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63-512: The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois , United States , and has more than 7 million members in over 188 countries and territories. The Relief Society is often referred to by the church and others as "one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in

126-675: A Relief Society Advisory Council drawn from women in the church. From the 1970s to 2013, the Relief Society held a general meeting in Salt Lake City, annually in late September, which was broadcast around the world via television and radio, and later the Internet. This meeting was an opportunity for the General Relief Society Presidency to address the entire body of the Relief Society. Typically,

189-550: A member of the church's First Presidency also spoke to the women of the church. In 2014, such meetings (along with the March General Young Women Meeting) were replaced by a biannual women's meeting held in March and September, one week before the other sessions of general conference . The meeting is for all women of the church ages eight and older. The first of these meetings was held in March 2014 and

252-399: A more likeable leader. Singles wards are set up in areas with high populations of single adults . Young single adult (YSA) wards are intended for single members ages 18 to 35, and single adult wards are generally for single members of ages 31 to 45. Older single adult members typically attend their family (standard) ward. These wards provide LDS singles the opportunity to serve in offices of

315-826: A permanent name and structure to their organization. She and nine other sisters began visiting wards and settlements in 1868, and at the end of the year, organizations existed in all twenty Salt Lake City congregations and in congregations in nearly every county in Utah. Women helped the bishop of the ward assist the poor by collecting and disbursing funds and commodities. They nursed the sick, cleaned homes, sewed carpet rags for local meeting houses, planted and tended gardens, promoted home industry, and shared doctrinal instruction and testimony. Snow provided central leadership both before and after her call as General President in 1880. She emphasized spirituality and self-sufficiency. The Relief Society sent women to medical school, trained nurses, opened

378-507: A reasonable travel time of the meetinghouse ("reasonable" will vary between countries and regions). A stake, the next highest level of organization, may be created if there are at least five ward-sized branches in adjacent areas. Once the stake has been organized, the ward-sized branches are organized into wards. Beginning in 2024, the LDS Church unified standards worldwide for creation of wards as shown in table below. Prior to 2024, within

441-414: A singles ward, and with administrative approval, wards may be established in geographic areas which contain a high population of church members whose native language is different from the local language (such as adjacent to U.S. military bases in foreign countries, or in metropolitan areas which have larger numbers of immigrant/second-language users). Additionally, there are also wards for deaf members where

504-476: A visit in a location other than the member's home. Ministering sisters are encouraged to look for opportunities to serve the individuals to whom they minister. On April 1, 2018, during the church's general conference, church president Russell M. Nelson announced that the similar program of visiting teaching, along with the priesthood's home teaching , would be retired, to be replaced with the "ministering"-brethren-and-sisters program, with its dual components under

567-402: A wide discretion in determining what activities will be part of these meetings. These meetings were originally called "Homemaking", and on January 1, 2000, the name changed to "Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment", or "Enrichment" for short. In September 2009, due to the complexity of the name and different interpretations of the meeting's purpose, the separate name for the extra weekday meetings

630-464: Is no difference in the language used. There used to be wards or missions that were designated based on race, such as Indian wards or Indian missions for Native Americans. A congregation that is in a district or that has too small a membership to be a ward may be organized as a branch of the church. Branches may be organized in stakes, but wards may not be organized in districts. Branches in a district, or those where no stake or district exist, fall under

693-575: Is organized, or those within close geographical proximity. Because of the nature of prison branches, all positions of authority will be called from outside of the branch. Some branches (called "care center" branches) are set up in nursing homes with meetings held on-site for people who cannot travel to a meetinghouse. In these branches, leaders are also called from the local stake. Most branches require at least 20 members and require four Melchizedek priesthood holders capable of serving in leadership positions. YSA branches require 50 active members in addition to

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756-456: Is presented by a member of the Relief Society presidency or another woman who has been asked to serve as the instructor. From 1997 to 2016, the curriculum was composed primarily of Teachings of Presidents of the Church . As of 2019, recent general conference messages largely comprise the curriculum. The Relief Society also leads the LDS Church's efforts to teach basic literacy skills to those members and non-members that lack them. According to

819-574: Is separate from the other administrative offices of the LDS Church. While the Quorum of the Seventy had a building in Nauvoo in the 1840s, the Relief Society is the only auxiliary organization in the LDS Church today which has a completely separate facility. This building is also the closest of any building to the door of the Salt Lake Temple . In every LDS congregation, each member of

