Week 07 Application Activity: Family Council

Name: Jinky Barbero Dela Rama

Family Council Instructions

1. Select the members of your council.
As Elder Ballard discusses in his talk on “Family Councils,” there are many forms this council can
take. If you are married, obviously selecting your spouse as a council member would be
a good idea. If you are a single parent with older children, a council with them might be
a good place to start. If you are single, counseling with your parents, a sibling, a
roommate, or even a trusted friend or Gathering peer would work.

This course will require just one family council. However, it is a good practice to have these
regularly, especially pertaining to finances. Select family council members who will be
supportive and available to you on a regular basis.

2. Select a date/time to meet- You will be required to meet together this week. Select a date and
time you will meet.
3. Host your first council meeting- Use the following outline to host your council meeting. When
your meeting is complete, follow the assignment instructions and answer the accompanying
questions.

Family Council Outline

1. Start with an opening prayer
2. Briefly discuss and share some of the purposes and benefits of holding regular family councils
(Refer to the lesson material if needed)
3. Briefly introduce and review the “common approach” and self-reliant approach” visuals
4. Take a moment to evaluate your own family’s current approach to finances.
● Discuss as a council the following questions:
 Which visual best represents my current financial approach (the common or
self-reliant visual)?
 Why would the self-reliant approach encourage paying tithes and offerings
first?
 Why would the self-reliant approach encourage building financial security
second (over-paying other expenses)?
 What blessings could come to you and your family as you try to apply the self-
reliant approach to financial management over the more common approach?
 What goals could you set based on your discussion of the above questions?
● Don’t forget to “counsel with the Lord” as you seek to identify areas of weakness and
set goals for the upcoming week
5. Schedule your next family council. Additional family councils are not required for this course,
but they can be a very helpful way of managing your family’s goals and being healthy about
finances.
6. Close with prayer.

Assignment Instructions
Please answer the following questions:
Family Council
1. Who did you select to be the members of your family council and why?
My immediate family which consists of my two daughters and one son as well as my niece who
lives with us at the moment. In addition, depending on their availability, my mother and father in-
laws can also join us at their convenient time because they live far from us. I chose them as my
family council because they are the ones whom I primarily spend my money with and vice versa.
Hence, they have the right to share ideas on how we can manage our financial resources properly.
2. Which visual did you and your family council decide best reflects your current approach to financial
management (the common or self-reliant approach)?
Our family observe the common approach in our financial management because we share the
finance. I’m the bread winner in the family because my children are very young. My in-laws help
also in taking care of my children’s needs financially.
3. What goal did you and the members of your family council set?
We have set the goal of having more savings whilst using our financial resources wisely. That is we
want to set a trust fund for the children and also be able to meet our financial needs for the
present.

Reflection
4. Briefly reflect on your discussion about family councils and their purpose. Do you feel the members
of your family council understood the purpose of it? What thoughts were shared and what
impressions did you have as you talked?
Family councils are very important for any family unit. It establishes a good foundation for the
children on how to be good financial stewards. Furthermore, it enables all family members to share
their knowledge and suggestions on how to improve our financial management as a family. All
members’ contribution is valuable and gives the impression that all heads put together is better
than one head.
5. What do you feel went well?
I feel that all went well and everyone has gained more understanding on how to be better financial
stewards. Additionally, the family council has served as a precedence for all family members to
appreciate working together as one family.
6. What could you do differently (if anything) at the next family council to make it an even better
experience?
At the next family council, I would get some visual materials such as guide books and even LDS
teachings on financial management to explain properly to other members some of the steps to
better financial management.

Submission Instructions
Save this document with your name in the filename and follow the instructions in your course to
submit it for grading and feedback.