E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSThe only thing that rivals the Mormon church’s ability to spread the word is its ability to cope with emergencies.
Within 36 hours of the earthquake striking off the coast of Sendai on March 11, the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that all 638 of its missionaries in the country -- 342 Americans, 216 Japanese and 80 from other nations – were safe.
Within a few days, the church also had accounted for all but about 1,000 of its 125,000 members in Japan.
“Whether it is Haiti or Japan,” said David Evans, a senior leader in the church who serves in the missionary department. “This is how it works everywhere.”
Chalk it up to a culture of discipline and emergency preparedness. The church has a detailed hierarchy and network that works in ordinary times to maintain cohesion among followers, and in disaster to locate them.
Worldwide, some 14 million members of the church are divided into thousands of units, most of them made up of 300 to 400 people. A bishop presides over each member unit, which keeps detailed records—address, phone, work address and other information on each member.
“When you break it down to that small a group, it’s not as if anyone has to contact thousands of people,” said Richard Hinckley, executive director of the church’s missionary operations. “With four or five calls from a bishop — using phone trees — we can locate any one of 14 million church members in the world in a matter of minutes.”
In emergencies, if communication systems are out of order -- as they were in large swathes of Japan after the quake and tsunami — an intricate church network kicks in.
Under what they call the “home teaching program” each church assigns a member four to 10 people to visit at least once each month, checking in on their physical and spiritual wellbeing. So essentially everyone checks in on others and is checked in on themself. That means when a disaster hits, church members know exactly where to look for the folks that are normally part of their rounds.
The missionaries — young men and women who work in pairs – all have cell phones, but with cell networks down in most cases, they instead followed disaster plans that directed them to predetermined locations. Most of the young evangelists were accounted for within 18 hours. The last four, who had to walk out of one of the most devastated areas of Sendai to reach their assigned site, were contacted within 36 hours of the quake, church officials said.
As the threat of radiation emerged, the church network swung into motion again, quickly shifting 72 young evangelists out of harm’s way to missions in Hokkaido in the north and Nagoya in the south of Japan.
“We’re very confident that we have moved everybody far, far away,” from the radiation leaking from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, said Steve Allen, a public affairs officer with the church. Not only did they do so for safety reasons, he said, but for practical reasons — to get them out of the way of relief efforts.
Now the church has shifted into the next phase: relief operations.
Under a separate organizational system, the Mormons have dispatched a team to Tokyo to determine how they can actually deliver aid — not only to followers but the devastated region at large.
They quickly inspected 50 LDS church buildings in the disaster-stricken coastal areas — all but the one in Sendai, because the earthquake damage made it impossible to reach — to determine whether they could be used for relief efforts.
On the relief side of the operation, the church is not just focused on its own flock.
The church has made substantial contributions to the Japanese Red Cross and is coordinating with other aid organizations to assess the need for food, housing and fuel in the disaster zone.
Click here to follow Kari Huus on Facebook
“We strive to help people whenever there is a disaster,” said Allen. “Our desire to help is not based on religious affiliation or any other affiliation.”
The elders say that none of the missionaries has asked to leave Japan, and if anything the evangelists—most between 19 and 21 – are itching to return to the areas where they have been working to help. But the relief effort doesn’t really require evangelists, whose job it to share the Gospel.
“We would love to have missionaries be involved in any way they can be helpful,” said Allen. “But they are not equipped to be particularly helpful. They are better deployed elsewhere until they can come back in and not be a burden on the relief effort.”
Leave a Comment:
To the brave ones who unselfishly have gone head first into the jaws of death by their efforts to try and stem the the onset of disaster in Japan. It also seems as though history maybe repeating its self. I liken these 50 or more people to the Kamikazes of the WWII era in their last ditch efforts to do what they can in the face of a losing battle to win the battle. They are indeed the Divine Wind. The world needs to stand and salute these brave people. You will be remembered. As I do when I meet a veteran who placed his or her life on the line for me to be able to live my life in freedom, THANK YOU and I stand and solute you. Gilmer Loring Brush
Excellent reporting.