882-557: The Ensign . In the LDS Church today, every Latter-day Saint woman, on her eighteenth birthday or within the following year, and women under 18 who are married, move into Relief Society from the Young Women . Additionally, unwed teenage mothers who are seventeen or older and who choose to keep the child are advanced into Relief Society. There are no fees or membership dues for joining the Relief Society. In each local congregation of

945-500: The political subdivision of some of the municipalities in the mid-western United States where members of the LDS Church resided, and in particular the political organization of Nauvoo, Illinois , in the 1840s. Bishops were assigned duties and responsibility over specific ward boundaries in these cities, and over time individual congregations were defined by these boundaries. After the Mormon Exodus to Utah, this same terminology

1008-541: The Church Joseph Smith for review. After reviewing the documents, Smith called them "the best he had ever seen" but said, "this is not what you want. Tell the sisters their offering is accepted of the Lord, and He has something better for them than a written constitution. ... I will organize the women. .. after a pattern of the priesthood." Twenty Latter Day Saint women gathered on Thursday, March 17, 1842, in

1071-561: The Deseret Hospital, operated cooperative stores, promoted silk manufacture, saved wheat, and built granaries. In 1872, Snow provided assistance and advice to Louisa L. Greene in the creation of a woman's publication, the Woman's Exponent , which was loosely affiliated with the Relief Society. Emmeline B. Wells succeeded Greene and continued as editor until its final issue in 1914. Snow, Mary Isabella Horne, and others established

1134-611: The Ladies' Cooperative Retrenchment Association from which the Young Ladies' Department of the Ladies' Cooperative Retrenchment was formed (later called the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association and now the Young Women ). Snow also worked with Aurelia Spencer Rogers to establish the first ward Primary Association in 1878. By 1888, the Relief Society had more than 22,000 members in 400 local wards and branches. In 1891,

1197-525: The Latter-day Saint population south of Salt Lake County. In December 1867 church president Brigham Young publicly called for the reorganization of Relief Society in every ward. Eliza R. Snow was assigned to assist local bishops in organizing permanent branches of the Relief Society. Using the minutes recorded in the early Nauvoo meetings as a Constitution, Snow created a standard model for all local wards that united women in purpose and provided

1260-628: The Presidency were then ordained and blessed by Taylor. At the meeting Joseph Smith stated "the object of the Society—that the Society of Sisters might provoke the brethren to good works in looking to the wants of the poor—searching after objects of charity, and in administering to their wants—to assist; by correcting the morals and strengthening the virtues of the female community, and save the Elders

1323-740: The Relief Society became a charter member of the National Council of Women of the United States and it was called the National Women's Relief Society. Early Relief Society meetings were generally held semi-monthly. One meeting per month was devoted to sewing and caring for the needs of the poor. At meetings members might receive instruction, discuss elevating and educational topics, and bear testimony. The women were also encouraged to explore and develop cultural opportunities for their community. The Relief Society Magazine became

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1386-651: The Relief Society before leaving Nauvoo for the Salt Lake Valley . When Relief Society secretary Eliza R. Snow joined the Latter Day Saints in their exodus west in 1846, she carried the Relief Society Book of Records with her. Although they no longer met in an official capacity, women continued to assemble informally; the care and nurture of the needy continued without a formal Relief Society organization. As Saints established homes in

1449-513: The Relief Society is paired with another member; this companionship is then assigned by the Relief Society Presidency to be ministering sisters of one or more other members of the Relief Society. Ministering sisters strive to make regular contacts with the women assigned to them. Sometimes this contact is a personal visit in the member's home. If this is not possible, the member may be contacted by telephone, letter, e-mail, or

1512-684: The Relief Society will ask a woman to serve as the Compassionate Service Leader, who is responsible for organizing service activities and responses to members' needs in times of emergency or hardship. An evening Relief Society meeting is usually held quarterly on a week-night in each congregation of the church. At this meeting women learn a variety of skills, participate in service projects, and enjoy time together. Local congregations may also choose to hold monthly or weekly meetings for women with similar needs and interests. These extra meetings are informal, and local congregations have

1575-471: The Relief Society. These changes assisted in preparing the Relief Society for an era of a worldwide church; correlated lessons and materials were easier to translate and applicable to a broader audience. A side-effect of these changes was that the Relief Society lost much of the autonomy that it once enjoyed, notably around its budget. The Relief Society Magazine' s last edition was December 1970, after which it and several other church magazines were replaced with

