The Relief Society was founded on March 17, 1842, in Joseph Smith’s store in Nauvoo. The society quickly outgrew this space and began meeting outdoors in the shadow of the rising temple. But the cold prevented their gatherings during the winter and left them wanting a building of their own. Joseph Smith donated a lot and a house the sisters could repair and use for their meetings.

Over the next 50 years, dozens of local halls sprung up, dotting the landscape of Utah and the surrounding areas. But the General Presidency and general board of the Relief Society did not have a permanent home. For about 29 years they borrowed space in the offices of the Woman’s Exponent, a newspaper for women. But this space was limited and moved several times over the years.

Though reluctant at first, the Relief Society General Presidency remained comfortably housed in the Bishop’s Building for many years. They even declined an offer by former board member Elizabeth McCune to donate her mansion in 1920 for the use of the women’s organizations of the Church. But by the late 1930s, they began to outgrow the space.

With architectural plans in hand, the sisters awaited news from the First Presidency, who had offered to donate a lot near the temple but had yet to select it. In October 1952, they gave the Relief Society a site across the street from Temple Square, north of the Bishop’s Building. Sister Spafford felt that the site fulfilled “the dreams and express designs of our sisters of the past.”

As with earlier efforts, the Relief Society needed to raise funds for the building. But how would they gather the almost $1 million the plans called for? Sister Spafford’s stake was the first to donate. “I feel now with this tangible evidence we will have a new building,” she said. Spafford and her counselors proposed a financial plan at the 1947 Relief Society Conference.

President Marena H. Grigsby of Martin, Kentucky, wrote: “Every Saturday one of the sisters bakes a large cake and we sell it amongst ourselves for 10¢ per slice. The sister getting the dime hidden in the slice bakes the cake next time and so on. We have turned in $18 on the building fund in this manner. ... To say I am grateful and proud of them is putting it mildly.”

By the close of 1948, every stake in the Church had filled its quota and the necessary amount had been raised. President Spafford later remarked: “From the far north lands, to the sunny south, from the little villages of the islands of the sea to the great metropolitan centers [the building program] has sealed together in one the great sisterhood of Relief Society.”

The long-awaited groundbreaking ceremony for the Relief Society Building was held on October 1, 1953. President Spafford addressed the crowd, choked with emotion: “I think this is the happiest day of my life,” she said. “We are deeply grateful for the goodness of our Heavenly Father to his daughters in opening the way whereby we might have a home of our own.”

Belle Spafford hoped every Relief Society member would “feel the pride of ownership” in the building. Since 1956, it has been more than simply an office for the General Presidency. It has been a place where the women of the Church can gather, work, and learn together and reflect on the sisterhood of the Relief Society.