Food Storage Skit
Posted: June 11th, 2010, 4:46 pm
Food Storage Skit
Person 1: Food Storage Advocate ("Advocate")
Person 2: Slothful and Unwise Steward ("Sloth")
Advocate: Hello there Brother Jones. The First Presidency of the Church has asked us to get our one-year supply of food storage. Do you have yours yet?
Sloth: Hi Brother Smith. I don't remember ever hearing about that. When have they ever said anything about that?
Advocate: Well, the leaders of the Church have been teaching the principle of food storage for decades—for generations, really. And three years ago, in 2007, the Church published this little pamphlet that should have been distributed to all members of the Church. Do you remember seeing this? [Hand the "Family Home Storage" pamphlet to the "Slothful and Unwise Steward".]
Sloth: Yeah, that looks familiar—I guess somebody probably did give me that. But I don't think I've ever read it. I must have lost it. What does it say?
Advocate: I'll give you this copy and you can read it. But to be concise, it says we should get our food storage.
Sloth: Getting a year's supply of food sounds like it would cost a lot of money. I don't think I could afford that.
Advocate: What about that brand new car you just bought a couple of months ago, or the Disneyland vacation you took your family on last summer, or the big screen TV you just bought last week?
Sloth: Yeah, but those are necessities. Besides, I wouldn't know where to start.
Advocate: I would be happy to help you figure it out. Or you could talk with our new food storage specialist, Sister Walker.
Sloth: That sounds like a good idea to do someday, but I really don't have the time right now.
Advocate: If you sold your new big screen TV on eBay, maybe you could free up some cash and some time too, if you cut back on some of your TV watching.
Sloth: Okay, okay. Yeah, I guess that might be true. But anyhow, if I run out of food for my family due to unemployment or something, the Church isn't going to let us go hungry.
Advocate: We've been taught to be self-reliant whenever possible. And it says in the Bible, in 1 Timothy 5:8, that "if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." Besides, if there were a major disaster the Church wouldn't have nearly enough food for everyone. You don't think that grain elevator up at Welfare Square in Salt Lake City could feed entire cities of people, do you?
Sloth: Well, I suppose not. But I'm not worried—if there's a disaster and I run out of food, I'll just shoot a deer. There are lots of deer all around. I see the roadkill all the time.
Advocate: How many other people do you think would have the same idea? And in a city of 23,000 people, here in Eagle Mountain, how many days do you think it would be before every single deer in the area had been shot?
Sloth: Probably true. But that's okay, I'm sure you've got your food storage, so I'll just come over to your house.
Advocate: Well, I would share if I could. But you would have to line up behind all the other unprepared people. And you would be working for what you get—you know, weeding my garden, taking out the garbage, whatever I need done. But what if I only had enough food for my own family, my own children? You wouldn't really ask me to take food out of my own children's mouths, and see them go hungry, to share with other people who knew they should have prepared, and didn't—would you? Anyhow, what if there was a pandemic illness and a quarantine was imposed, so that people couldn't leave their homes or visit neighbors without risking getting sick?
Sloth: I don't think anything really serious could happen here. This is the United States.
Advocate: In October Conference of 1980, President Benson said that "Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them."
Sloth: Okay. But that was decades ago. I'm sure whatever problems he was worried about that were going on in the world at the time have long since passed, so maybe we're past the point of danger, and those things will never happen.
Advocate: In D&C section 1, verse 38, it says "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." Are you going to take that risk and assume that the Lord has changed His mind about what He said through His servant?
Sloth: True, the famine, war, earthquake, and other things that were prophesied by President Benson, and in the scriptures, really could happen eventually, I suppose. But for the most part, I would expect the members of the Church won't be affected, due to the righteousness of the Saints.
Advocate: In D&C section 112, verses 24 and 25, speaking of the calamities that will come "as a whirlwind," the scriptures say, "upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord." Also, in the same Conference talk I just mentioned, President Benson also said "Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion."
Sloth: Wow, that's a pretty strong statement. Alright, I can see that big disasters could happen, even here, even to members of the Church. But I have faith in the Lord, and I know that he will bless and protect his righteous Saints.