1638-573: The Salt Lake Valley and surrounding settlements, formal meetings for women gradually emerged. A Female Council of Health was established in 1851. In early 1854, in response to Brigham Young’s call to Saints to assist neighboring Native Americans, women from several Salt Lake City wards decided to organize an "Indian Relief Society" with the purpose of "making clothing for Indian women and children." In June 1854, Brigham Young encouraged women to form societies in their individual wards . Members of

1701-592: The United States and Canada, a minimum of 300 members was required to create a ward; elsewhere, a minimum of 150 members was required. If there are not sufficient congregations in an area to form a stake, a district (analogous to but smaller than a stake) is formed to oversee local congregations. There is no minimum or maximum geographical size for a ward: In areas where there are greater numbers of active church members (such as urban and suburban areas in Utah ), several wards can exist in only 1 square mile (2.6 km ). When

1764-680: The above requirement. The main organizations of a ward that are overseen directly by the bishop are the Relief Society (for women), the Young Men and Young Women , the Primary (for children), and the Sunday School . In branches, these organizations are filled when there are sufficient active members to fill these positions. Those men ordained to the priesthood are organized into quorums by priesthood office. The offices of

1827-493: The bishop but are overseen by the stake president . Within districts , offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood within individual branches are advised by the branch president but overseen by the district president, under the direction of the mission president. Within a branch, priesthood quorums may be formed or all priesthood holders may meet together, as numbers permit. The priesthood is central to, and directs

1890-544: The bishop is considered lay clergy and as such is not paid. Two counselors serve with the bishop to help with administrative and spiritual duties of the ward and to preside in the absence of the bishop. Together, these three men constitute the bishopric . A branch is presided over by a branch president who may also have one or two counselors, depending on the size of the branch. Groups of wards are organized into stakes , while groups of branches are generally organized into districts . The term ward originally referred to

1953-422: The church and are the highest ranking women in the LDS Church's hierarchy. Similar to other general authorities and officers in the church, they serve under the direction of the church's First Presidency. Since August 2022, the General Relief Society Presidency has been composed of Camille N. Johnson , president; J. Anette Dennis, first counselor; and Kristin M. Yee, second counselor. They are assisted and advised by

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2016-536: The church and its organizations. Prior to adjustments made in April 2018, the bishopric , ward clerk, executive secretary, elders quorum president, high priest group leader, ward Young Men president, and ward mission leader would meet regularly as the Priesthood Executive Committee . Each ward and branch holds an annual ward or branch conference. In this meeting, ward organizational business

2079-535: The church members as leaders in their respective areas of stewardship, which are set out by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles . Prior to October 2019, each of the organizations existed at a local ward and stake level, with presidencies formed to direct the work of the organization in that particular region, except for the stake Sunday School organization. A member of

2142-480: The church's webpage. Unlike most religions, members are expected to attend the specific ward they reside in and are discouraged from choosing a different congregation that meets in a different place or at a more convenient time. There are some exceptions to this rule (see below), but for the most part members are discouraged from "shopping" for a different ward that is more convenient for them, or that has one where they might attend with friends or relatives, or that has

2205-701: The church, a member of the Relief Society serves as the local president of the organization. The president selects two other women from the congregation to assist her as counselors; together the three women make up the local Relief Society presidency. The Relief Society presidency acts under the direction of the bishop or branch president in presiding over and serving the women in the congregation. Additionally, stake or district Relief Society presidencies exist to supervise five or more local Relief Society presidencies. Following changes made in 2019, Relief Society holds meetings twice per month that last approximately fifty minutes. During these meetings, an educational lesson

2268-443: The church, as of February 2020, the Relief Society has over 7 million members in 188 countries and territories, having grown from about 6 million in 170 territories in 2009. Three women are selected by the First Presidency to serve the entire LDS Church as the General Relief Society Presidency. Although these women are not considered general authorities , they are based in Salt Lake City and are considered to be "general officers" of

2331-494: The church. Apostle Harold B. Lee taught that "an auxiliary is to be an aid to the priesthood in watching over the Church and also an aid to the home, under the direction and ... cooperation [of] the priesthood." The purpose of the organizations is to help "plant and make grow ... a testimony of Christ and of the Gospel." According to Joseph F. Smith , the church's organizations are temporary and may be created or discontinued as

