Inspirational Stories about Caring for Those in Need

Humanitarian Highlights

Included here is a sampling of Church humanitarian activities and events and how they built bridges of understanding and friendship throughout the world.

One Cold and Snowy Afternoon

On a cold, snowy day, a homeless man on an old bicycle showed up at a bishops' storehouse. He was given food, he met with the bishop who serves transients, and he was given a bus ticket to his destination in St. George, where he was given a usable bicycle from Deseret Industries.

Call the Labourers, and Give Them Their Hire

Evelyn, newly married, needed to find a job. An LDS employment center was opened in Santiago, Chile, and she attended the job search class. By using what she learned, she was able to find a job paying 40 percent more than she had hoped.

Of Washcloths and Watchwords

A Church member working in Kosovo to restore damaged schools did not know how to explain the name of her church in Albanian. Then hygiene kits arrived from the Church and people identified them with the church she belonged to and asked her to thank the people who sent them.

As Ye Reap, So Shall Ye Sow

Answering the request of the Belarus Department of Agriculture for an advisor to help with their lagging potato harvest, 61-year-old John Hess was sent to Belarus by Humanitarian Services. Using only his experience and what was available there, the potato harvest in Brother Hess's plots yielded 11 times that of the state plots.

From the Field: How LDS Employment Services Changes Lives

Included here are four success stories of people who were able to find jobs through LDS Employment Resource Services.

Laura’s Story

A young girl, having forsaken the teachings of her parents, discovered she was pregnant and realized she needed to change her life. She counseled with LDS Family Services and made the difficult decision to place her baby for adoption. Through prayer, she was able to choose an adoptive family who could give her child what she was not able to.

To Build a House in Ecuador

Ricardo hated the Church and did whatever he could to oppose it. An earthquake destroyed his home, and he had no way to rebuild it. As a last resort, he appealed to a Church member. The ward members combined their resources and built Ricardo a new home.