The Ward Employment system at
work:
Inadequateto
Employment
“The Challenge
the Individual”
Lack of
Education
&
Access to
Resources
Hopelessness
Limited
Career Goals
Cycle of Poverty
Struggle to Serve
Career Self-Reliance Cycle
Plan and set
goals
Achieve goals
Learn how to
use resources
effectively
Use resources
and
opportunities
“A man out of work is of special
moment to the Church because,
deprived of his inheritance, he is on
trial as Job was on trial--for his
integrity…. Continued economic
dependence break him…. He is
threatened with spiritual ruin….
The Church cannot hope to save a
man on Sunday if during the week
it is a complacent witness to the
crucifixion of his soul.”
Gordon B. Hinckley
Guiding Purpose
Help individuals become career self-reliant
through employment, education, & selfemployment
The
door
ofaexaltation
is of
open
Listen
for
the
inspiration
Not
even
crust
of
bread
As we visit together, boththe
to everyone;
but
some
must
be
Holy
Spirit.
God
loves
the
needy
should
be
given
without
the principles, and the
tutored
and
taught
to a to
greater
and
will
send
the
Spirit
help
love
in
your
heart!
nuts and bolts, of welfare
degree if theyyou.
are to reach their
service will be discussed.
eternal potential.
Areas of Self Reliance
Health
Resource
Management
Social,
emotional
and spiritual
strength
Education
Employment
Home
Storage
“Some areas have church
employment centers but these are
organized to compensate for lack of
total Quorum and Ward
commitment. This is because the
Priesthood have not accepted and
are not living or functioning the way
the Lord would have us.”
Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone-1976
A United Effort is Essential:
• “While the work of Church employment
centers is significant, it is intended to serve
primarily as a support to the priesthood
quorums and Relief Societies in the
Church”.
Neil Newell, The Ensign/April 2000 p.55
CHURCH MEMBERS ARE
TO
BECOME
SELF-RELIANT
ARE WE
COMMANDED TO
HELP??
None should be forgotten:
“None is [to be] forgotten, overlooked
or neglected”
(Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 1995, p. 53)
“Through the Church, the Lord has
established a way to care for the poor
and needy and help them regain their
self-reliance”
(Church Handbook of Instructions, book 2, p. 256)
Like trees, the .
poor and the
needy should
be taught, and
nurtured, and
allowed to grow!
A CASE STUDY
Helping Sister Clark’s family
A CASE STUDY
The bishop’s initial help:
The bishop meets with Sister Clark
and cares for her short-term needs:
• He gives her a food order
• He helps her with her rent
The bishop has now cared for her
SHORT-TERM needs.
A question. . .
Are we expected to help
individuals overcome their
LONG-TERM NEEDS
as
well?
The Cycle of Dependency
Long term needs
Low self esteem
Weak job skills
Inadequate education
Poor family relations
Inadequate housing
Inactive in Church
Long term needs
are never met!
A CASE STUDY
Overcoming dependency:
"It is clear that plans which contemplate only
relieving present distress are deficient. The
Church has always sought to place its
members in a way to help themselves, rather
than adopting the method of so many
charitable institutions of providing for only
present needs. Our idea of charity, therefore,
is to relieve present wants and then to put the
poor in a way to help themselves so that in
turn they may help others”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p.236)
A CASE STUDY
All of us have a job to do:
"It is the responsibility of the bishops to give
emergency help to see that neither the
individual or his family suffers. The obligation of the priesthood quorum is to set in
motion those forces and facilities which will
equip the needy member to provide on a
continuing basis for himself and his family"
(Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov 1977, pp. 84-86).
A CASE STUDY
And because this is true. . .
• The bishop asks Sister Clark’s permission to help with her long-term needs
and the issues that prevent her from
becoming self-reliant,
• After receiving her permission, he
refers her to the High Priest Group
Leader, Brother Manley.
