Mormon Volunteerism
Mormon volunteerism, the efforts of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has been noted and lauded in the press and in various studies. Because of the extent of Mormon volunteerism, the state of Utah has been judged the most "volunteering" state in America.
How Mormons Volunteer
The Church of Jesus Christ has no paid clergy. Just as in the Primitive Church of Jesus Christ, people are called to serve from their everyday vocations (Jesus called fishermen and publicans to be apostles). Most "callings" are temporary, but many entail an extreme amount of work, stretching the talents of those who serve and giving them leadership opportunities and group experiences. Everything in the Church is done by volunteers, except for various paid positions, for instance, in IT or construction worldwide.
In addition to fulfilling their callings in the Church, Mormons also participate in community service, humanitarian aid projects, and in the welfare program of the LDS Church to help the poor and needy.
Mormon Volunteerism is Remarkable
A study was conducted by University of Pennsylvania professor Ram Cnaan and fellow researchers Van Evans and Daniel W. Curtis by surveying 2,664 church-attending Latter-day Saints living across the United States. The study found that active Latter-day Saints "volunteer and donate significantly more than the average American and are even more generous in time and money than the upper quintile of religious people in America.” [1]
- According to the research done in the study, an active Latter-day Saint will volunteer approximately 427.9 hours annually compared to the 48 hours annually of the average American. They also indicated Latter-day Saint members make considerable charitable donations. In addition to the tithing donations, an active Latter-day Saint donates an average of $1,171 to non-church related charitable causes per year and donates $650 to the church’s social welfare program. Nearly 90% percent of active Latter-day Saints follow the biblical admonition to tithe (donate 10 percent of their annual income to the Church).
- The researchers have concluded that “overall we found that [Latter-day Saints] are the most pro-social members of the American society. Regardless of where they live, they are generous with their time and money.”
President and Prophet Thomas S. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ has said,
- “To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty, the fulfillment of which brings true joy. We do not live alone — in our city, our nation, or our world. There is no dividing line between our prosperity and our neighbor's wretchedness. 'Love thy neighbor' is more than a divine truth. It is a pattern for perfection.”
