Self-Reliance and Welfare Resources

Free Self-Reliance Courses

Self-Reliance Courses

Our stake supports the Church’s self-reliance initiative by offering semi-annual self-reliance courses. These group meetings are open to any individual, couple, parent, friend, or leader who wants to be better prepared to meet life’s challenges—and to help others do the same.

Registration for Spring 2026 courses is due by January 29, 2026, with courses beginning the week of February 1, 2026. Each group meets weekly for approximately 90 minutes.

To register, please email Jan Keim at Jkkeim13@gmail.com and include the following information:

  • Name
  • Ward
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Desired course
  • Meeting preference (Sunday afternoon or weekday evening)

After registering, a facilitator will contact you with the specific day, date, and time of your first meeting.

Courses Offered:

Emotional Resilience – Finding Strength in the Lord (10 weeks)
Building Emotional Resilience through: Healthy Patterns for Our Body and Emotions, Managing Stress and Anxiety. Understanding Sadness and Depression, Overcoming Anger, Managing Addictive Behaviors, Building Healthy Relationships, and Providing Strength to Others,

Emotional Resilience for Older Youth (6 weeks)
This class is a shorter version of the adult Emotional Resilience group and designed for the older youth (15 – 18) to help provide skills to help them deal with the ups and downs of life. Note: This course for youth is usually organized at the ward level.

Personal Finance (12 weeks)
This class is for those who want better control over their finances. Group members will learn how to eliminate debt, protect against financial hardship, and invest in the future. They will create a financial plan and follow a budget.

Starting and Growing Your Own Business (12 weeks)
This self-reliance class will help you learn to make wise business decisions as you start or grow a business. Members learn key business skills such as identifying customer needs, finding customers, and keeping good business records.

Find a Better Job (10 weeks) – NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
This class is for those who are looking for work or a better job. Group members will learn to identify opportunities, network, present themselves professionally, and prepare for job interviews. They will also set goals for contacts and interviews.

Emotional Resilience for Youth

Using the Church self-reliance materials, our stake has developed six life skills ‘pilot’ lessons for older youth. These courses are to organized and facilitated by the wards, with assistance from stake leaders. Please contact Jan Keim for more details.

Addiction Recovery

Those struggling with addiction or compulsive behaviors can attend a recovery support group to receive support, help, and fellowship from others in similar circumstances as well as from volunteer Church-service missionaries and facilitators. Meetings are free and confidential and do not require a referral.  Leaders and other members are also welcome at the meetings and can help the member feel comfortable attending.

Search here to find a recovery meeting in your area. A general addiction recovery meeting is held in South Weber each week.

Please contact Jason McRoberts for more information:

Employment

Prepare for and find a job by identifying opportunities, networking, presenting yourself professionally, and preparing for job interviews.

Contact Michael Evenhuis for more information.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Our South Weber Stake Emergency Plan is to be used in conjunction with the Church’s Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide located at https://providentliving.lds.org. The stake president and bishops are responsible to direct the stake and ward efforts to prepare for and respond to emergencies (Handbook 1, Section 2.4). This plan should be reviewed and updated regularly. The Stake Council, High Councilor over emergency preparedness and stake emergency preparation specialists should ensure that lists and other information are kept current.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught that we must be “anxiously engaged in a positive program of preparation.” It is not enough to hope for the best; we must prepare for it. He explained, “The Lord will not translate one’s good hopes and desires and intentions into works. Each of us must do that for himself.”

What are we trying to prepare against?

  • Earthquake
  • Floods and Landslides
  • Wind
  • Fire

Here are some items to consider:

  • Prepare Ward Emergency Plan
  • Family Emergency Plan
  • Freshen up your water and food supplies
  • First Aid Training and Supplies
  • Car Kit and Office Kit
  • Emergency Cash and Important Documents
  • Emergency Lighting
  • Fuel, Propane, Briquettes
  • 72 Hour Kits

At a minimum:

  • Two weeks of drinking water available (1 gal per person per day)
  • One month supply of food your family will eat
  • Some means to cook food in emergency (propane, kerosene, etc.)
  • First Aid Kit

Contact Darren Hess or Melissa Thompson for more information

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