TO STAKE AND WARD LEADERS Many Church members can improve their self-reliance, which is “the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 6.1.1). Caring for the poor and needy is one of the four divinely appointed responsibilities of the Church (Handbook 2, 2.2). This leader guide will aid you in applying doctrinal principles that will help members help themselves and others to become more spiritually and temporally self-reliant. Please take a few minutes to read the letter from the First Presidency found on the next page to learn some of the promised blessings of self-reliance that members in your stake (or district) and ward (or branch) can receive.

The new forms Self-Reliance Plan and Bishop’s Guide to the Self-Reliance Plan replace the current forms Needs and Resources Analysis and Needs and Resources Analysis Supplement. The new forms were designed to help bishops and branch presidents more effectively serve those who receive welfare assistance and lead them along the path to self-reliance.

Bishop’s Guide to the Self-Reliance Plan. Bishops and branch presidents use this form to plan and track welfare assistance and to follow up on members’ personal self-reliance plans.

Self-Reliance Plan. Members use this form on their own or with the assistance of a mentor. The form helps members assess their needs, income, and expenses; identify available resources; identify service they can give in return for assistance received; and develop their own plan for becoming more self-reliant.

Members in need are often identified by their ministering brothers and sisters, other Church members or leaders, or the bishop. They may even seek the bishop’s help themselves.

The bishop meets with the member in need to discuss what challenges he or she is facing. The bishop may then invite a leader or other mentor to help the member complete a Self-Reliance Plan form. By reviewing this plan, the bishop can better understand how to provide effective welfare assistance. The bishop or an assigned leader follows up regularly with the member to discuss additional needs, concerns, and progress made on the plan.

One of the missions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to care for the poor and needy. These online tools will help you do so quickly and efficiently, enabling you to spend more time ministering to individuals in your ward or stake.*

Here you can order food, clothing, and household items and refer members to professionals in Family Services. When you place orders and make referrals online, no paper records are necessary.

Explore the tools and get started at welfareservices.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

*On this website, the terms stake and ward also refer to districts and branches. The terms stake president and bishop and references to their counselors also refer to district presidents, branch presidents, and their counselors.