While it is normal for churches to help the poor, most do not have formal welfare programs for their members, even non-LDS churches. The Mormon program of the LDS Church was organized during the Depression when over 30 percent of members were unemployed. LDS Church leaders knew they had to help but didn't want to give people a handout. They therefore created a system to provide for basic needs while teaching self-reliance.

The worldwide charitable efforts of the LDS Church are often carried out in partnership with other faiths and organizations of goodwill. In the year 2007 alone, the LDS Church responded to major earthquakes in five countries, massive fires in six countries, hunger and famine in 18 countries, and flooding and severe storms in 34 countries. In total the Church and its members responded to 170 major events, nearly one every two days for the entire year. The motivation behind this vast global work centers on the simple charge given by Jesus so many years ago to "love thy neighbor as thyself."

This caring is not limited to LDS Church members alone (although they consider themselves the only Mormons) but extends far beyond. According toLDS Church President Thomas S. Monson, "As a church we reach out not only to our own people but also to those people of goodwill throughout the world in that spirit of brotherhood which comes from the Lord Jesus Christ."

Mormons can be found at every level of society. They are in business and agriculture, education and the sciences, political parties and government, the entertainment industry and news media. Most Mormons are not Americans, and most are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. About half as many again are Mormon believers who belong to other Mormon churches or just believe in Mormonism.

Describing the character of Mormons, Newsweek magazine wrote: "No matter where Mormons live, they find themselves part of a network of mutual concern; in Mormon theology everyone is a minister of a kind, everyone is empowered in some way to do good to others, and to have good done unto them: it is a 21st century covenant of caring."

More than 13 million people now constitute the LDS Church’s membership, a majority of whom live outside the United States. And within the United States, it has the fourth-largest membership of any church and approximately half of all believers in Mormonism. Since the faith's humble founding in 1830 with a mere six people in a log cabin in upstate New York, the Mormon faith has continued to grow in membership and influence, particularly that of the LDS Church..

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and other churches based in the teachings of Joseph Smith) is a restoration of NewTestament Christianity as taught by Jesus and His apostles. It is not Protestant, evangelical, Catholic or Orthodox. Nevertheless, the basic values of morality, civility and family espoused by the Mormons are similar to those of most other Christian faiths. Mormons find refuge from the uncertainties of the world in the gospel message of hope and happiness. The reality that life has divine purpose, that God cares for each individual and that everyone has the capacity for improvement through correct choices is a central theme of Mormon thought.

Mormons believe in a loving, personal God as our Heavenly Father. Since He is the Father of our spirits, all people are His children and thus all people are brothers and sisters. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem mankind from their sins. Church members try to model their lives on the Savior’s teachings. All individuals are entitled to personal revelation. God has called new apostles and prophets in our day through whom He reveals his word, as He did anciently. Thus, God still speaks to humankind. Mormons believe in the Holy Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. In addition, they use other scriptures, including the Book of Mormon, which serves as another witness to the ministry of Christ and His divinity. Used together, these scriptures offer insight into such vital questions as the nature of God, salvation and the Atonement.

One of the highest values of the Church is education. It is considered a spiritual imperative as much as a secular one. Thus, according to the late LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Lord has laid a mandate upon the people of this Church that they should learn by study and by faith, that they should seek not only after spiritual knowledge, which is most important, but that they should seek after secular knowledge." The Church offers its youth ample educational opportunities: seminary is a four-year program that prepares high school students for the spiritual challenges of life; institutes of religion provide general religious instruction and a social atmosphere for college-age adults. Over 700,000 students are enrolled in these programs, which are established in 132 countries.

In addition, the LDS Church has created the Perpetual Education Fund to provide young men and women of the Church in developing nations with the means to gain education and training. This fund, which comes largely from the contributions of Church members, offers loans to students, enabling them to attend school and find employment opportunities in their own countries and communities.

On any given Sunday, Latter-day Saints gather for worship services in more than 27,000 congregations in 177 countries, nations and territories around the world. Adapted to the local needs of the various congregations around the world, these worship services are held in more than 180 languages and welcome visitor participation.

