Would a Self-Reliance Course Even Make a Difference for Me?

When my husband and I were called as self-reliance group facilitators for the personal finance course, I panicked. I didn’t know the first thing about finances, so how could I oversee a class all about financial self-reliance?

My past experiences with personal finance courses had been a mixed bag, and up until that point in my marriage, I had avoided budgeting because all the ins and outs of money made me anxious. It also didn’t help that my husband and I were both just trying to stay afloat financially as we both attended university.

Though I felt very underqualified and stressed about participating in and facilitating the class, my husband and I accepted the calling. But I wished that the bishop had called someone else instead of us.

We held the class in our apartment, and we were joined by two couples in our ward. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually enjoyed it. Everyone in the group actively participated in the discussions every week. We learned from one another, held one another accountable to our personal commitments each week, and encouraged one another as we shared ideas and stories about finances through a gospel lens. For the first time, I started to feel empowered about managing personal finances. I was able to find ways to make managing my money less scary!

This calling was incredibly helpful for my husband and me in learning about our own finances, and we also realized just how many resources the gospel had to offer us when it came to improving our lives through self-reliance.

Learning to Involve the Lord

This course taught me that financial stewardship begins with faith in Jesus Christ, unity with your spouse, and a commitment to self-reliance.¹ I love these principles.

I also learned how much the Lord should be involved in our path to financial self-reliance. Too often in my financial planning in the past, I would only look at all the things that I could do to bolster the financial situation of my husband and me, but this course taught me that I needed to also include the Lord in my planning. We are meant to work as hard as we can to be financially self-reliant, but our valiant efforts to follow the counsel of the Lord are multiplied when we actually put our trust in Him.

One of the best pieces of advice that I have ever gotten is to pray like everything depends on the Lord and then work as if everything depends on you. This has been so helpful for me as my husband and I have worked toward financial self-reliance.

Realizing the Purpose of Self-Reliance

In the first chapter of the financial self-reliance manual, it states: “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.”²

I also love this quote from President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency: “Whatever causes us to be dependent on someone else for decisions or resources we could provide for ourselves weakens us spiritually and retards our growth toward what the gospel plan intends us to be.”³

Until I participated in the financial self-reliance class, I hadn’t realized that constantly being dependent on others stunts our spiritual growth and ability to serve in the kingdom of God.

As we finished our class, one of the goals that my husband and I set was to follow the patterns of giving that each of our parents exemplified when we were growing up. Both of our parents are always willing to serve and give to others. They have worked hard to be financially stable and have followed gospel principles in their marriages so they can contribute their time and resources to serve in their wards and communities.

Participating in this course has given me a new outlook on how being self-reliant in any area of life—especially when we involve the Lord—can help us build a strong foundation in our homes and become better disciples. Though my husband and I still have much to learn and apply in our lives, I am thankful for the guidelines set by the Lord to empower members of the Church to stand on their own feet.

I invite you to check out any of the wonderful self-reliance programs the Church offers. Heavenly Father knows that we all have the potential to be faithful stewards over what He has given us.

Notes

1. See Personal Finances for Self-Reliance (2016), 8.
2. Handbook 2: Administering the Church (2010), 6.1.1, in Personal Finances for Self-Reliance, 4.
3. Dallin H. Oaks, “Repentance and Change,” Liahona, Nov. 2003, 40.

Photograph by Tina Lerohl