Testimonials

President Orgill:

I understand that our very dear friend, Barbara Jones, has been requested to give a Tri-Stake Fireside under your direction.  I am very willing to give this letter of recommendation extolling the talents and gifts of Barbara that she so willingly shares in the speaking arena.  In my opinion, there is no other person who supercedes Barbara in the manner she can in reaching the heart and soul of each individual who is fortunate enough to be in attendance to learn from her.

My wife and I had the pleasure of inviting Barbara to do a tour in Mexico when I was Area President.  Lives were changed and testimonies strengthened because of the stirring and inspiring messages she gave.  Then, when I was in the Area Presidency in Central America, we invited her to come again to give several presentations in Guatemala and El Salvador.  These tours were even more successful because she has a charming command of the Spanish language.

We also have heard Barbara speak at the various venues she has been a part of; Be the Best You Camp (she is the founder and provides scholarships to young women through her non-profit HBJ Foundation), Education Week in Provo and in Hawaii, the New Woman’s program that she began thirteen years ago at BYU-Hawaii; plus we have traveled with her on cruises and have been entertained as well as inspired as she has spoken to the groups assembled on those cruises.

Barbara supports Church standards, and she has a disarming sense of humor, which she incorporates in her talks, especially for the youth.

We are aware of her far-reaching influence worldwide, as she has traveled, even with ill health at times, to China, Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada, Korea, South Africa, and spoken at many universities in those countries, always willing to give of herself for the betterment of women, the youth, and everyone.

With 100%, I heartily recommend Barbara to speak to any group, and they will be well rewarded for attending.  My wife, Helen, joins me in this, too. 
May the Lord’s blessings always attend you in your sacred calling.

Most cordially,


Elder Robert E. Wells, General Authority Emeritus

Dear Sister Jones,

Recently you blessed the lives of so many members of the Roy Utah North Stake. Our youth were captured by your presentation at the Friday evening fireside, as you shared the “three great lies” with them, and helped strengthen their testimonies and resolve to follow the Savior and draw closer to Him.

At the Women’s Conference the next day, our sisters were inspired and uplifted by your messages of love, sisterhood, taking care of themselves spiritually and physically, and living up to their divine calling as daughters of God. Throughout the stake, many sisters have told us how much they enjoyed the day with you, as they laughed and cried while learning from your wonderful presentation.

Then, Saturday evening, the adults, most of them married couples, were treated to a better understanding of their relationship. We are sure they came away from this enjoyable evening encouraged to make the Savior and our Father in Heaven a part of their relationships and to recognize each others needs in order to strengthen their bond of love.

Sister Jones, thank you so much for all you have done to touch the lives of the members of the Roy Utah North Stake. Please express our appreciation to your foundation for making it possible for us to receive your inspiring messages. In our Sunday programs following our weekend with you we included this thought, “What will you do with the inspiration you received from Sister Barbara Barrington Jones messages this weekend? Live it! Share it! Pass it on! Don’t forget it!” We learned a few years ago from Sister Chieko Okasaki, that one of the best things we can do is keep talking about what we learned, and share it with others following such a wonderful event.

Thank you so much for all you have done for so many. May the Lord bless you abundantly for the powerful message you share in such a loving way.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am offering this letter to share with fellow bishops how indebted we are to Sister Barbara Barrington Jones who rendered powerful presentations at a Stake Youth Fireside on Friday, March 10, followed by a captivating Stake Women’s Conference all day, on Saturday, March 11, as well as a truly engaging Adult Fireside on Saturday evening. However, we were especially grateful for her wonderful talk in our ward’s Sacrament Meeting on Sunday.

In our Sacrament Meeting, we had a youth speaker who delivered an excellent talk on how gossip and critical talk can be destructive. Sister Jones was our second and concluding speaker. In her talk, she helped all of our members, including those who were not able to attend on of her earlier presentations, to understand how the Lord wants us to speak only kind words toward each other. It was scripturally based, enriched with her personal observations, and endorsed with her indomitable testimony of the Savior. The two talks were remarkably complementary.

As an added treat, during the “third hour” Sister Jones delivered a riveting presentation to all of our youth on how to discover what the Lord has for each of us. Her illustrations were not metaphoric. She used lives of young people their ages with whom she had worked—each of whom lacked hope. I won’t spoil the endings! Anyway, Sister Jones has made an indelible impact upon our members—as to how, in spite of adversity, following the Savior really does lead to eternal happiness. In fact, she vividly demonstrates how opposition can make us stronger. This great lady is a treasure.

Sister Jones,

I was in the audience for your presentation to the youth of the Washington Terrace East Stake on February 24, 2006. Please allow me to express my thanks and appreciation for a job well done. I have been present for few meetings where I have felt the Spirit more strongly, and I can’t recall a stronger testimony ever being borne.

As Young Men’s President in my ward, your presentation hit very close to home. It also reaffirmed how difficult it is for leaders as well as the youth themselves, to battle against Satan each and every day. I only wish all the youth of our stake, member and nonmember alike, had the chance to hear your words. Aside from the prophet, you provided probably the strongest warning to the youth about Satan and his methods.

At the same time you provided the youth with a happy and realistic message of hope. Too often in my tenure as a priesthood leader I have counseled youth who Satan has convinced “there is no way out”. I have, in my own way, attempted to convince those youth that there is in fact a way out. My thanks to you for providing me with such a strong message of hope which I can use to provide even better priesthood leadership to the youth of my ward.

My sincere thanks for your taking the time to speak to our stake. Your message will not be lost on the leaders and youth in attendance. My sincere appreciation for what you are doing, have done, and will do for the youth of not only the church, but the world. Best wishes and good luck in all your future endeavors.