The worldwide growth of the Mormonism is mostly due in part to the service of more than 50,000 full-time, volunteer LDS missionaries, who teach the gospel wherever they can, in the streets and in the home. But this tells only half the story. The openness and caring of the members toward their friends and acquaintances is the real catalyst for growth, as the restored gospel provides answers to life’s deepest questions.

The current LDS Church President Monson recently described the ideal home: "Our homes are to be more than sanctuaries; they should also be places where God's Spirit can dwell, where the storm stops at the door, where love reigns and peace dwells. The world can at times be a frightening place in which to live. The moral fabric of society seems to be unraveling at an alarming speed." But, he continued, this is a struggle that families and individuals "can and will win." Thus, in an increasingly fractional society, the importance of strengthening the family is paramount. The values essential to the prosperity of any civilization are first instilled in the family, the fundamental unit of society, where a husband and wife work together for the betterment of the whole. The Church’s teachings and programs are designed to fortify the family. The time-honored virtues of charity, sacrifice, patience and forgiveness enable society to prosper. They are most effectively learned at home.

The typical Mormon denomination is organized much the same way that Christ organized His church in New Testament times. It is led by a prophet who serves as president of the Church. He has two counselors, and these three leaders constitute the First Presidency. The First Presidency is assisted by twelve apostles, who are special witnesses of Jesus Christ to all the world. Leaders called seventies assist the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and serve in various areas throughout the world. Local congregations are led by bishops. The main organization for women in the LDS Church is the Relief Society, which was founded in 1842. Today this organization includes more than 5.5 million women ages 18 and older in over 170 countries. Other Mormon churches may allow woman into the priesthood and men serve together with women in relief or 'safety' societies to accomplish charitable works.

The local leadership of a Mormon church is composed of qualified lay members, not a paid clergy. Chosen through prayer and inspiration, these leaders do not aspire to pastoral positions but respond to “callings” in a spirit of service. Individual members in turn are called by their leaders to serve in various positions in their congregation. This cooperative enterprise means that lay members alternately preach sermons and listen to sermons, lead music and sing music, give advice and receive advice. Their service blesses others and leads to personal growth. In addition to strengthening the family, this organizational structure fosters a profound sense of community within the congregation and satisfies the human desire for connection through mutual responsibility to each other.

Every Mormon is actively involved in the civic affairs of the communities where its members live. It has an obligation to take stands on moral issues facing society. In the arena of partisan politics, however, the LDS Church has adopted a strict policy of neutrality. That Church’s mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, not to elect politicians. It does not endorse, promote or oppose political parties, candidates or platforms, recognizing that its values can reside in each of them. Nevertheless, the Church does encourage its members to be responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues and voting in elections. Further, it expects its members to engage in the political process in an informed and civil manner, respecting the fact that members of the Church come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The same can be said of all Mormon denominations.

In that same spirit of civility and respect, Mormon leaders recently made a plea to the faithful for more religious understanding and tolerance: "[We] ...encourage Mormons wherever they may be to show kindness and respect for all people everywhere. The world in which we live is filled with diversity. We can and should demonstrate respect toward those whose beliefs differ from ours."

Mormon Widows and Orphans Society and Benevolent Fund For Mormon Widows And Orphans are not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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While the nation struggles with welfare reform, the LDS Church promotes its own welfare program as a model system for those in need.

Mormons who fall on hard times don't need to rely on the federal or state government to support them. Instead they can turn to their church. For more than six decades, the LDS Church has been running its own welfare program without any federal assistance. In fact, the system is entirely supported by volunteers, private donations and money collected from church businesses.

The Mormon welfare system is quite simple. A Mormon in need goes to their bishop, whose main job is to organize and oversee church services such as the welfare program. Once the Bishop determines the person in need can't get help from their extended family and there is no alternative, he assesses their needs and refers them to the appropriate church agency and may also allocate money to help them pay bills.

