President Emily Belle Freeman, Young Women general president

Early Life and Education

Born on December 31, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts, Sister Emily Belle Oswald Freeman is the daughter of McKinley M. and Leslie J. Oswald. She was raised in Sandy, Utah, in a home that prioritized deep scriptural study.¹ 

President Freeman attended Brigham Young University and later the University of Utah. She spent significant time in California during her late teens while her parents presided over a mission there. ² 

It was during this time that she met her husband, Gregory G. Freeman, who was serving as a missionary in her parents' mission. They were married in December 1989 in the Los Angeles California Temple, with the sealing performed by then-Elder Thomas S. Monson.³ 

Professional Career: Author and Educator

Prior to her call, President Freeman was a household name among Latter-day Saints for her prolific work in media, teaching and writing:

• "Don't Miss This": She co-founded the popular YouTube series and podcast with David Butler, which helped millions of viewers engage with the Come, Follow Me curriculum. That podcast continues to be run by Butler and President Freeman's daughter, Grace Freeman.⁴ 

• Author: She has written over 20 books, including Grace Where You Are, Even This, and The Christ-Centered Home.

• CES Teacher: She taught for many years in the Church Educational System and was a frequent speaker at BYU Women's Conference and Time Out for Women.⁵ 

Recent teachings

In a January 2026 worldwide youth devotional, President Freeman discussed Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. 

Jehoshaphat, scared that an army was coming, invited his people to fast. Sister Freeman shared, "First, we seek the Lord. And how do we do that? Well, we learn from Jehoshaphat that one of the ways we can do that is through prayer and through fasting.”

She invited the youth to keep prayer at the center of their lives:

“Maybe that looks like morning, and maybe that looks like evening, but also maybe it looks like walking and involving Him in that conversation, or pausing in the middle of the school day, or driving in the car or wherever you are, pausing to thank Him for a beautiful sunset. And that’s how answers come and blessings, and that’s how we strengthen our relationship with Him.⁶ 

• ^{1. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-emily-belle-freemans-deep-abiding-belief-in-jesus-christ}
• ^{2. Ibid.}
• ^{3. Ibid.}
• ^{4. https://www.dontmissthisstudy.com}
• ^{5. https://www.ldsliving.com/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-creation-of-emily-belle-freeman-and-david-butlers-dont-miss-this/s/92179}
• ^{6. https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2026/01/18/worldwide-discussion-for-youth-2026-theme-walk-with-me-president-christofferson/}