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President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints talks with Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.

Courtesy Intellectual Reserve

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Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints greet a delegation from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. From left to right: Elder David A. Bednar, Abdulaziz Alquhantani, President Dallin H. Oaks, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, President Russell M. Nelson, Musad Al Saud, President Henry B. Eyring and Elder Anthony D. Perkins.

Courtesy Intellectual Reserve

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Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud meets with top female leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. From left to right: Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, Princess Reema, Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon and Primary General President Susan H. Porter.

Courtesy Intellectual Reserve

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The Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, made her second trip to Utah to meet with top leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last week.

The ambassador met with the church’s First Presidency: President Russell M. Nelson, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring. Princess Reema was also greeted by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Anthony D. Perkins, president of the church’s Middle East/Africa North Area.

The ambassador also visited Utah in March 2020 and spoke of her appreciation for the state.

The ambassador also spent an hour talking to the church’s top female leaders: Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon and Primary General President Susan H. Porter. The women discussed the need to strengthen the faith of teenagers and children and the role of women in faith groups.

“I think it’s so good for women to know that, yes, you are a part of this work,” Princess Reema said. “I believe women should have every opportunity. Whatever they choose — we should support them.”

Princess Reema said that she is encouraging young adults from Saudi Arabia to work or study in Utah.

“We are a nation that is very proud of our faith,” she said. “That foundation builds a strong sense of community. That is what really allows our community to connect with other faith-based communities. It’s why I’m so excited for our young people to come here (to Utah). It’s a soft landing for them.”

The ambassador said that building relationships with people of all different religions is important to her.

“We firmly believe that the connectivity of faith-based individuals is what is going to save our future,” she said. “I am thrilled to meet with other women leaders today that are using their platforms to empower women and provide them with the resources and opportunities for success.”

The group, including the First Presidency, discussed their shared humanity as children of God and the need to sustain religious values in a changing world, according to a church statement. The ambassador praised a new pamphlet produced by the church called “Muslims and Latter-day Saints: Beliefs, Values, and Lifestyles” as an effective way to educate believers about those of other faiths.

While acknowledging differences between the two religions, sections in the pamphlet illustrate some of the shared beliefs. For example:

• God is omniscient and omnipotent. Faith should be expressed in thought, word and action.
• Prophets are vital in providing guidance from God.
• Jesus Christ plays an important, though different, role for both groups.
• Revelation from God given through messengers as scripture is the foundation for learning God’s will, keeping commitments and participating in faithful worship.
• Human beings must communicate with God through daily prayer.
• God delights in purity and chastity.
• Women are essential in society and in the home.
• Family is the fundamental unit of society and an essential source of joy.

“Although thousands of miles apart, the Kingdom and Utah share much in common, an integral part of that being a faith-based community,” she said. “Faith provides us the opportunities to exercise equality, charity and community-based initiatives. It is our way of life in the Kingdom, and I see the similarities here in Utah.”

Another topic of a discussion was the need for religious tolerance, a message that church leaders recently have been sharing around the world.

In July, President Oaks spoke at a Catholic conference in Rome and called for a global effort to protect religious freedom for all people. And in May, Elder Perkins participated in a groundbreaking faith conference in Riyadh called the Forum on Common Values Among Religious Followers.

The three female general officers said they were grateful for the opportunity to connect with the ambassador.

“It was a treasured experience to meet with Princess Reema,” President Johnnson said. “She is courageous, articulate and poised. I am happy to know we share the belief that we are all children of God, brothers and sisters who are more alike than we are different.”

President Cordon said, “Her Royal Highness Princess Reema is a remarkable ambassador for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She has a gift for recognizing and cultivating the strengths of her country that are echoed here in the United States — especially faith, freedom and family. Princess Reema is a force for good and has a vision of what we can do when we collaborate and focus on the many things we have in common.”

“It was a great blessing to meet with Princess Reema,” President Porter said. “She is engaged in so many important efforts, including building bridges with those of other faiths and working with women to help them discover their identity and gifts. Her warmth and intelligence have helped her find keys to opening doors and facilitating understanding. By the end of our discussion, we felt like friends.”

Princess Reema met with the First Presidency on her previous visit to Salt Lake City in March 2020. At that time, she also toured the church’s Humanitarian Center and learned about the church’s efforts to help those in need around the world.

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