"My wish for the young women joining Relief Society is that they would be received with arms wrapped around them, feel secure and safe, and feel the love of the Lord through the women they associate with. Relief Society will be the place where each young woman should find women to care about her and serve her. It's also where she'll learn to love her sisters. My counsel to these new sisters is to get involved and forget yourself. Then great things will happen."
~ Bonnie D. Parkin, Relief Society General President

Making that difficult step from Young Women into Relief Society can
cause even the most confident and secure girl to feel insignificant. Uncertainty can lead to fear and in turn, avoidance. How will she cope? Who will be her friends? What could she possibly have in common with an older generation of Sisters? This one event has the potential to affect in a profound way the rest of a woman’s life.

Leaders from both organizations and parents should work together in laying a sturdy foundation to ensure the best possible move between the two organizations before the Young Women’s 18th birthday. A well-developed plan will enhance the early experiences for every girl’s preparation in her future roles as wife, mother and servant of our Father in Heaven.

Schedule a meeting consisting of Young Women and Relief Society Leaders and mothers of Laurels. The meeting’s focus needs to be centered on a timeline of events. These activities are accomplished before, during and after the transition. At the meeting, discuss KIL:

Know them

“Sisters need to feel loved and valued when they make the transition
from the Young Women program to Relief Society.” ~ Sister Peterson
• Which girls will be making the transition during the next year

• What are the needs and special qualities of each Laurel

• Have each Laurel write a short biography about herself and affix
her photo to the page. Distribute the biographies to the Relief Society
and challenge them to know and fellowship the younger generation of sisters.

Involve them

“By planning to include our younger sisters more fully, we are
strengthening the future of Relief Society.” ~ Sister Woodhouse
• Discuss how might each girl contribute to the goals of Relief Society

• Invite the Laurels to a few Relief Society meetings, activities and
celebrations

• Help the Laurels accomplish secret acts of kindness for selected
Relief Society sisters

• Have Relief Society sisters do the same for Laurels

• Invite the Laurels help plan a combined enrichment night

Love them

“Welcoming young women and accepting them with love strengthen
the sisterhood of Relief Society.” ~ Sister Peterson
• Organize a welcome package. Some things you may want to include are:
a relief society directory, lesson schedule, scripture marking implements,
enrichment night activities schedule, Relief Society Declaration, her visiting
teachers’ information, trinket, Pursuit of Excellence handout.

• Organize a graduation luncheon. The theme could center on a rose.
It begins as a rosebud (Young Women) and blooms into a rose. Send out “seed packet” invitations.

• Organize several mother/daughter (“Buds to Bloomers”) nights. There
is an infinite number of possibilities for a theme. However, you could
use these special times as a right of passage. Share with the girls those
experiences and knowledge you wish you had known as a young adult. All
Relief Society sisters should be encouraged to attend and participate as
every woman has a special gift that she can share with others.

• A spin on the above idea is instead of a mother, assign each girl
a mentor (possibly a grandmother) and plan activities accordingly.

In reality, it matters not how much you do - it matters how much
love in invested.

Helping Young Women with the Transition into Womanhood