Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

For discussion related to emergency preparedness, survival, self-sufficiency, food and water storage, guns, heat, light, building, gardening, etc.
butterfly
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1004

Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by butterfly »

Our stake has been asked to replace Emergency Preparedness/food storage with what is being called "Self-Reliance"(financial self-reliance).

So what's the difference between the programs?

It seems that instead of food storage, extra flashlights, and water the focus is to help people get an education, a better job, and manage money.

With all the near-death experiences and tent city talk going on in recent years, a lot of people have been waiting for the church to come out and say something. So what can we conclude from this change?
Does the church want people to stop obsessing over food storage and instead get a better job?
Or that we don't need to worry about ending up like Venezuela so would-be entrepreneurs should take a risk and open a business?
That it's more important to get out of debt than to buy your food storage?

These are some of the materials/pamphlets: https://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores ... _N_image_0

Has anyone else had this change in their stake?
Does it make you think you should go back to school instead of buying more food storage?

User avatar
gclayjr
captain of 1,000
Posts: 2727
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by gclayjr »

Butterfly,

I think it is more of an expansion rather than a redirection. There are still manuals about putting away food etc. The Church has never rescinded that.

Regards,

Georeg Clay

Sunain
captain of 1,000
Posts: 2711
Location: Canada

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Sunain »

The church still has all its Home Storage Center Locations.

It also just opened a new cannery two weeks ago which I assume is mainly for Bishop Storehouses.
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/f ... cbc0b.html

I've been buying my wheat from the church for a few years and I'm glad as we've had infected flour all over Canada the last month. Just another reason to have a food storage that you know is safe to eat. It may not be a food shortage but food contamination that affects the food supply.
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/mont ... -1.4134329

The self-reliance and education push is because of the newly expanded BYU Pathways program. It allows many people the ability to afford higher education so they can get higher paying jobs to support a family. The church teaches that we should use welfare only if we really have no other choice.

User avatar
BTH&T
captain of 100
Posts: 906

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by BTH&T »

I've attended a couple of meetings and it is just as George C. presented, a focus on all aspects of "being prepared"..Spiritual, physical/health, employment, family finances, food storage and production, and education.
https://www.lds.org/topics/welfare/the- ... g&old=true

lundbaek
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 11123
Location: Mesa, Arizona

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by lundbaek »

Like George Clay, I think that it is more of an expansion rather than a redirection. Emergency Preparedness/food storage is not the first subject that the Church leadership has quieted down about after many years of promotion. But I appreciate Butterfly's expression of concern.

davedan
captain of 1,000
Posts: 3064
Location: Augusta, GA
Contact:

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by davedan »

I hear people saying this. Yes, the Church talks about Provident Living and Self-Reliance. However, having a year supply is still a thing in the Church.

ebenezerarise
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1585

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by ebenezerarise »

No slowing down here.

Older/wiser?
captain of 100
Posts: 538

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Older/wiser? »

lundbaek wrote: June 5th, 2017, 10:11 pm Like George Clay, I think that it is more of an expansion rather than a redirection. Emergency Preparedness/food storage is not the first subject that the Church leadership has quieted down about after many years of promotion. But I appreciate Butterfly's expression of concern.
There may be reasons we are unaware of as to why it seems the church has "quieted" down on Emergency Preparedness/food storage, we were told repeatedly, the day for telling may be over . To take the focus off of "food storage" may in the long run be for the benefit of the people. I don't believe that the day we live in, standing on the roof and announcing all I have is the smart thing to do. Conference talks have changed regarding that topic, so I guess there are reasons. Ok with me ,I do my thing, I don't need to be told more than 40yrs to get it.

Michelle
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1795

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Michelle »

I see what your saying, and I acknowledge it as a current reality to an extent, but I can find some older talks that speak about both. Wasn't there a church publication that talked about self reliance with six parts: emergency preparedness was one and other things like education, health, finances, spirituality, and I can't remember the last one. 😉

I've actually thought about this quite a bit and I believe emergency preparedness is sort of event focused. It's the idea of preparing for: an earthquake, hurricane, job loss, then you go back to "real life."

