PROVIDING IN THE LORD’S WAY

A L E A D E R ’ S G U I D E T O W E L F A R E

Wilt thou be made whole?. . . Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:6, 8

A L E A D E R ’ S G U I D E T O W E L F A R E

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, 2 Oct. 1936

Copyright © 1990 by Corporation of the President ofThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsAll Rights ReservedPrinted in the United States of America

Published byThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsSalt Lake City, Utah

Cover painting: Infirm Man at the Pool of Bethesda,by Carl Bloch (see John 5:1-9)

Painting on page 2: All the City Was Gathered Together,by James J. Tissot

Painting on page 4: The Widow’s Mite,by Alexandre Bida

Painting on page 10: Christ and the Rich Young Man,by Heinrich Hofmann

INTRODUCTION 1

PART 1: PROVIDING IN THE LORD’S WAY 3

PART 2: INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES 5

Becoming Self-reliant 5Education Home Storage Health Resource Management Employment Social, Emotional, and Spiritual Strength

Caring for the Poor and Needy 7Fasting and Contributing Fast OfferingsOther Ways to Care for the Needy

PART 3: PROVIDING CHURCH WELFARE ASSISTANCE 11

The Lord’s Storehouse 11

The Scope of Church Welfare Assistance 11

Duties of the Bishop 12Provide Welfare Assistance in the Proper SpiritAdminister the Lord's Storehouse

Duties of the Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums and Relief Society 15

Duties of the Ward Welfare Committee 16

Duties of the Stake President 16Teach Welfare Principles to Stake Members and LeadersTrain and Counsel Bishops

Duties of the Stake Welfare Committee 17

Duties of the Stake Bishops’ Welfare Council 18

Duties of the Area Presidency 19

Duties of the Regional Welfare Committee 20

CONTENTS

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his leader’s guide is for the use of allmembers of stake and ward welfare

committees, area welfare directors (inthe United States and Canada), direc-tors for temporal affairs (in otherareas), Regional Representatives, andArea Presidencies.

Part 1 explains the way the Lord hasrevealed for his Saints to care forthemselves and the poor and needy. Part 2 discusses principles of the gospelthat apply to welfare and the welfareresponsibilities of each member of theChurch.

The leaders who read this guideshould teach the principles and responsibilities discussed in parts 1 and2 to the leaders and members undertheir jurisdiction. They should encour-age the members to fulfill their welfareresponsibilities and suggest ways inwhich they can do so. They shouldencourage parents to teach welfareprinciples to their families. One of theprimary responsibilities of ward andstake welfare committees is to see thatmembers understand and applywelfare principles.

Part 3 explains the responsibilitiesthat Church leaders have in providingChurch welfare assistance. The infor-mation in part 3 should be discussedand used as training in ward, stake,and regional committee meetings andarea meetings.

Leaders should study the scripturesquoted and referred to in this guideand use these scriptures and othersrelated to welfare in their teaching andtraining.

Providing in the Lord’s way forourselves and others is a sign of thetrue Church and evidence that we aredisciples of Christ. Church leadersshould teach and testify of the princi-ples contained in this leader’s guide byprecept, by personal example, and byensuring that the cries of the poor andneedy do not go unheeded.

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INTRODUCTION

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2

For I was an hungred, and

ye gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and ye gave

me drink:

I was a stranger, and

ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me:

I was sick, and

ye visited me: I was in

prison, and ye came

unto me. . . .

Verily I say unto you,

Inasmuch as ye have done it

unto one of the least

of these my brethren,

ye have done it

unto me.

Matthew 25:35–36, 40

he responsibility to provide for our-selves, our families, and the poor

and needy has been part of the gospelsince the beginning of time. As disciplesof Christ, we should give of ourselves—our time, talents, and resources—to carefor those in need. We are better able tofulfill this responsibility if we are striving to become self-reliant, for wecannot give what we do not have.When we wisely use those things thatthe Lord gives us, we become more able to give to the Lord’s work andprovide for others.

When Jesus Christ came to earth, hespent much of his ministry caring forthe poor and needy. He commanded hisdisciples to do the same. He explainedthat when we care for others, we areserving him:

“For I was an hungred, and ye gaveme meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave medrink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

“Naked, and ye clothed me: I wassick, and ye visited me: I was in prison,and ye came unto me. . . .

“Inasmuch as ye have done it untoone of the least of these my brethren, yehave done it unto me” (Matthew25:35–36, 40).

In our day, the gospel has beenrestored to the earth in its fulnessthrough the Prophet Joseph Smith. TheLord has once again commanded hispeople to care for the poor and needy.He said, “And remember in all thingsthe poor and the needy, the sick and theafflicted, for he that doeth not thesethings, the same is not my disciple”(D&C 52:40).

The Lord has established a way forhis Saints to care for the poor andneedy and thereby bring blessings intotheir own lives. Providing for the poor

and needy in the Lord’s way meansthat the giver helps those who are lessfortunate by giving according to whathe has received from God. He givesfreely and with a true spirit of love,recognizing that his Heavenly Father isthe source of all his blessings and thathe is responsible to use those blessingsin the service of others.

The receiver accepts the offered helpwith gratitude. He uses it to releasehimself from the bondage and limita-tions of his need and become more ableto rise to his full potential, both tempo-rally and spiritually. He then reachesout to help others.

Providing in the Lord’s way humblesthe rich, exalts the poor, and sanctifiesboth (see D&C 104:15–18). Both areblessed as they keep the Lord’scommandments (see D&C 130:20–21).Both become more able to give asChrist gives.

The Church is organized to help all members become more self-reliantand provide for the poor and needy inthe Lord’s way. The Lord’s wayembraces welfare. Welfare meanstemporal and spiritual well-being. Aswe apply welfare principles in ourlives, we become more like God theFather and his Son, Jesus Christ, andwe prepare ourselves to live with them eternally.

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PROVIDING IN THE LORD’S WAY

P A R T 1 :

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Isn’t the plan beautiful?

Don’t you thrill to this

part of the gospel that

causes Zion to put on her

beautiful garments? When

viewed in this light, we

can see that [welfare] is not

a program, but the essence

of the gospel. It is the

gospel in action. It is the

crowning principle of a

Christian life.

Spencer W. Kimball, in

Conference Report, Oct.

1977, pp. 123–24

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And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld

how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were

rich cast in much.

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites,

which make a farthing.

And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them,

Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they

which have cast into the treasury:

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in

all that she had, even all her living.

Mark 12:41–44

Each member of the Church haswelfare responsibilities. These are tobecome self-reliant and to care for thepoor and needy.

BECOMING SELF-RELIANT

e are children of a HeavenlyFather, and we rely upon him to

sustain us in all that we do. All thingson earth and in heaven belong to him,and he has given us everything wehave—our talents and abilities as wellas our material goods. He has given usa stewardship over the things withwhich he has blessed us (see D&C104:11–14). He never forsakes us, but he does not do for us what we can dofor ourselves. He has commanded us to use the things we receive from himto take care of ourselves and ourfamilies. When we do so, we are self-reliant.

