"Over the years, the Church welfare program has grown to meet the ever-increasing needs of an expanding Church. In North America today, 80 Church farms produce nutritious food for the needy. Eighty cannery facilities preserve and package this life-sustaining food. More than 100 bishops' storehouses stand ready to assist more than 10,000 bishops and branch presidents as they carry out their sacred obligation to seek out and assist the poor and needy in their wards and branches. Fifty Deseret Industries operations offer work and training to thousands. Worldwide, 160 employment centers help more than 78,000 people find jobs each year. Sixty-five LDS Social Services offices help member couples adopt children and provide counseling to those in need" (Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Inspired Church Welfare," Ensign, May 1999, 76).

"The bishop provides welfare assistance to members to help them develop spirituality, become self-reliant, and learn to provide for others. If he provides help in this spirit, he will be successful in blessing the lives of the needy" (Providing in the Lord's Way: A Leader's Guide to Welfare & [welfare handbook, 1990], 12).

"The Lord's storehouse includes the time, talents, skills, compassion, consecrated material, and financial means of faithful Church members. These resources are available to the bishop in assisting those in need. Our bishops have the responsibility to learn how to properly use these resources" (Thomas S. Monson, "Goal beyond Victory," Ensign, Nov. 1988, 47).

"I remind bishops of the vital need to provide recipients of welfare assistance with the opportunity for work or service that thereby they may maintain their dignity and independence and continue to enjoy the Holy Spirit as they benefit from Church Welfare Services self-help efforts. We cannot be too often reminded that Church welfare assistance is spiritual at heart and that these spiritual roots would wither if we ever permitted anything like the philosophy of the dole to enter into our Welfare Services ministrations. Everyone assisted can do something. Let us follow the order of the Church in this regard and insure that all who receive give of themselves in return" (Spencer W. Kimball, "Becoming the Pure in Heart," Ensign, May 1978, 79).

"In his temporal administrations, the bishop looks at every needy person as a temporary problem, caring for them until they can help themselves; the priesthood must look at their needy brethren as a continuing problem until not only his temporal needs are met but, his spiritual ones also" (J. Reuben Clark, as quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley in "Welfare Responsibilities of the Priesthood Quorums," Ensign, Nov. 1977, 85).

"The Church is expressly and directly to care for its poor and needy, and the bishop is charged with the responsibility of carrying out that command and is given all the rights, prerogatives, and functions necessary therefore" (Marion G. Romney, "The Role of Bishops in Welfare Services," Ensign, Nov. 1977, 80).

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