Advocate: Are you including yourself in that category of "righteous Saints"? I think you're a good person—you're active in the Church, you try to do your calling, and you try to be kind and help other people. But the Lord said in D&C 82:10 that He is bound when we do what He says, but when we don't do what He says we have no promise. And in D&C 130:21 He said that when we obtain any blessing, it is by obedience to the law upon which it is predicated. If you paid your tithing but violated the Word of Wisdom by smoking, you wouldn't expect the Lord to bless you with protection from lung cancer, would you? So if you don't follow the counsel to be prepared with food storage, maybe you're not as righteous and obedient as you think you are, at least in that aspect. If you don't prepare food for your family, your family may go without food. And what could be more heart-wrenching for a parent than to have children come asking, "Daddy, Mommy, I'm hungry", and have nothing to give them?
Sloth: That's true, that would break my heart to see my children go hungry, especially if I knew I was responsible for them and should have prepared, but didn't. But I believe the Lord would give us plenty of notice before some big disaster like that would happen.
Advocate: The pamphlet from the First Presidency I just gave you was published in 2007, three years ago. A letter from the First Presidency about home storage of enough food for one year was read in Sacrament Meetings in 2002, eight years ago. Thirty-four years ago, in 1976, Spencer W. Kimball said "We encourage families to have on hand this year's supply; and we say it over and over and over and repeat over and over the scriptures of the Lord where He says, 'Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?' " Seventy-three years ago, in 1937, J. Reuben Clark said in General Conference, "Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead." How many decades of advance notice do you need?
Sloth: Yeah, I suppose that's enough advance notice for me. But if something really big were going to happen soon, Church leaders would emphasize it more.
Advocate: If you end up in the spirit world prematurely, along with your family, because you didn't prepare, what do you think you're going to tell the Lord? Are you going to feel comfortable facing the Lord and telling Him the reason you and your family are there in the spirit world prematurely, before your life's mission is complete, is that you didn't think the Church leaders were serious when they said to get your food storage, because they didn't emphasize it enough? Will you feel comfortable telling Him that you thought His servants didn't really mean what they said?
Sloth: Okay, I'm convinced it's important to work on food storage preparedness and get it done. But we've had decades of time go by since we've had all these warnings in the past. How do you know we won't have decades more time in the future? When I see that things are starting to get bad in the world, I'll hurry and get my food storage when I can see I'm going to need it.
Advocate: Remember the Parable of the Ten Virgins. When the bridegroom came, the five foolish virgins realized they were out of oil, and needed to hurry and get some. But they were too late. When you finally start to wake up to the signs of the times, is it going to be too late for you? If you haven't woken up already with all the hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes lately, what is it going to take? Are you volunteering to be one of the five foolish virgins to make sure the Parable is properly fulfilled? I guess somebody needs to fill that role, though I wouldn't want it to be me.
Sloth: Sure, but natural disasters have happened throughout history. They go in cycles. Sometimes there are more, sometimes there are less. Just because things have been happening other places doesn't mean we'll be affected here. How do you know we don't have another 100 years before we'll need food storage?
Advocate: In the Priesthood Session of the April 2009 Conference, about a year ago, President Boyd K. Packer said "Your generation is filled with uncertainties. A life of fun and games and expensive toys has come to an abrupt end. We move from a generation of ease and entertainment to a generation of hard work and responsibility. We do not know how long that will last... Some of you live in countries where most of what you eat and some of what you wear will depend on what can be produced by the family."
Sloth: Well, perhaps President Packer was referring to other countries, not us here in the United States, when he talks about how most of what we eat will depend on what can be produced by the family. Besides, nobody knows when the Second Coming will be. The scriptures are pretty clear that nobody knows the day nor the hour.
Advocate: It's true that no one knows the day or hour of the Second Coming. But there are many difficult times prophesied in the scriptures to occur well in advance of that great event. Some have already happened, but it's clear that more are yet to come. In D&C section 45, as well as in several places in the New Testament, we are taught through a parable that when the fig tree begins to put forth leaves, we can know that summer is near. Likewise, we can recognize the signs of the times and know that prophesied events are approaching.
Sloth: You know, I guess I'm not willing to take a chance and risk the possibility that my family may have to go hungry if I'm not prepared. I guess I'd better get my food storage together. Sister Walker, I understand you're the new food storage specialist. Could I meet with you and get some help figuring all this out?
This script was originally written for use in a lesson on preparedness given Sunday, May 30th, 2010, in the Eagle Mountain 3rd Ward, in Eagle Mountain, Utah. Permission is granted to distribute it freely. It is hoped that many may read this and be encouraged to prepare. Last revised Thursday, June 10th, 2010.