Self reliance is abundant living. For example: I know people who try buy all kinds of crazy stuff to prepare to keep as comfortable life as possible after some event, but they neglect to live now as well.

Preparedness stores a year supply of food, gets out of debt, has a small savings. Self reliance does that and and grows a garden. Food for an emergency and everyday whether an event occurs or not. Also the food is healthier. This provides better health and joy as well as making possible more opportunities for service.

A real life anecdote: a few years ago I was asked to teach a 72 hour kit class for a relief society. No big deal, I've done it plenty if times. But as I prepared I felt the Spirit direct me in another way.

I went and looked up 72 kit in providentliving.org. It directed us to follow the counsel we had been given to first get a 3 month supply of food we are accustomed to, a 1 year supply of food to keep us alive, to get out of debt and to have some savings. A 72 kit was optional as directed by the Spirit.

I thought that was interesting and I did bring a suggested list, but I started the class by asking questions I felt prompted by the Spirit. I had no idea where it would go.

First I asked about disaster people had been in. I was stunned to hear of a flood in Mexico that came so quickly they ran leaving everything behind. A hurricane in Florida while on vacation. They survived on the food in the mini fridge in their hotel. And an earthquake that damaged their home and required immediate evacuation and no access to their 72 hour kits and other distasters they had personally experienced. In each case I asked if they used their 72 hour kit and they all said no. In every case it was either not available or not accessible.

Then I asked who had ever been laid off (self, spouse or parent guardian who cared for them). Nearly every hand went up.

It was so powerful to talk through this unexpected response. We reasoned that by following the counsel we had actually been given, in many instances in which a 72 hour kit might be needed supplies could be pulled from the well stocked storage or there probably wasn't time to get the prepared stuff anyway.

But far more common was the need to be prepared for everyday personal, not catastrophic disasters. Again, there are many instances in which having a kit still makes sense: hurricane and tornado areas, earthquake zones and areas of social unrest, but far more likely are personal disasters like losing a job and disability.

Take it for what it's worth, just an interesting experience from my own life.

butterfly
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1004

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by butterfly »

A lot of good points have been made but let's view it from another perspective. If the church had come out with a program called "If you ever face life as a refugee" that focused on survival, gear, cooperation in groups, then most LDS preppers or Rowe supporters/NDE, would view this as evidence that we're headed towards WWIII or tent cities, or whatever apocalyptic scenario you adhere to.

But since the church has, for the most part, been quiet about all the preppers/NDEs, there have been a lot more fence-sitters in regards to how urgent is the necessity to prepare.

So now the church comes out and says (theoretically) "we should really focus on an important part of preparedness: starting your own business, going back to school, budgeting."

And i'm thinking "wait a second...that's not a focus for an impending disaster at all."

I mean the numbers of refugees in the world today is startling:

"...the number of people displaced by conflict...is the equivalent of one in every 113 people on the planet...On average 24 people were displaced from their homes every minute of every day during 2015 – some 34,000 people per day."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 90986.html


It truly is a refugee crisis. And yet...we're focusing on going back to school??? Now don't get me wrong, the church has an amazing program with "I was a Stranger."

But shouldn't this make us realize that if a refugee crisis can happen over there, then it can certainly happen over here, too? We're just as vulnerable. Protests and rioting are commonplace now, plus we're just 2 steps behind Venezuela.

Does this new church focus on education and job skills make you feel more secure that the USA, Canada, and Europe will remain stable? Do you reason that if we were headed for any major upheavals, then the church would be one step ahead and conference addresses, preparedness programs, and counsel would be focused on warning us?

I think a lot of members believe this- that the prophet's going to be like Noah and warn us, like Moses and lead us. So when there is a program like the self-reliance one, it makes people think "we're not headed for disaster; our country is going to prosper, otherwise the church wouldn't be encouraging me to start my own business."

freedomforall
Gnolaum ∞
Posts: 16479
Location: WEST OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by freedomforall »

“Prepare Every Needful Thing” from 1980
Bishop Victor L. Brown
Image

Listen here: http://media2.ldscdn.org/assets/general ... 4k-eng.mp3

My dear brothers and sisters, my message this morning is one of deep concern.

