Part 2

The Bishop Seeks Out and Cares for the Needy

The Apostle Peter referred to Jesus as “the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). By studying the example of the Savior, we see that a shepherd leads the flock. He gives individual care and attention. He knows his sheep, and they know and obey his voice.

Since you represent the Lord among his flock, he has entrusted to you the sacred duty of caring for the less fortunate.

“To the bishop is given all the powers and responsibilities which the Lord has specifically prescribed in the Doctrine and Covenants for the caring of the poor. … No one else is charged with this duty and responsibility, no one else is endowed with the power and functions necessary for this work. …

“By the word of the Lord, the sole mandate to care for and the sole discretion in caring for the poor of the Church is lodged in the bishop. … It is his duty and his only to determine to whom, when, how, and how much shall be given to any member of his ward from Church funds and as ward help.

“This is his high and solemn obligation, imposed by the Lord Himself. The bishop cannot escape this duty; he cannot shirk it; he cannot pass it on to someone else, and so relieve himself. Whatever help he calls in, he is still responsible” (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., quoted by Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1977, p. 115; or Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 79).

Much of what you accomplish will be done through the efforts of others whom the Lord has called to assist you—your counselors, Melchizedek Priesthood quorum leaders, and Relief Society leaders. Acting under your direction, they can help search out the poor and needy, recommend assistance, and suggest work opportunities that will help those receiving welfare assistance to be self-reliant.

Seek Out the Needy

As a bishop, it is your duty to seek out members who are in need. It is not enough to respond only when they come to you for assistance.

To serve effectively, you will need to be sensitive to the spiritual, physical, emotional, and economic conditions of ward members.

“Every bishop should know the general condition of his ward members. This he learns from observation, from visiting-teacher and home-teacher reports, from interviews, and from the whisperings of the Spirit” (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, p. 138; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, p. 95).

Ways to identify needy ward members include—

1. Promptings of the Spirit. Because of your special calling, the Spirit may prompt you at any time to inquire about the well-being of someone in need. In all your contacts with ward members, remain alert and listen for the Spirit to reveal hidden needs. Always act on these promptings of the Spirit.

2. Ward welfare services committee. When this committee meets, provide opportunities for Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society leaders to report welfare needs. Treat all matters confidentially. Use the welfare services committee to become informed, make assignments, and call for progress reports.

3. Home teaching and visiting teaching. Ensure that home teachers and visiting teachers regularly visit the homes of all members. They should inquire about each family’s well-being and meet the family’s needs whenever they can. Have them report welfare needs that they observe.

Analyze the Circumstances

In assisting the needy, you can resolve uncertainty about how and when to help if you carefully analyze the exact nature and duration of the problem and the resources available to meet the need (see D&C 9:8–9). Whenever appropriate, involve the Melchizedek Priesthood quorum leader and the Relief Society president in making this analysis.

The Needs and Resources Analysis form will guide you in analyzing needs and listing available resources (PGWE1293; see page 7 of this guide). The form applies everywhere.

Exercise Discernment

As a bishop, you have been promised the gift of discernment to enable you to discern what forms of assistance will help the poor and needy (D&C 46:27–30).

“With this kind of spirit directing you bishops, you will be able to come to that revealed certainty that answers the oft-repeated questions of, Whom should I assist? How much assistance should I give? How often and how long should I assist? No hard-and-fast rule will ever be given in answer to these questions. As the common judge, you must live worthy to get the answers for each case from the only source provided—the inspiration of heaven” (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, p. 140; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, p. 96).

Render Assistance

To decide what help to give, you will first need to determine the extent to which individual and family resources have been used. Welfare assistance is given to help people help themselves, to develop independence, not dependence. Seek to build integrity, self-respect, dignity, and soundness of character in each person assisted, leading to complete self-reliance.

Follow these guidelines when giving assistance:

1. Draw upon the Lord’s storehouse. The Lord’s storehouse includes the time, talents, skills, compassion, consecrated materials, and financial means of faithful Church members. These may be made available to the bishop in assisting the poor and needy everywhere. Using such resources makes possible the blessing of both givers and receivers as the needy are cared for in the Lord’s own way (see D&C 104:16).