Person 1: Food Storage Advocate ("Advocate")
Person 2: Slothful and Unwise Steward ("Sloth")
Advocate: Hello there Brother Jones. The First Presidency of the Church has asked us to get our one-year supply of food storage. Do you have yours yet?
Sloth: Hi Brother Smith. I don't remember ever hearing about that. When have they ever said anything about that?
Advocate: Well, the leaders of the Church have been teaching the principle of food storage for decades—for generations, really. And three years ago, in 2007, the Church published this little pamphlet that should have been distributed to all members of the Church. Do you remember seeing this? [Hand the "Family Home Storage" pamphlet to the "Slothful and Unwise Steward".]
Sloth: Yeah, that looks familiar—I guess somebody probably did give me that. But I don't think I've ever read it. I must have lost it. What does it say?
Advocate: I'll give you this copy and you can read it. But to be concise, it says we should get our food storage.
Sloth: Getting a year's supply of food sounds like it would cost a lot of money. I don't think I could afford that.
Advocate: What about that brand new car you just bought a couple of months ago, or the Disneyland vacation you took your family on last summer, or the big screen TV you just bought last week?
Sloth: Yeah, but those are necessities. Besides, I wouldn't know where to start.
Advocate: I would be happy to help you figure it out. Or you could talk with our new food storage specialist, Sister Walker.
Sloth: That sounds like a good idea to do someday, but I really don't have the time right now.
Advocate: If you sold your new big screen TV on eBay, maybe you could free up some cash and some time too, if you cut back on some of your TV watching.
Sloth: Okay, okay. Yeah, I guess that might be true. But anyhow, if I run out of food for my family due to unemployment or something, the Church isn't going to let us go hungry.
Advocate: We've been taught to be self-reliant whenever possible. And it says in the Bible, in 1 Timothy 5:8, that "if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." Besides, if there were a major disaster the Church wouldn't have nearly enough food for everyone. You don't think that grain elevator up at Welfare Square in Salt Lake City could feed entire cities of people, do you?
Sloth: Well, I suppose not. But I'm not worried—if there's a disaster and I run out of food, I'll just shoot a deer. There are lots of deer all around. I see the roadkill all the time.
Advocate: How many other people do you think would have the same idea? And in a city of 23,000 people, here in Eagle Mountain, how many days do you think it would be before every single deer in the area had been shot?
Sloth: Probably true. But that's okay, I'm sure you've got your food storage, so I'll just come over to your house.
Advocate: Well, I would share if I could. But you would have to line up behind all the other unprepared people. And you would be working for what you get—you know, weeding my garden, taking out the garbage, whatever I need done. But what if I only had enough food for my own family, my own children? You wouldn't really ask me to take food out of my own children's mouths, and see them go hungry, to share with other people who knew they should have prepared, and didn't—would you? Anyhow, what if there was a pandemic illness and a quarantine was imposed, so that people couldn't leave their homes or visit neighbors without risking getting sick?
Sloth: I don't think anything really serious could happen here. This is the United States.
Advocate: In October Conference of 1980, President Benson said that "Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them."
Sloth: Okay. But that was decades ago. I'm sure whatever problems he was worried about that were going on in the world at the time have long since passed, so maybe we're past the point of danger, and those things will never happen.
Advocate: In D&C section 1, verse 38, it says "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." Are you going to take that risk and assume that the Lord has changed His mind about what He said through His servant?
Sloth: True, the famine, war, earthquake, and other things that were prophesied by President Benson, and in the scriptures, really could happen eventually, I suppose. But for the most part, I would expect the members of the Church won't be affected, due to the righteousness of the Saints.
Advocate: In D&C section 112, verses 24 and 25, speaking of the calamities that will come "as a whirlwind," the scriptures say, "upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord." Also, in the same Conference talk I just mentioned, President Benson also said "Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion."
Sloth: Wow, that's a pretty strong statement. Alright, I can see that big disasters could happen, even here, even to members of the Church. But I have faith in the Lord, and I know that he will bless and protect his righteous Saints.
