Discussion Questions
• What does it mean to “govern yourself”? (See Young Women manual 1, 43).
• How does following the Lord’s standards help us govern ourselves?
• Becoming self-reliant also means learning to live providently. What does provident living mean?
• What does it mean to become spiritually self- reliant? How can we become more spiritually self- reliant?
Excerpt from "Becoming Self-Reliant - Spiritually and Physically" by Elder M. Russell Ballard, talk to Brigham Young University:
From the Church Handbook of Instructions, we learn: “The Savior has commanded the Church and its members to be self-reliant and independent. …
“To become self-reliant, a person must work. Work is physical, mental, or spiritual effort. It is a basic source of happiness, self-worth, and prosperity. Through work, people accomplish many good things in their lives. …
“As people become self-reliant, they are better prepared to endure adversities” and are “better able to care for others in need.” 1
President Marion G. Romney (1897–1988) 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.” 2 (See also p. 65 of this magazine.)
President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) said: “The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.” 3
William George Jordan put it this way: “The world is busy with its own cares, sorrows and joys, and pays little heed to you. There is but one great pass-word to success,—self-reliance.” 4
From my experience, I believe that a few simple but very important principles can help prepare us to become more self-reliant.
To read the full talk, click here.