From: "The Basic Principles of Church Welfare", President Marion G. Romney, Second Counselor in the First Presidency. 1981

"In the Church, the concept of providing for one’s family and of relying on one’s family for growth, mutual care, and help (or family reliance) is equally fundamental to self-reliance. The family is the basic organizational unit of the Church. No agency or institution can or should replace the family. By sacred covenant and eternal priesthood government, the eternal family unit is established. The same covenant that obligates parents to care for their children obligates children to care for their parents when they need it. The commandment to “honour thy father and thy mother” (Ex. 20:12) extends to modern Israel and is required for all who are faithful members of the Church.

As a consequence of the principle of family reliance, we should realize that, generally, one has no claim on Church resources to resolve personal temporal problems and needs until the family has done all it can to help. This is the doctrine the Lord established when he said:

“And after that, they have claim upon the church, or in other words upon the Lord’s storehouse, if their parents have not wherewith to give them.” (D&C 83:5; italics added.) Source: www.churchofjesuschrist.org/1981/05/the-basic-principles-of-church-welfare 

Self-Reliance Initiative

Doctrine and Principles of Self-Reliance

Self-reliance is defined as “the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family. As members become more self-reliant, they are also better able to serve and care for others” (Handbook 2, 6.1.1). Three key teachings can help us understand how to lead self-reliant lives:

First, self-reliance is an essential commandment in the plan of salvation. President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “The Church and its members are commanded by the Lord to be self-reliant and independent. (See D&C 78:13–14.) The responsibility for each person’s social, emotional, spiritual, physical, or economic well-being rests first upon himself, second upon his family, and third upon the Church if he is a faithful member thereof” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 116).

Second, God can and will provide a way for His righteous children to become self-reliant. “And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine” (D&C 104:15).

Third, all things, including temporal concerns, are spiritual matters to God (see D&C 29:34). As we commit to living the gospel more fully, we can become more self-reliant both temporally and spiritually. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught: “The two great commandments—to love God and our neighbors—are a joining of the temporal and the spiritual. … Like two sides of a coin, the temporal and spiritual are inseparable” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Providing in the Lord’s Way,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 53).

Some of the gospel principles that can help us be more self-reliant include increasing faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, becoming more obedient, repenting of our mistakes, using our agency righteously, and serving others. For more information, refer to the booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance.