Self-reliance | Chel Owens

I’m a Mormon, so I am self-reliant in personal finances. I am financially responsible and temporally prepared.

*The official brochure the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses in self-reliance courses regarding personal finances*.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints defines self-reliance as “the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family” (LDS General Handbook, 22). Self-reliance, itself, is not solely about finances.

With help from the Lord, members build self-reliance in the following ways:

Develop spiritual, physical, and emotional strength.

Gain education and employment.

Improve temporal preparedness.

LDS General Handbook, 22.1, “Build Self-Reliance”

This blog post is about temporal preparedness and monetary stability, however; the other aspects will be covered in future posts.

Freedom from financial obligations brought on by irresponsible spending habits is important for building one’s character, removing one from limiting life choices, and paving the way for future endeavors. In short, financial responsibility is financial freedom.

We LDS are encouraged to seek an appropriate education, approach financial goals in a unified manner with our spouse, pay tithes and offerings, set up and live within a budget, protect against possible hardship, avoid debt, and save for the future.

Besides lessons on these topics and the expectation of meeting these goals, the LDS Church offers self-reliance classes. Classes are free and run by a volunteer. I’ve attended a program called Pathways, which includes financial budgeting in its section on life skills; Kevin has attended a business-related course.

All resources and information are available online.

I feel an important addition is that self-reliance isn’t connotative or unreasonably demanding. “Being self-reliant does not mean that we can do or obtain anything we set our mind to. Rather, it is believing that through the grace, or enabling power, of Jesus Christ and our own effort, we are able to obtain all the spiritual and temporal necessities of life we require for ourselves and our families. Self-reliance is evidence of our trust or faith in God’s power to move mountains in our lives and to give us strength to triumph over trials and afflictions” (LDS Study Manual).

……

We Mormons are officially members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are to drop any name but that. Since many recognize the nickname of ‘Mormon’ and it works with the alliteration so well, however, I will use the term.

My other note is that I will keep to official doctrinal practices. I will add my own application of them, especially in response to comments.

My final note is that I LOVE discussing anything I write. Don’t be rude, obviously, but any and all queries or responses are welcome.

My final note beyond the final note is that I do not seek to convert anyone. I am motivated by forming connections, answering curiosity, and straightening pictures. So, you’re safe.

“In myths the hero is the one who conquers the dragon, not the one who is devoured by it. And yet both have to deal with the same dragon. Also, he is no hero who never met the dragon, or who, if he once saw it, declared afterwards that he saw nothing. Equally, only one who has risked the fight with the dragon and is not overcome by it wins the hoard, the ‘treasure hard to attain.’ He alone has a genuine claim to self-confidence, for he has faced the dark ground of his self and thereby has gained himself.
“This experience gives some faith and trust, the pistis in the ability of the self to sustain him, for everything that menaced him from inside he has made his own. He has acquired the right to believe that he will be able to overcome all future threats by the same means. He has arrived at an inner certainty which makes him capable of self-reliance.”

–Carl Jung, Mysterium coniunctionis, CW 14