Very well written and researched article! I am a proud member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and can vouch that this church is one of the most efficient organizations to be able to serve others, as Jesus Christ would do.
Accurate article. I appreciate it when a reporter gets things right. There are enough goofy perceptions of us as it is.
A very well written report, simple facts about a church that knows the meaning of faith, hope and charity.
The Mormons are always working quietly in the background, doing their best to help others while other groups just make a lot of noise. I've always been impressed with how quickly they respond to disasters and their willingness to go beyond "Christian" charity.
Again as always I am impressed and inspired by your example.
God Bless You.
Appreciate all the church does, but I still want to see the tablets.
Go to show you what can be done without government influence
I am glad to see that the hometeaching program was highlighted. It is very important and especially in times like these.
I too appreciate this well written and accurately portrayed example of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a strong standing member of this church I feel too often that our church, or "mormons" as we are more commonly called, is inaccurately portrayed. Much of the time, we are thought of as "non-christians" or a church that practices polygamy, BOTH of which are completely false. I appreciate this article shows that ultimately our main goal is to live as Christ would have us do by helping ALL those around us whenever the need arises. Thank you!
It is great to hear of the aid that is going to Japan. I'm glad they are getting help. However, it must be stated in the most respectful way possible, that Mormonism is not a Christian denomination. This is not to say that it is a false religion, just that it is too different from Christianity to be called Christian. It rejects the basic tenants of the Trinity, salvation, the sovereignty of God, the infallibility of the Bible by claiming it to be corrupt as well as adding to it, and degrading the divine nature of Christ thus committing the heresy of Arianism to name a few. Again I respect Mormons as good people who want to help, but I refuse to accept them as Christians, just as I respect most Hindu's as good people but refuse to accept them as Christians.
As someone who has been involved in emergency situations (and as a LDS) I have yet to ask someone what their religious affiliation or sexul orientation is before rendering them assistance.
Conversely, and in response to a former post by Michelle about not accepting a tourniquet from a Mormon even if she were bleeding to death, I repectfully posit that I doubt she would take the time to ask the religion of person offering assistance. Careful what you say Michelle, it might just be me that's there on that not so luck day.
"Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love" LDS Hymns no. 223 " Have I Done any Good in the World Today" .
This is our hidden agenda!!! OOOOHHH!! SCARRRYY!!!
Great article and lots of great comments! My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this disaster.
I am Mormon, and seeing the effort the church organization makes in these situations makes me proud to be a member. By no means do I believe that Mormons are the only ones out there helping, but I am glad that we are making a big enough contribution to stand out (not because standing out is important but because it implies to me that the contribution is significant and meaningful).
On the doctrinal front, I'll also mention that as a Mormon I believe in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and that it is only through His grace and mercy that I can receive salvation. In my view, holding that belief is sufficient for any person to be referred to as a Christian. I know others hold a more narrow view of what it means to be a Christian, and that some of my other beliefs conflict with that narrower view. I am secure enough in my own beliefs that being told I am not a Christian by those people doesn't really bother me. I do hope, however, that they recognize that Jesus Christ fills the same profound and central role in Mormon theology as He does in the so-called "mainstream" Christian theologies.
As it says in the Book of Mormon, Second Nephi, Chapter 25, Verse 26: "We talk of Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
Philosophizer149 - Check your history. The Roman emperor Constantine standardized trinity doctrine...while he was a sun worshipper. He converted to Christianity on his deathbed.
Gods commandment. LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (KJ bible) John 13:34, Matthew 22:36-39, Matthew 5:44
So, to all of YOU, I LOVE YOU‼‼
If you don't like me, that is okay, because I like YOU.
If you think you are right that is ok because I Love You anyways.
I love you whatever religion, race, sex you are.