   Fast-offering funds are a primary financial resource for assisting needy members. You may use fast offerings to purchase food, clothing, shelter, medical assistance, or other aid for the poor. Fast-offering funds are used only in direct assistance to the needy.

   You may also use other Church welfare resources such as bishops’ storehouses, LDS Social Services, Deseret Industries, canneries, employment centers, and production projects when they are available locally.

   Involve the Relief Society president in rendering assistance. She should visit the home, help the recipient make an itemized list of basic food and clothing needs, and present an order for your review. Your signature authorizes service at a bishops’ storehouse or purchases from a local vendor.

2. Assist by mutual consent. The bishop and the recipient should agree upon the type, extent, and timing of assistance.

3. Give temporary help. Church assistance is normally given to meet temporary needs. Work with the priesthood quorums and Relief Society to find permanent solutions to long-term problems. Even the handicapped, aged, and others who may require long-term assistance should be given opportunities to do all they can to help themselves.

4. Give assistance to sustain life. “We assist with basic life-sustaining goods and services, not the maintenance of current living standards. Individuals and families may need to alter their standards of living in doing all they can to meet their own needs” (Thomas S. Monson, “Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare,” Ensign, Sept. 1986, p. 5).

5. Make appropriate use of community resources. Community services may be an acceptable source of assistance to needy members. These might include family counseling services, workshops for the handicapped, rehabilitation centers, and employment agencies. If members seek these forms of assistance, counsel them to adhere closely to gospel principles, considering this policy statement by the General Welfare Services Committee:

   “No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able, will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family’s well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will work to the extent of his ability to supply himself and his family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life. …

   “As guided by the Spirit of the Lord and through applying these principles, each member of the Church should make his own decisions as to what assistance he accepts, be it from government or other sources. In this way, independence, self-respect, dignity, and self-reliance will be fostered, and free agency maintained” (Welfare Services Resource Handbook [1980], p. 21).

   Advise members to comply with any laws that regulate the receipt of government aid, especially while receiving Church assistance.

Assign Work for Assistance

Work is both a spiritual and temporal necessity. Explaining the purposes of Church welfare, the First Presidency said: “Our primary purpose was to set up, in so far 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. Work is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1936, p. 3).

Members receiving welfare assistance should work to the extent of their abilities for what they receive. A work assignment engenders independence, industry, thrift, and self-respect by providing the recipient the right to earn what is received.

Consider these suggestions in assigning work for assistance:

1. Assign work by mutual consent. The bishop and recipient should agree upon the type and duration of work.

   “If an individual refuses to do his part by working according to his ability, then the bishop has the prerogative of withholding assistance until a reformation of attitude is achieved” (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, p. 139; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, p. 96).

2. Assign work that helps other needy members. Attempt to make work assignments so that one person’s labors help another person, thereby meeting needs locally and helping members serve one another.

3. Assign work that is purposeful. When possible, assigned work should help the individual become self-reliant.

4. Involve the ward welfare services committee. There are many creative ways to provide work opportunities. Involve committee members in identifying and providing work opportunities.

   You may wish to review the Suggested Work Assignments as you make assignments (see page 9 of this study guide). Record the assignment in the space provided on the Needs and Resources Analysis form.

Instructions: Please view Part 2 of the videocassette Caring for the Needy.

Review Questions

After reading Part 2 of this study guide and viewing Part 2 of the videocassette Caring for the Needy, write answers to the following questions. You may also want to record promptings you have felt while reviewing the material. These notes will help you recall and apply your thoughts after the training is completed.

1. Write in your own words what you understand the bishop’s welfare service duty to be.

2. How will you use the efforts of others (including the ward welfare services committee) to meet your ward members’ needs?

3. What steps will you take to identify members in need?

Exercise

Identify an individual or family in the ward to whom you are now rendering assistance. Complete a Needs and Resources Analysis form with the family. By completing this exercise, you will become more comfortable using the form each time you analyze needs.

Instructions: Please go on to Part 3 of this study guide.