Church History Matters, Ep. 168

How Relief Society Helped Restore the Temple with Lisa Olsen Tait

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

Overview

In this in-depth episode, hosts Scott and Casey are joined by Dr. Lisa Olsen Tait, Managing Historian for Women's History in the Church History Department, to discuss the founding, purpose, and historical context of the Nauvoo Relief Society. Through an exploration of both historical sources and doctrinal developments, they highlight how the Relief Society played a pivotal role in temple preparation and the “restoration” of priesthood, particularly focusing on the inclusion of women in temple ordinances. The conversation also maps out the dynamic grassroots origins of the organization, its doctrinal significance, its intertwining with the onset of plural marriage, and how these threads shaped Latter-day Saint women's participation in forming the celestial kingdom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Relief Society as Temple Preparation (01:14–03:04)

• Lisa Olsen Tait: Joseph Smith saw the Relief Society as a "temple preparation organization." (01:29)

• The formation of Relief Society (Mar 1842) closely followed the announcement of the Nauvoo Temple (D&C 124).

• The organization paralleled priesthood quorums: a president with two counselors, part of the church, not a separate entity.

  “Joseph Smith seems to have seen the Relief Society as a basically a temple preparation organization.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (01:29)

2. Historical Context of the Relief Society (11:19–13:00)

• Relief Society was not the “oldest women's organization in the US” as myth sometimes states; women’s benevolent societies already existed by the 1840s.

• Formed in response to real needs: thousands of new arrivals in Nauvoo were destitute, sick, or in need of charity.

• The immediate impetus: Margaret Cook (seamstress) and Sarah Kimball collaborated to help temple workers by sewing clothing, sparking the formation of the society (14:00–17:00).

  “Most women’s organizations at the time, if affiliated with a church, were auxiliaries. The Relief Society is part of the church.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (21:53)

3. Revelation and Grassroots Origins (17:09–18:04)

• Relief Society is a direct result of “bottom-up revelation,” sparked by women’s desire to help and solidified through Joseph Smith’s direction.
• Many Church auxiliaries began with grassroots responses to local needs.
• Casey: “Relief Society is a great example of a grassroots effort...that’s when the revelation comes.” (17:09)

4. “In the Order of the Priesthood”: The Relief Society & Priesthood Pattern (19:07–22:49)

• Joseph Smith’s statement: he wished “to organize the sisters in the order of the priesthood, not under, but in the order of the priesthood.”
• Pattern of the priesthood: The Society was organized like the church’s priesthood quorums, but included women.
• Over time, the term “auxiliary” was found to be problematic; today, Relief Society is considered “essential”, not auxiliary (22:23–22:49).

5. Relief Society, the Temple, and Women’s Inclusion in the Priesthood (24:35–33:51)

• The development of the Relief Society marked an expansion of priesthood roles to include women, especially through preparation for temple ordinances.
• Whitney (early bishop) to Relief Society:

  “It takes all to restore the priesthood.” (25:57)
  Meaning both men and women participate in this work.

• Nauvoo temple ordinances were innovative in including both men and women as recipients and as workers (“priests and priestesses”).

  “They are literally creating the celestial kingdom...the network of sealed relationships and people...the priesthood of the temple is the people.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (26:06)

• The “Anointed Quorum” (men and women) became the proto–temple workers, later known as “priests and priestesses” (33:51–34:06).

6. Gender Dynamics, Hierarchy, and Historical Uncertainty (29:33–33:51)

• Nauvoo innovations unfolded within a broader context of “male headship.”
• Sources are ambiguous about Joseph Smith’s ultimate vision for women’s ecclesiastical roles; much is left to interpretation.
• Lisa: “All I can say is that it’s there and it’s super important and the sources are very ambiguous and incomplete...” (29:33)

7. The Term “Priestess” and Restoration as Innovation (35:35–37:09)

• Early church records show temple matrons were referred to as “priestesses,” reflecting an elevation of women’s roles.
• Lisa: would welcome a return to “priestess” as a title (35:46).
• Casey: Emphasizes that some Restoration innovations (like women’s inclusion in temple priesthood) are genuinely new, not only restorations of previous dispensations:

  “God is doing some things today that he hasn’t done before that are completely new innovations...” (36:37)

8. The Relief Society’s Operations in Nauvoo (38:06–41:20)

• Focused on caring for the poor and “saving souls.”
• Meetings were practical and based on grassroots needs—members pooled thread, fabric, money, and effort to support those in distress.
• Operated with remarkable autonomy for women, within the male “headship” structure but with real trust and latitude from church leaders.

