Sunday, March 11, 2012

3/4 RS Lesson: "Strengthening Families through Temporal Self-Reliance" - June 2011 Visiting Teaching Message

Here are the highlights from the RS lesson on March 4, 2012, taught by Sister Allen, RS President Riverside Ward.  The full article can be found at lds.org through the following link:  "Strengthening Families through Temporal Self-Reliance."  Through the link, you can read it, listen to it, print it, and share it through social media sources.


From the June 2011 Visiting teaching message: “Developing self-reliance – the ability to care for ourselves and our families – is the responsibility

of every sister. When we are self-reliant, we use our blessing, and resources to prepare for and avoid problems. Self- reliance is enhanced as
we pray for the courage to meet with faith the challenges that will surely come. Self- reliance also enables us to keep our covenant to care for
others.” ( see Mosiah 18:8-10)

Our ward RS goal for the year says that we have decided to expand on the Stake Goal of “Come unto Christ” by focusing on helping our sisters
become more self-reliant, which includes accepting personal responsibility for spiritual strength, for health, education, employment, families,
finances, food and other life sustaining necessities. We acknowledge that each circumstance is different, and in some areas and times of our
lives we do need to rely on others, but with prayer and the guidance by the Spirit we can do more to increase our faith and with it, the courage
to meet life’s challenges and serve and strengthen those around us.

The Church Handbook of instructions says: The Savior has commanded the Church and its members to be self-reliance and independent…. To
become self reliant, a person must work. (James 2:18-20) It is a basic source of happiness, self-worth and prosperity. President Marion G.
Romney taught: “Without self-reliance one cannot exercise these innate desires to serve. How can we give if there is nothing there? Food for
the hungry cannot come from empty shelves. Money to assist the needy cannot come from an empty purse. Support and understanding cannot
come from the emotionally starved. Teaching cannot come from the unlearned. And most important of all, spiritual guidance cannot come
from the spiritually weak.” (D & C 58:26-28)

He further stated that “Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is
the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.” (Mosiah 2:17) The very nature of Relief Society speaks of service. Our
Father in Heaven has said that we are to have Joy in this life, and the greatest Joys are to be found in service to other. May we each resolve
to seek the Spirit through prayer to know how best we can prepare ourselves to become more self-reliant that we may be able to reach out to
others and experience the Joy of service. ( 2 Nephi 2:25, Matthew 25:21)

Thank you Sister Allen for a terrific lesson!

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