The Church and its members arecommanded to be self-reliant andindependent (see D&C 78:13–14).Latter-day prophets have explained the responsibility each of us has to beself-reliant:

“The responsibility for each person’ssocial, emotional, spiritual, physical, oreconomic well-being rests first uponhimself, second upon his family, andthird upon the Church if he is a faithfulmember thereof.

“No true Latter-day Saint, whilephysically or emotionally able willvoluntarily shift the burden of his ownor his family’s well-being to someoneelse. So long as he can, under the inspi-ration of the Lord and with his ownlabors, he will supply himself and hisfamily with the spiritual and temporalnecessities of life. (See 1 Timothy 5:8.)”(Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference

Report, Oct. 1977, p. 124; or Ensign,Nov. 1977, pp. 77–78).

When we accept the responsibilityfor our own and our family’s well-being, we are better able to sustainourselves in our everyday lives. We arebetter prepared to endure times ofadversity without becoming dependentupon others. We also honor the sacredrelationships that the Lord has estab-lished between husbands and wives,parents and children (see Mosiah4:14–15; 13:20; D&C 83:2, 4).

There will be times in our liveswhen we will not be able to meet ourneeds without the help of others. Inthese circumstances, we should turnfirst to our families for help. If neces-sary, we can also turn to the Church. As part of his Church, the Lord hasorganized a way to help members asthey work to regain their self-reliance.Members who need this kind of assistance should call upon theirbishops.

We should receive necessary help in the proper spirit. We should not beproud, but we should be willing tograciously accept the help that some-one else offers. We should receive thehelp with humility, thanking the Lordfor his goodness and the goodness ofour fellowmen (see D&C 56:18; 78:19).We should determine that we will usethe help we receive to become moreself-reliant and more able to give to others.

We cannot be self-reliant withoutbeing willing to work. Work is physical,mental, or spiritual effort. The Lord hascommanded us to work (see Genesis3:17–19; D&C 42:42; 56:17), for work isthe source of happiness, self-esteem,and prosperity. It is the way we accom-plish good things in our lives.

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INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES

P A R T 2 :

Let us work for what we

need. Let us be self-reliant

and independent. Salvation

can be obtained on no other

principle. Salvation is an

individual matter, and we

must work out our own

salvation, in temporal as

well as in spiritual things.

Marion G. Romney, in

Conference Report, Oct.

1976, p. 167

In clarifying the purposes of welfare,in 1936 the First Presidency of theChurch made this statement about theimportance of work in helping Churchmembers to help themselves:

“Our primary purpose was to setup, in so far as it might be possible, asystem under which the curse ofidleness would be done away with, theevils of a dole abolished, and indepen-dence, industry, thrift and self respectbe once more established amongst ourpeople. The aim of the Church is tohelp the people to help themselves.Work is to be reenthroned as the rulingprinciple of the lives of our Churchmembership” (in Conference Report,Oct. 1936, p. 3).

As we work toward self-reliance, we should prepare ourselves in thefollowing areas: education; health;employment; home storage; resourcemanagement; and social, emotional,and spiritual strength. The followingmaterial describes some characteristicsof a person who has become self-reliantand suggests areas of effort andachievement.

EDUCATION

When we have knowledge andwisdom, we are able to discern truthfrom error and make better choices. Weare better able to understand God andour fellowmen, and we have a deeper

love for them. The Lord has com-manded us to gain knowledge (seeD&C 88:77–80, 118; 93:53; 130:18–19;131:6). To become self-reliant, weshould—■ Improve our ability to read, write,

and do basic mathematics.■ Study the scriptures and other good

books.■ Learn to communicate effectively

with others.■ Take advantage of opportunities to

gain more knowledge.

HEALTH

One of the reasons we came to earthwas to obtain bodies, a necessary stepin becoming like our Father in Heaven.The Lord has commanded us to keepour bodies and minds healthy (see 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; D&C 88:124; 89).When we do, we are better able to takecare of our own needs and serve others.To become self-reliant, we should—■ Obey the Word of Wisdom.■ Exercise regularly.■ Provide for adequate medical and

dental care, including appropriateinsurance where possible.

■ Keep our homes and surroundingsclean and sanitary.

■ Shun substances or practices thatabuse our bodies or minds.

EMPLOYMENT

When we have honorable employ-ment, we are able to provide forourselves, our families, and others byworking as the Lord has commanded.Suitable employment also gives usopportunities to improve our talentsand develop the divine attributeswithin us. We are happier if ouremployment suits our interests andabilities and meets our needs. The Lordhas commanded us to work andprovide for the needs of ourselves andour families (see Genesis 3:17–19; 1 Timothy 5:8; D&C 42:42; 56:17). Tobecome self-reliant, we should—■ Prepare for and carefully select a

suitable occupation.

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Knowing a trade has

helped me provide for my

own needs and those of my

family. Through the years,

I have had the opportunity

to help others in the ward

learn the skills needed to

support their families.

Doing so has fulfilled my

desire to serve and has

brought me joy.

■ Become skilled at our work throughtraining and experience.

■ Be diligent, hard working, and trust-worthy.

■ Give honest work for the pay andbenefits we receive.

HOME STORAGE

In order to be self-reliant, we shouldhave sufficient food, clothing, andshelter. We are therefore counseled tostore, use, and know how to produceand prepare essential items. We aremore secure if we are able to providefor ourselves in times of adversity (see D&C 38:30).

Church leaders have never given an exact formula for what membersshould store. But they have suggestedthat we begin by storing what would be required to keep us alive in case wedid not have anything else to eat.Depending upon where we live, thosebasics might include water, wheat orother grains (corn, rice), legumes (driedbeans, peas, lentils), salt, honey orsugar, powdered milk, and cooking oil.When we have stored enough of theseessentials to meet the basic needs of ourfamilies for one year, we may decide toadd other items that we are accustomedto eating. We should regularly use andreplace all stored items in order to keepthem from spoiling.

Most Church members have themeans to store a year’s supply of thebasic items needed to sustain life. Some,however, do not have the money orspace for such storage, and some areprohibited by law from storing a year’ssupply of food. These members shouldtry to store as much as they can accord-ing to their circumstances. All memberscan provide themselves with addedsecurity by learning to produce andprepare basic food items.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

We should be wise stewards byexercising good judgment in managingand replenishing the resources withwhich the Lord has blessed us (seeMatthew 25:14–30; 2 Nephi 9:51; D&C

59:16–21; 104:11–18, 78–79; 119). Tobecome self-reliant, we should—■ Pay tithes and offerings.■ Avoid unnecessary debt and save

for the future.■ Satisfy all of our promised

obligations.■ Use our resources frugally and

avoid wasting them.■ Use our time wisely.■ Be willing to serve those in need by

sharing our time, talents, andresources with them.

SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL

STRENGTH

We should strive to live righteously,to develop good relationships withfamily members and others, and to feelgood about ourselves (see Matthew7:1–2, 12; Luke 10:27; D&C 64:9–10). Tobecome self-reliant, we should—■ Study the scriptures and the teach-

ings of the living prophets.■ Obey God’s commandments and

heed the counsel of Church leaders.■ Exercise faith in Christ and cultivate

humility.■ Pray frequently and fervently.■ Strengthen our relationships with

family members, neighbors, andfriends.

