Summary

Implementing the Self-Reliance Initiative

Leadership Responsibilities

• Stake and ward leaders learn the doctrine of self-reliance and incorporate it into their teaching and leadership goals.

• The stake presidency organizes a stake self-reliance committee.

• The stake presidency calls a stake self-reliance specialist.

• The stake self-reliance committee establishes a self-reliance resource center, most often within a family history center.

Introductory Devotionals

• The stake self-reliance committee organizes regular self-reliance devotionals (at least quarterly).

• Bishops and their ward councils identify and invite to the self-reliance devotionals individuals who they feel could be particularly strengthened either spiritually or temporally by participating in one of the self-reliance groups.

• Individuals come to a self-reliance devotional, take a personal assessment, and choose a self-reliance group to participate in.

Self-Reliance Groups

• Small groups of 8 to 12 people learn and progress together for 12 weeks. There are four group options: Starting and Growing a Small Business, Education for Better Work, Find a Better Job, and Personal Finances. Each group will also complete My Foundation, which outlines the doctrinal principles and life skills of self-reliance.

Ongoing Progress

• Specialists and facilitators should report group progress and key indicators (see page 5) to the stake self-reliance committee.

• The committee arranges for missionaries or stake specialists to follow up with individual participants by phone or in person as needed.

• The committee organizes a monthly or bimonthly meeting for graduates of self-reliance groups so participants can continue friendships, share experiences, and review My Foundation principles.