Strong, Powerful, Faithful Women of the Church

Patty Sessions is a good example of a strong early member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She felt strong about the power of womanhood in church. Even the Prophet, Joseph Smith, approved of women's increasing spiritual powers. 

Patty's belief in and dedication to the spiritual gifts and powers of women motivated her to encourage young girls, including her granddaughter Martha Ann, to learn to speak in tongues and share other manifestations of the spirit. Her journal describes meetings with them, her instruction, and their shy efforts to partake of such spiritual fare.

On July 24, 1842 she "went to the Relief Society and signed a petition to send to the governor of the state." The Exponent writer continued with the information, "This was the first petition of the Relief Society, and it was then quite an event in the history of women." The petition was sent in tandem with one from the Nauvoo city council. Both requested the Illinois governor, Thomas Carlin, to protect Joseph Smith at a time when Missouri officials were seeking his extradition. The Relief Society petition purportedly contained about one thousand signatures.

Patty wanted to be a strength for the women of the church. She was influential within the spiritual economy of the community, especially for the women, but in some ways for the men, too. Though the spiritual occasions when the sisters met to strengthen each other took on a celebratory air, there was no hint of usurping or infringing on male priesthood authority. The women merely exercised the spiritual gifts and powers to which they knew they were entitled. Without a doubt their gatherings strengthened all to face the hardships and obstacles of their forced settlement of a strange land. The men also recognized, approved of, sometimes participated in, and encouraged the women's activities. 

As president of the Indian Relief Society, Patty was a key contributor to the Mormon efforts to clothe the Indians. She made rugs for the Salt Lake Tabernacle, collected donations for the poor from members of the Relief Society, and donated generously to the building of temples.