Lesson 182—Managing Financial Resources Wisely: Striving to Build Financial Self-Reliance
“Lesson 182—Managing Financial Resources Wisely: Striving to Build Financial Self-Reliance,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Managing Financial Resources Wisely,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 182: Building Self-Reliance
Managing Financial Resources Wisely
Striving to Build Financial Self-Reliance
Image
person counting change
Youth have many future opportunities that come with financial responsibilities, such as serving a mission, gaining an education, or starting a family. As they look to Jesus Christ and follow wise financial principles, they invite God’s blessing to provide for their needs (see Doctrine and Covenants 104:15). This lesson can help students understand how to exercise faith in God as they build financial self-reliance.
Possible Learning Activities
Looking to the future
In pairs or small groups, invite students to share major goals they might have over the next 10 or 15 years. For example, they could share if they plan to serve a mission, where they would like to continue their education, or their desires regarding marriage and family. After students have shared, consider discussing the following questions as a class:
Which of your goals require financial preparation?
When do you think is the best time to start making financial plans for your future? Why?
You may want to be prepared to briefly share common costs to serve a mission, gain an education, or live in your area. (Keep in mind that the purpose of this lesson is not to outline how much everything costs but to help students faithfully look to Jesus Christ and be introduced to some basic principles of financial stewardship.)
Invite students to respond to the following question in their study journals:
How confident are you about your financial future? Why?
Throughout this lesson, prayerfully seek Heavenly Father’s help to understand principles that can help you now and in the future to manage your finances wisely.
Promises from the Lord
In 1834, the Church was struggling financially due, in part, to the building of the Kirtland Temple and other righteous efforts. The Lord gave them counsel that could also apply to us as we face financial obligations to achieving our righteous desires.
What did you learn that could be applied to our financial needs?
What words or phrases could help someone trust in the Lord as they manage their finances?
Students may share various thoughts, including the following truth: The Lord will provide for our needs if we faithfully follow His counsel.
Why might this truth be encouraging as you try to prepare financially for your future?
If necessary, help students understand that the Lord does not promise freedom from financial or other hardships. The Lord does, however, know what we need; as we are faithful, He will provide for us according to His will and timing.
The Lord’s financial principles
Explain that through the scriptures and leaders of His Church, the Lord has given counsel to help us make wise use of our earthly blessings, including our finances. To help students understand the Lord’s counsel, consider inviting them to choose one of the following passages to study. When they have finished, they could gather with students who studied different passages and share what they learned.
Read the following verses and identify principles the Lord teaches that could help a teenager prepare for their financial future.
Doctrine and Covenants 48:4 (At this time, the Saints needed to buy land, but we might liken this to our own future responsibilities.)
When students have finished sharing with one another, consider asking questions such as the following:
How can the principles in these scriptures help you exercise faith in Jesus Christ as you prepare for your financial needs?
Why do you think paying tithing is an important part of managing our finances? (see Malachi 3:8–10).
Other than paying tithing, what are some ways we can prioritize seeking God’s kingdom over seeking for riches?
How can developing the habit of saving money as a youth bless you throughout your life?
Financial priorities
The following images represent events or decisions related to finances. Allowing students to consider the sequence of these events or decisions can help them discern priorities when making financial decisions. Consider printing the images, cutting out each of the five categories, and attaching them to the board in a random order. Invite students to discuss the order that they think the categories should be in. Another option is to print and cut up enough copies of this graphic for small groups of students to place in order and discuss together. It may be helpful to point out that although it seems obvious that receiving income should come first in real life, many people borrow and spend money before they have it. This is called debt, and we should strive to avoid it.
Alternatively, you could invite students to list common expenses they have now or might have in the future on the board. As a class or in groups, students could be invited to prioritize the expenses from most to least important, using principles they just learned in the previous scripture activity.
Image
personal finances for self-reliance image
How would you prioritize these financial events or decisions? What did you learn from the Lord’s teachings in the scriptures to support your answer?
What challenges could result from having our financial priorities out of order?
What might you say to someone who feels their current living expenses should be prioritized over paying tithing?
Consider asking students to share how the Lord has blessed them or their family members as they have prioritized tithing over other expenses. As another example, you could share the experience of Elder Valeri V. Cordón of the Seventy in his address “The Language of the Gospel” from time code 6:10 to 7:40, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Consider discussing the statement below from Elder Stanley G. Ellis.
If helpful, consider taking time to teach students how to pay tithes and offerings with a tithing slip or online at donations.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Elder Stanley G. Ellis of the Seventy asked the following about paying tithing:
Image
Elder Stanley G. Ellis
Do we have the faith to trust [the Lord’s] promises regarding tithing that with 90 percent of our increase plus the Lord’s help, we are better off than with 100 percent on our own? (Stanley G. Ellis, “Do We Trust Him? Hard Is Good,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 114)
To show students an example of people living by the principles in this lesson, consider sharing “Sedrick’s Journey” (2:32) available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
You might help students understand that the Lord has provided ways to help with our financial future that are not portrayed in this lesson. For example, He can inspire us with other ways to earn or save money. Youth can speak to their bishop or leaders about financial help for a mission or affordable ways to pursue a higher education.
Conclusion
Students could be invited to respond to the following questions in their study journal or discuss them with a partner:
How would you summarize what you learned about managing your finances wisely?
What is one thing you feel the Lord wanted you to learn today?
Consider inviting a few students to share their responses. Share your testimony of the Lord’s desire to provide for His Saints (see Doctrine and Covenants 104:15). Encourage students to look to God and involve Him in financial decisions throughout their lives.