9. Suspension, Rebirth, and Eliza R. Snow’s Role (41:20–46:06)

• After Joseph’s death, the Relief Society faded due to turmoil, Brigham Young’s ambivalence, and external crises—but women continued mutual aid informally.
• Officially revitalized in Utah (1867) under Brigham Young’s commission, guided by Eliza R. Snow.
• Relief Society was the “mother” of later organizations, including Young Women and Primary.

10. Relief Society, Polygamy, and Temple Work (49:16–54:33)

• Relief Society, temple ordinances, and polygamy in Nauvoo are inextricably linked, and many records were deliberately limited because of the secretive introduction of plural marriage.

• Emma Smith’s struggles with polygamy intersected with her Relief Society leadership and slowed women’s inclusion in temple rituals.

  “The records are pretty thin...it’s all inextricably connected with the introduction of plural marriage...so we wish we had a deeper understanding.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (49:28)

11. On Faith, History, and Testimony (55:12–60:35)

• History can’t “prove” spiritual realities, but it can bear witness to experiences and motivations.
• The human experiences, testimonies, and faith of early (and later) Latter-day Saint women and men are powerful, even amid historical messiness or ambiguity.

  “History is about bearing witness. And that’s where the faith part comes for me.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (58:25)

• Encounters with both fallibility and revelation in the record—moments “where people are clearly working above their level”—strengthen Lisa’s faith.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the temple and the Relief Society:

  “Jehovah's misunderstanding of what they're doing with the temple is they are literally creating the celestial kingdom.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (00:00)

• On collaborative revelation:

  “There’s very much a collaborative process of revelation taking place.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (17:43)

• On women and priesthood restoration:

  “It takes all to restore the priesthood.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait quoting Bishop Whitney (25:57)

• On innovation in the dispensation of the fullness of times:

  “God is doing some things today that he hasn’t done before...”
  — Casey (00:06, 36:37)

• On responsible historical analysis:

  “When we don’t know, we need to say we don’t know, but we also need to not use that as a way of deflecting away from discomfort.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (54:10)

• On the human side of church history:

  “To me, those moments of humanity make the moments of revelation stand out more clearly...when we can see that people are clearly working above their level.”
  — Lisa Olsen Tait (59:40)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:14 – Relief Society as temple preparation
• 11:19 – 1840s context and the roots of women’s organizations
• 14:00 – Margaret Cook, Sarah Kimball, and the grassroots origin story
• 17:09 – Grassroots efforts and collaborative revelation
• 19:07 – “In the order of the priesthood,” patterns, and leadership structure
• 25:57 – Bishop Whitney: “It takes all to restore the priesthood.”
• 29:33 – Inclusion of women, “Anointed Quorum,” and historical ambiguity
• 35:46 – On reviving the term “priestess”
• 36:37 – Restoration includes new, not just restored, doctrines
• 38:06 – Day-to-day operations of the original Relief Society
• 41:20 – Suspension, Winter Quarters, and revitalization under Eliza R. Snow
• 49:16 – Connections among Relief Society, temple, and polygamy
• 55:12 – Faith, history, and bearing witness

Conclusion

This episode offers a richly-sourced, thoughtful, and candid exploration of the Relief Society’s purpose, its roots in temple preparation, and its unique role in the restoration of priesthood in the “dispensation of the fullness of times.” Dr. Lisa Olsen Tait’s expertise brings clarity to the historical nuance and continuing relevance of the organization, as well as its connections to temple, priesthood, and evolving gender roles in Latter-day Saint religious life. The conversation models responsible, faithful historical inquiry—honoring the complexity of the record while identifying deep currents of spiritual innovation and collective effort, women and men together, at the heart of Latter-day Saint history.