I hope most of you are familiar with the Relief Society’s work in gathering wheat; and how it was a huge contributing factor to the Welfare Department. This is the story:

Sister Emmeline B. Wells became associate editor of the Woman’s Exponent in 1875 and editor in 1876. “Aunt Em”, as she was affectionately called, is well known to all for the splendid work she did for the Society and for the church in her long years of activity.

One day while Sister Wells was working at her desk in the office of the Woman’s Exponent, a message was received that President Young wished to speak with her. When she arrived in his office, without preliminaries, he said,

“Sister Emmeline, I want to give you a mission; and it is to save grain…I want you to begin by writing the strongest editorial that you can possibly write upon the subject.”

The President said that the brethren had not been doing their duty and following the charge to store wheat. In fact, Emmeline’s own husband, Daniel H. Wells, had been asked to accept a call to organize a wheat storage system among the members of the church. But to no avail, everyone had failed to stick to the enormous vision set by the prophet.

Brigham Young was adamant that something be done. He wanted every family to have enough wheat and flour to sustain not only their own families but also one extra family for at least two years. He said that the day was coming when the people of the earth by the thousands would come to Zion to be fed; that there would be famine in the world and preparation must be made for that emergency.

Aunt Em wanted to be obedient, but she was stunned that the prophet would call upon her. She went running to Eliza Snow for help and advice. Sister Snow said, “Indeed, it’s not my work. It’s your work. If Brother Brigham had wanted me to do it, he would have sent for me.” Next, Aunt Em went to her husband, Daniel H. Wells, and asked him to write the editorial for her. He refused, saying, as Sister Snow had said, that it was her work, not his. He did, however, accompany her, for moral support, as she submitted her editorial to President Young.

The president wanted to make sure it was understood that this project was to be run completely by the women, and men were to not interfere, except to help when needed. He added one sentence to the editorial.

“The brethren are to assist them [the sisters] in carrying out this enterprise, both for the building of the storehouses and also in obtaining grain to fill them to preserve for future need.” (The editorial was published in the Woman’s Exponent, October 15, 1876.)

On November 11, 1876, the Central Grain committee was formed, with Sister Wells as its chairman. Immediate action was taken toward gathering grain and learning the best methods of caring for it. The sisters bought wheat and exchanged the labor of their hands for grain and after the harvesting, they went into the fields in large parties and gleaned. Soon granaries were built throughout the Church for the storing of the wheat, and it was not long before there was a great supply of grain stored throughout the valley.

And then came the fulfillment of the prophecy.

At the time of World War I, there was a proclamation from the Federal Government that there should be no hoarding of foodstuffs. And Saints, in Salt Lake City, were hoarding wheat—hundreds of bushels of that most precious commodity. The Government heard of the stores of grain and became very interested in taking it to help those who were suffering after the war.

Men were sent here to investigate, and to demand compliance with the law. When they learned what the Mormons had been doing in Utah, they were very impressed. Instructed by the Administration to buy all the wheat, the government visitors struck a deal with the Presiding Bishopric and the wheat was sold.

Unfortunately, the sale went through without consulting the women, including Emmeline. The brethren realized their mistake and apologized to the women. It was agreed that the money, received from the sale of the wheat, would be used to start hospitals, pay for doctor and nurse training, build Relief Society Halls, and many other great benefits to the Salt Lake Valley. As interest accrued, it was sent back to the Relief Societies, according to their ownership in the fund.

It was Relief Society wheat that kick-started the Welfare program, the money earned from its sale, as well as the wheat itself, which fills the Granary in Salt Lake City’s Welfare Square.

When President Woodrow Wilson traveled throughout the United States, he stopped in Salt Lake City with the express purpose of visiting Aunt Em. When told of the wish of the president of the United States for an interview with her, the ninety-two-year-old president of the Relief Society was delighted and a meeting was arranged to take place between his dinner hour and the time of the assembly in the Tabernacle. President Wilson sat down by Aunt Em and held her hand while they talked. “Mrs. Wells”, he said, “will you tell me about the wheat?” With pleasure, she told him the story. When he rose to leave he said, “Mrs. Wells, I thank you for permitting me to have this interview. I consider it one of the greatest privileges and honors of my life.”

Many Relief Society members have heard Aunt Em say in public meetings, “I believe that I am the only person in the world who has ever been told by a prophet of the Lord to gather and store wheat for famine—except Joseph in Egypt.”

(Much of this information comes from, “Aunt Em and the Gathering of the Wheat,” Rosannah C. Irvine, Relief Society Magazine, Aug 1941)

The photo is of the Brigham City, Utah Relief Society Granary, as it looks today.