People crowd the room, filling it to the brim. Despite the chill evening rain falling outside, the atmosphere inside is warm and welcoming. The auctioneer presides over the room, numbers cascading out of his mouth. Children and adults bid alike, hands feverishly rising in an attempt to win the cake. Once the bid is won, however, the competition ends. The cake is sliced, pieces passed around, bidders graciously sharing their winnings.

March 1, 2014, we celebrated the seventh annual UCG Los Angeles Charity Cake Auction. Each year, Church members from all over Southern California flock to the Los Angeles congregation to participate in this event. “The best part is just everybody’s together, they’re all bidding, and it’s for a great cause,” Scott Wendling, a longtime L.A. member, said.

Bidding isn’t the only way people participate though. The bakers create confections that are worthy of the chosen charity. This year 32 desserts were brought to the auction, ranging from intricate cakes to cake pops to baklava. Bids for individual cakes topped off at $500, with a grand total of $4,100 raised. While paying $500 for a cake may seem outlandish, the money isn’t for the cake—it’s for charity.

As the room steadily empties and people begin to don raincoats, there’s a certain happiness in the air, a unity. The world seems smaller. Everyone’s wallet is a little bit lighter, but more importantly, so are their hearts.