A CASE STUDY
Developing a plan:
The bishop then explains that the HPGL will
assist her as she develops a Self-Reliance
plan that will help her determine:
•
Current circumstances
•
Desired outcomes
•
Resources she will need
•
Resources available
A CASE STUDY
Sister Clark meets with the HPGL:
Her current circumstances:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Divorced
Low self-esteem because of spouse abuse
High school education
Working 2 minimum wage jobs
No medical benefits
Five daughters ages 6 to 15
Daughter has an impacted wisdom tooth
and she cannot afford dental care
A CASE STUDY
Her current circumstances--(continued):
• Family doesn't communicate well
• House in poor repair-- the roof leaks
• Car doesn't work-- the starter needs
replacing
• Eldest daughter does not attend church
• She worked out a budget and found she
needs to make $15.00 per hour to
support family
A CASE STUDY
Her desired outcomes:
• She wants to work one job with better
pay and benefits
• She wants to become a registered
nurse, so she needs some training
• She wants her roof repaired
• She needs her daughter’s tooth fixed
• Her home needs repainting
• Her car needs to be fixed
• Family relationships need strengthening
• Her eldest daughter needs to become
active in the Church
A CASE STUDY
The resources she needs:
• Medical insurance
• Job search training skills
• A training site,and education to become a
registered nurse
• Family counseling
• Support group for abused women
(would probably be helpful)
• Handyman to repair roof
A CASE STUDY
The resources she needs--(continued):
•
•
•
•
•
Dentist to take care of impacted tooth
A team to paint the house
A mechanic to fix the car
Some fast-offering assistance
Home teacher and visiting teacher
support
• Support of young women's advisor and
the primary teachers and leaders
• Support of relief society sisters and
presidency
Sister Clark
now knows what she has
and what she needs . . .
IS THAT ENOUGH?
Like an athlete, Sister Clark
needs training, and tutoring and
following-along . . .
Resources that she
can’t provide for
herself!
It takes a lot to help
recipients resolve their
LONG-TERM
NEEDS
WHERE CAN WE FIND
THE RESOURCES?
In the
What is in the Lord’s storehouse?
"The Lord's Storehouse receives, holds in trust,
and dispenses consecrated offerings of the
Saints. In form and operation, the storehouse is
as simple or sophisticated as circumstances
require. It may be a list of available services,
money in an account, food in a pantry, or
commodities in a building. A storehouse is
established the moment faithful members give
to the bishop of their time, talents, skills,
compassion, materials, and financial means in
caring for the poor and in building up the
kingdom of God on the earth.”
(Providing in the Lord’s Way, p. 11)
Each member is responsible
Each member of the Church has welfare
responsibilities. These are to become selfreliant and to care for the poor and needy,
(Providing in the Lords Way, p.5)
1. An individual provides for himself
2. The husband provides for wife
3. The parents provide for children
4. The extended family provides support
The Lord’s Storehouse-Ward Level
THE BISHOP’S DUTY:
The Bishop is responsible for
helping ward members meet
immediate needs.
The Lord’s Storehouse-Ward Level
PRIESTHOOD AND RELIEF
SOCIETY DUTIES:
The priesthood quorums and the
Relief Society are responsible for
helping members resolve longterm needs.
The Lord’s Storehouse-Ward Level
To fulfill this responsibility quorum and relief
society leaders should become well acquainted
with their members, and should:
• Visit their homes regularly
• Teach members to live providently,
provide for themselves and their
families, and care for others
• Direct priesthood quorum and relief
society members in teaching new skills
to become self-reliant
(Providing in the Lord's Way, p. 15)
The Lord’s Storehouse-Ward Level
Home and visiting teachers assist the
Melchizedek priesthood and Relief
Society in fulfilling these duties.
(Providing in the Lord's Way, p. 15)
And so we see that the work of
The Lord’s Storehouse
on the ward level
is accomplished
by the
Ward Welfare Committee
The Lord’s Storehouse-Ward Welfare Committee
As the presiding High Priest, the bishop
makes the assignments.
But it is the priesthood quorum and Relief
Society leaders that coordinate efforts to
help recipients provide for their long-term
self-reliance needs.
The Lord’s Storehouse-Ward Welfare Committee
The bishop, and other members of the ward
welfare committee, can draw upon:
• The consecrated offerings of all the
Saints in the ward
• A list of available ward services
• Compassionate Service
• Fast Offerings
• The Stake Welfare Specialist(s)
The Lord’s Storehouse-Ward Welfare Committee
Faithful members give to the bishop of their
time, talents, skills, compassion, materials,
and financial means in caring
for the poor and in building up the kingdom
of God on the earth.
Thus every ward member is part of the
Lord's Storehouse and has a contribution to
make.
A CASE STUDY
Resources available to Sister Clark:
Family resources:
• Salary of $1,100.00 each month
• Alimony of $300.00 per month,
• Extended family lives far away, but one
brother, Jeff, is willing to contribute
$100.00 per month for six months
A CASE STUDY
Resources available to Sister Clark:
The Lord’s Storehouse--:
• Home teachers/visiting teachers
• Automobile mechanic (suggest Brother Dugwell,
high priest)
• Handyman (suggest Brother Walker, high priest)
• Young women's advisor (to reactivate daughter)
• Primary and Young Women (to work with other
daughters)
• Dentist (none available at ward level)
A CASE STUDY
Resources available to Sister Clark:
The Lord’s Storehouse--Stake Level:
• A dentist
• Backup from the stake welfare specialist(s)
is available if needed
A CASE STUDY
Resources available to Sister Clark:
The Lord’s Storehouse--Region Level
• Church Employment Resource Center
(to locate available training and financial aid
for tuition)
• Insurance--CHIPS (free medical coverage
for children of low income households)
• Counseling (individual & family)
• Dentist (if not available at stake level)
COUNCILS
“When the entire program
of the Church comes together
in council--miracles can and do
happen.”