You will recall that ancient Israel was kept wandering in the wilderness for forty years before the people were prepared to cross over Jordan and enter the promised land. For over forty years we as a people have been taught the importance of personal and family preparedness. We have been taught that the first responsibility for our welfare rests upon our own shoulders and then upon our families. Only when these resources fail do we have call upon the Church. Yet, in recent months, it has been increasingly evident that there are many who are not prepared.

Within the last twelve months, the distribution of fast offerings and commodities by the bishops has been alarming. At the present rate of demand, the Church resources will be almost expended in a short time. As a matter of fact, some commodities have already been depleted, and this when the evidence is that the recession will be of a short duration. It would appear that in altogether too many cases the teachings about preparedness have been either misunderstood or knowingly rejected. Many of our members appear to feel that when difficulty comes, the Church will come to their aid, even when they could have prepared themselves had their priorities been appropriate.

Some time ago while visiting two stakes, I saw the evidence of the point I am trying to make. Both stakes were in predominantly Latter-day Saint communities. Both were affected seriously by the same severe but temporary disruption of employment. Generally, when I arrive in a new community for stake conference, I drive around the neighborhood or countryside to get a feel for the kind of people who live there. For example: Are their yards well taken care of? Are their homes well cared for? Are there old dilapidated barns and outbuildings, or are the properties neatly maintained and fenced? In other words, how much pride do the people have in themselves and their community?

In the first stake I refer to, I saw well-cared-for homes and yards. It seemed that this was a prosperous, so-called middle-class area. Some would have thought it an affluent area from the number of recreation vehicles in the driveways—boats, campers, and motor homes. As I met with the stake presidency, I commented on the apparent prosperity of the people. However, when reviewing the welfare needs of the people, I was shocked to see the demands made on the fast-offering funds and the bishops’ storehouse.

The stake president informed me that within a week or two of the closing down of the major employer, many families came to their bishops for assistance. They had very limited reserves from which to take care of themselves. He also mentioned there were some faithful members in his stake who from their reserves had taken care of their own needs as well as assisting some of their neighbors.

In the second stake, which was some distance from the first but which was impacted heavily by the same employment problem, I saw few recreation vehicles. As a matter of fact, I saw little evidence of affluence, although the properties were neat and tidy. Here I was surprised to see practically no fast offerings or bishop’s orders being used.

I asked the stake president if his bishops understood and were discharging their responsibilities for the poor and those in need. He indicated that, while some families had needed to seek assistance from their bishops, most of the members recognized their responsibility for their own welfare and were prepared to take care of themselves.

You see, the priorities of the members of these two stakes were very different. Many in the first stake were not prepared and expected the Church to take care of them, while in the second stake the situation was reversed—the majority of the people had prepared to meet their own needs.

May I also share some individual examples which are indicative of a growing problem?

A few months ago a young couple decided to cancel their health insurance. They felt they just could not afford it. The high cost of graduate school, in a time of rampant inflation, led them to disregard the counsel of the Brethren. Then came a baby—premature, with serious complications resulting in incredibly expensive care. Heartsick and frightened, they turned first to their families, who responded with substantial help. That not being nearly enough, they then turned to their bishop, who, from the fast offerings, supplied additional help. They would have been almost self-sustaining had they retained their insurance.

A young man decided that trade school was too demanding and too expensive. He dropped out of school, got married, and took a low-paying job in a grocery store. When a baby came, he found that his income was not adequate even for the family’s basic needs. Too embarrassed to approach his parents, he turned to his bishop for help.

Another family chose Monday night sports on television in preference to family home evening. For weeks and months there was no family prayer, no gospel discussions, no reading of the scriptures, no other meaningful family activities. Now a teenage daughter has run away from home, and the parents have turned to the bishop for help.

