Inspirational Stories about Caring for Those in Need
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from
the world" (James 1:27).
The Prophet Joseph Smith 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" (Times and Seasons, Mar. 15, 1842, 732).
Since 1998 the Welfare Services Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints has gathered and written about inspirational experiences that
illustrate how faithful members of the Church have applied the admonition to
"visit the fatherless and widows" and care for those in need. While the Church
News has published many of the stories, many others have not been shared as
widely. It is hoped that those who read this collection of stories will gain a
greater sense of what it means to exercise pure religion.
We express our appreciation to the many individuals who have shared their
experiences with the Welfare Services Department to make the Pure Religion
series possible.
