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Volunteer service is a key component of the humanitarian, welfare, and self-reliance work undertaken by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints globally. Among those involved are the Church's 80,000 missionaries who contribute significantly to community service efforts.
These missionaries operate in the Church’s 450 missions worldwide, participating in activities such as disaster cleanup and projects related to welfare and self-reliance. Recently, their collective efforts were highlighted during a six-day wildfire disaster recovery initiative held at the Pasadena Stake Center in California. This event was organized in collaboration with the American Red Cross and Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA), providing support to approximately 2,500 households affected by wildfires.
Kevin Cox from Hope Crisis Response Network praised the missionaries for their dedication: “I don’t think I’ve ever met a missionary who’s ever used the word ‘no.’ It’s like, ‘We’ll figure this out. Let’s see how we can do this.'"
Missionaries also responded to Hurricanes Helene and Milton's aftermath in late September and early October 2024 across five states in the Southeast United States. Elder Ahmad Corbitt noted their impact: “It was sobering to see the devastation... The consecration of time by our thousands of members and full-time missionaries... has helped our friends and neighbors across the South."
In another example from 2022, missionaries collaborated with the NAACP in San Francisco on an irrigation project for a community farm. Elder Patrick Kearon commented on this partnership: “We’re here from all kinds of backgrounds... working together to make this extraordinary garden a better place.”
Missionary service extends globally with efforts such as medical missions in Davao City, Philippines; playground cleaning in Costa Rica; flood relief on Parama Island, Papua New Guinea; storm cleanup in Switzerland; and serving meals to the homeless in Rome.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf encapsulated their mission: “The Savior loves all of God’s children regardless... God’s greatest reward goes to those who serve without expectation of reward."
