It\u2019s clear why Relief Society has had to adapt over the years:\u00a0 there\u2019s a huge number of us now (5,000,000+); so many backgrounds, countries, cultures; projects are completed, goals met, new projects and goals must begin; society demands we pay attention to various issues that concern our family\u2019s personal welfare.\u00a0 One thing that always remains constant:\u00a0 Everyone everywhere needs help, and our organization has learned to be at the ready.<\/p>\n
Relief Society is well-versed in adaptation, looking around to fulfill needs, reaching out.\u00a0 This whole idea of an organization got started because some women wanted to help build the Nauvoo Temple, and in order to do that, they decided to make shirts for the men to wear.\u00a0 When Joseph heard that, it triggered the Lord\u2019s guidance into an organization that could literally change the world.\u00a0 Let\u2019s look at all the Relief Society has accomplished over the years.<\/p>\n
The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo was told that they would be active participants in the work of salvation.\u00a0 They met together to discuss religious principles and testify to one another.\u00a0 They were personally instructed by Joseph Smith, who encouraged them to ask questions.
\nBecause of Joseph\u2019s death and the coming move out west, the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo was dissolved.\u00a0 However, once the sisters settled into the valley, they could not be stopped from organizing themselves.\u00a0 The Female Council of Health was organized for midwives to teach healthful practices.\u00a0 Interestingly, these women were also charged with giving blessings of health (the laying on of hands variety).\u00a0 A group of sixteen women volunteered to help make clothes for Indian women and children and called themselves the Indian Relief Society.\u00a0 President Young encouraged women to \u201cform themselves into societies\u201d.\u00a0 Soon Indian Societies were cropping up all over the valley assisting the poor, providing clothing, and helping handcart companies settle in.<\/p>\n
At this point there was no leadership at the General level, until Brigham Young asked Eliza R. Snow to travel among the local units teaching Bishops and women, from the Nauvoo Minutes, how to organize the women in their area.\u00a0 Later she was called as the second General Relief Society President to a new organization called the Relief Society.<\/p>\n
Being in a place that had no services, factories, or ready supplies, the Relief Society began organizing self-sufficient programs such as the Silk Industry, Deseret hospital, training of midwives and female doctors, establishing granaries, encouraging women to vote.\u00a0 The Retrenchment Societies kept young and older sisters focused on spiritual strength and objectives.\u00a0 The Relief Society campaigned for equal opportunity to hold public office and joined the National Council of Women in 1891.<\/p>\n
It was the Relief Society who transferred 266,291 bushels of wheat and nearly 2 million dollars of their own to the First Presidency to develop the Welfare program.\u00a0 The Relief Society Social Services Department served alongside the Welfare Program helping families.\u00a0 It was a Stake Relief Society that opened and operated the Cottonwood Maternity Hospital (another one in Snowflake, Arizona) which would later become Cottonwood Hospital.<\/p>\n
Mormon Handicraft was begun so women could earn a little more money for their families, without leaving their children, during the Depression.\u00a0 Workdays were happening all over the valley as women rolled bandages during the war, canned the harvest together for themselves and for the poor, sewed for various people in need, made quilts, packaged food and clothing that would be sent to war-torn countries.<\/p>\n
So many projects.\u00a0 So many innovative ideas and people.\u00a0 The Relief Society program today is set up so women can be just as innovative and productive as they once were.\u00a0 Projects don\u2019t have to be organized by a President, necessarily.\u00a0 A group of like-minded sisters can form their own objective and project.<\/p>\n
I know a sister who helped organize aid to orphanages in India.\u00a0 After serving a mission to Africa, and seeing that her Indian orphanages are in good hands, she is going to start another organization to help children in Africa.\u00a0 I know women who have organized an Interfaith Quilt group who send their baby quilts all over the world.\u00a0 There are women, and young women, who are asking department stores to carry more modest clothing, more women are voicing their objections against same-sex marriage and pornography, and still more women help children learn to read.\u00a0 Groups of women are gathering together to make a difference.\u00a0 It isn\u2019t the calling of \u201cPresident\u201d that allows them to do this, it\u2019s the calling of \u201cwoman\u201d.<\/p>\n
If you are frustrated with your Relief Society for any reason, you have the power to make a difference in the way you feel so inspired.\u00a0 Let the Lord work through you.\u00a0 And if you do start something, let me know, because I will happily help you and cheer you on.\u00a0 You go, girl!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s clear why Relief Society has had to adapt over the years:\u00a0 there\u2019s a huge number of us now (5,000,000+); so many backgrounds, countries, cultures; projects are completed, goals met, new projects and goals must begin; society demands we pay attention to various issues that concern our family\u2019s personal welfare.\u00a0 One thing that always remains […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[476],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-womanhood"],"yoast_head":"\n