Papalocal Your local communities & everything app — businesses, deals, library, and more.

The Role of Spiritual Gifts and Prophecy Among Early Latter-day Saint Women

Exploring how early Latter-day Saint women experienced and expressed divine inspiration, healing, and prophetic insights within their communities.

By Garret Merkley · Explainer · Jun 4, 2026
Branched from The Role of Women in the Founding of the Latter-day Saint Movement
Quick take
  • Early Latter-day Saint women frequently exercised spiritual gifts like healing, speaking in tongues, and prophecy.
  • These gifts were seen as divine blessings, essential for community building and personal faith.
  • Women's spiritual authority was often expressed informally but significantly impacted the early movement.
  • Over time, the public expression and interpretation of these gifts evolved within the Church.

Spiritual gifts among early Latter-day Saint women refer to divinely bestowed abilities or manifestations of the Holy Spirit, such as healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues, visions, and discerning spirits. These were understood as blessings from God, meant to edify individuals and strengthen the community, not just for personal benefit. Prophecy, in particular, involved receiving and declaring divine guidance or insight, often in the form of comfort, warning, or instruction.

Manifestations of Divine Power

Early Latter-day Saint women frequently experienced and exercised a range of spiritual gifts. Accounts from the 19th century document women acting as healers, administering blessings to the sick, and speaking in tongues during religious gatherings. Many women also shared prophetic dreams, visions, and and insights, often offering comfort, warnings, or guidance to their families and communities. These expressions were not limited to formal settings but often occurred in homes, sickness beds, and during informal sisterhood gatherings.

The early Latter-day Saint movement, founded on the principle of continuing revelation, fostered an environment where such spiritual manifestations were expected and encouraged for both men and women. Joseph Smith, the movement's founder, taught that spiritual gifts were a sign of the true church and available to all faithful members. Women's spiritual experiences were often recounted in personal journals, letters, and early church histories, indicating their significance and acceptance within the nascent faith.

The active role of women in exercising spiritual gifts and prophecy was crucial for the early Latter-day Saint movement. It provided women with significant avenues for leadership, influence, and spiritual authority, even when formal ecclesiastical roles were typically held by men. These gifts empowered women to minister to each other, build faith, and sustain the community through challenging times of persecution and migration. Their spiritual contributions helped shape the unique religious culture and resilience of the early Saints, affirming the belief that divine power was accessible to all devoted followers, regardless of gender.

Were these gifts unique to Latter-day Saint women?
No, while the specific Latter-day Saint theology gave them a unique context, spiritual gifts were common in many 19th-century American religious movements, which often emphasized personal spiritual experiences and direct divine communication.
Did women hold formal priesthood authority through these gifts?
While women exercised spiritual authority and power, their spiritual gifts were distinct from the formal, ordained priesthood offices typically held by men in the early Latter-day Saint Church. However, they were often endowed with priesthood power to perform specific healing blessings.
How did the practice of these gifts evolve over time?
Over time, as the Church became more institutionalized, the public and informal expression of some spiritual gifts, particularly prophecy and speaking in tongues, became less emphasized, though personal spiritual experiences and the gift of healing remained highly valued and encouraged.
Can Latter-day Saint women still exercise spiritual gifts today?
Yes, contemporary Latter-day Saint theology affirms that spiritual gifts are available to all faithful members, men and women, for personal edification, service, and strengthening the community. These gifts are understood to manifest in various ways, from comforting others to receiving personal revelation.
Explore further
The Historical Context of Women's Roles in Early American ReligionUnderstanding the Doctrine of Continuing Revelation in Latter-day Saint TheologyThe Practice of Healing Blessings Among Early Latter-day SaintsHow Joseph Smith's Teachings Shaped Spiritual PracticesThe Evolution of Women's Leadership in the Latter-day Saint ChurchPersonal Journals and Narratives of Early Latter-day Saint Women

Sources