Snippets for Relief Society 2015 :) Use search term Ezra Taft Benson to view more for this week or for other weeks.
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This is a topic I love!
The LDS Church has the best understanding of true welfare over any system I've ever encountered.
In fact, the Church's version of welfare is better described by the Spanish word for welfare..."bien estar" or "well-being."
Well-being and lifting the individual to higher planes of existence are at the core of every guideline and application of the Church welfare system. That is, *IF* it is run by the handbook and as Salt Lake City has instructed its local leaders.
When the handbook is ignored, or only partially applied, our local administration of welfare becomes very similar to a government dole system ~ and we create dependencies and sometimes even pay-per-visit Mormons.
The very last thing we could ever want.
In fact President Benson made a strong statement about this dysfunctional, but common tendency within our LDS Church:
"As we administer any aspect of the welfare program, the primary purpose for which it was established must be kept before us. That stated purpose is “to set up, insofar as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift, and self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves."
Although there will be a full blog post on this lesson ~ I'd like to post a link to the best outside resource now.
The Church puts out a booklet called the "Summary Of A Leader's Guide to Welfare - Providing The Lord's Way" and it is a small condensed version of the full handbook, but only takes about 5-7 mins to read. What more, it is so remarkably organized and well-written you will have 80-90% of the welfare program down with a small investment of time.
Guess who was the apostle in charge of putting this most recent handbook and its summary together? Our own dear Thomas S. Monson! This is so fitting since President Monson is a clear champion of "going after the one." I love him for his legacy of one-on-one service through the years. And the welfare program is an incredible way to grow individuals and walk with them. The Mormon version of welfare and going after the one, belong hand-in-hand.
Providing The Lord's Way
If you'd like to hand this booklet out (great lesson supplement) it appears you have to go through your bishop/ward clerk. The number on the back of the booklet is 08257 000 and I believe that's the order number too? I was able to get our ward clerk to order 30 of them last year, so I know it can be done.
This lesson post will be added to throughout this week. Good luck with all your preparations.
Another Strong Statement
The word "dole" is used twice during this lesson and it has significant consequences associated with it. What more, the dole actually works against the recipient over time and weakens them. Here is another quote from Ezra and he does not mince words:
"Welfare recipients should work to the extent of their ability to earn commodity or fast offering assistance. When meaningful jobs are not provided, when people are not encouraged to work, a demoralizing Church dole would develop, and the purpose for which the welfare program was established would be undermined. It is a law of heaven, and one we haven’t learned fully here on earth, that you cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they can do, and should do, for themselves."
What feels like charity and generosity can sometimes actually enable dysfunctional life habits and stifle a person from progressing when the Lord's wisdom is not fully understood.
Charity is assistance in the moment, it is graciousness and generosity. Charity is the pinnacle of our existence. We always want it strongly present among our members. There are just never too many kind acts.
However when temporal charity becomes an expected reoccurrence by the same recipient over time, it evolves into the dole and has negative consequences. So President Benson isn't discouraging temporal assistance...he's discouraging abuse or extended use of it. There is a distinct difference between charity and the dole.
Whenever a dependency is created, we need to take a close hard look at what has evolved and check it against the true objectives of providing the Lord's way ~ which is to build and grow people.
This is a topic I love!
The LDS Church has the best understanding of true welfare over any system I've ever encountered.
In fact, the Church's version of welfare is better described by the Spanish word for welfare..."bien estar" or "well-being."
Well-being and lifting the individual to higher planes of existence are at the core of every guideline and application of the Church welfare system. That is, *IF* it is run by the handbook and as Salt Lake City has instructed its local leaders.
When the handbook is ignored, or only partially applied, our local administration of welfare becomes very similar to a government dole system ~ and we create dependencies and sometimes even pay-per-visit Mormons.
The very last thing we could ever want.
In fact President Benson made a strong statement about this dysfunctional, but common tendency within our LDS Church:
"As we administer any aspect of the welfare program, the primary purpose for which it was established must be kept before us. That stated purpose is “to set up, insofar as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift, and self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves."
Although there will be a full blog post on this lesson ~ I'd like to post a link to the best outside resource now.
The Church puts out a booklet called the "Summary Of A Leader's Guide to Welfare - Providing The Lord's Way" and it is a small condensed version of the full handbook, but only takes about 5-7 mins to read. What more, it is so remarkably organized and well-written you will have 80-90% of the welfare program down with a small investment of time.
Guess who was the apostle in charge of putting this most recent handbook and its summary together? Our own dear Thomas S. Monson! This is so fitting since President Monson is a clear champion of "going after the one." I love him for his legacy of one-on-one service through the years. And the welfare program is an incredible way to grow individuals and walk with them. The Mormon version of welfare and going after the one, belong hand-in-hand.
Providing The Lord's Way
If you'd like to hand this booklet out (great lesson supplement) it appears you have to go through your bishop/ward clerk. The number on the back of the booklet is 08257 000 and I believe that's the order number too? I was able to get our ward clerk to order 30 of them last year, so I know it can be done.
This lesson post will be added to throughout this week. Good luck with all your preparations.
Another Strong Statement
The word "dole" is used twice during this lesson and it has significant consequences associated with it. What more, the dole actually works against the recipient over time and weakens them. Here is another quote from Ezra and he does not mince words:
"Welfare recipients should work to the extent of their ability to earn commodity or fast offering assistance. When meaningful jobs are not provided, when people are not encouraged to work, a demoralizing Church dole would develop, and the purpose for which the welfare program was established would be undermined. It is a law of heaven, and one we haven’t learned fully here on earth, that you cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they can do, and should do, for themselves."
What feels like charity and generosity can sometimes actually enable dysfunctional life habits and stifle a person from progressing when the Lord's wisdom is not fully understood.
Charity is assistance in the moment, it is graciousness and generosity. Charity is the pinnacle of our existence. We always want it strongly present among our members. There are just never too many kind acts.
However when temporal charity becomes an expected reoccurrence by the same recipient over time, it evolves into the dole and has negative consequences. So President Benson isn't discouraging temporal assistance...he's discouraging abuse or extended use of it. There is a distinct difference between charity and the dole.
Whenever a dependency is created, we need to take a close hard look at what has evolved and check it against the true objectives of providing the Lord's way ~ which is to build and grow people.