In each of these examples, the central problem could probably have been avoided if the members had applied the principles of personal and family preparedness. The principles apply universally to all members of the Church all over the world, notwithstanding the fact that the full welfare services program is not in place in most countries outside the United States and Canada. We recognize there may be legal restrictions in some countries on certain phases of the program. Nevertheless, our people should follow these teachings to the extent the law allows.

I implore you stake leaders to see that the messages of this welfare services meeting get to the bishops, the quorum leaders, and the ward Relief Society presidents so that the members of the Church can be taught and converted sufficiently to live the basic principles of which we speak and thus put their houses in order (see D&C 90:18).

The bishop is responsible to administer to the needs of the poor and needy. He determines who will receive assistance and in what form that assistance will be. His judgment is basic to the wise administration of this program. He determines whether it blesses the people or becomes simply a dole. He also is responsible to see that no one who should properly be helped is overlooked.

Earlier I indicated that these principles have been taught for forty years. As a matter of fact, as President Kimball said, they have been taught for a much longer period of time. President Brigham Young, in remarks given in the Mill Creek Ward on July 25, 1868, had this to say, among other things:

“I believe the Latter-day Saints are the best people on the earth of whom we have any knowledge. Still, I believe that we are, in many things, very negligent, slothful and slow to obey the words of the Lord. Many seem to act upon the faith that God will sustain us instead of our trying to sustain ourselves. We are frightened at seeing the grasshoppers coming and destroying our crops. … I remember saying in the School of the Prophets, that I would rather the people would exercise a little more sense and save means to provide for themselves, instead of squandering it away and asking the Lord to feed them. In my reflections I have carried this matter a considerable length. I have paid attention to the counsel that has been given me. For years past it has been sounded in my ears, year after year, to lay up grain, so that we might have an abundance in the day of want. Perhaps the Lord would bring a partial famine on us; perhaps a famine would come upon our neighbors. I have been told that He might bring just such a time as we are now having. But suppose I had taken no heed to this counsel, and had not regarded the coming time, what would have been my condition to-day.

“View the actions of the Latter-day Saints on this matter, and their neglect of the counsel given; and suppose the Lord would allow these insects to destroy our crops this season and the next, what would be the result? I can see death, misery and want on the faces of this people. But some may say, ‘I have faith the Lord will turn them away.’ What ground have we to hope this? Have I any good reason to say to my Father in heaven, ‘Fight my battles,’ when He has given me the sword to wield, the arm and the brain that I can fight for myself? Can I ask Him to fight my battles and sit quietly down waiting for Him to do so? I cannot. I can pray the people to hearken to wisdom, to listen to counsel; but to ask God to do for me that which I can do for myself is preposterous to my mind. Look at the Latter-day Saints. We have had our fields laden with grain for years; and if we had been so disposed, our bins might have been filled to overflowing, and with seven years’ provisions on hand we might have disregarded the ravages of these insects, and have gone to the canyon and got our lumber, procured the materials, and built up and beautified our places, instead of devoting our time to fighting and endeavoring to replace that which has been lost through their destructiveness. We might have made our fences, improved our buildings, beautified Zion, let our ground rest, and prepared for the time when these insects would have gone. But now the people are running distracted here and there. … They are in want and in trouble, and they are perplexed. They do not know what to do. They have been told what to do, but they did not hearken to this counsel.” (In Journal of Discourses, 12:240–41.)

President Young goes on to say: “We must learn to listen to the whispering of the Holy Spirit, and the counsels of the servants of God, until we come to the unity of the faith. If we had obeyed counsel we would have had granaries today, and they would have been full of grain; and we would have had wheat and oats and barley for ourselves and for our animals, to last us for years.” (In Journal of Discourses, 12:241.)

