Back in 1969, Elder Harold B. Lee was asked, by the Relief Society General Presidency, to address the women on the obligations of membership in the Relief Society. I’ve outlined a little of what he said:
He quoted the First Presidency, who spoke at the Relief Society Centennial, in 1947: “Frequent recurrence to fundamentals is essential to perpetuity.” That’s what we are told over and over again: To go back to the basics, or “Remember”.
He begins with the responsibility of Relief Society in consecration to service–”spiritual serving, as shown by obedience, good works, and love, as dedicated to the service of God. Mother’s role is to teach the gospel.” A woman’s great service in the Kingdom is to see that the gospel is taught to the family. Quoting from D&C 1:21, 25-28, he makes these four points:
- That faith also might increase in the earth
- And inasmuch as they sought wisdom that they might be instructed
- And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened that they might repent
- And inasmuch as they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time
“Now the mothers role in this vital home-centered gospel teaching is very clear…Put Father at the head of the house, even when he doesn’t seem to deserve it. Provoking husbands to honor their priesthood when they are not honoring their priesthood; enlisting the aid of the priesthood in helping you with family problems.” Women without the priesthood in their home need to feel comfortable calling upon their home teachers, bishops, and fathers. This is a Patriarchal Church, governed by the Priesthood.
However, he gives the example of visiting a stake where her learned a low percentage of couples were being married in the temple. He asked if there was a temple going mother, of many children, in the stake whose children were all active and had gone to the temple.
The Stake President thought of a woman; a mother of eleven children. Elder Lee asked her what two things she did to keep her children active in the Church. She thought about it for a minute, and said:
- “I always was there at the crossroads of the home, when my children were coming to or going from the home” and
- “Whatever we did we did together as a family. We played together, we prayed together, we worked together, we did everything together.”
The youngest daughter of this woman happened to be sitting in the congregation. Elder Lee asked her how she felt about her family. She related that as a teen, one Sunday, she refused to go to Church. The family was gone all day with Church activity and she remembered how lonely she was that day. After the many hours of being with her family, she realized she wanted to maintain her place in her eternal family circle, and not blow it over some stupid willful mistake.
Elder Lee stressed that women should work side by side with the Brethren as they serve in the Church and administer with the Priesthood. Today, our handbook reiterates that bishops should seek help from the Relief Society to fully serve the ward.
“The Relief Society helps in the government of the Church. The Relief Society, as no other organization, is the ‘handmaiden’ of the Priesthood of God. In their joint responsibility in rendering compassionate service, they present a sort of ‘Father and Mother Image’ in the Kingdom of God to look after the needy and the unfortunate.”
Another point he made was to have “loyalty to each other”. “Visiting teachers have their place in the teaching of Mothers who have not developed the knowledge and methods in keeping pace with their children.” Hold Family Home Evening as families, and help your sisters to hold it in their own homes.
Then he broached the subject of sex education. This began being a problem in the 60s and 70s and remains so today.
He quoted J. Reuben Clark, who said, “A word on chastity can begin in one sentence: Be Chaste. That tells everything. You do not need to know all the details of reproduction processes in order to keep clean. Be chaste because God commanded it…Thou shall not commit adultery said the Lord…The Lord used the words [adultery and fornication] interchangeably.”
Elder Lee continued, “Sisters can help one another to strengthen our families. Stay chaste, teach chastity, and support one another in righteousness. “Be loyal to each other, as sisters in the gospel of the kingdom.”
He asks a question: Can one ever graduate from Relief Society? “There must be a constant reassessing of what Relief Society gives to make certain nothing is left out in filling the needs of younger mothers and older grandmothers to fulfill the purpose of the Relief Society as defined by the Prophet Joseph Smith. And keep in mind what I said as I started, ‘frequent recurrence to fundamentals is essential to perpetuity…Relief Society must not be something simply to duplicate worldly organizations, such as social clubs, or PTA, or literary societies, but Relief Society must make a significant contribution not to be obtained anywhere else.”
General Omar Bradley was a famous general under General Dwight D. Eisenhower in WWII. Elder Lee shared a saying this general liked to say: “Bravery is courage in action.” Elder Lee’s closing words were: “May the Lord bless us so to do, and give us the courage of our convictions in these troublous days and challenging times in which we live.”
This talk could have been given this past week. Everything still applies to us today. I found some valuable food for thought in this talk and I hope you do too.
Information found in “Obligations of Membership in Relief Society”, Elder Harold B. Lee, Relief Society Magazine, Jan 1969.