At April 1999 General Conference, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin talks about how Latter-day Saints offer temporal assistance to both those in and out of the Church. General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson discusses the importance of rendering humanitarian service to others. At October 1996 General Conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley talks about the need to help those who are in need. Fast offerings are cash or in-kind donations given to the bishop to help the needy following a short period of fasting.
Assistance is to be provided as Christian service, without regard to race, nationality, or religion.
In addition to temporary Welfare assistance given by the Church to its members and to a variety of emergency and humanitarian services, the Church has rendered longer-term economic aid to many groups in a variety of nations. Independence and self-sufficiency are critical keys to spiritual and temporal growth. Encyclopedia of Mormonism Emergency Preparedness Latter-day Saints are taught to prepare for potential problems. Since the gospel is concerned with mankind's temporal as well as spiritual welfare, the Church considers any potential emergency that would adversely affect the quality of life or produce suffering to be a cause for advance preparation.