Quoting further from President Young: “When Moses was on the mount they [the Israelites] went to Aaron and inquired where Moses was, and demanded gods to go before them. And Aaron told them to bring him their ear rings and their jewelry, and they did so, and he made of them a golden calf; and the people ran around it, and said these be the gods which brought us out of the land of Egypt. How much credit was due to them? Just as much as to us, for not saving our grain when we had an abundance, and, when grasshoppers come, crying, ‘Lord turn them away and save us.’ It is just as consistent as for a man on board a steamboat on the wide ocean to say, I will show you what faith I have, and then to jump overboard, crying, ‘Lord save me.’ It may not seem so daring; but is it any more inconsistent than to throw away and waste the substance the Lord has given us, and when we come to want, crying to Him for what we have wasted and squandered? The Lord has been blessing us all the time, and He asks us why we have not been blessing ourselves.” (In Journal of Discourses, 12:243.)

I do not want to leave the impression that nothing has been done. There are those faithful Saints who have their year’s supply and are taking care of themselves. They know of that peace which comes from being obedient and being prepared. From letters we receive, we know that many other families are planting gardens and working toward their year’s supply of food, clothing, and other necessities. Some parents are striving to get the whole family involved in temporal welfare.

One recent letter reads: “I am over our food storage at home. I’m ten years old. I would like your manual called ‘Home Storage and Production.’ If you can send me any other information I’d like that too. [Signed]Travis Leal”

Our concern and the thrust of my message, which has been repeated from this pulpit many times, is that the welfare program rests on the basic principle of personal and family preparedness, not on Church preparedness. We are concerned that because the Church program includes production projects, canneries, bishops’ storehouses, Deseret Industries, and other visible activities, our people are mistakenly led to believe these things replace the need for them to provide for themselves. This simply is not so. The evidence that this illusion exists is seen in the experience of the last few months as the draw on fast offerings and storehouse commodities has spiraled.

We are very much aware that we live in difficult times, perhaps as difficult as any recent period in history. The economy in general seems to be out of control; there is high unemployment in many areas. Inflation is running rampant in most countries of the world. Personal debt is staggering. It seems almost impossible for young people to buy a home. Many who have purchased a home have monthly payments which leave no room to handle the slightest emergency.

We have been taught that we should build our reserves over a period of time, that we should not go into debt to do so, that we should buy those things we use and use them on a rotation basis, that we should use common sense in preparing ourselves to be independent and self-reliant. There has never been extremism or fanaticism associated with these teachings. I fear we today are somewhat like those referred to by President Brigham Young in this quotation:

“We have seen one grasshopper war before this. Then we had two years of it. We are having two years now. Suppose we have good crops next year, the people will think less of this visitation than they do now; and still less the next year; until in four or five years it will be almost gone from their minds. We are capable of being perfectly independent of these insects. If we had thousands on thousands of bushels of wheat, rye, and barley, and corn we might have said to them, [that is, the insects] ‘you may go, we are not going to plant for you.’ Then we could have plowed up the ground, put in the manure, and let the land rest, and the grasshoppers would not have destroyed the fruits of our labors which could have been directed to the beautifying of Zion and making our habitations places of loveliness.” (In Journal of Discourses, 12:242.)

My brothers and sisters, I feel our anxieties are justified. It is the opinion of many that more difficult times lie ahead. We are deeply concerned about the welfare of our people and recognize the potential privation and suffering that will exist if each person and family does not accept the word of the Lord when he says, “Prepare every needful thing” (D&C 88:119), and “It must needs be done in mine own way” (D&C 104:16).

May I again implore you priesthood and Relief Society leaders to see that all members of the Church everywhere understand the responsibility they have for their own welfare, that our people will be blessed to live provident and righteous lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

User avatar
gclayjr
captain of 1,000
Posts: 2727
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by gclayjr »

FreedomForAll,

I well remember that talk. Reading it it brought back the memory. I especially remember the comparison between the 2 neighborhoods.

Great talk!

Regards,

George Clay

Sunain
captain of 1,000
Posts: 2711
Location: Canada

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Sunain »

First Presidency Message - Are We Prepared?
In the vicinity where I once lived and served, the Church operated a poultry project, staffed primarily by volunteers from the local wards. Most of the time it was an efficiently operated project, supplying to the bishops’ storehouse thousands of fresh eggs and hundreds of pounds of dressed poultry. On a few occasions, however, being volunteer city farmers meant not only blisters on the hands but also frustration of heart and mind.

