"Catastrophes come to people sometimes when least expected—unemployment, sickness, things of that kind. The individual, as we teach, ought to do for himself all that he can. When he has exhausted his resources, he ought to turn to his family to assist him. When the family can't do it, the Church takes over. And when the Church takes over, our great desire is to first take care of his immediate needs and then to help him for so long as he needs to be helped, but in that process to assist him in training, in securing employment, in finding some way of getting on his feet again. That's the whole objective of this great welfare program" (Gordon B. Hinckley, "This Thing Was Not Done in a Corner," Ensign, Nov. 1996, 50).

"To care fully for the poor, we must help the poor to change. As they are taught and abide doctrines of Deity, spiritual strength will come that enlightens the mind and liberates the soul from the yoke of bondage. When people of the earth accept the gospel of Christ, their attitudes change. Their understanding and capabilities increase" (Russell M. Nelson, "In the Lord's Own Way," Ensign, May 1986, 27).

"A man out of work is of special moment to the Church because, deprived of his inheritance, he is on trial as Job was on trial—for his integrity. As days lengthen into weeks and months and even years of adversity, the hurt grows deeper, and he is sorely tempted to "curse God and die." Continued economic dependence breaks him, it humiliates him if he is strong, spoils him if he is weak. Sensitive or calloused, despondent or indifferent, rebellious or resigned—either way, he is threatened with spiritual ruin, for the dole is an evil and idleness a curse. He soon becomes the seedbed of discontent, wrong thinking, alien beliefs. The Church cannot hope to save a man on Sunday if during the week it is a complacent witness to the crucifixion of his soul" (Helping Others to Help Themselves [pamphlet, 1945], 4).

"Immediately upon the inception of the Plan the 'aim of the Church' was said to be 'to help the people to help themselves.' This was to be done through getting them employed and stimulating them to habits of industry, thrift and self-reliance. And this led straight into the concept of rehabilitation of individuals and families as a more permanent objective" (Albert E. Bowen, The Church Welfare Plan [1946], 74).

"I know that the man who needs help is often the most difficult kind of man to get to work. . . . But ultimately the man who is approached in the right kind of way, the improvident man, will come along. He will do something. That was the purpose of the welfare plan, to build that man, rebuild him, rehabilitate him, make him over again, build up his personality, get him into Church activity, make him and his family self-respecting and respected. That is the great job of the welfare plan. You have to eat to live and so we keep him alive in order to save him. That is the point" (J. Reuben Clark Jr., "Church Leaders Address Newest Welfare Program," Church News, May 13, 1944, 9).

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