Self-Reliance

To support families in achieving freedom this week, I chose to write about the principle of becoming self-reliant. Self-reliance means taking care of ourselves and our families, learning to overcome challenges before they happen, and solving our own problems. "We become self-reliant through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being" (Julie B. Beck, Basic Principles of Welfare and Self-Reliance [2009], pp 4-5). The person who is ultimately responsible for each one of us is ourselves. In times of emergency, we should rely on family, friends, and neighbors, but emergencies should not be happening every day. We should each work diligently to develop and maintain social, emotional, spiritual, physical and economic well being. Then when a true emergency happens, we have reserves to sustain us. We become self-reliant by living providently and increasing our abilities. We must work for what we need in order to become self-reliant and independent. Work is an eternal principle and is the means by which we break indebtedness to others. I am pleased when I see my children insisting that their children learn to work. I do not know anyone who admires laziness and slothfulness, but I know many people who appreciate a person who knows how to work and works hard at being independent. We live in a time when our federal government is doing all that it can to make the citizens dependent on the government. One of the biggest problems with this plan is that the government doesn't have anything except what it takes from the citizens. If the citizens have nothing to take, there is nothing to redistribute to others. It is important that we all become self-reliant and capable to care for ourselves and our families. By being self-reliant and independent, we can be free from worry and help bring stability to our nation, community and family.