Look to the Poor and Needy

To my daughter, 

                We learned recently about the commandment of the Lord for the Saints to gather to Ohio in 1831. These early Saints did not have a lot of money, and the Lord wanted to make sure that those in need would be taken care of. He commanded, “And now, I give unto the church in these parts a commandment, that certain men among them shall be appointed, and they shall be appointed by the voice of the church; And they shall look to the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer; and send them forth to the place which I have commanded them” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:34-35). The Saints book records how Newel Knight, who was the leader of the Colesville branch, sought to keep this commandment: “Newel Knight returned home and began to sell what he could. He also spent much of his time visiting church members. Following the example of Enoch’s people, he and other Saints in Colesville worked together and sacrificed to ensure the poor could make the journey before spring.” In giving this commandment to gather, the Lord made sure that the poor who wanted to come were taken care of.

                After going to Kirtland they also started gathering in Missouri, and eventually all the faithful Saints went there. But soon thereafter they were forced to leave again, and this focus on helping the poor when the Saints had to gather to a new place continued. With Joseph in prison in Liberty Jail, Brigham Young was left to lead the Saints that winter of 1838-39. He was very concerned with making sure those who were poor were helped. The Saints book relates, “On January 29, Brigham urged the Saints in Far West to covenant to help each other evacuate the state. ‘We will never desert the poor,’ he told them, ‘till they shall be out of the reach of the exterminating order.’” The account describes what they did: “To ensure that every Saint was taken care of, he and the other leaders in Far West appointed a committee of seven men to direct the evacuation. The committee collected donations and supplies for the poor and made a careful assessment of the Saints’ needs.” Even after many reached safety in Illinois, there were still some who needed help, and “Brigham announced that the evacuation committee in Far West needed money and teams of animals to help fifty poor families leave Missouri. Although the Saints in Quincy were poor themselves, he asked them to extend the hand of charity to those who were even worse off. In response, the Saints donated fifty dollars and several teams.” It was the poor helping the poor, but they kept their covenant to ensure that all were assisted to make it out of Missouri.

                The Saints soon settled Nauvoo in Illinois, but once again several years later they were forced to leave. With Joseph now dead, Brigham Young was again in charge, and he once more was committed to helping the poor to make the journey. The second Saints book says, “Unwilling to leave anyone in danger, the Saints had covenanted together to help anyone who wanted to go west—especially the poor, sick, or widowed. ‘If you will be faithful to your covenant,’ Brigham had promised the Saints in the temple at the October conference, ‘the great God will shower down means upon this people to accomplish it to the very letter.’” After many had begun their journey west, there were still other stuck back in Nauvoo who didn’t have the means to make the journey. The apostles “sent wagons, teams, and supplies back to Nauvoo to evacuate the poor.” But that was not enough, and Brigham Young learned that the poor still remaining were in a terrible situation after being attacked. The account continues, “When Brigham learned about the desperation of the refugees, he dispatched a letter to Church leaders, reminding them of the covenant they had made in Nauvoo to help the poor and assist every Saint who wanted to come west. ‘The poor brethren and sisters, widows and orphans, sick and destitute, are now lying on the west bank of the Mississippi,’ he declared. ‘Now is the time for labor. Let the fire of the covenant, which you made in the house of the Lord, burn in your hearts, like flame unquenchable.’” The Saints in Winter Quarters sent additional “wagons, ox teams, food, and other supplies back to Nauvoo. Newel Whitney, the presiding bishop of the Church, also purchased flour for the impoverished Saints. When relief parties found the refugees, many of the Saints there were feverish, ill-equipped for cold weather, and desperately hungry.” Then an incredible miracle came: “On October 9, as they prepared to make the journey to the Missouri River, the Saints watched as a flock of quail filled the sky and landed on and around their wagons. Men and boys scrambled after the birds, catching them with their hands. Many recalled how God had also sent Moses and the children of Israel quail in their time of need.” Food came literally from the sky, giving these impoverished Saints nourishment as they continued in faith to the west.

                As they made the journey west, the Lord gave this instruction to Brigham Young: “Let each company bear an equal proportion, according to the dividend of their property, in taking the poor, the widows, the fatherless, and the families of those who have gone into the army, that the cries of the widow and the fatherless come not up into the ears of the Lord against this people” (Doctrine and Covenants 136:8). This scripture and all of these stories highlight the importance of taking care of the poor. The Lord cares deeply that those in need are helped, and we can each do our part to help them, even if we aren’t gathering with the Saints to a new place. I hope that you and I will always strive to use the means we have to help others in need—that is part of the covenant we have made in joining His Church.  

Love,

Dad