■ Shun things that are morally andspiritually degrading.

■ Work toward worthy goals.■ Do the best we can to adjust to

change and recover from misfortune.

CARING FOR THE

POOR AND NEEDY

s we prepare ourselves in the six areas just discussed and become

more able to care for ourselves and ourfamilies, we also become more able tocare for others. As disciples of Christ,we should honor our covenants toconsecrate ourselves—our time, talents,and resources—to build up thekingdom of God and to care for thosein need.

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I ask you earnestly, have

you provided for your family

a year’s supply of food,

clothing, and, where possible,

fuel? The revelation to

produce and store food may

be as essential to our tempo-

ral welfare today as boarding

the ark was to the people in

the days of Noah.

Ezra Taft Benson, in

Conference Report, Oct.

1987, p. 61

Nearly all of us can give somethingto others, no matter how little we have.When Jesus saw rich people contributelarge amounts of money to the templetreasury and a poor widow contribute a very small amount, he said to hisdisciples:

“Verily I say unto you, That thispoor widow hath cast more in, than allthey which have cast into the treasury:

“For all they did cast in of theirabundance; but she of her want did castin all that she had, even all her living”(Mark 12:41–44).

Those who have little are blessedbecause they have the desire to give. Inthe Book of Mormon, we are taught:

“I say unto the poor, ye who havenot and yet have sufficient, that yeremain from day to day; I mean all youwho deny the beggar, because ye havenot; I would that ye say in your heartsthat: I give not because I have not, butif I had I would give.

“And now, if ye say this in yourhearts ye remain guiltless” (Mosiah4:24–25).

When we strive to give and serve asChrist did, we are abundantly blessed.We overcome selfishness and greed,and we temper our appetites andpassions. We develop the desire to giveall that we have to the building of theLord’s kingdom (see D&C 42:31), we

retain a remission of our sins (seeMosiah 4:26), our confidence growsstrong in the presence of God (see D&C121:45–46), and we are filled with joy(see D&C 11:12–13). We become morelike our Father in Heaven and his Son,our Savior.

FASTING AND CONTRIBUTING FAST

OFFERINGS

There are many ways in which wecan give to the poor and needy. One ofthe most important ways that the Lordhas established is by fasting andcontributing fast offerings.

Fasting, accompanied by prayer, is a form of true worship. The Lord hascommanded us to fast in order to helpus draw close to him, overcome worldliness, gain spiritual strength,increase our compassion, and prepareourselves for service. Fasting is funda-mental to our temporal and spiritualwell-being.

The Lord, through the prophetIsaiah, described the true nature of thefast as well as the blessings that cometo those who fast:

“Is not this the fast that I havechosen? to loose the bands of wicked-ness, to undo the heavy burdens, and tolet the oppressed go free, and that yebreak every yoke?

“Is it not to deal thy bread to thehungry, and that thou bring the poorthat are cast out to thy house? whenthou seest the naked, that thou coverhim; and that thou hide not thyselffrom thine own flesh?

“Then shall thy light break forth asthe morning, and thine health shallspring forth speedily: and thy righteous-ness shall go before thee; the glory ofthe Lord shall be thy rereward.

“Then shalt thou call, and the Lordshall answer; thou shalt cry, and heshall say, Here I am. If thou take awayfrom the midst of thee the yoke, theputting forth of the finger, and speak-ing vanity;

“And if thou draw out thy soul tothe hungry, and satisfy the afflicted

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I am thankful that

Aaronic Priesthood holders

come to my home each month

and give me the opportunity

to contribute a fast offering.

I feel that the Lord blesses me

when I do my small part to

help care for those who are

less fortunate than I am.

soul; then shall thy light rise in obscu-rity, and thy darkness be as thenoonday:

“And the Lord shall guide theecontinually, and satisfy thy soul indrought, and make fat thy bones: andthou shalt be like a watered garden,and like a spring of water, whosewaters fail not” (Isaiah 58:6–11).

When we fast, we follow the patternset by the Savior. We set aside food,drink, and worldly concerns. Wecommune with our Father in Heavenand turn our hearts to him and to thewelfare of others.

The Church has designated oneSunday each month as a fast day. Onthis day, members of the Church whoare physically able go without food anddrink for two consecutive meals. Theyattend the fast and testimony meetingand give to the Church a fast offering.Those who have little can give an offer-ing at least equal to the value of thefood that they would have eaten. Thosewho are in a position to do so should bevery generous and give much morethan the value of two meals.

These fast offerings are used by thebishop to feed the hungry, shelter thehomeless, clothe the naked, and relievethe afflicted. Fast offerings are one ofthe most important ways in which wecare for those in need.

OTHER WAYS TO CARE

FOR THE NEEDY

There are many other ways in whichwe can show compassion for the poorand needy. We can minister to themusing our time, talents, spiritual andemotional support, and prayers of faith.The Book of Mormon explains some ofour responsibilities to the poor:

“Ye yourselves will succor those thatstand in need of your succor; ye will

administer of your substance unto himthat standeth in need; and ye will notsuffer that the beggar putteth up hispetition to you in vain. . . .

“. . . I would that ye should impartof your substance to the poor, everyman according to that which he hath,such as feeding the hungry, clothing thenaked, visiting the sick and administer-ing to their relief, both spiritually andtemporally, according to their wants”(Mosiah 4:16, 26).

When we have love in our hearts,we do not need to be told all the waysin which we should care for the poorand needy. Some opportunities for suchservice will come to us through Churchcallings and assignments. Other oppor-tunities are present all around us in ourhomes, neighborhoods, and communi-ties if we are willing to see them. Thereare no limits to what a person mayfreely offer. Examples include service to the homeless, the disabled, theemotionally and spiritually distressed,the widows and fatherless, and otherpoor and needy people.

If we begin to reach out to thosewho are less fortunate, we will becomemore conscious of their needs. We willbecome more compassionate and eagerto relieve the suffering of those aroundus. We will be guided by the Spirit ofthe Lord to know whom to serve andhow to best meet their needs.

The Lord taught, “By this shall allmen know that ye are my disciples, ifye have love one to another” (John13:35). The measure of our love for theLord is the love we show to our fellow-men by serving and blessing them intheir times of need.

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We hope that through

the payment of liberal fast

offerings there will be more

than enough to provide

for the needs of the less

fortunate. If every member

of this Church observed the

fast and contributed gener-

ously, the poor and the

needy not only of the Church,

but many others as well,

would be blessed and

provided for.

Gordon B. Hinckley,

Special Budget Fireside,

18 Feb. 1990

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And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do

to inherit eternal life?

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good,

save one, that is, God.

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill,

Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father

and thy mother.

And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou

one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor,

and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:

and come, follow me.

Luke 18:18–22

THE LORD’S STOREHOUSE

hen members are doing all thatthey can to provide for themselves

and their families and still cannot meettheir basic needs, the Lord’s Churchstands ready to help them. The Lord has declared that he will hear their cries and will not forsake them (seeIsaiah 41:17).

