How are we preparing to care for ourselves and for our families spiritually and temporally? How can we follow the Savior’s example as we help meet the needs of the sisters we watch over?
Contact your sister by the 5th, make an appointment bythe 10th, visit by the 15th and report by the 20th
Prayerfully study this material and, as appropriate, discuss it with the sisters you visit. Use the questions to help you strengthen your sisters and to make Relief Society an active part of your own life. For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.
Welfare
The purposes of Church
welfare are to help members become self-reliant, to care for the poor
and needy, and to give service. Welfare is central to the work of Relief
Society. President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, has taught:
“[The Lord] has from the
beginning of time provided ways for His disciples to help. He has
invited His children to consecrate their time, their means, and
themselves to join with Him in serving others. …
“He has invited and
commanded us to participate in His work to lift up those in need. We
make a covenant to do that in the waters of baptism and in the holy temples of God. We renew the covenant on Sundays when we partake of the sacrament.”1
Under the direction of
the bishop or branch president, local leaders assist with spiritual and
temporal welfare. Opportunities to serve often begin with visiting
teachers who seek inspiration to know how to respond to the needs of
each sister they visit.
From the Scriptures
From Our History
On June 9, 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith charged the sisters in Relief Society to “relieve the poor” and to “save souls.”2 These goals are still at the heart of Relief Society and are expressed in our motto, “Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8).
Our fifth Relief
Society general president, Emmeline B. Wells, and her counselors
launched this motto in 1913 as a reminder of our founding principles:
“We do declare it our purpose to … [hold] fast to the inspired teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith when he revealed the plan by which women
were to be empowered through the calling of the priesthood to be grouped
into suitable organizations for the purpose of ministering to the sick,
assisting the needy, comforting the aged, warning the unwary, and
succoring the orphans.”3
Today the Relief Society has a worldwide reach as sisters extend charity, the pure love of Christ, to their neighbors (see Moroni 7:46–47).
What Can I Do?
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1.
How am I preparing to care for myself and for my family spiritually and temporally?
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2.
How can I follow the Savior’s example as I help meet the needs of the sisters I watch over?