For instance, I shall ever remember the time we gathered the Aaronic Priesthood young men to give the project a spring-cleaning. Our enthusiastic and energetic throng assembled at the project and in a speedy fashion uprooted, gathered, and burned large quantities of weeds and debris. By the light of the glowing bonfires, we ate hot dogs and congratulated ourselves on a job well done.

However, there was just one disastrous problem. The noise and the fires so disturbed the fragile population of 5,000 laying hens that most of them went into a sudden molt and ceased laying. Thereafter we tolerated a few weeds so that we might produce more eggs.

No member of the Church who has helped provide for those in need ever forgets or regrets the experience. Industry, thrift, self-reliance, and sharing with others are not new to us.

We should remember that the best storehouse system would be for every family in the Church to have a supply of food, clothing, and, where possible, other necessities of life.

Of course there may be times when our members are in need of help from the Church. The Lord’s storehouse includes the time, talents, skills, compassion, consecrated material, and financial means of faithful Church members. These resources are available to the bishop in assisting those in need.

We urge all Latter-day Saints to be prudent in their planning, to be conservative in their living, and to avoid excessive or unnecessary debt. Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had a supply of food and clothing and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have a supply of debt and are food-free.

I repeat what the First Presidency declared a few years ago:

“Latter-day Saints have been counseled for many years to prepare for adversity by having a little money set aside. Doing so adds immeasurably to security and well-being. Every family has a responsibility to provide for its own needs to the extent possible.

“We encourage you wherever you may live in the world to prepare for adversity by looking to the condition of your finances. We urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from this bondage. Save a little money regularly to gradually build a financial reserve.”1

Are we prepared for the emergencies in our lives? Are our skills perfected? Do we live providently? Do we have our reserve supply on hand? Are we obedient to the commandments of God? Are we responsive to the teachings of prophets? Are we prepared to give of our substance to the poor, the needy? Are we square with the Lord?

We live in turbulent times. Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behooves us to prepare for uncertainties. When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.
This message was given just a couple years ago given by President Monson. The vibe I get from it echos what President Hinckley said about getting our houses in order. I think the time of warning us has ended and why some of us in this thread think the church is moving away from emergency preparedness. We should have a 72 hour kit, a food storage and be prepared for turbulent times because we have already been warned.

Silver
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 5247

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Silver »

Of course the toughest part of faithfully accumulating food storage will be the day when the highlighted part of the quote below occurs in your life. That family in the ward, you know them, they have nice vacations every year, they get new cars every few years, they wear the latest fashions...

“Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others.”

Your bishop is going to ask you to give some of your food to That Family. Your faith will be tested.

Consider this: How can you support your bishop if you don't have food storage in the first place?

freedomforall
Gnolaum ∞
Posts: 16479
Location: WEST OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by freedomforall »

There is a variety of reasons as to why someone may not have a food storage.

Not high on priority list.
Thinking church leaders are full of it.
Can't manage money very well.
Don't care.
Will simply go over to the neighbors house because they have food stored.
Will pose every excuse to the bishop so he will weaken and provide food, etc.
Don't believe anything is really going to happen.
I'll get it tomorrow because things won't really get bad during my life time.
Too expensive.
God will provide when the time comes.
Someone will take care of us because they are so charitable.
A non-Mormon said I was crazy if I followed every commandment or admonition to be self reliant.

Maybe some other lame excuses.

God expects a willing mind and a doing heart. Almost anyone can buy a little food over several months or even years. Why some food can be on a shelf for 25 years, some 15, and some 5. Something is better than nothing and shows God the intent to follow counsel.

Buying a food storage is a test of faith as is tithing.
We read about a woman who had only enough food for one last meal for her and her children. A man came along and asked her to feed him. She got scared and said she wanted her family to eat of the small portions before they die.
The man insists and she relents and feeds the man.
Hours go by and she looks in her barrel to find more food in it. She is over joyed and filled with thanksgiving, and the barrel never empties from that time forth.

