Women in the Church

Every willing member of the Church has many opportunities to render service, share talents, and gain new skills. Every week, women preach, teach, and lead in the Church on local and worldwide levels.

In addition, women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints belong to and lead the Relief Society, an organization of several million women worldwide. Women also lead the Church’s Young Women organization and the Primary, an organization for teaching children. The leaders of these organizations meet regularly in executive councils to help make decisions that affect the worldwide Church. These organizations also exist on the local level, with women participating in council meetings to discuss and direct the work of the Church in local units.

A woman—the president of the Relief Society in each congregation—has a special role in working with the congregational leader, or bishop, to meet the needs of members who may struggle financially or who may face other special challenges in their lives.

The priesthood—the authority of God to perform ordinances and act in His name—is conferred only on worthy male members of the Church. Men who hold the priesthood have no advantage over women in qualifying for salvation or eternal life through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

• "The Women in Our Lives"

  Gordon B. Hinckley, Liahona, Nov. 2004, 82–85; or Ensign, Nov. 2004, 82–85
  How thankful I am, how thankful we all must be, for the women in our lives.

• "To the Women of the Church"

  Gordon B. Hinckley, Liahona, Nov. 2003, 113–15; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 113–15
  Thank you for being the kind of people you are and doing the things you do. May the blessings of heaven rest upon you.

• "A Woman of Faith"

  Margaret D. Nadauld, Liahona, Nov. 2002, 73–75; or Ensign, Nov. 2002, 73–75
  A woman of faith trusts God. . . . She knows of His interest in her life. She knows that He knows her. She loves His words and drinks deeply of that living water.

• "Finding Nobility in Motherhood and Joy in Womanhood"

  Visiting Teaching Message, Ensign, July 2002, 71
  What have prophets taught concerning nurturing children? How can we as sisters in the gospel better fulfill our God-given purposes?

• "Happiness in Womanhood"

  Susan Easton Black, Ensign, Mar. 2002, 12–15
  Modern scripture reaffirms the sacred responsibilities of women as daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers.

• "Women of Righteousness"

  M. Russell Ballard, Liahona, Dec. 2002, 34–43; or Ensign, Apr. 2002, 66–73
  More than ever we need women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who can hear and who will respond to the voice of the Lord.

• "It Is Not Good for Man or Woman to Be Alone"

  Sheri L. Dew, Liahona, Jan. 2002, 13–15; or Ensign, Nov. 2001, 12–14
  No marriage or family, no ward or stake is likely to reach its full potential until husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, men and women work together in unity of purpose.

• "The Joy of Womanhood"

  Margaret D. Nadauld, Liahona, Jan. 2001, 17–19; or Ensign, Nov. 2000, 14–16
  Daughters of God know that it is the nurturing nature of women that can bring everlasting blessings, and they live to cultivate this divine attribute.

• "Women of the Church"

  Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1996, 67–70
  I bear testimony before the entire world of your worth, of your grace and goodness, of your remarkable abilities and tremendous contributions.

Search Church magazines for content related to this topic.

• "Relief Society"

  LDS.org: Serving in the Church

• "Women, Roles of"

  Encyclopedia of Mormonism
  (Please note that the contents of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, a joint product of Brigham Young University and Macmillan Publishing Company, do not necessarily represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) 

• "All the City . . . Doth Know That Thou Art a Virtuous Woman"

  Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual, Lesson 20

• "The Righteous Influence of Mothers"

  Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, Chapter 15

• "The Influence of Mothers"

  Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 4

• "Women and the Priesthood"

  The Latter-day Saint Woman: Part A, Lesson 13

• "The Latter-day Saint Woman"

  The Latter-day Saint Woman: Part A, Lesson 14

Search additional Church materials for content related to this topic.

Search additional lesson manuals for content related to this topic.