To help these members meet theirneeds, the Lord has commanded hisSaints to offer their resources to thepoor. In the Doctrine and Covenants, he explained that the Saints should give their offerings for the poor to thebishop. These offerings are to be keptby the bishop “to administer to thosewho have not, from time to time, thatevery man who has need may be amplysupplied and receive according to hiswants.” These offerings are to be kept“in [the Lord’s] storehouse, to admin-ister to the poor and needy” (D&C42:33–34; see also 42:29–36; 78:3–7,13–14; 82:14–19).

The Lord’s storehouse receives,holds in trust, and dispenses consecratedofferings of the Saints. In form andoperation, the storehouse is as simpleor sophisticated as circumstancesrequire. It may be a list of availableservices, money in an account, food in apantry, or commodities in a building. Astorehouse is established the momentfaithful members give to the bishop oftheir time, talents, skills, compassion,materials, and financial means in caringfor the poor and in building up thekingdom of God on the earth.

The Lord’s storehouse, therefore,exists in each ward. The bishop is theagent of the Lord’s storehouse. Guidedby the inspiration of the Lord, he

distributes the Saints’ offerings to thepoor and needy. He is assisted by thepriesthood quorums and Relief Society.He is trained and supported in hisresponsibilities by stake, regional, andarea leaders.

As the bishop administers theresources of the Lord’s storehouse tohelp the poor and needy, he shouldensure that organized Church welfareassistance does not replace personal,compassionate caring of individuals for one another.

THE SCOPE OF CHURCH

WELFARE ASSISTANCE

here are many reasons why Churchmembers do not have the resources

to meet their basic needs. They may beelderly, handicapped, or otherwisedisabled. They may have made unwisechoices, either deliberately or becausetheir families or cultures have taughtthem incorrect values and habits. Theymay have been deprived of necessaryresources because of natural disastersor because of economic and politicalproblems in their nations.

Church leaders should do what they can to help meet the basic needs of members in any of these circum-stances and to help the membersbecome self-reliant. But in their work as Church leaders, they should notconcentrate on solving economic andpolitical problems in their communitiesor nations. Church welfare initiativesby ward and stake leaders shouldconcentrate on helping people over-come those causes of welfare needwhich the individual or family canremedy.

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P A R T 3 :

PROVIDING CHURCH WELFAREASSISTANCE

The Lord’s storehouse

includes the time, talents,

skills, compassion, conse-

crated material, and

financial means of faithful

Church members. These

resources are available to

the bishop in assisting

those in need.

Thomas S. Monson, Ensign,

Sept. 1986, p. 5

Individual Church members, ascitizens, may work toward solvingeconomic and political problems byparticipating in worthy projectssponsored by their communities.

DUTIES OF THE BISHOP

he office of bishop in the AaronicPriesthood carries with it a special

mandate to care for the poor and needy(see D&C 84:112; 107:68). The bishop isthe Lord’s agent in distributing theresources of the Lord’s storehouse, andhe is also a common judge in Israel (see D&C 107:74).

PROVIDE WELFARE ASSISTANCE IN THE

PROPER SPIRIT

The bishop provides welfare assis-tance to members to help them developspirituality, become self-reliant, andlearn to provide for others. If heprovides help in this spirit, he will besuccessful in blessing the lives of theneedy. The following guidelines willhelp him provide welfare assistanceproperly.

Seek Out the Poor and Needy

The bishop should know the tempo-ral circumstances of his ward membersand ensure that proper care and atten-tion are given to those in need. It is not

enough for him to respond only whenasked for help. To serve effectively, hemust seek out the poor. In this responsi-bility, he may be assisted by priesthoodquorum leaders and Relief Societyleaders, home teachers and visitingteachers.

Study the Circumstances

The bishop should determine thecauses of members’ need and what themembers have done to provide forthemselves and their families. He liststhe members’ needs and the resourcesthat are available to help the membersusing the Needs and ResourcesAnalysis form (32290; a copy of thisform is included at the end of thisguide). The bishop authorizes theChurch’s distribution of any goods andservices to needy ward members.

When appropriate and withoutbreaking confidences, he may involvethe Relief Society president in his studyof the members’ circumstances. He mayassign her to visit members to determinetheir needs and find ways to resolve the needs (see “Guidelines for FamilyNeeds Visits,” Relief Society Handbook[31462], pp. 36–37).

Use Discernment

Through his priesthood office andcalling, the bishop determines to whom,when, how, and how much shall begiven to any member of his ward asChurch welfare. To enable the bishop toproperly discharge his responsibilities,the stake president ensures that thebishop understands welfare principles.Though individual circumstances vary,the bishop, as a common judge, mustlive worthy to receive guidance fromthe Lord for each situation.

Assist with Necessities

The Church helps needy membersby providing them the goods andservices necessary to sustain life. It doesnot provide members the means tomaintain affluent living standards.Members who are temporarily unable

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As a bishop, I have

learned that ward members

receive temporal and spiri-

tual blessings when they

give and serve freely.

Recently, members of our

ward built a ramp for an

elderly sister now confined

to a wheelchair. As we were

finishing, one of the priests

said to me, “Thanks, Bishop.

I hope I don’t ever forget

how good it feels to really

help somebody.”

to provide for themselves may need toalter their standards of living until theyare able to provide fully for themselves.Members should not rely upon Churchwelfare to insure them against tempo-rary hardship or to allow them tocontinue their present standards ofliving without interruption.

Give Members the Opportunity to Work

The bishop should give memberswho receive Church welfare assistanceopportunities to work to the extent oftheir ability for what they receive. Whenmembers work for assistance, theyremain industrious, maintain their self-respect, and increase their ability to beself-reliant. The bishop considers thefollowing guidelines when makingwork assignments:■ Assign meaningful work that will

help the members being assistedlearn to provide for themselves andtheir families.

■ Ask the members to commit them-selves to fulfilling the assignments.If they refuse to work, help themunderstand that the assignments aregiven to bless them.

■ See that the members are trained tofulfill their assignments.

■ Assign tasks that benefit othermembers, thus enabling those inneed to serve others.

■ Have the ward welfare servicescommittee compile a list of workopportunities.

Keep Needs and AssistanceConfidential

The bishop keeps confidential theneeds of members and the help themembers receive. He is careful not toembarrass those needing assistance. Ifthe bishop calls upon the Relief Societypresident or others to help, he sharesonly that information needed to enablethem to fulfill their welfare duties, thussafeguarding the privacy and dignity ofthose being assisted.

ADMINISTER THE LORD'S STOREHOUSE

Administer Fast Offerings

Fast offerings are a primary resourceof the Lord’s storehouse. The bishopshould use fast offerings to providenecessities to the poor and needy. Tothe extent possible, he should givemembers goods rather than cash. Ifnecessary, he may buy the goods withfast offerings. The members can thenuse their own cash to pay their obliga-tions. If the members do not have thecash to pay all of their immediate andessential obligations, the bishopnormally makes payments directly to the provider of the goods or services.