Recipients of the Mormon welfare program are referred to a Mormon aid center. The center there includes the Bishop Storehouse, where the needy can use vouchers to buy food, clothes and other essentials. There is also an employment office, where resumes are perfected and jobs listed, and a 40,000 square foot cannery, where many welfare recipients volunteer to work. The complex also boasts a thrift store where low skilled workers are trained to prepare them for the workforce.

There are nearly 200 of these Mormon-run stores across the country and, the LDS Church program has assisted over more than 135,000 people alone in California. The goodwill, however, comes with a stipulation: the needy are expected to work in return. Those in need of aid might help the church transport handicapped people or work in one of the LDS Church’s stores or canneries.

Mormons.org also offers a wide array of official information about the Church of Latter-day Saints.

Mitt Romney recently delivered an address during the 2008 Primary Elections in which he sought to address the concerns that some conservative Republicans have raised about his Mormonism.

Now, recent pollingfinds that Romney, more than any other presidential candidate (Republican or Democrat), is viewed as very religious by the public. The polls also find that voters who see presidential candidates as religious express more favorable views toward those candidates. But the advantage Romney stood to gain from these perceptions is partially offset by the concerns of some Americans about Mormon religions.

A 2007 Pew survey finds that only 42% of the public can correctly identify Romney as a Mormon, although a higher number of Republicans (60%) are aware of his religious affiliation. And, overall, one-in-four respondents to the earlier nationwide Pew survey said that they would be less likely to vote for a Mormon candidate for president, and those who take this point of view express substantially more negative views of Romney, compared with those who express no such reservations about voting for a Mormon.

This reluctance appears to be based on a mixture of negative perceptions and a lack of knowledge about Mormonism. Barely half of the public (49%) says they know "a great deal" or "some" about the Mormon religion, and just 25% believe that the Mormon religion and their own religion have a lot in common. Just 53% of the public expresses a favorable opinion of Mormons. Moreover, three-in-ten Americans (31%) say they do not believe that Mormons are Christians, and another 17% say they are unsure about this.

Romney and Religion

The August Pew poll found that 46% of the public says that Mitt Romney is very religious. This is comparable to the percentage saying that George W. Bush is very religious, and is much greater than for any other presidential candidate in the race for either party's nomination.

But Romney's perceived religiosity is not an unambiguous benefit to his candidacy, since many Americans are reluctant to vote for a Mormon for President. Though Mormonism is viewed as far less of a liability for a presidential candidate than not believing in God or being a Muslim, more people do express reservations about voting for a Mormon (25%) than about supporting a candidate who is an evangelical Christian (16%), a Jew (11%) or a Catholic (7%).

Furthermore, the group of Americans most likely to say they value religiosity in a president – white evangelical Protestants – is also the group most apt to be bothered by his religion.

More than one-in-three evangelical Republicans (36%) expressed reservations about voting for a Mormon, a level of opposition much higher than that seen among the electorate overall.

These worries are directly linked to how Americans view Romney. The August Pew poll found that Romney's favorability rating was much lower (54%) among those who say they would be less likely to vote for a Mormon than among those without such reservations (81%).

Overall Views of Mormons and Mormonism

Overall, a slim majority of the public (53%) expresses a favorable view of Mormons, while 27% view Mormons unfavorably. By this measure, the public views Mormons more favorably than Muslims (43% favorable) and atheists (35%), but more negatively compared with evangelical Christians (60% favorable), Catholics or Jews (76% favorable for each group).

There are virtually no partisan differences in overall views of Mormons; slightly more than half of all Republicans (54%), Democrats (53%) and independents (55%) express favorable views.

There are larger differences, though, across religious groups. Solid majorities of white mainline Protestants (62%) and white non-Hispanic Catholics (59%) express favorable opinions of Mormons. But among white evangelical Protestants, just 46% have a positive impression of Mormons, while 39% have an unfavorable opinion.

There also are substantial educational differences in opinions about Mormons: 64% of college graduates express favorable opinions of Mormons, as do 56% of those with some college experience. But fewer than half of those with a high school education or less (45%) have a positive impression of Mormons.

