Day 4 Self-Reliance - PEF Training

Our pre-field training was completed today, that is exciting and scary in several ways.  It is exciting that we now get to go and do, it is a little scary because now we are on our way to Cambodia.

Most of the training today was a review of the last three days and letting those at Church Headquarters share their vision and letting us ask any questions that popped into our heads.  In many ways they considered our group Guinea Pigs, because the training that we received has been way different than any in the past.  With the many changes, including the initiative name and printed workbooks, the training had to be different.  Now we will see if we really caught onto what they were trying to help us understand.

A point that was emphasized over and over and over, was to develop good relationships with those that we wrk with, the stakes, wards, mission president,  self reliance full time employees, and PEF full time employees.  We need to not get ahead of the priesthood leaders, they have the keys, and we need to work with them to catch the spirit of the initiative.

We need to learn to praise those who succeed and teach and praise those who fail.  We were reminded that a positive attitude gets us through a lot.  We cannot force people to be self-reliant.  Use the learn as you do principle.  Be busy!  Busy missionaries are happy missionaries.  Don't just sit in the center waiting for someone to come in.  Go help find those who need to become self-reliant and help them.  True charity to a poor man is to put him in a situation where he can support himself.

These are some of the Church Headquarter staff that have trained us over the last four days.  They are from left to right, David Roper, Tim Evans, Sister Hunsaker, Fred Hunsaker and Wayne Boam.  They were fantastic.