In some circumstances, the bishopmay decide to give cash directly toreliable, faithful members beingassisted. They can then use the cash topay their obligations or make necessarypurchases.

The bishop should not loan fastofferings to members, and members arenot required to repay welfare assistancethat they receive from the Church. Ifmembers wish to repay the assistance,they may do so by making a contribu-tion to the fast-offering fund.

Normally, the bishop should not usefast offerings to pay off members’consumer debt or obligations incurredin business failures or speculativeventures.

When fast-offering expenditureswill exceed donations, the bishop andstake president should counsel togetherbeforehand to ensure that correctprinciples are being applied. Theyshould discuss whether the bishop andthe ward members, both those whogive and those who receive, correctlyunderstand and apply the principles ofself-reliance and providing for the poorand needy. The current instructions forward and stake financial clerks outlinethe procedures for obtaining additionalfast offerings from the Church or remit-ting surplus fast offerings to theChurch.

13

Whom should I assist?

How much assistance

should I give? How often

and how long should I

assist? No hard-and-fast

rule will ever be given in

answer to these questions.

As the common judge, you

[the bishop] must live

worthy to get the answers

for each case from the only

source provided—the

inspiration of heaven.

Marion G. Romney, in

Conference Report, Oct.

1979, p. 140

The bishop encourages members tofast each fast Sunday for two consecu-tive meals and to donate a fast offeringat least equal to the value of the foodthey would have eaten. He encouragesthose who are in a position to do so tobe very generous and give much morethan the value of two meals. (See pp. 8–9.) He teaches members thatfasting and donating fast offerings willbless their lives as well as the lives ofthe needy in their ward and in otherwards and stakes. He sees that theseprinciples are taught in priesthoodquorum, Relief Society, and other auxiliary meetings; home visits; andsacrament meeting talks. He shouldteach these principles in temple recommend interviews and tithingsettlement interviews.

Under the direction of the bishop,Aaronic Priesthood holders, especiallydeacons, contact every household in theward each month and give the familyor individual the opportunity to donatea fast offering. Where distances or othercircumstances make it necessary,Melchizedek Priesthood holders mayassist. Some members may decide tocontribute by using the envelopes fortithing and other offerings rather thanby donating through visiting AaronicPriesthood holders. The priesthoodholders should continue to give non-contributing members the opportunityto donate.

The bishop makes sure that all fastofferings are promptly accounted forand deposited in the bank according tocurrent instructions for ward and stakefinancial clerks.

Administer Other Ward Resources

In caring for the poor and needy, thebishop directs the use of ward resourcesother than fast offerings, including thetime, talents, skills, compassion, andmaterials of ward members. He doesthis as chairman of the ward welfarecommittee by directing the committee’sefforts; by counseling, as appropriate,with priesthood quorum leaders and

Relief Society leaders; by askingfamilies, home teachers, and visitingteachers to serve the needy in particularways; and by using resources madeavailable to the ward by the stakewelfare committee.

Use Services of Church WelfareOperations, Where They Exist

In some parts of the world, theChurch has established welfare opera-tions. These include Church employ-ment offices, Deseret Industries stores,storehouses, canneries, grain storagefacilities, and a variety of commodityproduction projects. The Church alsocontracts with LDS Social Services toprovide counseling, foster care, assis-tance to unwed parents, and adoptionservices to members.

Where they exist, these welfareoperations and contracted servicesprovide resources that bishops can useto help the poor and needy. In manycases, the operations also provide workopportunities and training for thoseneeding Church assistance. If a bishopdesires information about any Churchwelfare operations in his area, heshould contact the chairman of thestake bishops’ welfare council or hisstake president.

Help Needy Members Obtain Health Care

The bishop may arrange and pay forhealth care for needy members of theward. In order to decide whether theChurch should pay for health care, heshould determine—■ Whether the health care that the

member requests is necessary.■ Whether the member is fully using

insurance benefits.■ Whether family members can assist.

If the bishop feels that the Churchshould assist the needy member, heshould—■ Ask the healthcare providers if they

will reduce their fees.■ See that the Church promptly pays

its obligations for health care.

14

I am satisfied, my

brethren, that there is enough

of expertise, of knowledge,

of strength, of concern in

every priesthood quorum to

assist the troubled members

of that quorum if these

resources are properly

administered.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign,

Nov. 1977, pp. 85-86

■ If a member’s medical expenses thatwill be paid by the Church areexpected to exceed $1,000, obtainthe approval of the stake presidentbefore making a commitment tohealthcare providers. If theseexpenses are expected to exceed$5,000, contact the stake president,who will contact the AreaPresidency for instructions.

Assist Transients

The bishop may assist members orothers who are transients, but heshould be discerning about the typeand amount of assistance he gives.Whenever possible, he should contactthe transient’s home ward bishopbefore providing assistance. Whenseveral wards are close together, thestake president may appoint onebishop to handle all requests fromtransients, thereby avoiding duplica-tion or confusion.

Become Familiar with CommunityResources

Members may choose to useservices in the community to meet theirbasic needs. Such services includehospitals, physicians, or other sourcesof medical care; job training and place-ment services; services for thehandicapped; professional counselorsor social workers; and alcohol or drug

treatment services. The bishop shouldbecome familiar with the resourcesavailable in the community and helpmembers understand how they canmaintain gospel standards while usingsuch services.

Latter-day Saints have the responsi-bility to provide for themselves andtheir families. Individual members,however, may find it necessary toreceive assistance beyond that whichthe family can provide, in which casethey may turn to the Church for help. Insome instances, individual membersmay decide to receive assistance fromother sources, including government. Inall such cases, members should avoidbecoming dependent upon thesesources and strive to become self-reliant.Where possible, they should work inreturn for assistance rendered.

The bishop should advise membersto comply with any laws that regulatethe receipt of non-Church aid, especiallywhile receiving Church welfare assistance.

DUTIES OF THE MELCHIZEDEK

PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS AND

RELIEF SOCIETY

hile the bishop is responsible tohelp ward members meet imme-

diate needs, the priesthood quorumsand the Relief Society have the respon-sibility to help members resolve long-term needs. To fulfill this responsibility,priesthood quorum leaders and ReliefSociety leaders should become well-acquainted with members and regularlyvisit their homes. They teach membersto live providently, provide for them-selves and their families, and care forothers. They direct priesthood quorumand Relief Society members in teachingnew skills to the needy and helpingthem to become self-reliant. They areassisted in these duties by home teachers and visiting teachers.

The bishop may direct priesthoodquorum leaders and Relief Societyleaders to help him fulfill his responsi-bilities for the poor and needy. Without

W

15

Our ward has many

poor people. The bishop

alone cannot help everyone.

Through the priesthood

quorums and the Relief

Society, we help those who

are less fortunate and are

blessed for our efforts. We

no longer view welfare as

help from outside but as an

opportunity to share help

among ourselves.

breaking confidences, these leadersshould tell the bishop about members’welfare needs and may assist thebishop in finding work opportunitiesfor those being helped.

