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What is the Relief Society?
The Relief Society is the oldest and largest women's organization in the world. Relief Society was established in 1842 for women 18 years of age and older. Its purpose is to build faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and help those in need.
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Karen answered...
To me, Relief Society means friendship. It's an opportunity to know and love and learn from other women from so many different backgrounds and situations and ways of looking at life and yet they are truly my sisters! I can't tell you how many times I have been wrestling with an issue in my own life and there, during the course of our class or other conversation, comes the answer. I know that Heavenly Father so often works through others to answer our prayers, and to me Relief Society is a huge example of that. I'm grateful not only for those who reach out to me, but for the opportunies to reach out to others through Relief Society. It is an inspired program and a wonderful asset to my life! Show more Show less
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Dave answered...
Established in 1842 for women 18 years old and older, the Relief Society is the oldest and largest women's organization in the world. The motto: “Charity never faileth.” President Julie B. Beck has taught us: “Relief Society should be organized, aligned, and mobilized to strengthen families and help our homes to be sacred sanctuaries from the world. I learned this years ago when I was newly married. My parents, who had been my neighbors, announced that they would be moving to another part of the world... This was before e-mail, fax machines, cell phones, and Web cameras, and mail delivery was notoriously slow. One day before she left, I sat weeping with her and asked, ‘Who will be my mother?’ Mother thought carefully, and with the Spirit and power of revelation which comes to women of this kind, she said to me, ‘If I never come back, if you never see me again, if I’m never able to teach you another thing, you tie yourself to Relief Society. Relief Society will be your Mother.’ Mother knew that if I were sick, the sisters would take care of me, and when I had my babies, they would help me. But my mother’s greatest hope was that the sisters in Relief Society would be powerful, spiritual leaders for me. I began from that time to learn abundantly from women of stature and faith.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, Pages 96-98.) I have learned that the women of the Relief Society build faith and personal righteousness and help those in need. They have strengthened my family and my home. Show more Show less
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Kaitlyn answered...
The Relief Society is the organization in the Church where women come together to strengthen, serve, and teach each other. It's Motto is "Charity Never Faileth" which women of the Church live by to bring relief to the weary and down trodden. Women meet as a Relief Society each week to learn about the Gospel and grow closer to Jesus Christ. Women are asked to serve in many capacities within the Relief Society and give of their time and talents. There are also activities where women share skills and do service for those in their community as well as victims of disasters around the world. Show more Show less
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Shelbey! answered...
It sort of a funny name, but it's exactly what it sounds like--a society dedicated to providing relief. It is the group LDS women over the age of 18 belong to. It's a sisterhood devoted to giving emotional, spiritual, temporal, and physical relief from the sufferings and trials of this world. I enjoy Relief Society because it's almost like a group of automatic friends! Each Sunday (and often during the week as well), we come together to worship the Savior and get to know each other so we can better serve one another. Show more Show less
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Bobbie answered...
I remember when I first joined the Church I was confused by all of the phrases that Mormons used. One of the ones that confused me was the Relief Society. The Relief Society is the Lord's organization for women on the earth. It is an active group of women that were organized by the authority of God to influence the world. The Relief Society provides a place where sisters can increase their testimonies, strengthen marriages, families, and homes, provide service to one another and the world, and learn more about the gospel and other things. The Relief Society meets in local areas every Sunday. These weekly Relief Society meetings are supplemented by local activities and additional meetings. There is a General Relief Society broadcast every year that is broadcast to Relief Society sisters all over the world. Every Mormon woman who is 18 years or older belongs to the Relief Society. Show more Show less
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Katherine answered...
Relief Society is actually the oldest and largest women's organization in the world. It was first established in 1842 for women 18 and older. Its purpose is to help women in the church to learn how to build their faith, strengthen the family unit, help those in need and help women with their personal righteousness. It is a way for women in the church to get together and visit and learn with each other and to grow in love. I love going to Relief Society every week, and to feel like one of the sisters in the church. Show more Show less
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Shelby answered...
Relief Society is the women's organization of Christ's true church. It is a society of women that meet as part of church services on Sunday for gospel learning, and get together for other activites, learning opportunities, service projects, and socializing. It is a group of women who strive to be women of Christ, and try to support each other in our sacred duties and daily activities. Charity or the pure love of Christ, is at the center of Relief Society. It is a great support system--spiritually, emotionally, and temporally. Relief Society is one of my favorite things about church! Show more Show less
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Marilyn answered...
Relief Society is the Mormon organization for women. It is led by women under the direction of the Priesthood. Relief Society meetings are held each week during the Sunday block of meetings at the same time the men are attending their priesthood meetings. The lessons are taught by women who are called as teachers, using the same manual of instruction that the men have. In addition to the Sunday meetings, other activities and get-togethers are planned to strengthen and build our bonds of friendship, enrich our lives, and sometimes to do humanitarian projects. Most women are also called as "Visiting Teachers" and are assigned a few women (usually two or three) to visit monthly and to befriend and provide support for the ladies they visit. Each ward has a Relief Society President who works closely with the Bishop of the ward to oversee welfare and other needs that families may be experiencing. In those cases, she will visit the home to help the Bishop assess the need so that food and other necessities can be provided. Relief Society "sisters" (as we call each other) do a lot to help each other out, providing meals, friendship, emotional support, and love when in times of need. Some of the service is organized and much of it is just done because we get to know and love each other, especially through visiting teaching. Show more Show less
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Meredith answered...
The Relief Society is the women's group in the Church. All women in the Church age 18 and up belong to the Relief Society. It is the largest women's organization in the world. The Relief Society spearheads doing good works not only for members of the Church but for people all over the world. Women in Relief Society have put together hygiene kits to send to impoverished women in other countries, collected clothing and toys for children in shelters and many other similar acts. Show more Show less
