The New Self Reliance Initiative is a combination of the old Employment Workshop and the Seminary & Institute PEF program. About two years ago the church decided to combine the two older programs into one program called the PEF Self - Reliant Initiative. Over the past two years the church has been developing this program by implementing it into selected beta areas such as the Philippines, parts of South America and selected Asia and Africa Countries. During that time they solicited and received a lot of feed back from those working the program helping tremendously in redesigning, strengthening and adding to the program which brought us to where the church is today with the New Self Reliant PEF Initiative. Last fall a portion of the program was introduced to selected areas in Europe.
Over these three days we have been introduced to the newest program, manuals and support material that was not previously available to many of the beta areas. The PEF department indicated that our group of Missionaries was the first group to see the newly completed program, manuals etc. A couple of the manuals have just been approved by the First Presidency with one still waiting approval.
This new program in my opinion, next to the welfare services program of the church, is one of the most inspired programs & services I have seen come from the church in many years. The emphasis of this program is to strengthen those members within the church (approximately 2 million) who are poor, downtrodden, unemployed or underemployed and are struggling to engage themselves to improve their education, work skills, employment and financial situation which would enable them to become self reliant - temporally as well as spiritually. It is not a hurry-up program but a methodical thought out program that takes the member through a 12-week self development workshop beginning with a personal introspection of themselves as to what their hopes, dreams and desires are for themselves and their families. The entire program is geared to assist them in preparing to grow and improve their economical and spiritual station in life.
Our responsibility as Missionaries will be to assist and work closely with the Area Office, the Area Self Reliance Manager, the Self Reliance Service Center Manager as well as the Priesthood leaders in the surrounding Stakes and Wards. We will serve as mentors to the local leaders by assisting in the training, instructing and developing of this program to those leaders and members who need self reliance support in improving and furthering their education, employment and job skills.
As this week has unfolded day by day Jenee and I have become so excited about our mission call and this special opportunity. We have always wanted to be where we could serve among the church members to help them with their temporal and spiritual needs and in this program we will definitely be involved in many levels and aspects of Self Reliance and PEF involvement.
We also saw the loving grace of our loving Heavenly Father shower down on us. In mid January Jenee and I had our annual physicals. Prior to entering the MTC Dr. Hansen called to say that my PSA numbers were up considerable and that he wanted me to see a Urologist and have a biopsy to make sure there was no cancer. I made an appointment for Thursday Feb 19 (middle of our MTC week) to have that procedure done. Dr. Childs indicated that the pr. gland was about 3x as large as normal and would call me once he got the results back.
Well, Tues. evening while we were in the COB Dr. Childs called let me know that there was a less that 1% chance that I had cancer and to go and enjoy our mission. We had been fasting and praying as well as I had Brothers Barber and Holt give me a blessing prior to the procedure. We know that the Lord blessed me so that I could go on this mission with no issues or concerns. We are so grateful for the kind and loving mercies of our Heavenly Father toward us as we have prepared for this mission.
Certainly the Lord has been preparing us over the years for this calling. Jenee and I were reminiscing about the variety of the church callings, employment and service opportunities we have had during our lives that we feel has brought us to this point, prepared to serve our Heavenly Father's children. Pictured below are the Mickelsons, Spears, us, Sister Darby, Sister Murray, the Ovesons, and Elder Graf, his wife was having surgery that last day. A wonderful group, going to New Zealand, Argentina, Cambodia Penom Penh, and Paris.
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| Self Reliance PEF Missionaries
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