Priesthood quorum leaders areinstructed to organize a committee toadvise them on temporal and spiritualwelfare matters (see the MelchizedekPriesthood Leadership Handbook [31184],pp. 10, 15). The quorum presidencylooks to this committee to suggestwelfare topics for instruction, arrangeservice opportunities for members,suggest ways to meet needs of members,and help with the ward employmentprogram. The committee reports to amember of the priesthood quorumleadership and meets as often asneeded.

DUTIES OF THE WARD WELFARE

COMMITTEE

he bishop is chairman of the wardwelfare committee. This committee

consists of the priesthood executivecommittee and the Relief Society presi-dency. It meets at least monthly, eitherin place of or in addition to one of thepriesthood executive committee meet-ings. This committee makes sure thatthe following things are done:■ The efforts of the priesthood

quorums and Relief Society arecoordinated to meet the specificneeds of ward members.

■ Ward leaders and members seek outthe poor and needy and help themto provide for themselves.

■ Those receiving Church assistanceare given work or service opportunities.

■ Members are taught to provide forthemselves and their families.

■ Members are taught to fast and tocontribute a generous fast offering.

■ Members are taught to prepare forunexpected adversity.

■ The ward has a simple written planfor responding to emergencies. Thisplan should be coordinated with

similar plans in the stake, region,and community. Ward leadersshould report to stake leaders thecondition of members and Churchproperty during an emergency. Theyshould understand that civil author-ities have priority in directingefforts to respond to emergenciesthat involve the community.

The bishop may call welfare special-ists to assist the ward welfare committeeas needed. These specialists should beward members who can assist othermembers in such things as findingemployment, improving nutrition andsanitation, storing food, obtaininghealth care, improving literacy, manag-ing finances, meeting social andemotional needs, or any other welfareneeds.

DUTIES OF THE STAKE

PRESIDENT

TEACH WELFARE PRINCIPLES TO STAKE

MEMBERS AND LEADERS

he stake president should make surethat stake and ward leaders and

members know how to be self-reliantand care for the poor and needy, asoutlined in this guide. He should teachleaders and members in stake welfarecommittee meetings, stake priesthoodand auxiliary meetings, and personalinterviews.

Ward Welfare Committee

Bishopric

High priests group leader

Elders quorum president

Ward mission leader

Young Men president

Relief Society presidency

Ward executive secretary

Ward clerk

T

T

16

The family . . . seeks first

to solve its own problems,

seeking assistance, when

necessary, through the

Priesthood quorum, the

Relief Society, and the ward.

When each of these units

has exhausted its ingenuity

and resources, the reserves

of the stake are utilized.

Henry D. Moyle,

Improvement Era, Dec.

1937, p. 787

He instructs ward leaders to searchthe scriptures to learn their welfareresponsibilities so that they know howto provide for the poor and needy inthe Lord’s way. He also instructs wardleaders to teach welfare principles inquorum and auxiliary meetings. Theycan use welfare-related lessons in priesthood and Relief Society personalstudy guides and other curriculummaterials.

He should see that stake and wardwelfare committees are organized andfunctioning and that committeemembers understand their responsi-bilities for welfare.

TRAIN AND COUNSEL BISHOPS

The stake president should trainand counsel bishops in the principlesand practices outlined in this guide. Hemakes sure that each new bishop learnshis welfare duties by watching thevideocassette Caring for the Needy(53257) and studying the accompanyingguide (32294). (This videocassette isalso useful for training stake and wardpriesthood leaders and Relief Societyleaders.)

In personal interviews with eachbishop, the stake president inquiresabout the welfare of individual wardmembers, discusses the use of fastofferings and the welfare assistancegiven to members, and teaches welfareprinciples that the bishop needs toconsider in making decisions.

When fast-offering expenditureswill exceed donations, the bishop andstake president should counsel togetherbeforehand to ensure that correctprinciples are being applied. Theyshould discuss whether the bishop andthe ward members, both those whogive and those who receive, correctlyunderstand and apply principlesrelated to self-reliance and providingfor the poor and needy. The currentinstructions for ward and stake finan-cial clerks outline the procedures forobtaining additional fast offerings fromthe Church or remitting surplus fastofferings to the Church.

The stake president should instructthe bishops in the stake to contact himif a needy member’s medical expensesto be paid by the Church are expectedto exceed $1,000. In this situation,bishops will need the stake president’sapproval before making a commitmentto healthcare providers. If a needymember’s medical expenses to be paidby the Church are expected to exceed$5,000, the stake president shouldcontact the Area Presidency for instructions.

When several wards are closetogether and many transients are inneed of assistance, the stake presidentmay appoint one bishop to handle allrequests from transients, thereby avoid-ing duplication or confusion.

DUTIES OF THE STAKE WELFARE

COMMITTEE

he stake president is chairman of the stake welfare committee. This

committee consists of the stake priest-hood executive committee, the stakeRelief Society presidency, and the chairman of the stake bishops’ welfarecouncil. It should meet at least quarterly,either in place of or in addition to oneof the stake priesthood executivecommittee meetings. This committeedoes the following things:■ Sees that priesthood quorum leaders

and Relief Society leaders aretrained in their welfare duties.

T

17

Sometimes bishops

struggle with how to best

meet the welfare needs of

ward members. The final

decisions about whom, when,

how, and how much to help

rest with the bishops. But I

have found that as a stake

president, I can help the

bishops in my stake to

discern the will of the Lord

by counseling with them

about difficult welfare

problems.

■ Sees that welfare resources withinthe stake are made available to thewards as needed.

■ Develops ways to encouragemembers to be self-reliant.

■ Develops ways to provide help tomembers with special needs.

■ Provides opportunities for the chair-man of the stake bishops’ welfarecouncil to report on welfare mattersduring the stake welfare committeemeeting.

■ Sees that resources within the stakeare available to assist the bishopwho handles all requests for assis-tance to transients, if a bishop hasbeen appointed.

■ Sees that the stake has a simplewritten plan for responding toemergencies. This plan should becoordinated with similar plans inthe region and community. Stakeleaders should report to their priest-hood leaders the condition ofmembers and Church propertyduring an emergency. They shouldunderstand that civil authoritieshave priority in directing efforts torespond to emergencies that involvethe community.

The stake president may call welfarespecialists to assist the stake welfarecommittee as needed. These specialistsshould be stake members who canassist other members in such things asfinding employment, improving nutri-tion and sanitation, storing food,obtaining health care, improving liter-acy, managing finances, meeting socialand emotional needs, or any other

welfare needs. These specialists may beinvited to attend stake welfare commit-tee meetings as needed.

DUTIES OF THE STAKE BISHOPS’WELFARE COUNCIL

he stake bishops’ welfare councilincludes all bishops in the stake. The

stake president appoints one bishop tobe chairman of the council. In consulta-tion with the stake president, thechairman arranges meetings, preparesagendas, leads discussions, andarranges for instruction. The councilmeets at least quarterly and more oftenwhen circumstances require.

To ensure that the bishops candiscuss welfare matters freely andopenly, the stake president attendscouncil meetings only occasionally togive instruction. The council enablesbishops to do the following:■ Receive training in welfare responsi-

bilities.■ Exchange ideas and experiences

relating to welfare responsibilities.■ Review agencies and services in the

community and determine whichones could be used to assistmembers.

