Not Just Another Group of Women

“The Relief Society was not just another group of women trying to do good in the world. It was different. It was ‘something better’ because it was organized under priesthood authority. Its organization was a necessary step in the unfolding of God’s work on earth.”

Daughters in My Kingdom, 16.

Nurture Tender Souls

 “My desire is to plead with our sisters to stop worrying about a phone call or a quarterly or monthly visit,” said Ellen Smoot, the 13th Relief Society general president. She asked us to “concentrate instead on nurturing tender souls.”

Mary Ellen Smoot, in Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society (2011), 117. 

Seek Wisdom Instead of Power

“Let [us] seek for wisdom instead of power,” said Sister Snow, “and [we] will have all the power [we] have wisdom to exercise.”

Eliza R. Snow, in Daughters in My Kingdom, 45-46.

Before You Visit Homes

Eliza R. Snow counseled visiting teachers, “to be filled with the Spirit of God, of wisdom, of humility, of love” before they visited homes so they would be able to ascertain and meet spiritual needs as well as temporal ones. She said, “You may feel to talk words of peace and comfort, and if you find a sister feeling cold, take her to your heart as you would a child to your bosom and warm [her] up.”

Eliza R. Snow, in Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society (2011), 108.

Daughters in my Kingdom

“We learned that in our preparation for the blessings of eternal life, the Lord wanted His daughters to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help those in need. As sisters today prayerfully read their history, they will receive insights, answers, and inspiration just as we did.”

Julie B. Beck, “Relief Society History: A Look at the Lord’s Vision for His Daughters,” Ensign Sept 2011, 40-43.