SELF-RELIANCE INITIATIVE

FIRST PRESIDENCY DECISIONS

The First Presidency has now merged all of

LDS Employment Resource Services and The

Perpetual Education Fund into a new Church

department called Self-Reliance Services.

At the end of 2015, The First Presidency

directed that Self-Reliance Services be

introduced to North America as part of the

global Church wide Self-Reliance initiative.

I WILL PROVIDE FOR MY SAINTS

WHAT IS SELF-RELIANCE?

Self-reliance is the “ability, commitment,

and effort to provide the spiritual and

temporal necessities of life for self and

family. As members become self-reliant,

they are also better able to serve and

care for others.”

Handbook 2, 6.1.1

X

THE LORD PROMISES TO HELP

D&C 104:15-17

“And it is my purpose to provide for my

saints for all things are mine. But it must

needs be done in mine own way… that the

poor shall be exalted, in that the rich shall

be made low. For the earth is full and there

is enough and to spare; yea I have

prepared all things…”

MEMBERS ARE BEING STRENGTHENED

BOTH TEMPORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY

Member of Self-Reliance Group Midvale, Utah

“I am benefiting in ways that I was not

expecting. I have seen growth in my

business because the group has helped

me look at my business from a different

angle and make changes that have been

successful…In the past, I have not been

very good at scripture study, but now I have

been diligent reading my scriptures as part

of my spiritual goals for the group…”

RESULTS ALIGN WITH PROPHETIC

PRIORITIES

Prophetic Prioritieso Sabbath Day Observance

o Temple Work

o Strengthening Faith in

Heavenly Father and Jesus

Christ and His Atonement

o Missionary Work

o Teaching in the Savior’s Way

IndicatorBefore

(Always)

After

(Always)

Relative

Change

Save Money 24% 45% 87%

No Consumer Debt 29% 41% 45%

Prayer/Scriptures 42% 60% 42%

Feel/Follow Spirit 52% 69% 32%

Tithes/Offerings 58% 74% 28%

Sacrament Weekly 72% 83% 15%

Temple Worthy 70% 80% 14%

Survey of 28,008 self-reliance group participants from May 2015 - April. 2016

12 Week Self-Reliance Group

TEACHING IN THE SAVIOR’S WAY:

Two step learning:

DOCTRINE & SKILLS

S E L F - R E L I A N C E G R O U P S

THE “GO AND DO” LEARNING MODEL

Participants

ponder and invite

the Holy Ghost

throughout the

entire process

Participants are

supported by peer

mentors

Participants teach

and invite their

families to learn

and live the same

principles

Participants report

and are

accountable

BUILDING TEMPORAL AND

SPIRITUAL SELF-RELIANCE

Week 1: Self-Reliance is a

Principle of Salvation

Week 2: Exercise Faith in

Jesus Christ

Week 3: Manage Money

Week 4: Repent and Be

Obedient

Week 5: Use Time Wisely

Week 6: Work: Take

Responsibility and

Persevere

Week 7: Solve Problems

Week 8: Become one, Serve

Together

Week 9: Communicate: Petition and

Listen

Week 10: Show Integrity

Week 11: Seek Learning

Week 12: Temple Ordinances

M Y FOUN DATI ON

Fo r Se l f -Re l i a n ce

Draft Version 30 July 12, 2016

LET’S TRY IT!

Video on

next slide

Let’s take 15 minutes total

(including the video)

to practice

Principle 1

M Y FOUN DATI ON

Fo r Se l f -Re l i a n ce

Draft Version 30 July 12, 2016

“HE POLISHED MY TOE”

THE SELF-RELIANCE PROCESS

1 2 3 4

Bishops and ward

councils identify

and invite members

to participate

Members attend a

stake Self-Reliance

devotional and

choose a path

Members participate

in a 12 week

Self-Reliance group,

making and keeping

weekly commitments

Members complete

the group process

and start on their

path to self-reliance

CHOOSING A PATH TO

SELF-RELIANCEDuring the Self-Reliance devotional, members join one of four Self-Reliance groups:

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Finding job leads

• Networking

• Interviewing

skills

Unemployed/Underemployed

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Identifying needed skills

• Finding good schools

and programs

• Paying for school

Needing Education

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Choosing the right

business idea

• Marketing and sales

• Record keeping and

cash management

Business (Current or Idea)

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Using a budget

• Eliminating debt

• Investing in the future

Personal/Family Finances

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF BISHOPS AND WARD

COUNCILS?

BISHOPS AND WARD COUNCILS IDENTIFY

Bishops and ward councils prayerfully

counsel together and identify by name

members who would benefit from being

a part of a self-reliance group.

This could include...

• Returning missionaries

• Single parents

• Un/Underemployed leaders

• Fast offering recipients

• Less active members

• Recent converts / investigators

• Young single adults

• Those needing to make and keep

temple covenants

• Those seeking hope and a better life

• Self-Reliant members who can help strengthen others!

BISHOPS AND WARD COUNCILS INVITE

Members identified by bishops and ward

councils are personally invited to a Self-

Reliance devotional and to participate in the

12 week self-reliance group learning process.

INVITING MEMBERS TO THE DEVOTIONAL

Promises Commitments

STAKE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

OrganizeStake SR

Committee

Train Stake SR Comm. &Specialist(s)

TrainBishop’s

and Ward Councils

Train Group

Facilitators

PlanSelf-Reliance Devotional

Identify and Invite

Members

Host Self-Reliance Devotional

Begin SR Groups

• Committee Chair (SP or counselor)

• High councilor• Stake RS

Presidency member

• Chairman, bishops’ welfare council

• Stake Self-Reliance specialist

Under direction of Stake President, Self-Reliance Services Manager trains the Committee and Specialist(s)

Stake Self-Reliance Committee trains bishops and ward councils

Bishops and ward councils identify and invite members who should participate in the Self-Reliancedevotional and self-reliance process

Stake Self-Reliance committee trains self-reliance group facilitators, assisted by Self-Reliance Services manager

Stake Self-reliance committee hosts Self-Reliance devotional

Self-reliance groups organized

Self-reliance groups begin weekly meetings

Stake Self-Reliance committee assisted by Self-Reliance Services manager

WE INVITE ALL BISHOPS AND WARD

COUNCILS TO…

• Study My Foundation: Principles, Skills, and

Habits with your family

• Counsel together to identify by name

individuals in the ward who would benefit

from being a part of a self-reliance group

• Extend personal invitations to those

members to attend the upcoming My Path to

Self-Reliance devotional and participate in

the 12 week group learning process

FINAL THOUGHT

We have learned that

members who achieve

the best results are those

who…

1. Finish all 12 weeks

2. Keep their weekly

commitments

3. Study My Foundation with

their families

As you invite members to participate, encourage them to commit to doing these 3 things

FOR ADDITIONAL SELF-RELIANCE RESOURCES

srs.lds.org SRS Facebook page

X

THANK YOU.