The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints serves its congregations well by providing aid to those in need, be it material or spiritual. One of the top and foremost means by which this aid is distributed is what is known as a Bishop’s Storehouse.
LDS Bishop Storehouses act as a place where food, materials and common household items are stored. These are kept there in case a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints finds himself or herself in need of temporary help. The system works pretty much like welfare, but it is being dealt with strictly inside the congregation community.
The storehouses are operated and kept functional by missionaries assigned as storehouse managers. A special commission is assigned to the storehouse, but the ultimate word belongs to the bishop. The bishop of the congregation in which the storehouse is settled has complete authority over the storehouse. People in need can ask him directly whether they are eligible for welfare or they can resort to asking the Relief Society president. But either way, the Bishop is the one who will make the final decision.
There are numerous cases in which everybody can find themselves overwhelmed. It is a wonderful world, indeed – but it’s moving fast, too fast for some. Things can happen unexpectedly and you’ll find yourself in need of a helping hand. It is well known that among all the religions out there right now, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the most organized, the best stocked one of them all (proportionate to the number of members they have).
The means by which the storehouse is filled and managed vary. Usually, the most common way in which a member can contribute is through donations. While the Church encourages a tradition called fast offerings. What that means is that people should not eat for a day, every four Sundays. The money they save from abstaining from food that day (or the food itself) can be donated to the church. Donations should, however, be made in money, in order to let the bishop manage accurately what needs to be bought and how much.
Volunteers or missionaries are used to manage the storehouse itself. They make sure that the goods are distributed to those in need in good time. Also, they are the ones who keep everything in its place, making regular inventories and maintaining all the health and hygiene standards needed to run such a storehouse.
There are a lot of things to say when it comes to such a marvelous tradition. But everyone can agree that one does find comfort in the fact that, even if things get out of hand and apparently irreparable, there is someone out there to lend a hand and help out, even if it’s just for a while. When it comes to payback, the Church will only ask the person who received welfare to help out in volunteer work or by donating, once their financial situation has been reestablished.
Filed under: Bishop Storehouse, Bishops Storehouse, LDS Bishop Center, LDS Bishop Storehouse, LDS Bishopric, LDS Food Storage, LDS Stake Help Tagged: | Bishop Storehouse, Bishops Storehouse, LDS Bishop Center, LDS Bishop Storehouse, LDS Bishopric, LDS Food Storage, LDS Stake Help
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