I may not agree with your way of doing things, but You still can't make me hate you because I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU because you are a child of God. I know that God our Father and his Son Jesus Christ LOVE YOU‼‼‼‼
May God your Father and his Son Jesus Christ Bless you too, at this time along with all those in Japan and around the world that are in need of their LOVE at this time.
As for me, I will follow Gods commandment to Love One Another by serving others that are in need. God gave you your free will to choose what kind of person you will be. I choose to Love You no matter what.
Great work Mormons, now after things settle down, Please, please, please, please, please go and help Glen Beck on Fox Noise because he needs an Exorcism real bad! He is giving the Mormon Church a Bad Name!
All I know is that the Mormons know how to get things done, they are organized, they are fiscally responsible, they will help anyone, and they have a sense of family. (There are a lot of those qualities lacking in our general populace.) All this other talk is meaningless; just a lot of name-calling if you ask me.
I'm voting for Mitt Romney, if he runs for President. He headed up the only profitable Winter Olympics in history in 2002; that's quite a feat. They have values. They're compassionate people.
I am not Mormon, but I do live in Park City, Utah, and I wouldn't live anywhere else. Utah is run like a well-oiled machine and isn't floundering like some other states we don't need to mention.
This was a fascinating article highlighting some good being done in the world for the pure sake of helping fellow human beings in need. It is inspiring to hear stories like this and it truly warms my heart. It gives me hope that the world isn't as callous as one may be led to believe. Organizations (e.g. religious organizations, governments, etc.) will always have their flaws, but no one can deny that love and genuine care for others is always a good thing. Organizations, such as the LDS church just so happen to be really good at facilitating such efforts on a large scale in a matter of hours. Kudos to the LDS church and the Red Cross and all others with a kind heart doing all they can to help the world be a better place.
My head is literally spinning from the extensive theological discourse this discussion board has become... 8 pages! It makes me sad to see how we as humans categorize and separate ourselves from each other. The immaturity that arises from ignorance and misinformation is somewhat embarrassing to admit; what good can come from calling people "stupid" or "morons" for believing a certain way? We are all on a path to find truth and everyone is in their own stage of finding whatever it is they're searching for, so it seems a bit silly to tell someone they are "wrong" or "stupid". At this point in my life I know and understand so much more than I did a few years ago, but would I call my younger self stupid?. No, it is all part of the journey of discovering whatever there is to discover. True, we have our differences, and we're entitled to! But, we are also the same. We are all part of a human race. It is our obligation to look out for and love each other, everyone of us. To hate is to waste time that could be spent loving and serving others. Whether it be Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, or whomever... it really is the message that matters, and that is a message of love and peace toward all human beings regardless of race, nationality, age, sex, sexual orientation, or beliefs, etc. I believe in that message. And this article was a simple exemplification of it in action.
To quote one of my favorite songs of all time by John Lennon (I'd include the whole song, but for the sake of space, I'll just quote a few lines applicable to the article):
"...Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
...No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
...You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one "
The point being, if we just open our hearts to look after each other as "a brotherhood of man" regardless of our "affiliations" or beliefs, it can open doors to create a heaven on earth of sorts. It is saddening to see how certain topics such as politics and religion can stir up so much malice. I'm not a fan of putting others down or seeing others be put down, so I try to steer clear of such discussion in the first place. This is my first post in such a forum and likely my last.
It is my belief that the purpose of life and the key to happiness is love.
Before you point fingers at someone else (or an organization) and accuse them of being corrupt or "wrong" ask yourself, "what am I doing to make the world a better place?"
And to end with a quote from Bob Marley:
"The road of life is rocky and you may stumble too,
So while you point your fingers someone else is judging you
Love your brotherman!"
Peace, love and God bless to all man kind.
