Welfare Square: A nationwide model of economic self-reliance

Welfare Square grain elevator stands 178-feet tall in Salt Lake City, Utah

On Thursday 1 December 2011 the LDS Church's Welfare Square was toured by The Philanthropy Round Table as the last stop on a national tour highlighting the best practices in economic self-reliance.  The Round Table also toured the LDS Humanitarian Center and the Bishop's Central Storehouse.  Shannon Toronto, CEO of the Round Table, said, "We learned from our meeting today that the best programs recognize the dignity of the individual and that the highest quality of life is attained when a person becomes self reliant and can help others within her realm of influence" (Elizabeth Stuart, "Philanthropists eye LDS model of self-reliance", Deseret News, Friday 2 December 2011, B5).

This model of self reliance known as Welfare Square was founded during the Great Depression.  During this time, men would put in a whole day's work in exchange for food from the Bishop's Storehouse.  Today people "pay" for their food by completing tasks such as folding clothes at Deseret Industries thrift stores or canning food at local Bishop's Storehouses.  All this is in keeping with a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith which reads, "The storehouse shall be kept by the consecrations of the church; and widows and orphans shall be provided for, as also the poor.  Amen" (D&C 83:6).  Also the words came to the Prophet thusly, "And again, let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this church; and let all things both in money and in meat, which are more than is needful for the wants of this people, be kept in the hands of the bishop" (D&C 51:13).

Presiding Bishop H. David Burton, center; First Counselor Richard C. Edgley, left; Second Counselor Keith B. McMullin, right

The Presiding Bishopric has jurisdiction over the workings of Welfare Square and all the Bishops Storehouses, for "the office of a bishop is in administering all temporal things" (D&C 107:68).

The reason the world looks with awe and wonder upon The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is because it is run by continual revelation.  Although the world may not know this fact (and sometimes even deny it), it is nevertheless true.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Self Reliance and Industriousness

Of all that President Brigham Young in known for, self-reliance and industriousness is probably his legacy.  We will discuss self-reliance and industriousness using Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution (or ZCMI) as the prime example.

Founded in 1868, Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was put in place by President Brigham Young so the Latter-day Saints would no longer have to worry about buying from Gentiles (non-Mormons), who would price-gouge when the Mormons wished to purchase from them.  He taught, "Ye Latter-day Saints, learn to sustain yourselves.  If you cannot obtain all you wish for today, learn to do without that which you cannot purchase and pay for; and bring your minds into subjection that you must and will live within your means" (Discourses of President Brigham Young, 293).  For this reason was ZCMI established - that the Latter-day Saints might sustain themselves.  What better way for the Latter-day Saints to be able to sustain themselves, then to be able to find the same products - whether corn, wheat, boots, tools, etc.- in Salt Lake City as in Ephraim, or in Provo as in Logan?

As seen in the picture above, all ZCMI store-fronts had "Holiness to the Lord" inscribed thereon.  But why "Holiness to the Lord"?  Because, according to President Young, "Is not the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God on earth a temporal labor all the time?" (DBY, 290–91).  Indeed it is, because the upbuilding of the Latter-day Saints consists of hard industriousness, the which, if pressed upon, leads to the Spirit of the Lord in our lives, because physical labor is a command of Him who is Holiness, even the Lord and Savior.  Said He to Adam and Eve immediately before their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground" (Gen. 3:19).  Indeed work, or self-reliance and industriousness, is a command of God.

Lastly, President Brigham Young taught, "Idleness and wastefulness are not according to the rules of heaven.  Preserve all you can, that you may have abundance to bless your friends and your enemies" (DBY, 290).  Let us not be idle, but the rather act in all holiness to the Lord by working to support ourselves and our loved ones, both in temporal as well as spiritual labors.  Let us be better people, and work all the days of our lives, that idleness and slothfulness be not found in us.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.