A slim majority of the public (52%) says that Mormonism is a Christian religion, while nearly one-in-three (31%) say that Mormonism is not a Christian religion. White evangelicals stand out for their view that the Mormon religion is not Christian: a 45% plurality says that Mormonism is not Christian, while 40% say it is. Among white evangelicals who attend services at least weekly, 52% believe that the Mormon religion is not Christian.

By contrast, large majorities of white mainline Protestants (62%) and white non-Hispanic Catholics (59%) say that Mormons are Christians. In addition, those with no formal religious affiliation also say by greater than two-to-one that the Mormon religion is Christian (59%-25%).

Even though a majority of the public views Mormonism as a Christian religion, most Americans say it is very different from their own religion. Among non-Mormons who express a religious preference, more than six-in-ten (62%) say that Mormonism and their own religion are very different; just a quarter says that Mormonism and their own religion have a lot in common. The vast majority of white evangelical Protestants (67%) reject the idea that Mormonism and their own religion have a lot in common, as do smaller majorities of white mainline Protestants (56%) and white non-Hispanic Catholics (61%).

Mormonism in a Word

When asked to describe their impression of the Mormon religion in a single word, somewhat more (27%) offer a negative word than a positive one (23%); 19% give a neutral descriptor. The most common negative word expressed is "polygamy," including "bigamy" or some other reference to plural marriage (75 total responses), followed by "cult" (57 total mentions). But while many people associate polygamy with Mormonism, nearly as many think of "family" or "family values" (74 total mentions). Other positive words commonly used to describe Mormonism include "dedicated" (34 mentions), "devout" or "devoted" (32 mentions), "good" (31 mentions), and "faith" or "faithful" (25 total mentions).

Not Affilliated With The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

®
Chartered 1984

By the Benevolent Fund for Mormon Widows and Orphans Founded 1838

What we believe:

'Who is a 'Mormon'? The Society is made up of people with a common belief that Mormon refers to 'Mormon' the Prophet who compiled the records of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. Mormons are believers who follow the teachings and doctrines taught by Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints prophets. These doctrines are believed to be eternal, and part of the Gospel preached by Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures of the Bible. For the non-sectarian purposes of our Society a Mormon is to be: the child or dependent of a Mormon, the spouse of a Mormon, a living or dead person baptized Mormon, and any stepchild or sibling-by-marriage in a Mormon family. And, in general, all defenders of the Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints or persons who profess to be Mormon (followers of Joseph Smith's teachings) who are to be baptized Mormon while living (or in death) are accepted by our Society to be Mormons. Mormons believe the Book of Mormon to be a sacred text and "another testament of Jesus Christ". Members of this Society consider themselves to be Mormons by belief, culture, relationship, church standing or personal enlightenment. The Society is not a religion or a part of one. MWOS applies broad criteria for purposes of membership eligibility and distribution of membership benefits. Our criteria should not be taken as official policy or doctrine of your church. (From the Preamble of the Charter of the MORMON WIDOWS AND ORPHANS SOCIETY.)

To grant assistance to necessitous widows and orphans and those of members of the

Mormon Widows and Orphans Society.

Benevolent Fund for Mormon Widows and Orphans Founded 1838

The fund exists primarily to provide grant assistance to widows/widowers and orphans of MWOS members in financial need. Money is available for grants of assistance to both widows/widowers and orphans of Members and also to other Mormons and non-Mormons themselves in cases of exceptional need.

Assistance from the Benevolent Fund takes the form of quarterly money grants of assistance. The Fund makes single grants up to a maximum of $1,000.

What are Grants. A grant of assistance is not a debt. Grants do not have to be repaid but one is welcome to replenish these limited resources when possible.

(Effective date April 1, 1984; revised effective April 1, 1989, revised effective August 8, 1995, revised effective August 29, 1995; revised effective September 20, 2001; revised effective January 1, 2006; revised effective January 1, 2008; revised effective May 1, 2008)

Mormon Widows and Orphans Society and Benevolent Fund For Mormon Widows And Orphans are not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Romney and Religion

Overall Views of Mormons and Mormonism

Mormonism in a Word

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