The Role of the LDS Relief Society: Women's Leadership and Influence in the Church

How the Relief Society became the largest women's organization in the LDS Church, wielding real institutional power despite exclusion from the priesthood.

By Garret Merkley · Explainer · Jun 17, 2026

Branched from How the LDS Priesthood Developed and Why It Remained Male-Only Until 2023

Quick take

The Relief Society is the official women's organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, founded in 1842 and now with over 5 million members.
It operates independently with its own budget, leadership structure, and programs—giving women substantial institutional authority separate from the male-dominated priesthood hierarchy.
The organization has historically defined women's roles in the church through charity, education, and moral leadership, though its scope and autonomy have shifted over time.

The Relief Society is the official women's organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Founded in 1842 by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois, it is one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the United States, with approximately 5.5 million members worldwide. Unlike many church women's groups that function as auxiliaries with limited independence, the Relief Society operates with its own presidency, budget, curriculum, and organizational structure—giving women a distinct sphere of leadership and decision-making power within the broader church.

How the Relief Society is Structured

The Relief Society has a hierarchical leadership structure that mirrors the priesthood organization in some ways but operates independently. At the top is a general presidency of three women, elected and sustained by the church membership. Below them are regional and local presidencies in stakes (regional divisions) and wards (local congregations). Each level has counselors and a secretary, creating a chain of command that allows women to exercise administrative and spiritual authority over large groups.

Each Relief Society unit controls its own budget, though funds come from ward donations rather than direct tithing. This financial independence is significant—it means women decide how to allocate resources for their programs, charitable work, and activities. The organization also produces its own curriculum, holds separate meetings, and sets priorities for women's education and service projects. This structural autonomy distinguishes the Relief Society from many other church organizations and gives women real institutional power.

The Historical Mission: Charity, Education, and Moral Leadership

When Joseph Smith founded the Relief Society, he framed it as an organization to help poor and sick members and to prepare women for spiritual leadership. The name itself reflects this mission—'relief' for those in distress. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the Relief Society became the primary vehicle for women's charitable work in the church, running welfare programs, managing grain storage, and coordinating disaster relief long before modern social services existed.

Education has been equally central to the Relief Society's identity. The organization established and ran schools for girls, taught domestic skills alongside theology, and later offered classes in health, literature, and civic participation. This educational role positioned Relief Society leaders as moral authorities—women who could teach and influence other women on matters of faith, family, and community. In many wards, the Relief Society president was one of the most visible and respected female leaders, often wielding influence that extended beyond formal church structures into community affairs.

Changes in Scope and Authority Over Time

The Relief Society's autonomy and scope have contracted and expanded at different historical moments. In the early 20th century, as the church professionalized its welfare system and centralized control, the Relief Society's independent charitable work was gradually absorbed into church-wide programs. The organization's budget shrank, and its decision-making authority narrowed. By the mid-20th century, Relief Society meetings were often scheduled around priesthood meetings rather than held independently, and curriculum became tightly controlled by the central church office.

However, the Relief Society has also experienced periods of renewal and expanded influence. In recent decades, especially since the 1980s, the organization has reasserted its educational mission, launched global humanitarian initiatives, and increased women's visibility in church leadership roles. The 2018 decision to allow women to participate in certain temple rituals previously restricted to men, and the 2023 decision to ordain women to the priesthood for the first time, represent significant shifts that have altered the Relief Society's relationship to institutional power—though the organization itself remains distinct from the priesthood structure.

Why the Relief Society Matters

The Relief Society matters because it represents a rare historical example of women exercising sustained institutional authority within a male-led religious organization. For over 180 years, it has provided women with leadership training, a platform for influence, and a space to define their own priorities—even when those priorities were constrained by broader church doctrine. For many LDS women, serving in Relief Society positions has been their primary experience of leadership and decision-making. The organization also matters because it has shaped how the LDS Church approaches women's roles: by creating a separate female sphere rather than integrating women into existing hierarchies, the church both limited women's access to the highest levels of authority and created a distinct women-centered institution with real power. This model influenced how other conservative religious organizations structured women's participation.

The Priesthood Question

Until 2023, the Relief Society operated as the primary women's leadership organization precisely because women were excluded from the priesthood. The organization filled a leadership vacuum by necessity.
The 2023 decision to ordain women to the priesthood did not dissolve the Relief Society or subordinate it to priesthood authority. Instead, women now hold both roles—a structural change that is still being worked out in practice.

Does the Relief Society have real power, or is it just ceremonial?

The Relief Society has real institutional power within its sphere. It controls its own budget, sets its own agenda, trains and sustains its own leaders, and makes decisions about charitable work and education. However, its power is bounded—it cannot ordain members, perform certain temple rituals (until very recently), or overrule priesthood decisions at higher levels. It is powerful within defined limits.

What is the difference between the Relief Society and other church women's organizations?

The Relief Society is for women age 18 and older and is the primary women's organization. The Young Women organization serves girls ages 12–18. The Relief Society has a longer history, larger membership, more independent structure, and greater institutional autonomy than Young Women. Other auxiliary organizations (Primary for children, Sunday School) are mixed-gender.

How did the 2023 priesthood ordination decision affect the Relief Society?

The 2023 decision allowed women to be ordained to the priesthood for the first time, which theoretically gave them access to the highest levels of institutional authority. However, the Relief Society remains a separate organization with its own leadership structure. Women now navigate both roles, and the full implications are still unfolding. The Relief Society has not been eliminated or merged into priesthood structures.

Is the Relief Society only for LDS women, or can other women join?

The Relief Society is exclusively for women who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Membership is automatic upon baptism (at age 8) or conversion, though women typically become active in the adult Relief Society at age 18.

What does the Relief Society actually do today?

Modern Relief Society activities include weekly meetings focused on religious instruction and sisterhood, humanitarian projects (both local and global), educational classes, welfare assistance for members in need, and community service. The organization also plays a key role in temple preparation and spiritual development. The specific activities vary by ward and region.

Sources

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Relief Society official website and historical records.
Heather Kienzle, 'Women and the Priesthood' (2023)—overview of structural changes in LDS women's roles.
LDS Church official announcements on women's ordination (April 2023 General Conference).