2394-409: The church. Members are taught the same principles of the gospel as a traditional ward, while receiving attention particular to their spiritual needs. Singles wards are different in that they overlap several other regular wards geographically, even crossing stake boundaries. Single adult members may choose to attend the singles ward or their regular "home" ward; otherwise, the church strongly discourages

2457-448: The direction of the local priesthood leaders, which in most cases are the bishop and the stake president . Ward (LDS Church) A ward is a local congregation in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), with a smaller local congregation known as a branch . A ward is presided over by a bishop , the equivalent of a pastor in many other Christian denominations . As with all local LDS Church leadership,

2520-618: The direction of the ward's elders quorum and Relief Society's respective leaderships. Along with the bishop or branch president , the Relief Society President is the key person in the ward in ensuring that the temporal and emotional needs of the members of the congregation are met. The Relief Society Presidency is responsible for helping the women of the congregation learn welfare principles such as work, self-reliance, provident living, personal and family preparedness, and compassionate service of others. In many congregations,

2583-421: The first Indian Relief Society disbanded to help establish organizations in their own wards, many of them becoming leaders. Records are limited but show that by 1858 over two dozen organizations had formed in some twelve Salt Lake City wards and in other outlying settlements such as Ogden , Provo , Spanish Fork , and Manti, Utah . Each Relief Society operated independently within its ward in cooperation with

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2646-687: The general presidents of the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society General Presidencies spoke along with Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency. Beginning in 2018, the annual Women's Session of the church's general conference is held in October, in the evening, as part of the regular Saturday schedule. In Salt Lake City, the Relief Society occupies its own headquarters building known as the Relief Society Building , which

2709-660: The intelligence and ability possessed by it. When that day shall come, there will not be so much necessity for work that is now being done by the auxiliary organizations, because it will be done by the regular quorums of the Priesthood. In the LDS Church today, each organization is headed by a church-wide "general president" and two counselors; the three individuals together form the organization's "general presidency." These individuals are not church general authorities , but are referred to as "general officers." Like general authorities, these officers are "accepted and sustained" by

2772-409: The jurisdiction of the mission president . Branches may also be formed for YSA, foreign-language, military personnel, retirees, or jail / prison / half-way house inmates where there is a need for special interests, but there are too few individuals to form a ward. As in the ward, the branch president in a YSA, or prison branch will typically be called from the stake or district in which the branch

2835-449: The lesser, or Aaronic , priesthood (typically males 11 to 18 years of age) are organized and overseen by the bishop (or branch president). Usually, there are separate quorums for deacons (11 and 12 year olds), teachers (13 and 14 year olds), and priests (15 years old and older). Offices of the higher, or Melchizedek, priesthood (including elders and high priests ), within individual wards and branches are advised by, and counsel with,

2898-406: The local bishop . Ward societies were not interconnected by central women's leadership, though many of them engaged in similar activities such as sewing clothing for Indians, caring for the poor, especially emigrants, and weaving carpets for local meetinghouses. Interrupted by the 1858 Utah War , no more than three or four of these independent ward organizations survived the temporary move of much of

2961-434: The needs of students in attending these schools. In areas where there are large concentrations of YSA wards, YSA stakes are formed. Previously, when one or more wards were formed for the students of a college or university, separate wards would be formed for single and married students. In such university wards and stakes, the bishops and members of the stake presidency are filled by men called from adjacent stakes. Much like

3024-422: The needs of the church and the priesthood hierarchy change. While serving as the church's president , Smith further stated: We expect to see the day, if we live long enough ... when every council of the Priesthood in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will understand its duty; will assume its own responsibility, will magnify its calling, and fill its place in the Church, to the uttermost, according to

3087-480: The official publication of the Relief Society from 1915 to 1970. By 1942, membership in the organization was approximately 115,000 women, growing to 300,000 members in 1966. In June 1945, the General Board changed the organization's official name to "Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". The church-wide implementation of Priesthood Correlation in the 1960s "radically transformed"

3150-538: The primary language used is the locally predominant sign language (such as American Sign Language in the U.S. and anglophone Canada). Services in these wards are conducted entirely in the target language. Colloquialisms such as "a Spanish ward" or "a Chinese ward", for example, refer solely to the language spoken, and not the race or ethnicity of the members welcome (e.g., there are no "Mexican wards"). However, in practice, different wards are sometimes made for different ethnic backgrounds or national origins, even though there

