The Relief Society

The Relief Society was first organized on the upper floor of the Red Brick Store here in Nauvoo. Every year in the month of March we pause to celebrate that event and the blessings we enjoy as women in the Church.  It was awesome to visit that room and ponder what it was like for those early members of the church as they met to determine how to go forward with their benevolent efforts to help support the building of the temple. Granted, this is not the same building that existed in Joseph's day but it is a good replica located on the same foundation as the original one.

Elder Nelson with his brother Howard D, sister-in law Sharon, and sister Shauna in the upper room of the store.  Steve is not shown.  They stopped here while on their tour.

Recently we took a few moments in our busy day to visit the Women's Garden to listen to the members of the core cast from the British and Nauvoo Pageants present a short vignette explaining the feelings and circumstances that brought about the desire of the sisters to organize their efforts to help others get through the trials they were facing.  These talented women brought the characters to life.  There was Emma Smith, Eliza R. Snow, Ellen Briggs Douglas, Sarah Granger Kimball, Jane Manning and other women of Old Nauvoo who shared their experiences with and their love for the Relief Society.   My favorite was Sister Margaret Turley (in the yellow dress), who came from a more humble background in Great Britain with her Cockney accent. She was the main narrator and her humor made the whole  presentation delightful.

Emma Smith speaks to the sisters at the time of the organization of the Relief Society

Each sister tells why she thinks the women should form a formal organization for caring for the needy

We also paid a visit to the home of Sarah Granger Kimball which is located to the west of town down Young Street almost to the river.  Her husband was a river trader who bought and sold goods up and down the river and was fairly well off. When it became apparent that the men needed additional clothing to be able to continue the work on the temple one sister said she could sew shirts if she only had the material.  Sarah said that she had the means to provide the fabric but she couldn't sew.  That was the beginning of the movement of the sisters uniting to provide relief to the needy.  From that came the idea to form a society of women to organize their efforts.  Eliza R. Snow wrote up a constitution but when they approached Joseph Smith he thought that they should be organized under the priesthood instead.  Thus was the beginning of the Relief Society.

Sarah Granger Kimball Home

Sarah Granger Kimball

Tribute to Sarah Kimball and her idea to provide shirts for the temple workers

I have always appreciated my membership in the Relief Society.  I have learned many things there that have helped me as a wife and mother.  The sisters always share good ideas, recipes and spiritual lessons. I love this quote in the picture above, that reminds us that even the smallest of our efforts can bring about great things when we are united in true faith.  I praise Joseph Smith every day for helping us belong to such a great organization.  There is not room enough here to recount the many blessings I and my family have received from the Relief Society.

Finally, here is one of my Favorite quotes from the early days of the Relief Society:

March 1842

At a meeting held a week after the Relief Society was organized, Lucy Mack Smith, the Prophet’s mother, gave the sisters counsel that extends to millions of women in the Church today: “We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in heaven together.