Hello. A comment featured on the LDS Church Growth Blog noted that a change was announced today for the wording of the purposes of the Relief Society. The question was asked in conjunction with the announcement, what in particular has changed? To answer that question, first let's look at the old wording, then follow that up with the new wording. Relevant changes are in bold typeface.
Old:
"Relief Society helps prepare women for the blessings of eternal life as they increase faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement, strengthen individuals, families and homes through ordinances and covenants and work in unity to help those in need."
New:
"Relief Society helps prepare woemn for the blessings of eternal life as they increase faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Antoment; strengthen individuals, families, and homes thorough Sunday gospel instruction, other Relief Society meetings, visiting teaching, and welfare and compassionate service."
Having compared the two, it appears that the prior version focused more on how the Lord was moving women worldwide to accomplish the purposes He has designed for them, while the updates made today are more geared towards how women will take more personal responsibility to ensure that they are exerting the effort needed to allow the Lord to change them, making it more active than passive. It is wonderful to see this amazing development.
Thaat is particularly true considering the fact that this may very well be one one of the very last developments coming from this Relief Society Presidency. I fully anticipate that our current one, sustained as it was in 2012, and with the standard 5-year service term that has been in place for general auxiliary presidencies as a general rule for the last several years. So it is more than likely that we will see a change in that presidency in just under a month's time. Perhaps the very last things that will be done by this presidency would be two general conference addresses, which, as I mentioned when posting my general conference predictions, should happen during the General Women's session (for second counselor Linda S. Reeves) and during either the Saturday Morning Session (when I predict we will hear the final address from General President Linda K. Burton) or Sunday Morning. (As it is a given that, if Sister Burton is released, she will speak during this conference. What is not so cut-and-dried is when exactly that will be. It has been the general rule at least for most of the last 10+ years that the auxiliary presidency members alternate between the two morning sessions. It has been known to happen during other sessions, but that, as I have indicated, is the exception.)
So that is my report on this change in wording for the Relief Society Purposes. Hope it has proven helpful to you. I appreciate your readership and support, and any comments you might want to share. Thanks so much for everything.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Change in the wording of Relief Society Purposes
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
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