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Mormons work hard. It's in their blood and in their history. So much so that upon settling in what is now Utah, they established the beehive as one of their main symbols to signify an emphasis on industry.
A study conducted by two schools not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis — went in-depth to find out just how generous Mormons really are with their time and money when compared to the average American.
Generous with time
According to the study "researchers found that active members of the LDS Church volunteer and donate significantly more than the average American. When it comes to the time they spend volunteering, the average adult American LDS member contributes as much as seven times more than that of the average American.
"An average American Latter-day Saint provides almost 430 hours of volunteer labor annually. This equates to approximately 35 hours per month. In comparison, the average American volunteer provides about four hours of volunteering per month."
LDS members agree to different volunteer assignments within their geographically based congregations, called wards. As a natural result, a large amount of these volunteering hours are spent serving the members and nonmembers of the church within the geographic region over which the ward has stewardship.
Regarding this, Jill DiSanto of the University of Pennsylvania writes "the most common volunteer activity of Latter-day Saints is within the ward, or local territorial division, and for religious purposes, which accounts for 57 percent of their volunteer time. Nearly 95 percent of the respondents report performing 242 hours of religious volunteering annually."
DiSanto continues, saying "While LDS members volunteered fewer hours to causes independent of the church, even if this were the only volunteer activity of Latter-day Saints, it would equal the national average of volunteering of all Americans."
The researchers determined that, through volunteering, an active LDS member provides a social contribution equivalent to $9,140 annually. If young, full-time missionaries are excluded, their social contribution still equates to $7,102 per year.
Generous with money
Speaking of money, the study also found Mormons to be very generous with their finances. Mormons take the payment of tithing — 10 percent of their income — very seriously. In fact, the study found 88 percent of active members participate in tithing. That money goes toward serving the needs of the local and global needs of the church.
In addition to tithing, the study also found Mormons generously give to many charitable causes, both those headed by the church or through their personal efforts. DiSanto writes, "Through the church, on average, a Latter-day Saint donates $650 a year to social causes and another $1,171 a year outside the church."
She continues, "The study illustrates most common reported activity in welfare giving was through 'fast offerings.' On the first Sunday of the month, healthy members of the church are encouraged to fast for two consecutive meals and donate the money they would have spent on food to the church as a 'fast offering.'”
Local Mormon leaders use the fast offerings to help members and nonmembers in need.
LDS members can also donate money to the church’s global humanitarian aid efforts or to a no-interest student loan program run by the church, to food drives or to other ward-initiated fundraising efforts.
Taken together, an average Latter-day Saint was found to not only pay a full tithing but also donates, on average, a total of $1,821 to social and community causes.
Given Mormons' generosity with their time and money, there is no question that Mormons take seriously the charge to care for their neighbors.