Discover If Your Ancestors Were Part of Early Relief Society Organization
Contributed By Lauren Hanson, Church News staff writer
The Relief Society was organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith on March 17, 1842.
Article Highlights
- FamilySearch has created an experience for people to discover their early Relief Society ancestors.
- Learn new facts about the early Relief Society and watch an inspiring video.
“The purpose of this experience is for people to honor their Relief Society ancestors. These were ordinary women who did extraordinary things and were intimately involved in establishing the Church.” —Kathy Warburton, manager of marketing campaigns for FamilySearch
Related Links
In honor of the 175th anniversary of the Relief Society, FamilySearch has published a new experience where you can read inspiring stories about the women who were part of the early Relief Society organization—and find out if you are related to any of them.
This experience, found at familysearch.org/campaign/reliefsociety, gives you an opportunity to learn more about your ancestors and their contribution to the first 50 years of Relief Society, which began March 17, 1842.
“The purpose of this experience is for people to honor their Relief Society ancestors. These were ordinary women who did extraordinary things and were intimately involved in establishing the Church,” said Kathy Warburton, manager of marketing campaigns for FamilySearch.
The page also includes a “Nine Relief Society Fun Facts” trivia game where you can find the answers to questions like “Who were the ‘Singing Mothers’?” and “What object has been a staple in Relief Society service?”
There is also a powerful video called Strength from our Grandmothers that tells the story of a mother and her daughters who find strength from the lives of their early Relief Society ancestors to help them face their trials today.
The database is based on the book The First Fifty Years of Relief Society, which was published by the Church Historian’s Press last year. While the database includes the names and biographies of more than 2,000 people who influenced the development of the Relief Society, not all the women who were involved those first 50 years are included in the book.
See what you can learn about these individuals who helped shape the Relief Society today and share your experience and stories on social media using the hashtag #FamilySearch.
