All Relief Society meetings should fulfill the purpose of the organization -- to help educate Latter-day Saint women and engage them in the Lord's work of salvation, said Sister Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president.

Speaking to the Church News a few weeks after announcing new objectives and procedures for weekday Relief Society meetings, Sister Beck said the meetings should be used as tools by inspired Mormon Relief Society presidents and bishops.

If meetings "are not strengthening the faith of sisters, if they are not helping them prepare for the blessings of eternal life, then why are they being held?" said Sister Beck. "Relief Society was organized to engage sisters in the Lord's work and to teach them how to do that in their homes and in their personal lives."

During the General Relief Society Meeting on Sept. 26, Sister Beck announced that "home, family and personal enrichment" meetings now would be simply called Relief Society meetings. She also spoke about specific guidelines for the meetings.

In essence, ward Relief Society presidents, working with their bishops, should oversee all meetings. Plans for the meetings, which generally will be held once a month, should be consistent with current policies about activities -- including policies about finances -- and should accomplish the "charitable and practical responsibilities of Relief Society."

The guidelines "are evidence that we are a global organization and that we have a global work," Sister Beck said. "We cannot write policy that fits only one culture or only one way of doing things."

Since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' consolidated meeting schedule began in 1980, each general Relief Society presidency has worked to define a purpose for meetings outside of Sunday, she continued. Clarifying objectives and procedures provides a renewed focus and flexibility for Mormon wards and branches throughout the world, she added.

The big thing this policy does, she said, is to remind a Relief Society president to align all Relief Society meetings and activities under priesthood lines and direction.

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This story is provided by the LDS Church News, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is produced weekly by the Deseret News.