Sister Jean Bingham, April 2020, "United in Accomplishing God's Work"

Women and the Priesthood

This new Church organization for women, named the Relief Society, was

unlike other women’s societies of the day because it was established by a

prophet who acted with priesthood authority to give women authority,

sacred responsibilities, and official positions within the structure of the

Church, not apart from it.

From the Prophet Joseph Smith’s day to ours, the ongoing restoration of all

things has brought enlightenment on the necessity of the authority and

power of the priesthood in helping both men and women accomplish their

divinely appointed responsibilities. Recently we have been taught that

women who are set apart under the direction of one holding priesthood keys

operate with priesthood authority in their callings.

In October 2019, President Russell M. Nelson taught that women who are

endowed in the temple have priesthood power in their lives and in their homes

as they keep those sacred covenants they made with God. He explained that

“the heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power

flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the

priesthood.” And he encouraged every sister to “draw liberally upon the

Savior’s power to help your family and others you love.”

So what does that mean for you and me? How does understanding priesthood

authority and power change our lives? One of the keys is to understand

that when women and men work together, we accomplish a great deal more

than we do working separately. Our roles are complementary rather than

competitive. Although women are not ordained to a priesthood office, as

noted previously women are blessed with priesthood power as they keep

their covenants, and they operate with priesthood authority when they are

set apart to a calling.