Relief Society Origins


In the mid-1800’s women’s societies were cropping up all over the nation’s eastern

Sarah Melissa Granger Kimball

seaboard.  These popular groups brought women together.  Sarah Kimball organized a small sewing group to be just like the women of the world.  When Joseph Smith heard about the group, he loved the idea.  However,  he informed the women that the Lord had something better in store for the women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Eliza records that Joseph called that first meeting to be held in the Masonic Temple (the upper room of his Red Brick Store) to organize the women under the Priesthood. Joseph explained that the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not complete until the women were organized under the Priesthood. That’s important to know because this is where the Presidency of the Relief Society was first formed, as the Presidency of the various quorums of the Priesthood are formed to govern the Church.

When Emma Smith was called as the first Relief Society President, she asked Eliza R. Snow to serve as her secretary.  Eliza kept a Minute Book to serve as a record for these original meetings.  As the Relief Society met together and began organizing themselves, the Priesthood brethren encouraged them, taught them important doctrines, and gave them power to fulfill their destiny; our destiny.  The Minute Book is a wonderful record that gives us understanding, without question, the role women play in these latter days.  Eliza recorded profound messages made by Joseph, Emma, as well as all the women who witnessed these events.

In that period of time, women had few rights and privileges. The women of Nauvoo were willing to help build a temple, but they didn’t understand their role in the temple. They didn’t even know they would ever be allowed inside the temple. When Joseph turned the key for the Relief Society, he gave us power of Presidency (identical to Priesthood Presidency). He also turned the key giving us power from on high to gain all the knowledge, power, and wisdom of salvation. When Joseph told them they would be able to receive all the blessings of the temple unto salvation, electricity went through the room; they could not contain themselves. These women understood and expressed their desires to play a vital part in the restoration of all things as well as the hopes of gaining eternal life with their families.

That original Minute Book came across the plains in Eliza’s care and was used to set up the Relief Societies in the various Utah settlements. This precious book has become the Relief Society Constitution that leads and directs our work as Sisters of Zion; Women of God.

If you search the talks given to us by our Relief Society leaders over the years (check my reference page), you will see that they have fed us ideas that are in this Minute Book (check the footnotes of these talks). The vision of Relief Society is intact. But our hearts aren’t quite as full of understanding as the original Relief Society sisters were.

Remember, the original sewing group wanted to be like the worldly women’s groups.  That’s not bad…but the Relief Society is something better; with a heavenly purpose and an eternal destiny.