Our country is certainly going through tough economic times now.
Every day seems to bring news of layoffs, bailouts, foreclosures
and government cutbacks.
Our country is certainly going through tough economic times now. Every day seems to bring news of layoffs, bailouts, foreclosures and government cutbacks. In this context, it is inspiring to note that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates a welfare system that helps meet the needs of both Mormons and their neighbors in communities across the country.
The LDS Church has a tradition of hardy self-reliance, dating back to the days of settling the Utah wilderness.
Today Mormons are taught that “each person’s spiritual and temporal well-being rests first upon himself, second upon his family and third upon the church.”
This principle leads to a willingness to cultivate vegetable gardens and store supplies for use in emergencies. It is also reflected in members’ avoidance of alcohol and tobacco, accounting for health statistics above the national average.
But circumstances can change, making people unable to support themselves; anyone can fall victim to unemployment, serious illness or death in the family. This is when the LDS church demonstrates its ability to help members help themselves.
The church is divided into geographic congregations called “wards,” each of which is presided over by a bishop. In addition to spiritual duties, this self-supporting leader has the responsibility of ministering to the material needs of the members of his ward.
A bishop seeks to keep informed about the spiritual and temporal condition of his congregation. Each family has assigned “home” and “visiting” teachers, men and women who contact them monthly to discuss faith issues and report back to the bishop whenever help seems warranted.
Bishops have many resources to meet members’ needs. Temporary financial help is available through special “fast offerings.” These funds are available to the bishop; they are donated monthly by members when they skip two consecutive meals and donate the money saved plus a generous additional amount for this purpose.
Also, across the country the Church operates enterprises that provide items for “bishops’ storehouses.”
For example, at farms in Utah, volunteers this summer picked more than a million pounds of peaches that were then canned and sent to bishops’ storehouses and public agencies in several states. Food, clothing and other necessities are stored in these warehouses until bishops requisition them for people in need.
These items then become tangible symbols of the “time, effort and love generously contributed for the common good.” The Church also operates a thrift store (Deseret Industries) that collects unwanted household goods, sells them inexpensively and provides training and employment.
Two principles seem to make the LDS welfare program a success. First, nearly everyone involved donates time and talent, eliminating expensive bureaucracy. And bishops offer recipients the opportunity to work in return for assistance, helping preserve their dignity and self-respect.
South County abounds with examples of people receiving help:
– Matt Deakin of Morgan Hill’s First Ward tells of an elderly woman who lived in a mobile home that had fallen into serious disrepair. Through the course of several weeks volunteer members tore out and replaced worn carpet and damaged flooring, providing her a much better living environment.
– Bishop Carl Woodland of the Second Ward in Morgan Hill recounts the story of an octogenarian, a proud Army veteran, whose house’s roof badly needed repairing. Again, volunteers joined in to replace the roof and provide him a dry home for the winter.
In addition to helping its local members, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also sponsors humanitarian relief and development projects that benefit the general public. Recent emergency relief assistance in times of disaster include the California wildfires and Hurricane Ike in Texas.
