In 1980 when Church President Spencer W. Kimball extended a call to Michaelene Packer Grassli to serve as a counselor in the general Primary presidency, she asked him if he had any counsel for her. She recalled, “He looked at me seriously and said, ‘Yes, I would counsel you to find joy in serving the Lord.' Michaelene said, “Those are words I frequently recall and repeat in many settings. I know our service can bring us joy as our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ increases.” ¹

Shouldering demanding Church responsibilities has potential for becoming a burden and a hardship at times, yet great joy can come through serving with all one's “heart, might, mind and strength” (D&C 4:2),and focusing on whom and why service is given–and required.

King Benjamin instructed: “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). Saints worldwide testify that great joy comes in serving in Church callings, and often experience increased joy when welcoming “the task takes you beyond yourself” as former Relief Society general President Louise Y. Robison frequently quoted. Many expressions of finding that joy in service can be found in remarks of past auxiliary general presidents.

During the 1930s, Adele Cannon Howells and her husband, David, resided in Los Angeles , California , where he served as bishop of the Wilshire Ward and was instrumental in purchasing land for the Los Angeles Temple . When he suddenly died of a heart attack at age fifty-five, Adele contemplated whether she and her children should stay in California or move back to Utah .

Although Adele had never served in Primary, receiving a call in 1940 as a counselor to Primary president May Green Hinckley was an answer to her prayers. May had been a good friend for many years, and Adele felt blessed to renew their association and to put her writing and artistic talents to use as editor of the Children's Friend. Following May's death in 1943, President Heber J. Grant extended a call to Adele as the fourth general Primary president. An avid diary keeper throughout her life, Adele made many entries about her Primary work. One such entry read: “Anniversary of my appointment as president of the Primary Association. I am enjoying the work immensely and hope I am doing some good.” ²

Naomi Maxfield Shumway started teaching Primary right after she graduated from high school and except for a few callings in Junior Sunday School and YWMIA in subsequent years, she was involved in Primary continuously until her release as general Primary president in 1980. Naomi loved teaching, whether in the classroom or as a leader instructing other adults. She fulfilled callings as both a ward and stake Primary president. When she was set apart as a member of the Primary general board serving under LaVern W. Parmley, she was told in the blessing given to her by Elder William J. Critchlow, “The things that you will have to postpone to accept this calling are inconsequential to the blessings you will receive.”

Throughout the years she served in Primary, she felt that she was blessed many times over. ³ During her six-year administration as general president, the Primary celebrated its 100 th birthday in 1978. This was a particularly joyful time for Naomi as Primaries throughout the world and at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City celebrated through parades, plays, and fairs, and reflected on the purpose and blessing of Primary in children's lives.

Not only did Naomi find joy in serving in Primary, she recognized that her service added a new dimension to her children's lives.

Her youngest daughter, Jan, said, “Mom was called to the general board when I was twelve. I started thinking about the Church worldwide instead of just in Bountiful . It was a wonderful time for us because of the spirit she had, her love of children, and the stories she would tell us about her travels.” ⁴ When her son, Roger, served a mission to Paris , France , he drew from his mother's experiences and helped organize home Primaries. As adults, Naomi's daughters, Shari and Jan, served in ward and stake Primary leadership positions as well.

Shortly after Dwan Jacobsen Young began her service as general president of the Primary in 1980, the Church meeting schedule underwent a dramatic change. The consolidated meeting schedule was first implemented in the United States and Canada in March and then worldwide two months later. Whereas Primary had been held on a weekday afternoon, it was now part of the three-hour Sunday block schedule.

Dwan recalled, “One of our struggles was helping Church members recognize how important it is to teach children. Some women said, “I can't miss Relief Society,” but Dwan believed that teachers would find “great joy and satisfaction in teaching. . . . They find that as they teach basic gospel principles, they are enjoying great spiritual growth.” ⁵

Not only could Dwan envision how Primary teachers and leaders could experience great spiritual growth, she herself found that she learned and grew more than she ever had before. At first as general president, she could only feel the huge responsibility she had for children not only in the Church but also for children throughout the world. But through constant prayer, scripture study, and seeking to live worthily, she felt her faith, knowledge of the gospel, and joy in service increased dramatically.

Her daughter Suzanne Y. Jones said, “My mother would often share with us some of her faith-promoting experiences. As she visited Primaries throughout the world and saw people in such humble circumstances, their faith built her faith and really affected her. . . . I always wished that I could have been in her back pocket. She had so many wonderful experiences.” ⁶

Almost immediately after Elaine L. Jack was sustained in March 1990 as general Relief Society president, she and her two counselors, Chieko N. Okazaki and Aileen H. Clyde and the general board members began planning the Relief Society Sesquicentennial to be celebrated March 17, 1992. They felt the major thrust of the Sesquicentennial should be celebrating through service. Elaine thought that “service projects beyond our own borders” would be very beneficial to the sisters and to the communities in which they lived. Every local unit planned a service project to help their own community. Such projects included painting homeless shelters, collecting books, making quilts, cleaning school windows, and tutoring inmates, to name only a few of the projects 18,000 Relief Society units carried out.

Other features of the celebration included local units presenting “A Society of Sisters,” vignettes about their sisters, and creating histories of their own Relief Societies. Something Extraordinary , a collage of photos submitted by sisters around the world, was published. Capping the Sesquicentennial was a satellite broadcast to five continents on March 17, 1992. During this broadcast, sisters representing these five continents, spoke in their own languages about what Relief Society meant to them. The Relief Society presidency and President Thomas S. Monson then each addressed this historic worldwide gathering of sisters. Looking back on the Sesquicentennial commemoration, Elaine later remarked, “I think that was the happiest time of our whole administration.” ⁷

Information for this article has been drawn from personal interviews and books co-authored by Janet Peterson and LaRene Gaunt: The Children's Friends: Primary Presidents and Their Lives of Service and the updated Relief Society presidents' book, Faith, Hope, and Charity: Inspiration from the Lives of General Relief Society Presidents.

¹Michaelene P. Grassli, What I Have Learned from Children ( Salt Lake City : Deseret Book, 87).

²Adele Cannon Howells diary, July 20, 1945.

³Notes of Naomi M. Shumway, copy in possession of Janet Peterson.

⁴Interview with Jan S. Moncur, October 28, 1993.

⁵Interview with Dwan J. Young, May 26, 1993.

⁶Telephone interview with Suzanne Y. Jones, January 25, 1994.

⁷Interview with Elaine L. Jack, December 14, 2006.