When the multimillion-dollar Teton Dam disaster struck Idaho in 1976, a force of 45,000 Latter-day Saints was deployed almost overnight to provide emergency relief.
When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, Mormon relief trucks arrived before the National Guard was even allowing relief through.
Massive oil spills in South Korea in late 2007 found hundreds of volunteers handling the disaster with plans, supplies and manpower within days.
The 2010 Haitian earthquake catastrophe was met immediately with 160,000 pounds of food and emergency resources, and a month later, when a devastating earthquake hit Chile, an airlift of tents, tarps, supplies and even diapers was quickly deployed.
One of the reasons for His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, the Head of State of Samoa's visit to the Church's Headquarters in Utah, United States in September 2011, was to learn more about the Church's humanitarian and welfare services.
After touring the Church's Welfare Square and Humanitarian Centrre, refering to the Church's response to the 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami, he told The Deseret News: "I was so impressed with how quickly the Mormon Church responded to our need, and I was impressed by such amazing humanity."
"We are a small country, we are far away from others," he continued. "It has been a learning thing for us to see that we are part of a much bigger family, with others who will help us when we are in need. We are very grateful for what was done."
Read the full Deseret News article here.
Read the entire article: 'Humanitarian Aid and Welfare Services Basics: How Donations and Resources Are Used' in the Headquarters edition of Mormon Newsroom.