Advocate: Are you including yourself in that category of "righteous Saints"? I think you're a good person—you're active in the Church, you try to do your calling, and you try to be kind and help other people. But the Lord said in D&C 82:10 that He is bound when we do what He says, but when we don't do what He says we have no promise. And in D&C 130:21 He said that when we obtain any blessing, it is by obedience to the law upon which it is predicated. If you paid your tithing but violated the Word of Wisdom by smoking, you wouldn't expect the Lord to bless you with protection from lung cancer, would you? So if you don't follow the counsel to be prepared with food storage, maybe you're not as righteous and obedient as you think you are, at least in that aspect. If you don't prepare food for your family, your family may go without food. And what could be more heart-wrenching for a parent than to have children come asking, "Daddy, Mommy, I'm hungry", and have nothing to give them?
Sloth: That's true, that would break my heart to see my children go hungry, especially if I knew I was responsible for them and should have prepared, but didn't. But I believe the Lord would give us plenty of notice before some big disaster like that would happen.
Advocate: The pamphlet from the First Presidency I just gave you was published in 2007, three years ago. A letter from the First Presidency about home storage of enough food for one year was read in Sacrament Meetings in 2002, eight years ago. Thirty-four years ago, in 1976, Spencer W. Kimball said "We encourage families to have on hand this year's supply; and we say it over and over and over and repeat over and over the scriptures of the Lord where He says, 'Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?' " Seventy-three years ago, in 1937, J. Reuben Clark said in General Conference, "Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead." How many decades of advance notice do you need?
Sloth: Yeah, I suppose that's enough advance notice for me. But if something really big were going to happen soon, Church leaders would emphasize it more.
Advocate: If you end up in the spirit world prematurely, along with your family, because you didn't prepare, what do you think you're going to tell the Lord? Are you going to feel comfortable facing the Lord and telling Him the reason you and your family are there in the spirit world prematurely, before your life's mission is complete, is that you didn't think the Church leaders were serious when they said to get your food storage, because they didn't emphasize it enough? Will you feel comfortable telling Him that you thought His servants didn't really mean what they said?
Sloth: Okay, I'm convinced it's important to work on food storage preparedness and get it done. But we've had decades of time go by since we've had all these warnings in the past. How do you know we won't have decades more time in the future? When I see that things are starting to get bad in the world, I'll hurry and get my food storage when I can see I'm going to need it.
Advocate: Remember the Parable of the Ten Virgins. When the bridegroom came, the five foolish virgins realized they were out of oil, and needed to hurry and get some. But they were too late. When you finally start to wake up to the signs of the times, is it going to be too late for you? If you haven't woken up already with all the hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes lately, what is it going to take? Are you volunteering to be one of the five foolish virgins to make sure the Parable is properly fulfilled? I guess somebody needs to fill that role, though I wouldn't want it to be me.
Sloth: Sure, but natural disasters have happened throughout history. They go in cycles. Sometimes there are more, sometimes there are less. Just because things have been happening other places doesn't mean we'll be affected here. How do you know we don't have another 100 years before we'll need food storage?
Advocate: In the Priesthood Session of the April 2009 Conference, about a year ago, President Boyd K. Packer said "Your generation is filled with uncertainties. A life of fun and games and expensive toys has come to an abrupt end. We move from a generation of ease and entertainment to a generation of hard work and responsibility. We do not know how long that will last... Some of you live in countries where most of what you eat and some of what you wear will depend on what can be produced by the family."
Sloth: Well, perhaps President Packer was referring to other countries, not us here in the United States, when he talks about how most of what we eat will depend on what can be produced by the family. Besides, nobody knows when the Second Coming will be. The scriptures are pretty clear that nobody knows the day nor the hour.
Advocate: It's true that no one knows the day or hour of the Second Coming. But there are many difficult times prophesied in the scriptures to occur well in advance of that great event. Some have already happened, but it's clear that more are yet to come. In D&C section 45, as well as in several places in the New Testament, we are taught through a parable that when the fig tree begins to put forth leaves, we can know that summer is near. Likewise, we can recognize the signs of the times and know that prophesied events are approaching.
Sloth: You know, I guess I'm not willing to take a chance and risk the possibility that my family may have to go hungry if I'm not prepared. I guess I'd better get my food storage together. Sister Walker, I understand you're the new food storage specialist. Could I meet with you and get some help figuring all this out?
This script was originally written for use in a lesson on preparedness given Sunday, May 30th, 2010, in the Eagle Mountain 3rd Ward, in Eagle Mountain, Utah. Permission is granted to distribute it freely. It is hoped that many may read this and be encouraged to prepare. Last revised Thursday, June 10th, 2010.