H. Russell Ballard,
Counseling with our Councils, 4, 13
Participants in the
Ward Welfare Committee
Bishopric
High Priest Group Leader
Elders Quorum President
Ward Mission Leader
Young Mens President
Relief Society President
Ward Employment Specialist
Ward Executive Secretary
Ward Clerk
Other auxiliary leaders
Case study--minimum wage job
The HPGL takes Sister Clark’s selfreliance plan to the ward welfare
committee.
Her immediate needs will
be attended to by the bishop
in the ward welfare meeting (action
and time line):
The bishop will offer counseling for a
period of three months.
The bishop will offer food, and fast
offering assistance while the family will
use it’s resources to pay other expenses.
Case study--minimum wage job
Work that the recipient may be asked to
perform in return for assistance:
She and her children may
be asked to:
Feed the full-time missionaries once each
week
Spend time with each child one-on-one
weekly
Read to her children for 20 minutes each
night
Donate hours in some other way
Case study--minimum wage job
Assignments to meet Long-term needs,
(and a time line), are then given:
High Priest Group:
Repair car within 3 days (Brother Dugwell)
Repair home within one month
(Brother Walker)
Home teacher/visiting teacher couple will
provide support weekly (Brother & Sister
Williams)
Brother Manley,HPGL, will contact at
least weekly, daily if needed
Case study--minimum wage job
Elders quorum:
Paint Sister Clark’s home within one
month.
(President Tanner will organize
and coordinate the project).
Case study--minimum wage job
Relief Society:
Visiting teachers asked to provide
support weekly (Williams and Fuller)
Three sisters who have gone through
divorce and may have children of a
similar age will be introduced to Sister
Clark within one week.
Case study--minimum wage job
Young Women:
Young womens presidency will strive to
reactivate the eldest daughter
(immediate and ongoing)
Class presidencies will be assigned to
friendship girls within one week
(Young Womens President).
Case study--minimum wage job
Primary:
The primary presidency will pay
special attention to Sister Clark’s
active daughters
(immediate and ongoing).
Case study--minimum wage job
High Priest Group Leader:
Interact with leaders on the ward
welfare committee to be sure that
their assignments are completed,
Meet with Sister Clark often...daily
if necessary
Self-reliance plans will be updated,
revised, (as needed), and presented
to the ward welfare committee so
they may help her share the burden
until she becomes self-reliant.
Case study--minimum wage job
Stake Welfare Specialist(s):
Provide help and support to the HPGL
Help find a dentist within the stake
Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for
Sister Clark:
Her goal: Become a Registered Nurse (RN)
Step #1:
She is referred to a Certified Nursing Aid
(CNA) Training site.
(She will be paid between $6.50 and
$7.00 per hour during an 11 week
training period. The training site will
pay all training and certification costs.)
Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for
Sister Clark:
Her goal: Become a Registered Nurse (RN)
Step #2:
Certified Nursing Aid (CNA) training is
completed.
(She will now receive $8.00 per hour
with benefits.)
Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for
Sister Clark:
Her goal: Become a Registered Nurse (RN)
Step #3:
Sister Clark begins a 2 year course to
become a Licensed Practical Nurse at the
same training site.
(This takes about 2 years to complete,
and the training site has paid for all
costs of training and licensing.)
Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for
Sister Clark:
Her goal: Become a Registered Nurse (RN)
Step #4:
After successful completion of her
LPN license, the salary will be about
$17.00 per hour.
Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for
Sister Clark:
Her goal: Become a Registered Nurse (RN)
Step #5:
Benefits at this level include an
educational reimbursement program
which enables Sister Clark to continue
taking classes towards her Registered
Nurse (RN) program.
How to get started:
The Bishop
Step #1:
The Bishop may train ward leadership
or ask the Stake Welfare Specialist(s)
and/or the High Counselor over
Welfare to provide the training.
(LDS Employment Resource personnel
available upon request)
How to get started:
The Bishop
Step #2:
At end of the ward leadership training
session, the ward leadership may
counsel together to decide on a SelfReliance Plan for the ward.
Becoming a Zion Society
“And the Lord called his
people Zion, because they
were of one heart and one
mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor
among them.”
Moses 7:18
Learn how to use councils
and your testimony will be
that no problem is too great
for the Lord’s Storehouse!
“It is like opening the
floodgates of heaven”.
H. Russell Ballard, Counseling
with our Councils, 4, 13