Under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, early members of the Church attempted to establish the center place of Zion in Missouri, but they did not qualify to build the holy city. The Lord explained one of the reasons for their failure:

“They have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them;

“And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom” (D&C 105:3–4).

“There were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances” (D&C 101:6).

Rather than judge these early Saints too harshly, however, we should look to ourselves to see if we are doing any better. (Come to Zion, D. Todd Christofferson, October 2008.

The Lord does care how we treat the poor, the widow, the fatherless.

It still amazes me that people obviously have a problem to this date in dealing with this issue. It doesn’t even have to be in the scriptures.. just follow your gut instinct. It only makes sense to look after those that need it the most!

I was watching the movie “The Debaters” I think it was called with Denzel Washington and one of the debates they were doing was on the welfare system. (You can use the church welfare system as well) and I know it was just a script but it made so much sense.. not everyone on welfare, church or otherwise, is a lazy couch slouch. There are times that people do need help. But there comes along that nasty word judgment again and people will say I am not helping them who can’t help themselves. OR why should I help them? I have better things to do with my life or I will do it later or someone else will do it. You have to do it because you are a human being.

Your Dad was told not too long ago that is the main reason we mostly only ever get inactives on our home and visiting teaching beats over the last 3 decades. Leaders know we just do it because it’s the right thing to do. I replied nah I do it so it will give me brownie points on Judgment Day to balance out all the idiot things I have done :-D