■ Review trends in fast-offeringcontributions, welfare needs, andwelfare assistance.

■ Discuss ways to encouragemembers to serve each other.

■ Identify work opportunities for thosewho receive welfare assistance.

■ Discuss ways in which the priest-hood quorums and Relief Societycan help to meet welfare needs inthe stake.

T

Stake Welfare Committee

Stake presidency

High council

Stake bishops’ welfare council chairman

Stake Relief Society presidency

Stake executive secretary

Stake clerk

Stake Bishops' Welfare Council

Chairman (a designated bishop)

Bishops

Stake clerk

18

What kind of organiza-

tion will we have to have, to

[set up a welfare program]?

. . . Nothing is greater than

the priesthood organization.

All in the world you need to

do is to put the priesthood

to work.

Harold B. Lee, Welfare

Agricultural Meeting,

3 Oct. 1970

■ Evaluate the services and manage-ment of Church welfare operationswhere they exist.

The stake bishops’ welfare councildoes not make policy. The councilshould refer policy matters to the stakepresident.

DUTIES OF THE

AREA PRESIDENCY

he Area Presidency sets welfarepriorities for the area, clarifies

welfare policies, and oversees Churchwelfare operations.

Under the direction of the AreaPresidency, the Regional Representativeprovides training in welfare principlesand practices. He may do so in area andregional training meetings, in regionalwelfare committee meetings, and instake conferences he attends.

The area welfare director (in theUnited States and Canada) or the direc-tor for temporal affairs (in other areas)is the welfare specialist assigned to theArea Presidency. He helps make plansfor meeting welfare needs in the area;trains local leaders as requested; givesadvice on technical issues such asgovernment regulations, safety matters,or financial procedures; and supervisesthe management of Church welfareoperations where they exist.

OVERSEE CHURCH WELFARE

OPERATIONS

Church welfare operations includeChurch employment offices, DeseretIndustries stores, storehouses, can-neries, grain storage facilities, and avariety of commodity productionprojects. The Area Presidency overseesthe work of these welfare operationsthrough the area welfare director or thedirector for temporal affairs, andthrough presidents of agent stakesassigned to individual Church welfareoperations where they exist.

The Church contracts with LDSSocial Services to provide counseling,

foster care, assistance to unwedparents, and adoption services tomembers.

Church welfare operations andcontracted services provide resourcesthat bishops can use to help the poorand needy. In many cases, the opera-tions also provide work opportunitiesand training for those needing Churchassistance.

APPROVE REQUESTS FOR CHURCH-SERVICE WORKERS

An Area Presidency may call full-time or part-time Church-serviceworkers to assist in welfare operationsor in other specialized welfare tasks inthe area or any of its regions. The Area Presidency may also approverequests to call such workers from thearea welfare director or director fortemporal affairs, a regional welfarecommittee, or the president of a stakethat has been assigned to be the agentstake for a Church welfare operation.

Area Presidencies should makeevery effort to use Church-serviceworkers in Church welfare operations,avoiding the use of paid personnel tothe extent possible.

If Church-service workers are calledto serve for twenty or more hours aweek, the Area Presidency will normallyextend the call to them through a letter.All other Church-service workers arenormally called by their stake presidents.

If Church-service workers mustrelocate in order to serve, they arecalled by the First Presidency asmissionaries with additional assign-ments in welfare.

APPROVE REQUESTS FOR

MISSIONARIES WITH ADDITIONAL

ASSIGNMENTS IN WELFARE

A mission president may requestthat full-time missionaries withadditional assignments in welfare beassigned to his mission. He sends arequest for such missionaries to theArea Presidency for approval, using the

T

19

form entitled Mission President’sRequest for Missionaries withAdditional Assignments (31984). If theArea Presidency approve the request,they forward it to the MissionaryDepartment of the Church.

These missionaries may be eithercouples or single sisters. The missionpresident is responsible for their welfareand for supervising their proselytingefforts. With the help of the area welfaredirector or the director for temporalaffairs, he may also give direction totheir additional assignments. (See theMission President’s Handbook [31153], pp. 21–22.) These missionaries mayhelp priesthood leaders and ReliefSociety leaders to train members inwelfare practices such as those outlined in the Basic Self-reliancelessons (32293).

OBTAIN APPROVAL FOR

HEALTH CARE

A stake president should contact theArea Presidency if a needy member’smedical expenses to be paid by theChurch are expected to exceed $5,000.The Area Presidency should seekapproval for the proposed health carefrom Church headquarters throughWelfare Health Services, 50 East NorthTemple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah,84150.

GIVE WELFARE TRAINING IN AREA

TRAINING MEETINGS

Area Presidencies train stake presi-dents in area training meetings. At least annually, they should train stake presidents in welfare matters. Whenpractical, the area welfare director orthe director for temporal affairs shouldattend these meetings when welfare isdiscussed. Welfare training couldinclude the following:■ Instruction on welfare principles

and practices.■ Discussion of trends in fast-offering

contributions and welfare assis-tance.

■ Discussion of ways in which stakepresidents can train stake and wardleaders and members in welfareprinciples and practices.

■ Planning and approval of area andregional welfare activities.

■ Discussion of recommendations tobe made to the General WelfareCommittee.

DUTIES OF THE REGIONAL

WELFARE COMMITTEE

n the United States and Canada and inother areas where Church welfare

activities need to be coordinated abovethe stake level, Area Presidenciesshould organize a regional welfarecommittee in each region within theirareas. This committee consists of allstake presidents, all chairmen of stakebishops’ welfare councils, and all stake

Area Training Meeting

Area Presidency (or member of the Presidency)

Regional Representatives

Stake presidents

Area welfare director or director for temporal affairs (attends when welfare

is discussed)

I

20

As missionaries with

additional assignments in

welfare, we have many

opportunities to help needy

members of the Church learn

the basic skills needed for

self-reliance. We are

assigned by our mission

president to work in many

branches where these basic

skills are needed.

Relief Society presidents in the region.The Area Presidency appoints one stakepresident to be chairman of the commit-tee. The committee meets at least twicea year and more often if needed.

The committee has the followingresponsibilities:■ Implement instructions from the

General Welfare Committee and theArea Presidency.

■ Encourage stake and ward leadersto train members and other leadersin welfare practices.

■ Review the production and laborassignments of Church welfareoperations for consistency andfairness. Recommend any adjust-ments in assignments to the

presidents of agent stakes or otherswho are responsible for the operations.

■ Review the services of Churchwelfare operations. Recommendneeded improvements in theservices provided by these opera-tions and suggest to the presidentsof agent stakes, bishops, and othersways to use the services most effectively.

When a regional welfare committeeis organized, the Area Presidencyappoints a regional welfare agent. Theregional welfare agent should be aMelchizedek Priesthood holder withwelfare experience. He reports to thecommittee chairman and serves asexecutive secretary to the committee.He may serve as the regional welfareagent to more than one regional welfare committee.

Although the RegionalRepresentative is not a member of thecommittee, he may attend occasionallyto convey messages from the AreaPresidency and to assist in trainingstake and ward leaders and members in welfare principles and practices.

