LDS Welfare- Do we SEE the Poor Among Us?

Some observations about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and our Church Welfare System.

This is not meant to be a critique- just an observation.  I am certainly left with more questions than answers.

The Church does an amazing job of providing assistance to its members all over the world.  Our humanitarian missionaries teach self-sufficiency skills such as growing crops, child care, literacy and first aid to less developed countries.  We also help provide long term solutions in these countries such as creating community access to clean water.  When disaster strikes on American turf or otherwise, the Mormon Helping Hands are some of the first responders.  Our Welfare Square in Salt Lake City runs more efficiency and with more internal options for food sourcing (Church owned crops, orchards, cattle ranches) and food production and preservation methods (cheese, bread, canned and dried fruits and vegetables) than probably any other Food Banking system in the world. 

My limited experience working in Food Banking has brought to my awareness the tremendous amount of good that is being done by members of other faiths.  Most of the food pantries, shelters and community kitchens in the Hartford area are operated by churches.  Often times the church provides the facilities (storage, kitchens, eating areas) and church members and non-church members work together to make it happen.  These people are out there, they SEE the needs and shortages in our community.  They work to the point of fatigue to help those who will still need help tomorrow.  They do what they can to provide every day knowing that tomorrow there will still be more need.  They grow frustrated when the fiscally conservative say “let the Churches care for the poor- it isn’t government’s responsibility.”  It seems so harsh.  Walk a day in their shoes and then ask yourself- how could they possibly do more than they are already doing?  How can they do more with their limited resources?  Ironically it’s usually those who have never spent an hour in this kind of service who say “let the Churches do more”.

And so, as many of my LDS friends, family and acquaintances tend to fall in line with the fiscally and socially conservative Republicans- it just causes me to think- If we as members of the LDS Church had more opportunity to see the needs in our community- would it change our hearts?  The Book of Mormon is full of examples of how class divisions lead to ignoring the poor- which eventually leads to pride and destruction.  Is the real issue for those of us who are diligently serving in our callings not that we are ignoring the poor- but more that we really don’t understand that the poor are among us- simply because we don't see them?

I believe that if the LDS had more of an opportunity to SEE the poor among them they would experience a mighty change of heart- and it may even cause them to feel differently about their vote this election.

Faithful members are encouraged to give a generous Fast Offering.  What portion do?  What do they consider to be "generous"?  Or do the majority not understand the difference between a tithe and a fast offering and how the two funds are dispersed?

My observation is that only a small portion of Church members have an opportunity to be “hands- on” in LDS Church Welfare services.  Yes- we are encouraged to volunteer with our local and community services- but what portion do?  I think that many have the mindset that they spend so many hours “volunteering” in their own Church in their calling that they feel they don’t have time for serving outside of the Church.  For the most part our opportunity to get our hands dirty in the temporal part of LDS Church Welfare is limited to these options:

·         Serving as a Bishop/Branch President or Relief Society
·         Serving as a home teacher or visiting teacher
·         Working or volunteering at Welfare Square in SLC or the Bishops Storehouse
·         Responding to local calls when natural disaster strikes
·         Serving a humanitarian mission for the Church (which is limited to Seniors)
·         Serving a proselyting mission for the Church

Bishop or Relief Society President- Certainly an opportunity to know the specific needs of the ward members, both spiritually and temporally.  However, while Bishops are allowed to give temporal assistance to non-members when it is requested, they are not instructed to seek out the poverty stricken non-members of their ward boundaries for this purpose.  Consequently, those individuals in these two callings deal almost exclusively with their own ward members.  Granted-in some demographics, this may be all that these two individuals could physically handle.  However, I also know of wards that have very little to no temporal needs among the members.

Home or Visiting Teacher- When it comes to temporal assistance, they are instructed to advise the RS President or Bishop of any needs and assist as instructed.  In their Church calling as a VT or HT they are going to be limited to members.  Depending on ward demographics this may or may not be an opportunity for temporal assistance.

Welfare Square and Bishop’s Storehouse- Working or volunteering at Welfare Square is clearly limited to those in the Salt Lake area.  Bishop’s Storehouses tend to be regional with limited hours of operation.

Mormon Helping Hands- certainly provides an opportunity to get one’s hands dirty, however the opportunity is generally short term as a response to natural disaster.

Humanitarian Missions- This is where the greatest opportunity lies.  It is my dream to someday have this opportunity.  Unfortunately at this time it is limited to seniors.  Why are young men and women not offered the choice in serving a humanitarian mission instead of a proselyting mission?  My guess is that many would choose humanitarian and perhaps the Church feels that proselyting missions do more to grow the missionary’s own spirituality.  (Worthy of debate.)

Proselyting Missions- I do believe there is a great opportunity here nonetheless.  Today’s missionaries (including young men, young women and seniors) are directed to spend a great portion of their time looking for ways to serve.  There are certainly a majority of places where the missionary could be assigned to an area of great poverty and high needs.  But again, this experience is limited to young adults and seniors.

So where are the opportunities in the Church for the families, the 30-60 year olds who are able bodied and eager to serve?  I just don’t know that they exist INSIDE the Church- one has to look outside.

I commend a ward in our Stake who recently agreed to host a Foodshare Mobile truck for dispensing fresh produce to those in need in their community.  The ward will provide ten volunteers each Thursday morning to help hand out nutritious food to those who need and desire it.  I wish more wards would seek for ways to help take care of the Lord’s children who are in need, for they ARE among us.