SUMMARY OF A Leader’S GUIDE TO WELFARE Providing in the Lord’s Way The real long term objective of the Welfare Plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this Church. J. Reuben Clark Jr., special meeting of stake presidents, Oct. 2, 1936 SUMMARY OF A Leader’S GUIDE TO WELFARE Providing in the Lord’s Way The purpose of Church welfare is to help Church members become self-reliant, care for the poor and needy, and serve others. Contents Members’ Responsibilities . 1 Stake President’s Responsibilities . 4 Bishop’s Responsibilities . 4 Basic Welfare Principles for Providing Assistance . 5 Church Resources Available to Help the Poor . 5 Non-Church Resources Available to Help the Poor . 8 Mark 12:41–44 Members’ Responsibilities family . As members become self- reliant, they are also better able to Priesthood and Relief Society serve and care for others . leaders should help members When Church members are understand their responsibilities doing all they can to provide for for themselves, their families, themselves but still cannot meet and others . their basic needs, they should Provide for Self and Family first turn to their families for Church members are respon- help . When this is not sufficient, sible for their own spiritual and the Church stands ready to assist . temporal well-being . Blessed Some of the areas in which with the gift of agency, they have members should become self- the privilege of setting their own reliant are outlined below and course, solving their own prob- on page 2 . lems, and striving to become self- reliant . Members do this under Education. Education can en- the inspiration of the Lord and rich, ennoble, and provide under- with the labor of their own standing that leads to a happier hands . life . Members should study the scriptures and other good books; Elements of Self-Reliance improve their ability to read, Self-reliance is the ability, com- write, and do basic mathematics; mitment, and effort to provide and obtain skills needed for suit- the necessities of life for self and able employment . Education Spiritual Health Strength Finances Employment Home Storage 1 Health. The Lord has com- See All Is Safely Gathered In: manded members to take care Family Home Storage, 3 (item 04008) . of their minds and bodies . They should obey the Word of Wis- Finances. To become financially dom, eat nutritious food, exercise self-reliant, members should: regularly, and get adequate sleep . – Pay tithes and offerings . They should shun substances or – Avoid unnecessary debt . practices that abuse their bodies – Use a budget and live within a or minds and that could lead to plan . addiction . They should practice – Gradually build a financial good sanitation and hygiene and reserve by regularly saving a obtain adequate medical and den- little . tal care . They should also strive to cultivate good relationships – Teach family members prin- with family members and others . ciples of financial management . See All Is Safely Gathered In: Employment. Work is the foun- Family Finances, 3 (item 04007) . dation upon which self-reliance and temporal well-being rest . Spiritual Strength. Spirituality Members should prepare for and is essential to a person’s temporal carefully select a suitable occu- and eternal well-being . Church pation or self-employment that members should exercise faith in will provide for their own and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, their families’ needs . They should obey God’s commandments, pray become skilled at their jobs, be daily, study the scriptures and diligent and trustworthy, and teachings of the latter-day proph- give honest work for the pay and ets, attend Church meetings, and benefits they receive . serve in Church callings and as- signments . Home Storage. To help care for themselves and their families, Care for Others members should: During His mortal ministry, the – Build a three-month supply of Savior walked among the poor, food that is part of their normal the sick, and the distressed, min- diet . istering to their needs and bless- – Store drinking water in case the ing them with healing and hope . water supply becomes polluted He taught His disciples to do the or disrupted . same . Reaching out to those in – Gradually build a longer-term distress is a central characteristic supply of food that will sustain of the disciples of Jesus Christ life . (see John 13:35) . 2 In our day the Lord has again The Lord further explained that commanded His people to care these offerings should include for the poor and needy . He said, members’ talents . These talents “Behold, I say unto you, that ye are “to be cast into the Lord’s must visit the poor and the needy storehouse, . every man seek- and administer to their relief” ing the interest of his neighbor, (D&C 44:6) . Church members and doing all things with an eye are encouraged to give personal single to the glory of God” (D&C compassionate service to those 82:18–19) . in need . They should be “anx- The Lord’s storehouse is not iously engaged in a good cause,” limited to a building used to serving without being asked or distribute food to the poor . It assigned (see D&C 58:26–27) . includes the faithful offerings The Lord has described His of time, talents, compassion, way for caring for the poor and materials, and financial means needy . He instructed the Saints to of faithful members given to the “impart of your substance unto bishop to care for the poor and the poor, . and [it] shall be laid needy . The Lord’s storehouse, before the bishop . [and] shall then, exists in each ward . The be kept in my storehouse, to ad­­- bishop is the agent of the Lord’s min ister to the poor and the needy” storehouse . (D&C 42:31, 34) . 3 Stake President’s needy, and encourage fast-offering Responsibilities donations . Stake presidents also coordi nate The stake presidency ensures multistake welfare and emergency that bishops understand welfare response efforts . principles and carry out their divine mandate to seek out and care for the poor . The stake presi- Bishop’s Responsibilities dent counsels with bishops and The bishop has a divine man- reviews fast-offering donations date to seek out and care for the and expenditures . poor (see D&C 84:112) . He directs The stake presidency may be the welfare work in the ward . assigned to provide priesthood His goal is to help members help leadership to welfare operations themselves and become self- such as a bishops’ storehouse or reliant . (In branches, the branch an employment resource center . president has these same welfare Stake presidents attend coordi- responsibilities .) nating council meetings to receive Bishops are blessed with the instruction in various Church gift of discernment to understand matters, including welfare prin- how best to help those in need . ciples and duties . In these meet- Each individual circumstance is ings, leaders consider ways to different and requires inspiration . foster self-reliance, care for the Guided by the Spirit and the basic The bishop meets with members in need and reviews how best to render assistance and help them help themselves. 4 welfare principles described in • Promote personal responsibil- this section, the bishop deter- ity. The bishop reviews with mines whom to assist, how much members what resources and to give, and how long to assist . efforts they and their family can Generally, a bishop assists only provide to meet their needs . those members who currently live • Sustain life, not lifestyle. The within his own ward’s boundar- bishop provides basic life-sus- ies . On rare occasions the bishop, taining necessities . He does not under the inspiration of the Spirit, provide assistance to maintain may assist individuals who are an affluent living standard . not members of the Church . • Provide commodities before The bishop keeps con fi dential cash. When possible, the bishop the welfare needs of mem­­­­­­­­­­­bers . provides members with com- He shares only the information modities instead of giving them that is needed by priesthood money or paying their bills . leaders, Relief Society leaders, or Where bishops’ storehouses others who provide assistance . are not available, fast offerings Bishops who have concerns may be used to buy needed about welfare abuse or fraud commodities . may call the bishops’ help line • Give work opportunities. (1-801-240-7887) or the area office . Bishops ask those who receive When a bishop does not know a assistance to work to the extent member, he should contact the of their ability for what they member’s previous bishop before receive . Bishops teach the giving welfare assistance . im­­portance of work and give meaningful work assignments . Basic Welfare Principles The ward council compiles and for Providing Assistance maintains a list of meaningful The bishop should be guided work opportunities . by the following basic welfare principles as he cares for the poor Church Resources and needy: Available to Help • Seek out the poor. It is not the Poor enough to assist only when asked . The bishop should en- Ward Council courage priesthood and Relief Members of the ward council, Society leaders, along with particularly priesthood quorums home teachers and visiting and the Relief Society, help the teachers, to help identify those bishop meet members’ welfare members who need assistance . needs . These leaders are assisted 5 Under the bishop’s direction, the ward council helps resolve welfare needs. by home teachers, visiting teach- Relief Society President ers, and others who have special In addition to her welfare skills .