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| Understand Welfare Responsibilities |
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Relief Society
Self-Reliance Planning
People feel better about themselves when they do all they can to help themselves and when they take responsibility for their own welfare. Relief Society leaders and visiting teachers can assist women facing welfare challenges to plan for self-reliance. They do so by meeting with the needy woman, helping her to identify present needs, goals for the future, resources available to help reach those goals, and the kinds of assistance she may need as she moves forward. Those assisting must be careful to avoid assuming responsibility or initiative for solving the problems and to strive to help the needy woman discover solutions she is capable of implementing. As they help her to plan and to solve problems, they are meeting the aim of Church welfare to help people help themselves. Visiting teachers can assist by giving ongoing help, encouragement, and support.
"Members throughout the Church face many challenges in becoming self-reliant. Changing economic and political conditions, the prevalence of one-parent families, working mothers, political refugees, and natural disasters overwhelm the abilities of some to care for themselves and their families. . . . We must act to help our members everywhere to overcome these challenges as they strive to apply revealed welfare principles in their lives" (Joseph B. Wirthlin, in Glen L. Rudd, Pure Religion, 386)
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