Alicia Hansen (Manhattan Beach Ward, North Torrance Stake, USA) is nervous. Ever since nursery she has attended church classes with people her own age who are in the same stage of life as she is. She has always had older teachers explaining the gospel to her. Whenever she has held leadership positions, there has always been an adult guiding her along. All that is about to change.

Alicia recently graduated from the Young Women’s organization to Relief Society. Like many young women she has mixed feelings about this transition. She wonders how those who have been her leaders will become her peers, if her inexperience will get in the way of her service, and if she’ll be able to glean anything from lessons that might focus on homemaking and childcare.

There are several things that more seasoned Relief Society sisters can do to ease the fears of young sisters like Alicia.

Relief Society Callings

The best way for young sisters to gain a testimony of Relief Society is to contribute to it.

“Including young women new to Relief Society in planning activities, teaching lessons, and giving service helps them feel the spirit of Relief Society,” said Kathleen Lubock Peterson in the article “From Young Women to Relief Society” (Ensign, March 2003). She goes on to suggest that committee membership, teaching assignments, and other callings can help young sisters gain confidence and make friends. Older sisters also benefit from the youthful perspective and enthusiasm that young sisters bring.

Consideration should be made for the individual young woman’s talents and personality. While some may be thrilled at the opportunity to teach a lesson by themselves in the Sunday meeting, others may be more comfortable team teaching. Still others may find more joy contributing to a group project on a committee. Regardless, these sisters need to feel that they are a valuable part of Relief Society, and that their input is treasured.

Visiting Teaching

Alicia’s Relief Society president called her to be a visiting teacher soon after high school graduation. As a result, Alicia already has a testimony of the program and has formed friendships with other sisters.

“Visiting teaching is my favorite thing about Relief Society,” she said.

She enjoys both preparing lessons and making appointments and has already found that her life has been blessed through reading the message and forming relationships with the sisters she visits.

To get the full effect of visiting teaching it is also important for young sisters to be assigned faithful visiting teachers. Through these monthly visits, young sisters can begin to consider women of all ages as their friends.

Collaborating Activity Nights

The spirit of Relief Society can be shared with young women even before they turn 18 by participation in special Home Family and Personal Enrichment Meetings. Some wards invite young women to their yearly Christmas dinner. Others may choose to involve them in a service project. Young women and Relief Society sisters could get to know each other better through a talent night. The annual Relief Society birthday celebration would be especially beneficial for graduating high school seniors.

Larene Porter Gaunt in the article “Welcome to Relief Society” (Ensign, August 2004) suggested that it is also appropriate for Young Women leaders to invite Relief Society sisters to a special Mutual night. She told of a Mutual activity night where young women were paired with Relief Society sisters to make a skirt. “Then the young women invited the Relief Society sisters to a fashion show where the girls modeled their colorful new skirts.”

Regardless of the activity, it’s important that the emphasis is on encouraging friendships. Most young women will agree with Gwendolyn Berwick (Olympia 2nd Ward, Olympia Stake, USA) who will be joining the Relief Society in the fall that, “you can’t go wrong as long as there’s a lot of time to socialize.”

Encouraging Gospel Discussion

Gwendolyn said that she looks forward to discussing the gospel more in depth as a member of the Relief Society.

“Young Women is great,” she said. “But it will be nice to move past lessons about dating and onto weightier gospel topics.”

Relief Society teachers and members both have responsibilities for maintaining enthusiasm for gospel discussion in sisters like Gwendolyn. Teachers can be careful to focus on the truths of the gospel, giving plenty of time for class discussion, while class members can pay special attention to comments made by young sisters and offer encouraging feedback. It’s also important that class members be good examples by contributing to the group discussion.

A common concern among young women entering Relief Society is that the lessons will not apply to women their age. They can be reassured when teachers pose questions that allow class members to apply principles to themselves regardless of personal situations.

Bear Testimony of Relief Society

The most valuable thing that can be done for young women is to bear testimony to them of Relief Society. Mothers can bear testimony by attending their meetings, inviting their daughters to sit in when visiting teachers come to visit, and expressing gratitude for their Relief Society sisters. Fathers can also bear testimony by supporting their wives in attending Enrichment activities. Young Women leaders are especially effective in setting good examples of Relief Society participation. It is often past Young Women leaders that new sisters gravitate toward as they make the transition.

Entering Relief Society is a significant rite of passage for young women. By giving them opportunities to serve, creating an atmosphere of love, and providing faithful examples, more experienced sisters can help young women develop a feeling of belonging to this diverse and inspired organization.

Alicia has already begun to catch the spirit of Relief Society through the support of the women in her ward. “I love the unity of the Relief Society,” she said. “Unity is what it’s all about.”

Relief Society Quiz

1. What was the original name of the Relief Society?

2. When was the Relief Society organized?

3. What is the Relief Society motto?

4. True or False: The Relief Society is the largest women's association in the world?

5. Where was the Relief Society organized?

6. Who was the first Relief Society president?

7. When the Saints migrated to Utah, they named the organization this as one of their main purposes was to befriend the Native American people and make clothes for them.

8. Which prophet encouraged each ward to have it's own Indian Relief Society?

9. Under the Relief Society's help, another church auxiliary was formed for the Young Women. What was the name of the first Young Womens organization?

10. The Relief Society also helped organize the children's auxiliary in the church. What was its first name?

Answers:

1. The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo

2. Thursday, March 17, 1842

3. Charity Never Faileth

4. True

5. Nauvoo, Illinois

6. Emma Smith

7. Indian Relief Society

8. President Brigham Young

9. The Young Ladies Retrenchment Association

10. The Children's Primary Program