Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of profiles of people increasing their confidence through classes from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Part One on “Starting and Growing My Business” is here and Part Two on “Emotional Resilience” is here.

Elkin Jimenezfrom the Westchester New York Stake, says that everyone he knew in the Bronx speaks Spanish, so it wasn’t easy for him to improve his English skills when he first moved to New York City seven years ago from the South American country of Colombia.

But things began to change when he enrolled Connect — a program provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help people around the world increase their self-confidence and expand their educational and employment opportunities by learning English. The program is one of several self-sufficiency classes from the church.

The goal of EnglishConnect is to help people increase their knowledge of English in an evangelical environment. The free classes concentrate on vocabulary and conversation. Students improve through personal study and group exercises over the course of 25 lessons.

“I have more confidence when I talk to people,” Jimenez said.

As part of his class, Jimenez worked with a goal of practicing English 10 hours each week. He attended English-speaking meetings on Sundays and practiced on the job.

His boss noticed a difference, Jimenez said. “I asked someone to translate for me, but my boss said, ‘You don’t need anyone because your English is the best’.”

With his English skills and talents, Jimenez has been given more responsibility at work. “I saw the fruits of my labor,” he said, adding that the changes in his life are a miracle.

The class also inspired him to continue learning. Now he volunteers his time as a teacher for EnglishConnect classes.

Find strength in the Spirit

When Sheyla Amador de Rivera came to the United States from the Dominican Republic at the age of 17, no one in her family could speak English.

Today, she and her husband, Juan Rivera, volunteer their time to teach EnglishConnect classes. They live in the Bronx and are part of the Westchester Stake.

Now the Riveras have taught hundreds of people. “We know this is what the Lord wants us to do,” Juan Rivera said.

Sheyla Rivera said God’s power plays an important role as people find strength in the Spirit as they learn.

“If I had a megaphone, I would tell everyone about EnglishConnect,” she said.

She said knowing English makes a huge difference in the quality of immigrants’ lives. “Not knowing English makes people vulnerable. It isolates them.”

Her husband agreed. He had to translate every day for his mother when he was little. Now he hopes that all families can improve their English skills through EnglishConnect.

He also said he’s seen professionals move to the United States and struggle with their confidence: “They feel diminished because they can’t express their knowledge.”

Sheyla Rivera said, “When you speak the language, you stand a little taller.”

The classes can also help students with the goal of citizenship and a better job.

To be a good EnglishConnect teacher, Juan Rivera said two things are needed: “Patience and love, love, love.”

To reach maximum potential

When classmates of Angelica Almonte, of the Westchester Stake, graduated from their EnglishConnect class, they received a certificate and were able to say a few words to those attending the ceremony. Most people spoke Spanish, but Almonte stood and spoke English.

“It was a personal challenge,” she said. This was her first time in any kind of English class – she grew up in Puebla, Mexico, but never thought she’d live in another country.

Her 14-year-old son Ryan has been her inspiration. The family moved to the Yonkers neighborhood of New York City when Ryan was 9 years old. Ryan’s dad helped him learn English first, then he learned it at school and now he’s an honors student – and he’s proud of his mom for learning a new language.

“Mom has made great strides,” he said.

Almonte practices English through a smartphone app and by listening to music. She wants to get to the point where she can speak English with people at her children’s school and church. She plans to take more EnglishConnect classes and someday take college courses.

She knows that Heavenly Father is helping her with her challenges.

“Now is the time to learn,” she said, “to reach your maximum potential as a child of God.”

—Elder Bob Hansen and Sister Lorraine Hansen, independent missionaries in the New York New York City Mission, contributed to this article.