Relief Society
Female Church members ages 18 and older belong to the Relief Society. The Relief Society was founded by the Prophet Joseph Smith on March 17, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois. From its inception to today, the Relief Society has had two main purposes: to provide relief for the poor and needy and to bring people to Christ.
Within Relief Society are programs designed to help us as women to find meaning and purpose in life for ourselves and for our families. (Virginia U. Jensen, Come to Relief Society, Ensign, Nov, 1998)
Relief Society is... a balm that unites us, that helps us in our families... I testify to you that one of our most important roles as Relief Society members is to strengthen each other, so all of us are better able to help our families. We come together. We learn from each other. We go home and strengthen our families. (Elaine L. Jack, A Balm in Gilead, Ensign, Nov, 1995)
Visiting Teaching
Once a month sisters go out in pairs as visiting teachers to visit the homes of the sisters assigned to them. The purposes of visiting teaching are to build caring relationships with each sister and to offer support, comfort, and friendship. Visiting teachers:
- Visit each assigned sister regularly - if possible, in her home every month.
- Learn of the spiritual and temporal needs of the sister and her family.
- Offer appropriate assistance.
- Give spiritual instruction through a monthly message.
| For a greater understanding of Relief Society and the Visiting Teaching program, check out these links: |
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| Relief Society on lds.org |
| Relief Society: A Balm in Gilead |
| Come to Relief Society |
| Visiting Teaching - Feed My Sheep |
| Relief Society Declaration |
| Only a Visiting Teacher - Visiting Teaching Poems |