I probably didn't do this account any justice, so if anyone wants to censor it, welcome. I like things written in their perfect context. And where in the bible is it located?

User avatar
DudeInZion
Hi, I'm new.
Posts: 5

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by DudeInZion »

Just completed the Personal Finance 12-week class. My wife just completed the Small Business class. The overall push is to help everyone be as prepared (self-reliant) as possible. Having emergency storage covers one part of the temporal preparedness. In the class we learned about having a 3-6 month supply of pay to help us through the tough times. My wife learned how to improve our business so we could actually make a decent living doing what we love. I see this as a logical extension of the decades of warnings to store food, clothing, etc. so we are ready for whatever life deals out. Being self-reliant includes not having to rely on others to take care of our basic needs. It also makes us a more valuable tool in the Lord's hands as He guides us to others who need our service.

t is difficult to raise others up unless we are on higher ground.

Michelle
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1795

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Michelle »

Buying a food storage is a test of faith as is tithing.
We read about a woman who had only enough food for one last meal for her and her children. A man came along and asked her to feed him. She got scared and said she wanted her family to eat of the small portions before they die.
The man insists and she relents and feeds the man.
Hours go by and she looks in her barrel to find more food in it. She is over joyed and filled with thanksgiving, and the barrel never empties from that time forth.

I probably didn't do this account any justice, so if anyone wants to censor it, welcome. I like things written in their perfect context. And where in the bible is it located?
1 Kings 17. I love that story. My own witness and testimony:

December 2007 my husband graduated from college. We were going to first pay off student loans and then save money. We had some food storage, but not a full year.

Early 2008 We felt inspired to finish off food storage and save instead. It was a test of faith and went against our reason and intellect at the time.

October 2008 my husband was laid off, on his birthday no less! We had a 3 week old newborn and 2 other small kids.

Long story short, 5 long months later he started his new job. We did not have to ask the bishop or our families for help, we paid all our bills on time. (We did have somone anonymously drop off food and a few hundred dollars at Christmas) Our savings was small, but we made it. As I made the last batch of homemade bread the wheat and the oil measured out exactly. ( I still had some in storage, but the two containers I was using ran out at exact measurements.)

That scripture came to mind:"And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord,"

If we obey and do our part, he will take care of us. He is not our father in name only, He is our Heavenly Father and wants to provide for us temporally and spiritually as we obey him.

User avatar
David13
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 7072
Location: Utah

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by David13 »

freedomforall wrote: June 8th, 2017, 8:48 am There is a variety of reasons as to why someone may not have a food storage.

Not high on priority list.
Thinking church leaders are full of it.
Can't manage money very well.
Don't care.
Will simply go over to the neighbors house because they have food stored.
Will pose every excuse to the bishop so he will weaken and provide food, etc.
Don't believe anything is really going to happen.
I'll get it tomorrow because things won't really get bad during my life time.
Too expensive.
God will provide when the time comes.
Someone will take care of us because they are so charitable.
A non-Mormon said I was crazy if I followed every commandment or admonition to be self reliant.

Maybe some other lame excuses.

God expects a willing mind and a doing heart. Almost anyone can buy a little food over several months or even years. Why some food can be on a shelf for 25 years, some 15, and some 5. Something is better than nothing and shows God the intent to follow counsel.

Buying a food storage is a test of faith as is tithing.
We read about a woman who had only enough food for one last meal for her and her children. A man came along and asked her to feed him. She got scared and said she wanted her family to eat of the small portions before they die.
The man insists and she relents and feeds the man.
Hours go by and she looks in her barrel to find more food in it. She is over joyed and filled with thanksgiving, and the barrel never empties from that time forth.

