Neat program in my old mission

[Subcomandante]

Honestly, I do not know if this is becoming SOP in all of Mexico or the Church, or if this is merely a pilot program, or if this is part of the Church's idea to take control in the education sector that was talked about for a few years back at the tail end of the Monson administration.

If it is any of these ways, or if it is a way of which I am not aware, this is a pretty cool program.

Comitán de Dominguez is a smallish city of a little over 100k people in the state of Chiapas in southeastern Mexico. It is approximately one hour northwest of the Guatemalan border by car. The areas surrounding the city are some of the poorest in all of the country.

The program is like this:

Development Center - Centro de Desarrollo
Variety of classes offered to the community at large from knitting to computers to refrigerator repair to exercise. English Connect classes taught by the local missionaries.
The Church is offering those things locally FREE OF COST.

I really hope something like this can be replicated area-wide if not Church-wide. If we teach people to be self-reliant, it's even better to teach them the skills they need so they DO become self-reliant.

[gkearney]

Far better use if the missionaries time than knocking on doors.

[Ymarsakar]

I remember in 2017 ish when lds had a program based around economic independence workshopsm much of it was rather strange. Pray about how to do finances? Work with god to do your debts?

There was no mention of bishops or following pro0hets but personal revelation. It was not invest and pay as monson said to do.

Given the current state of the lds community 2019, this fate of 202p plus is destined. People will go to freedom and god. While others will follow men and women inside a spacious church building.

This is designed that way by the heavens.

[Atrasado]

Honestly, I do not know if this is becoming SOP in all of Mexico or the Church, or if this is merely a pilot program, or if this is part of the Church's idea to take control in the education sector that was talked about for a few years back at the tail end of the Monson administration.

If it is any of these ways, or if it is a way of which I am not aware, this is a pretty cool program.

Comitán de Dominguez is a smallish city of a little over 100k people in the state of Chiapas in southeastern Mexico. It is approximately one hour northwest of the Guatemalan border by car. The areas surrounding the city are some of the poorest in all of the country.

The program is like this:

Development Center - Centro de Desarrollo
Variety of classes offered to the community at large from knitting to computers to refrigerator repair to exercise. English Connect classes taught by the local missionaries.
The Church is offering those things locally FREE OF COST.

I really hope something like this can be replicated area-wide if not Church-wide. If we teach people to be self-reliant, it's even better to teach them the skills they need so they DO become self-reliant.

This is what I've wished the Church would do for YEARS! It isn't through BYUI or BYU Pathway Worldwide, or I would have heard of it by now, but it could be a CES initiative, a missionary program initiative, or through Provident Living. Or it could be part of all three or maybe the area presidency got feeling a little independent.

Anyways, the Jehovah's Witnesses have been doing something similar for years with GREAT success. I wonder if Elder Uchtdorf, who seems to be the least stuck in his ways, might have noticed the JW programs and pushed us to try something like it.

I'm any case, this would be very a good use of the Ensign Peak fund and could help many people. I hope they push it out worldwide, along with microfinance and other things while we still can.

[JuneBug12000]

Interesting. I was just suggesting something like this to a friend recently.

I said that the once a year meeting with the bishop shouldn't be "What have you given the church?" But, "Do you have what you need and if not, how can we help?"

I said that personalized support in financial independence would include setting up mentorships between ward member and yes, money to start businesses. Much like the micro-loans people use to talk about. A Perpetual Employment Fund.

Even donating animals and classes to first world members who are interested in disconnecting more from Babylon, like they do with those red giving boxes each Christmas.

Money and self reliance are not synonyms. Help people need less money by helping them get some good old fashioned skills and start up supplies.

The institution might not be as rich, but individuals would be, both spiritually and temporarily, and better able to share that with their neighbors.

Just like Jesus taught.

[Subcomandante]

I said that the once a year meeting with the bishop shouldn't be "What have you given the church?" But, "Do you have what you need and if not, how can we help?

Amen!