My Calling as a Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency

What Should I Focus On?

All Church leaders “are called to help others become ‘true followers of … Jesus Christ’ (Moroni 7:48)” (Handbook 2, 3.1). Your presidency’s focus is to help every woman prepare to receive the next covenant she needs on the covenant path.

At the announcement of President Russell M. Nelson’s call as President of the Church, he counseled:

“Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere. … The end for which each of us strives is to be endowed with power in a house of the Lord, sealed as families, faithful to covenants made in a temple that qualify us for the greatest gift of God—that of eternal life” (“As We Go Forward Together,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2018, 7).

Lead in the Savior’s Way

You are a disciple of Jesus Christ. Discipleship includes teaching, leading, and serving others. President Henry B. Eyring taught: “You are called to represent the Savior. Your voice to testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His hands” (“Rise to Your Call,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2002, 76).

The following leadership principles will help your presidency as you seek to bless the sisters in your ward:

• Prepare spiritually.

• Counsel together.

• Minister to others.

• Teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

• Administer the organization.

For more information, see Handbook 2, 3.2.

Love and Know Each Sister

As you seek to love and know each sister, work with the other members of the Relief Society presidency to prioritize your efforts and prayerfully determine who needs your time and attention. Also seek inspiration about how to use your unique gifts to bless the sisters in the Relief Society.

By following the example of the Savior and reaching out to those you are called to serve, you will find that your love for each sister increases. You will gain insights and inspiration about how best to minister to those you serve. As you pray for the gift of charity, your heart will be filled with the love of the Savior and of others (see Moroni 7:46–48).

Participate in Presidency and Other Leadership Meetings

“The Lord’s Church is governed through councils” (Handbook 2, 4.1). As a counselor to the Relief Society presidency, you attend presidency meetings and, as invited, stake leadership training meetings. In presidency meetings, you coordinate your service to the sisters in your ward. Suggested agenda items for presidency meetings are listed below.

• Read and discuss scripture passages and instruction from Church leaders that relate to your responsibilities as Relief Society leaders.

• Plan ways to strengthen Relief Society sisters in the ward.

• Discuss ministering assignments and efforts in the ward, and plan how to improve where needed.

• Review counsel and assignments from the bishop and the ward council. Plan ways to follow the counsel and fulfill the assignments.

• Discuss the effectiveness of Sunday Relief Society meetings and additional Relief Society meetings. Plan ways to improve gospel teaching and learning in Relief Society.

• Plan upcoming Relief Society meetings and first-Sunday council meeting topics.

• Prayerfully counsel together to recommend individuals to your bishopric for callings in the Relief Society. These callings may include teachers, assistant secretary, ministering secretary, compassionate service coordinator, additional Relief Society meeting coordinator and committee members, music leader, and pianist. (For more information, see Handbook 2, 9.2.4–5.)

• Review attendance records and discuss ways to encourage participation in Relief Society.

• Plan ways to build sisterhood among the women in the Relief Society.

Help Plan and Conduct Sunday Relief Society Meetings

Sunday Relief Society meetings are sacred opportunities for sisters to increase in knowledge and testimony of our Savior. A member of the Relief Society presidency or a Relief Society teacher leads the discussion in these meetings. Sisters learn doctrine from the scriptures and general conference messages, counsel about local needs, and make plans to work together to further the work of salvation.

For more information, see the Come, Follow Me website.

Help Plan and Oversee Additional Relief Society Meetings

Additional Relief Society meetings that are prayerfully planned can meet the needs of sisters in your ward. At these meetings, sisters can practice skills that will help them increase in faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families, make their homes centers of spiritual strength, and help those in need.

Sisters can also learn and apply principles of spiritual and temporal self-reliance. These principles include temple and family history work, compassionate service, literacy, and nutrition. Additional Relief Society meetings also provide an opportunity to increase sisterhood and love among the sisters as they learn and serve together.

For more information, see Handbook 2, 9.4.2.

Help Organize and Coordinate Ministering

Ministering is Christlike caring for others. Under the direction of the bishop, the Relief Society and elders quorum coordinate their efforts to minister to individuals and families in the ward. Ministering is led by the Spirit, flexible, and customized to the needs of individuals and families, so there is not one way to organize it. However, the following guidelines apply:

• The Relief Society presidency prayerfully considers who might be assigned to minister to each sister in the ward. In most cases, each adult sister should have two ministering sisters to care for her. In some situations, one ministering sister or a married couple may best meet a sister’s needs. For some sisters, the Relief Society presidency and the elders quorum presidency may want to counsel together about the assignments before recommending them to the bishop.

• Your presidency has the opportunity to counsel with each Mia Maid and Laurel, as well as her parents and leaders. If a young woman is able and willing to serve as a ministering sister, she serves as a companion to a Relief Society sister.

• The Relief Society presidency and the elders quorum presidency meet quarterly to discuss what you have learned through ministering interviews about the strengths and needs of individuals and families (see “Conduct Ministering Interviews” in this section). As needed, you also coordinate ministering assignments.

• The Relief Society president and the elders quorum president meet together with the bishop quarterly to address the needs of individuals and families. As needed, they also coordinate ministering assignments and obtain the bishop’s approval for their recommendations.

See ministering.lds.org for more details about organizing and coordinating ministering.

Conduct Ministering Interviews

Ministering interviews can be a spiritual highlight of your service. You will be blessed as you draw close to each member of your Relief Society and counsel together about her well-being and the well-being of those to whom she ministers.

A member of the Relief Society presidency meets at least quarterly with each companionship of ministering sisters for a ministering interview. When possible, hold these interviews in person and with both members of the companionship, if two sisters are assigned. Interviews may be held throughout the quarter and need not be long to be effective. A married couple assigned to minister together can meet with a member of the Relief Society presidency, a member of the elders quorum presidency, or both.

Ministering interviews are held to:

• Counsel about the strengths and needs of assigned sisters.

• Determine what needs the Relief Society or ward council might assist with.

• Help ministering sisters learn from the Relief Society presidency and be encouraged in their efforts.

The Relief Society secretary may help schedule appointments for ministering interviews and prepare quarterly reports of interviews. The president may also counsel with the bishop about having a member of the bishopric call one or more ministering secretaries to help schedule interviews and prepare the quarterly reports. However, they do not conduct the interviews.

Seek to follow the Savior’s example as you focus on ministering. The Church has prepared materials and videos to help you catch the vision of this important work.

See ministering.lds.org for more information about ministering interviews.

Participate in the Ward Council Meetings as Invited

“The Lord’s Church is governed through councils” (Handbook 2, 4.1). The Relief Society president may invite you to attend ward council meetings when she is absent. The ward council meets regularly to discuss and plan how to support members in:

• Building testimonies.

• Receiving saving ordinances.

• Keeping covenants.

• Becoming consecrated followers of Jesus Christ.

Support Ward Welfare Efforts

Improving spiritual and temporal welfare is central to the work of the Relief Society. The Relief Society presidency works with the bishopric, the elders quorum presidency, and other ward leaders to identify and address specific needs in the ward. Counsel with the Relief Society president about your welfare responsibilities. The following resources will assist you as you help others with sensitivity and love:

• “Welfare Principles and Leadership,” Handbook 2, chapter 6

• “Welfare and Compassionate Service,” Handbook 2, 9.6

• Welfare page at LDS.org

• Self-Reliance Services page at LDS.org

Attend Teacher Council Meetings

Teacher council meetings can help improve gospel instruction in Relief Society meetings. Participants in teacher council meetings discuss the principles in Teaching in the Savior’s Way. At least one member of your presidency and Relief Society teachers should attend these meetings (see Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 3).