I probably didn't do this account any justice, so if anyone wants to censor it, welcome. I like things written in their perfect context. And where in the bible is it located?
I think you got the idea of it.
I don't know where it is, but we watched the video of it again last week in Institute.
dc

User avatar
harakim
captain of 1,000
Posts: 2819
Location: Salt Lake Megalopolis

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by harakim »

1 Kings 17

User avatar
David13
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 7072
Location: Utah

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by David13 »


Older/wiser?
captain of 100
Posts: 538

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Older/wiser? »

What I love about this principle of "learning to be self relient" is the opportunity to also learn about sacrifice , as Michelle stated they made a choice to sacrifice for their food storage. Sacrificing for things is a dual blessing, one becomes grateful, humble, thankful and sees the hand of the Lord in their lives. In the beginning of our lives as a couple we also made a choice to "sacrifice" to do as the Lord asked and gather , purchase our food storage. We lived in an unfinished house with no kitchen for 1 year do this. Every time we have sacrificed for a principle, tithing (when unemployment hit was again a choice) we have been blessed, my personal testimony has filled my soul.
We make our choices here now, I decided long ago I will give what is needed , hopefully before it is asked for. To give to the neighbor who has had the , toys, vacations or lived the "good life" really isn't my judgment call, he is a brother, a sister if I truly follow the Lord I will give. To be a tool the Lord can have confidence in to do His will is a blessing. I will care for whomever the Lord brings to my door, here is the other side of it though, if ones choice is to not follow counsel and prepare his own household will the Lord allow him or bring him to my door, or the safety that is offered in following what so many Prophets have taught?

freedomforall
Gnolaum ∞
Posts: 16479
Location: WEST OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by freedomforall »

David13 wrote: June 8th, 2017, 9:07 pm [youtube][/youtube]
An absolute beautiful story. Brought tears to my eyes. Thanks.

User avatar
David13
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 7072
Location: Utah

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by David13 »

Older/wiser? wrote: June 8th, 2017, 11:16 pm What I love about this principle of "learning to be self relient" is the opportunity to also learn about sacrifice , as Michelle stated they made a choice to sacrifice for their food storage. Sacrificing for things is a dual blessing, one becomes grateful, humble, thankful and ...

...


This post reminded me of a story. Probably 40 years ago, in Beverly Hills, or maybe Century City an older Jewish lady told me "honey, don't ever believe a Jew if they say they have no money."
"It was after the War and we had all these Jews here from Europe (and stuff) and they said they had no money".
"Well, we were giving this one lady money, as she said she had no money for groceries (and stuff). Then we found out she had $20,000 in the bank and all kinds of money (and stuff). So don't ever believe a Jew if they say they have no money."

(Stuff) added by me so the young people can relate. That's the way the young talk, isn't it? That's what the parents say and I think they get it from their kids.
dc

Finrock
captain of 1,000
Posts: 4426

Re: Church moves away from Emergency Preparedness?

Post by Finrock »

butterfly wrote: June 5th, 2017, 6:45 pm Our stake has been asked to replace Emergency Preparedness/food storage with what is being called "Self-Reliance"(financial self-reliance).

So what's the difference between the programs?

It seems that instead of food storage, extra flashlights, and water the focus is to help people get an education, a better job, and manage money.

With all the near-death experiences and tent city talk going on in recent years, a lot of people have been waiting for the church to come out and say something. So what can we conclude from this change?
Does the church want people to stop obsessing over food storage and instead get a better job?
Or that we don't need to worry about ending up like Venezuela so would-be entrepreneurs should take a risk and open a business?
That it's more important to get out of debt than to buy your food storage?

These are some of the materials/pamphlets: https://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores ... _N_image_0

Has anyone else had this change in their stake?
Does it make you think you should go back to school instead of buying more food storage?
I think this is in relation to the "Personal Storehouse" initiative that is being "piloted" in several places around the country. The idea is that being prepared constitutes multiple aspects. So, there is food storage, financial preparation, education, spirituality, mental health, and other such things. They are wanting preparation to be more rounded rather than focused on just one aspect, such as food storage and having physical goods ready for emergency situations.

-Finrock


Post Reply