3213-474: The regular attendance of, and disallows the transfer of membership records to, regular wards other than the one to which the member's residence is assigned. Since it is a doctrinal requirement that the bishop of a ward be married, this man will typically be called from another ward in the host stake of the singles ward. Men to fill the other positions, such as counselors in the bishopric, an executive secretary, and ward clerks, may also be called from other wards in

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3276-433: The second-story meeting room over Smith's Red Brick Store in Nauvoo to discuss the formation of a Ladies' Society with Smith, John Taylor , and Willard Richards . Joseph Smith proposed the society elect a presiding officer and allow that officer to choose two counselors to aid her. Emma Smith was elected as president and then chose her two counselors, Sarah M. Cleveland and Elizabeth Ann Whitney . The three members of

3339-484: The society's members and leaders were themselves secretly in plural marriages, including to Smith's own husband, who himself counseled the society against exposing iniquity. These inner conflicts led Joseph Smith to suspend all meetings of the organization. After the death of Joseph Smith in June 1844, Brigham Young assumed leadership of the majority of Latter Day Saints. Desiring to continue plural marriage, Young disbanded

3402-466: The spring of 1842 Sarah Granger Kimball and her seamstress, Margaret A. Cook, discussed combining their efforts to sew clothing for workers constructing the Latter Day Saints ' Nauvoo Temple . They determined to invite their neighbors to assist by creating a Ladies' Society. Kimball asked Eliza R. Snow to write a constitution and by-laws for the organization for submission to President of

3465-531: The stake high council serves as the stake Sunday School president and may serve with or without counselors and/or a secretary. A similar structure exists for the stake Young Men organizations. The church announced in October 2019 that the presidency of the Young Men at the ward level was being discontinued. Leaders of organizations at the ward and stake levels are called "ward officers" and "stake officers," respectively. Local organization presidencies work under

3528-741: The stake or from among the members of the singles ward. A primary goal of a singles ward is to provide its members the chance to meet other singles of the opposite sex and eventually to be married. Singles in a certain area can then more easily find other singles of similar interests and beliefs, and eventually find a spouse. Groups are often formed to allow both the young single adults and single adults to conduct activities similar to those practiced in Family Home Evening . Although these groups may exist wherever there are LDS wards, they are more prominent in LDS singles wards. LDS singles ward culture

3591-399: The trouble of rebuking; that they may give their time to other duties, &c., in their public teaching." After discussion, it was unanimously agreed that the fledgling organization be named "The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo". The new organization was popular and grew so rapidly that finding a meeting place for such a large group proved difficult. Under Emma Smith's direction, the Society

3654-414: The ward membership grows to a certain size, the ward will be divided. Generally, if both geographic divisions are in a reasonable distance of the meetinghouse, they will meet at the same building, but at different times. Most meetinghouses are designed to house multiple wards. Individuals can find out what ward they reside in by either talking to a local LDS leader or by using the meetinghouse locator tool on

3717-482: The world." The motto of the Relief Society, taken from 1 Corinthians 13:8 , is "Charity never faileth." The purpose of Relief Society reads, “Relief Society helps prepare women for the blessings of eternal life as they increase faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement; strengthen individuals, families, and homes through ordinances and covenants; and work in unity to help those in need.” In

3780-469: Was "divided for the purpose of meeting" according to each of the city's four municipal wards . Visiting committees were appointed to determine needs in each ward. By March 1844, membership totaled 1331 women. The last recorded meeting of the Relief Society in Nauvoo was held on March 16, 1844. Smith had often used the Relief Society as a pulpit to express her opposition to plural marriage . However, several of

3843-468: Was discontinued and all meetings of the Relief Society began to be referred to simply as "Relief Society meetings". Auxiliary organization (LDS Church) The existence of the LDS Church's organizations as a means of assisting the priesthood is based on the Apostle Paul's statement that God has established "helps" and "governments" in the church to assist the apostles and prophets who lead

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3906-400: Was portrayed and parodied in the 2002 movie The Singles Ward . In 2011, YSA wards and stakes were reorganized and realigned to remove the distinction of a student ward from a traditional YSA ward. Previously, YSA wards were organized as either college/university wards or traditional YSA wards. At colleges and universities with large LDS populations, student wards were organized to serve

3969-461: Was preserved in the establishment of communities throughout the western United States. Voting districts of several Utah communities still follow the historical boundaries of their original LDS Church congregations. Due to the religious connection of this term, traditional LDS pioneer communities generally do not use the term ward to define voting districts for political purposes. A ward typically consists of 150 to 500 church members in an area within

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