Much of what is done in the Church is to bless and help those who are not Mormon. The Mormon Church has donated more than $1 billion in cash and material assistance to 167 different countries in need of humanitarian aid since it started keeping track in 1985. Many of these countries have few to no Mormons, but are also non-Christian. More than 53,000 Mormon missionaries serve through the world today. All of their service is to help those who are not Mormon. Joseph Smith himself taught that we are "to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all."
Absolutely not! While we definitely serve the members of our own church, we believe that ALL men and women on this earth are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Therefore, we are all one in purpose. Mormons serve people throughout the world on a local/personal level as well as on a global level. Members of our church are able to donate money, which is distributed throughout the world to people and nations in need, especially in times of trouble and disaster. It is also common for members of the church to organize activities where materials for humanitarian aid are gathered and distributed.
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As a local Bishop in the Church, I can assure you that we do not limit our help to members. We perform numerous acts of service to our friends in the local community, and we do it gladly because we know service brings us and them great blessings of happiness and satisfaction. Our world wide disaster relief program brings food, clothing, water, sanitations kits and medications to our nonmember brothers and sisters around the world, quickly and effeciently. As Mormons, we know we are fellow citizens of the world and that all peoples are part of our Heavenly Father's family, and we try hard to act accordingy.
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Not the Mormons I know! Of course one of our responsibilities as Mormons is to try to help the members of our church any way that we can. But Jesus taught that we must love everyone, and that means helping out people even if they're not members of our faith. Our church has made very large humanitarian donations after natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, the Asian tsunami of 2004, and many other catastrophes. A couple years I worked with a large church youth group that did a beautification project at a public park in my hometown. Another time our church group spread gravel and did cleanup at a nearby equestrian trail. Jesus taught often about service, and it is an important part of our religion.
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Absolutely not! I grew up in the church and I'd say the number of people that I've helped in the church is significantly smaller than the number of people I've assisted out side the church. This is not to say I don't help my fellow church members. We believe that we are all children of our Heavenly Father. And by that reasoning we are all brothers and sisters. I take that to heart and when I see someone in need I try to help to the best of my ability and training. Organized service projects aside, I've helped several stranded motorists on the side of the road. I give food to people I've seen that appear to be hungry on the side of the road. And for a long time, when I was growing up, my dad and I would do Meals on Wheels for those in need. I've volunteered at soup kitchens more recently. And during times of widely known hurricanes, I've volunteered on clean up crews multiple times. There is a song we have in our church called "Because I Have Been Given Much." I don't want to post the entire lyrics here, but they are available on a popular search engine. That song is very poignant to me and has always been near and dear to my heart. Also being a former Boy Scout, I have tried to uphold both the Scout Law and Oath to this day. I love my Heavenly Father, and I love my fellow man and want to do all I can to help others in any way I can.
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Absolutely not. I personally have been a part of countless efforts to serve those not of our faith. We don't just serve others because we want them to join our Church. We serve because it's the right thing to do. Because it's what the Savior taught and exemplified. I think God often places people in our path when we are in a position to help. Sometimes, this can be a litmus test for how committed we are to living a Christlike life, especially if this "opportunity" comes at a very inconvenient time.
Perhaps we sometimes overlook opportunities to help because we are too focused on the problems staring us right in the face. I do know, however, that the Church makes a very concerted investment of time, talent, and resources in humanitarian aid throughout the world. We are often some of the first to arrive and the last to leave in cases like Hurricane Katrina, Haiti, and areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004. We often coordinate our efforts with other organizations like the Red Cross or the Catholic Church.
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Most of my family are not members of the church and I love to help them and all people in any way I can. I had the most amazing opportunity to be a missionary in Thailand to help all Thai people for a few years. I was able to help people of all religions and races over there.
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Not at all. Our Church leadership has sent incredible amounts of relief and aid to those in need, especially in natural disasters. While the congregations we participate in provide convenient opportunities to serve other Mormons, we strive to reach out to our communities and anyone who could benefit from our help.
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No. We believe that everyone on the Earth lived with God as a family before this life, that we are all God's children and we each have a responsibility for the welfare of others.
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No way! One of the most important things that the church teaches is that we are all children of God, which makes us all brothers and sisters. Because of that, we help whoever we are able to. For example, my Eagle Scout project was done to help another Christian church near my home. There are countless stories where members of the church have reached out to serve and care for people of other faiths.
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No. Jesus Christ helped everyone. One of His most famous parables features a Good Samaritan who helped someone of a different religion and ethnicity. We try to follow the Savior's example.
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