Regional Welfare Committee

Chairman (a designated stake president)

Regional Representative (attends when practical)

Stake presidents

Stake bishops’ welfare council chairmen

Stake Relief Society presidents

Regional welfare agent (executive secretary)

21

I am grateful my welfare

roots go deep into the soil of

the Pioneer Stake and the

Pioneer Welfare Region,

where giants of our time . . .

taught, testified and inspired.

There is currently a pressing

need for members of regional

and area councils to assume

their full responsibility and

be similarly taught and

inspired.

Thomas S. Monson,

Church News,

26 May 1990, p. 8.

Needs and Resources Analysis Self-Reliance Plan

Instructions

Immediate Needs Resources to Meet Immediate Needs

The bishop helps the individual with immediate needs as the ward welfare committee, including the priesthood quorum and Relief Societyleaders, assists with a plan leading to self-reliance.1. Determine individual and family needs.2. Identify individual, family, Church, and other resources.3. Help the member develop a self-reliance plan.4. Make work assignments so the recipient can work to the extent of his or her ability.

Resources from individual, family, ward welfare committee, other Church resources, andcommunity.1. Individual resources

Determine with the member his or herimmediate needs. Needs should be listedbelow and may include: food, clothing, andhousing; money for medical or utility bills; orother needs.

2. Family members and how they can help (parents, children, siblings, others)

3. Other resources and how they can help

Name of member

Address

Stake

Telephone

Telephone

Ward

OccupationWhere employed

Names and ages of dependent family members

Complete reverse side of this form 5/00. Printed in the USA. 32290

Signature of member

Note: The terms bishop and ward on this form refer also to branch president and branch.

Signature of bishop Date

Determine with the member a self-reliance plan which includes how to obtain neededresources and timelines.

Determine with the member what is needed tobecome self-reliant. Needs should be listedbelow and may include housing, employment,job training, education, and so on.

Date

Work or Service to Be Performed Note below the assignments accepted by family members to work to the extent of their abilities for commodities or services received.

Signatures

Self-Reliance Needs Plan to Meet Self-Reliance Needs

A

Aaronic Priesthood holders, collect fastofferings, 14

Agent stake, president ofoversees Church welfare

operations, 19requests Church-service workers, 19

Area Presidency’s responsibilitiesfor area training meetings, 20for Church welfare operations, 19for Church-service workers, 19for health care, 20for missionaries with additional

assignments in welfare, 19–20for regional welfare committees, 20

Area training meetings, 20

Area welfare director or director fortemporal affairs, responsibilities

for area training meetings, 20for Church welfare operations, 19for Church-service workers, 19for missionaries with additional

assignments in welfare, 20as welfare specialist assigned to the

Area Presidency, 19

B

Bishop’s responsibilitiesadminister fast offerings, 13–14administer other ward resources, 14assist transients, 15assist with necessities, 12become familiar with community

resources, 15direct quorum and Relief Society

leaders, 14–16give members the opportunity to

work, 13help needy members obtain health

care, 14–15keep needs and assistance

confidential, 13for the Lord’s storehouse, 11–15provide welfare assistance in the

proper spirit, 12–13seek out the poor and needy, 12serve as chairman of the ward

welfare committee, 16serve as common judge, 12

serve on the stake bishops’ welfarecouncil, 18

study the circumstances, 12use discernment, 12use the services of Church welfare

operations, 14

Bishopric, 16

C

Caring for the Needy, 17

Church welfare operationsArea Presidency oversees, 19bishops may use, 14Church-service workers in, 19regional welfare committee

reviews, 21stake bishops’ welfare council

evaluates, 19

Church-service workers, approved bythe Area Presidency, 19

Common judge, bishop as, 12

Community resources, 15

Confidentiality, 13

D

Director for temporal affairs. See Areawelfare director or director fortemporal affairs

E

Education, 6

Elders quorum president, 16

Emergencies, plans for responding to,16, 18

Emotional strength, 7

Employment, 6–7

F

Family’s welfare responsibilities, 5

Fast offerings, bishop and stake presi-dent counsel about, 13, 17

Fasting and fast offeringsbishop’s responsibilities for, 13–14for poor and needy, 8–9

Food storage, 7

25

INDEX

G

Giving, 3, 8–9

Government assistance, 15

H

Health careArea Presidency’s responsibilities

for, 20bishop’s responsibilities for, 14–15stake president’s responsibilities

for, 17

Health, 6

High council, 18

High priests group leader, 16

Home storage, 7

Home teachers and visiting teachers,12, 14, 15

L

LDS Social Services, 14, 19

Lord’s storehouse, 11

Love, 9

M

Member’s welfare responsibilities, 5

Mission president, 19–20

Missionaries with additional assign-ments in welfare, 19–20

N

Needs and Resources Analysis form, 12, 23

Needy. See Poor and needy

P

Poor and needybishop’s responsibilities for, 12–15caring for, 3, 7–9, 11

Priesthood quorum committee onwelfare, 16

Priesthood quorum leaders’ responsi-bilities, 12, 14, 15–16

Providing in the Lord’s way, 1, 3

R

Receiving, 3, 5

Regional Representative’s responsibilities

attend area training meetings, 20attend regional welfare committee

meetings, 21

provide training in welfare principles, 19

Regional welfare agent, 21

Regional welfare committeemembers and responsibilities, 20–21requests Church-service workers, 19

Relief Society leaders’ responsibilities,12, 14, 15–16

Resource management, 7

S

Scriptures, use of, 1, 17

Self-reliance, 3, 5–7, 11, 15

Social, emotional, and spiritualstrength, 7

Specialists. See Welfare specialists

Spiritual strength, 7

Stake bishops’ welfare council, 18–19

Stake bishops’ welfare council chairman, 18, 20–21

Stake clerk, 18

Stake executive secretary, 18

Stake presidency, 18

Stake president’s responsibilitiesfor area training meetings, 20as chairman of the stake welfare

committee, 17for fast offerings, 17for health care, 17for regional welfare committee

meetings, 20–21for stake and ward welfare

committees, 17for stake bishops’ welfare

council, 18for teaching welfare principles, 16for training and counseling

bishops, 17for transients, 17

Stake Relief Society presidency, 18

Stake Relief Society presidents, 21

Stake welfare committee, 17–18

Stewardship, 5

Storehouse, the Lord’s, 11

T

Transientsbishop’s responsibilities for, 15stake president’s responsibilities

for, 17

26

V

Visiting teachers. See Home teachersand visiting teachers

W

Ward clerk, 16

Ward executive secretary, 16

Ward mission leader, 16

Ward welfare committeebishop directs efforts, 14members and responsibilities, 16

Welfare committee. See Stake welfarecommittee; Ward welfare committee

Welfare operations. See Church welfareoperations

Welfare responsibilitiesfamily, 5member, 5

Welfare specialistsstake, 18ward, 16

Welfaredefinition, 3scope, 11

Workand self-reliance, 5–6for assistance, 13, 15, 16

Y

Year’s supply, 7

Young Men president, 16

27

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