This made my night.. I have been gone from the church for 4 years.. and have been missing it. The one thing I always loved about the church is the family unity there.. and all around the world. I miss feeling that unity with our worldly members.. we all live on earth. That is a fact. and we just like siblings will argue, will hurt others feelings, will place judgement. But we can still love.
So the article is about the good things a church is doing to help a devastated nation. Why is it that every time the Mormons make it to the news, it turns into a ridiculous theological debate? Who cares if you don't agree with their religion. Maybe we should all shut our gobs and try helping someone else out. Maybe Jesus couldn't care less how wrong you think the Mormons are. Maybe he'd rather see you out there lending a hand rather than on here bashing a group of people just trying to help? Holy crap, people. You're ridiculous.
I all I want to say that as humans I think the least we could do is to show our appreciation for this religious organization for donating their time for the benefit of others. All I am reading here is full of junk and irrelevant information when the the original article were based on how mormons best served its members and reaching out to japanese friends in a humanitarian way. Quick question, do you people have ever work in an organization where such process were implemented during time of disaster, or emergency? I am sure you readers may have experience such a thing one way or another to stabilize such situation. If not I suggest that you first re-look at yourselves and comment on the positive direction the mormons pursuing to aid Japan, maybe you can throw some suggestions how they can operate in terms of their humanitarian effort,not harassing their beliefs. That is just going off tangent from this article.
Peace Out.
AND1
ok-I am a Mormon- question why is the crux of responses attacking Anthony C.? no what's up with you? see, this is the problem I have with our members some. Get off that holier than thou attitude.Prophet Hinckley was and will remain my favorite leader of the church..and I will never forget his statement that there are saints in other religions. No you people ctr-(choose the right) Jesus was kind..if you feel anthony was disrespectul you know that the answer was to read and quote scripture. The Bible. The members of this church strive to live in the light--but don't fool yourselves amongst your remain,the prejudiced, the racist and the ignorant.
I applaud the efforts of the Mormon missionaries in their efforts to help others. An organized system does keep followers close and creates a bond. Jehovah's Witnesses do the same in regard to emergency preparedness and relief work, and within a couple days we knew that 66 of our brothers and sisters in Japan had lost their lives, and all of our traveling overseers and missionaries were accounted for. Having concern for fellow believers in any country truly builds an international brotherhood.
I have spent the last 20 some years as a "Christian" Minister here in Japan. (not Mormon)
First let me applaud the Mormon Church for their efforts to help the victims here in Japan.
Second, I'm not sure who originally said it but I heard it from Zig Zigglar : "You find what you are looking for." If you look for the "good" in the Mormons you'll find it in abundance, as you will wth just about any other church, religion, organization, or individual. Likewise, "doctrine" that can be used to debunk or "bash" ones beliefs can also be found. What do you think lawers do? Both sides are sworn to "tell the "TRUTH"." The only question is WHAT are you LOOKING for? "SEEK and ye shall FIND"
Third the "GOSPEL" of Jesus Christ literally means "good news". Translated from Japanese it is "happy sound" so GOD bless the Mormons and everyone else that tries to share with the world that which makes them "happy" . No one should condemn anyone for that.
Fourth, The Mormons have an "Article of Faith" that I believe EVERYONE would do good to follow : "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship (or not) how, where, or what they may." ()'s added
Unfortunately, I have many friends in the clergy that dissagree, But I personally feel that the Mormons in general are wonderful "Christians"..."by their fruits ye shall know them..."
GOD is perfect. Man is not. The Gospel is perfect. Those of us that try to preach it may not always get it right. Those of us that try to live it, make mistakes. We repent. We try again. GOD's LOVE is perfect. HE always forgives.
Now back to the original topic... For those people who may not be able to at the time, Please allow me to say "Thank You" to the Mormon Church, and Every organizatioin, and Every Individual for DOING what you can to help your brothers and sisters in need here in Japan. Every Action. Every Donation. Every Prayer HELPS. PLEASE, EVERYONE, Keep them comming. GOD bless you ALL.