can't believe that Heavenly Father loves me; I've made lots of mistakes in my life. I can't feel that I'm worthy of His love; how can He possibly love me?" Sisters, this was a woman who made temple covenants and was active in the Church."
Bonnie Dansie Parkin (born August 4, 1940) was the fourteenth general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 2002 to 2007. Parkin was also a member of the general presidency of the church's Young Women organization from 1994 to 1997.
ReplyDeleteBonnie Dansie was raised in a Latter-day Saint home in Herriman, Utah. She graduated from Utah State University in 1962. On July 1, 1963, she married James L. Parkin in the Salt Lake Temple.
Parkin was the second counselor to Janette C. Hales in the LDS Church's Young Women Organization beginning in 1994. In 1997, her service in this position ended when she chose to accompany her husband to London, England, where he had been asked to be the president of the England London South Mission of the church.
At the April 2002 general conference of the church, Parkin was made the general president of the Relief Society, succeeding Mary Ellen W. Smoot, who had been president since 1997. Parkin held this leadership position until March 31, 2007, when she was released and replaced with Julie B. Beck.
Parkin and her husband are the parents of four sons. One of their daughters-in-law is the daughter of LDS general authority and billionaire philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman, the granddaughter of deceased LDS apostle David B. Haight, and sister of Utah governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. and Huntsman Corp. CEO Peter Huntsman.