Relief Society
History
During the Church's Nauvoo period, Mormon women wanted to create a women's organization to help in the effort of building the Nauvoo Temple as well as to help the poor among them. They originally called themselves the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. The Prophet Joseph Smith was greatly impressed by these Mormon women and the organization they had drawn up. After receiving the will of the Lord, the prophet told the women that the Relief Society ought to be governed in the manner God has appointed. Current Apostle Dallin H. Oaks described it this way:
- The Prophet declared that the Relief Society was to receive instruction and direction from the priesthood leaders who presided over their activities. Like the quorums of priesthood holders in the Church, the Relief Society was to be self-governing, but it was not to be an independent organization. It was an integral part of the Church, not a separate church for women. (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Relief Society and the Church,” Ensign, May 1992, 34)
The Prophet Joseph Smith in turning the keys of authority over to the Relief Society gave the following promises to Mormon women:
- If you live up to [these] privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.
- If this Society listen[s] to the counsel of the Almighty, through the heads of the Church, they shall have power to command queens in their midst. (Quoted from Boyd K. Packer, “The Relief Society,” Ensign, May 1998, 72).
On March 17, 1842 the Relief Society was officially organized with Emma Smith, wife of the Prophet Joseph, as the first president. During the first few years of the organization, the Relief society helped raise funds for the Nauvoo temple, sewed clothes for the men working on its construction, nursed and cared for the sick and poor, and generally gave assistance where it was needed.
When the Mormons were settled in Utah, the Relief Society was able to continue to grow and thrive. Mormon women were trained as nurses, stored food, built granaries, campaigned for women's suffrage, and had their own magazine called the Woman's Exponent.
The Relief Society Today
The Relief Society meets each Sunday (excluding conferences) during the Mormon block schedule. Weekly lessons consist of messages from former prophets or the current Church leaders. Mormon women also gather regularly for Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment meetings and activities (Enrichment for short). Enrichment gives Mormon women an additional opportunity to socialize, learn, and be uplifted. At Enrichments, Mormon women strengthen each other in their common roles as wives, mothers, sisters in Zion, and daughters of God.
During one of the Relief Society's annual conferences, current President Bonnie D. Parkin (2002--) had this to say about Relief Society:
- Relief Society—the Lord’s organization for women. Relief Society is important to the Lord ... He provided women a safe haven from the harshness of the world when He gave us Relief Society. From the beginning our association together and our direction from priesthood leaders have helped us come unto Christ. There was no greater cause then; there is no greater cause today.
- Relief Society was not man-made or woman-made. It was, as President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) explained, “divinely made, divinely authorized, divinely instituted, divinely ordained of God to minister for the salvation of the souls of women and of men.” Bonnie D. Parkin, “Oh, How We Need Each Other!” Ensign, Mar. 2004, 16
President Parkin went on to list six objectives of the Relief Society:
- Build faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and teach the doctrines of the kingdom.
- Emphasize the divine worth of each sister.
- Exercise charity and nurture those in need.
- Strengthen and protect families.
- Serve and support each sister.
- Help sisters become full participants in the blessings of the priesthood.
A large part of meeting these objectives is the Relief Society's Visiting Teaching program. In this program, two women are asked to look after and visit other women in the ward at least once a month. This usually involves some sort of spiritual message and a chance for the women to get to know one another and strengthen each other. Through Visiting Teaching, every woman has someone to watch over them and the bonds of sisterhood are strengthened.
For more information about the Relief Society visit www.lds.org
