Elder Millet and I have enjoyed serving at Welfare Square this transfer. This grain elevator is the trademark for Welfare Square and, yes, it is full of wheat. It is the only original building on the square today.

The welfare program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dates back to 1936 and is going strong all over the world. The 3-fold mission of welfare work is to 1) care for the poor and needy. 2) foster self-reliance. and 3) give opportunities for service to others.

Welfare work is "Pure Religion" as defined in James 1:27, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions and to keep himself unspotted from the vices of the world."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is usually the first to respond to any emergency in the world and helps the poor and needy regardless of religious affiliation.

Welfare work is funded through fast offerings. Each member of the Church is asked to go without food for 2 meals a month and to donate the amount of money this food would have cost to their Bishop. We are also asked to be very generous with our "fast offering." It is amazing how this small amount multiplied over 13,000,000 members can offer all the services explained below.
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