By Lessa Harding
Okay, full disclosure here. Denise is my mother. When I was growing up, I called her Super Mom. I’ve always been in awe of her abilities, her career, her relationship with my daddy (I am sure it is material for a Hallmark movie), and her dedication to doing what the Lord asks of her. Interviewing her was a privilege.
On paper, Denise is a successful corporate attorney who works for Facebook Ireland. She specializes in privacy, data protection and cyber security, technology, international business, and intellectual property law. She also serves in the Church and mentors young professionals in many stages of their careers. In February, she will fulfill her life-long dream of becoming a published author. But she is so much more than her LinkedIn profile. She is someone who has had trial after trial placed upon her shoulders and yet still stands tall. She is someone who is considered an expert in her field, and yet she always finds value in the advice and council that others give her. She is someone who takes baby steps toward her dreams and helps others to do the same. And she is someone who has learned the importance of being deliberate in the pursuit of those dreams. If anyone can provide a little guidance, inspiration, and direction as we create our vision for the coming year, it is her.
During the interview, Denise shared many things about her life and how she came to be who she is today. I captured it all in the recording I made, and I wish I could share every minute! But you will have to make do with a few highlights.
The first experience that caught my attention was the story of how Denise met the renowned physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. She was introduced to him by her father, a chemist by trade. Mr. Oppenheimer took her on his knee and played with her. He was a kind old man with a twinkle and fire in his eyes that Denise has remembered every day since. Everything she has done has been to keep that same fire burning in herself and to show others, especially her children, what that fire and determination can do.
She had an experience as a young mother that I’ve thought a lot about since the interview. She described a conversation she had with her boss after returning to work following the birth of her fourth child. Her boss could tell she did not want to be there and asked her why she was. Her response? “I need to be.” His advice changed her life and set the tone for the rest of her career. He said, “The best thing you can do for your children is show them that no matter the circumstances of your life, you can make the best out of it. You can do your best, be your best, pursue your dreams, and be happy along the way.”
Denise shared many additional insights and lessons she has learned over the years. She also offered suggestions on how we can achieve our dreams:
- “Have your goals in mind. Don’t let your career take you where you don’t intend to go.”
- “When [you are] with someone, [be] with them.” Don’t pull out your cell phone, turn on the TV, or open your laptop. Instead, focus on the person, really listen to them, and let that person know how important they are.
- “Anyone can start down the road to attaining their dreams if they define their dreams. If it is a someday thing . . . you probably won’t get anywhere. . . . You need to start. . . . [First] create a picture in your head. [Then] keep going back to the dream and refining it. Remember that this is a journey. [Just] start taking baby steps.”
- “If you prioritize, if you make sure you know what is most important to you and do those things first, the rest will follow. Remember, you have a whole life time to fit it all in.”
- “Don’t let life take you on random detours. Don’t just passively watch life go by. There are so many amazing things to do in this world, and if you will be deliberate and remember what is most important, you can accomplish anything.”
We kicked off the conference with a wonderful message from John S. Tanner, president of BYU–Hawaii. Speaking metaphorically, he compared Latter-day Saint publishing professionals to anableps, an unusual kind of fish with eyes on the top of its head that simultaneously see both below and above the water. “In a similar fashion,” he said, “Latter-day Saint publishing professionals must look up to heaven and down to earth at the same time. They must care about mundane matters, like markets, profits, and the expectations of audiences, yet they need to do so with eyes single to God and His glory.” This practical and inspiring message was the perfect start to our conference.
We closed the first day of our conference with an inspiring message from Sheri Dew. Drawing upon the phenomenon of the Total Eclipse in August, Sister Dew talked about how every human being has a divine orbit and the potential and privilege to influence all who come inside his or her orbit. “Those blessed with gifts of expression are in a unique position to have incalculable influence and do inestimable good,” she said. As one conference attendee put it, “Sheri Dew completely changed the way I think about myself as a writer. No longer do I desire to become famous just for the sake of being famous. Now, I desire only to build the Lord’s kingdom, and if as a result I become famous, well then, all the better for being an instrument in His hands. My work isn’t about me anymore. It’s about Him.”
The next morning, conference-attendees arrived eagerly anticipating what new wisdom the day had in store for them. Wendy Ulrich started off the day by instructing us on how to navigate the paradoxes of creating content for a Latter-day Saint audience. She said, “As authors and artists, we want to offer something fresh and new, but we’ll have trouble getting heard if we stray outside the bounds of Church orthodoxy. Secular training may increase our credibility with some Latter-day Saints but decrease it with others. Our personal faith experience gives us insight into our audience but can tempt us to overextrapolate. Navigating paradox is an element of artistic and psychological maturity that will enrich both our creations and our ability to publish and sell them.” Paradoxes indeed! We so appreciated Sister Ulrich’s guidance and expertise.
