LDS Freedom Forum

Rand wrote:One of the major components of living the law of consecration is to share. I think our storage is more about obedience than it is about the practicality of surviving a catastrophe. Otherwise, all those who obeyed through all these years were being given a useless task.

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8 ¶ And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

(Old Testament | 1 Kings 17:1–16)

Actually being prepared is a very difficult thing. My family has always been clueless about it. It's not easy.

“We have built grain storage and storehouses and stocked them with the necessities of life in the event of a disaster. But the real storehouse is the family storeroom. In words of revelation the Lord has said, ‘Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing’ (D&C 109:8.)”

President Gordon B. Hinckley



“We are living in the prophesied time ‘when peace shall be taken from the earth’ (D&C 1:35,) when ‘all things shall be in commotion’ and ‘men’s hearts shall fail them’ (D&C 88:91.) There are many temporal causes of commotion, including wars and natural disasters, but an even greater cause of current ‘commotion’ is spiritual.” Elder Dallin H. Oaks

“Every father and mother are the family’s store keepers. They should store whatever their family would like to have in case of an emergency…(and) God will sustain us through our trials.” President James E. Faust

“Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year’s supply of food. . . and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year’s supply of debt and are food free.” President Thomas S. Monson

“Just as it is important to prepare ourselves spiritually, we must also prepare ourselves for our temporal needs. … We have been instructed for years to follow at least four requirements in preparing for that which is to come.

“First, gain an adequate education. Learn a trade or a profession to enable you to obtain steady employment that will provide remuneration sufficient to care for yourself and your family. …

“Second, live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day. Incorporate in your lives the discipline of budgeting that which the Lord has blessed you with. As regularly as you pay your tithing, set aside an amount needed for future family requirements. …

“Third, avoid excessive debt. Necessary debt should be incurred only after careful, thoughtful prayer and after obtaining the best possible advice. We need the discipline to stay well within our ability to pay. …

“Fourth, acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life [if local laws permit such storage]. Obtain clothing and build a savings account on a sensible, well-planned basis that can serve well in times of emergency. As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness.” – Elder L. Tom Perry, October 1995 General Conference

“Maintain a year’s supply. The Lord has urged that his people save for the rainy days, prepare for the difficult times, and put away for emergencies, a year’s supply or more of bare necessities so that when comes the flood, the earthquake, the famine, the hurricane, the storms of life, our families can be sustained through the dark days. How many of us have complied with this? We strive with the Lord, finding many excuses: We do not have room for storage. The food spoils. We do not have the funds to do it. We do not like these common foods. It is not needed — there will always be someone to help in trouble. The government will come to the rescue. And some intend to obey but procrastinate.” – The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.375

“All too often a family’s spending is governed more by their yearning than by their earning. They somehow believe that their life will be better if they surround themselves with an abundance of things. All too often all they are left with is avoidable anxiety and distress” – Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

“Be prepared in all things against the day when tribulations and desolations are sent forth upon the wicked.” D&C 29:8

“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 aquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them.” President Ezra Taft Benson

“Fear not little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. . .Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” D&C 6:34, 36

“I believe that the Ten Virgins represent the people of the Church of Jesus Christ. . . They (five foolish) had the saving, exalting gospel, but it had not been made the center of their lives. They knew the way but gave only a small measure of loyalty and devotion.

“The foolish asked the others to share their oil, but spiritual preparedness cannot be shared in an instant. . . . This was not selfishness or unkindness. The kind of oil that is needed to illuminate the way and light up the darkness is not shareable. . . . In our lives the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living.” – President Spencer W. Kimball

“We encourage families to have on hand this year’s supply; we say it over and over and over and repeat over and over the scripture of the Lord where he says, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say?” How empty it is as they put their spirituality, so-called, into action and call him by his important names, but fail to do the things which he says.” – President Spencer W. Kimball

“I stand before the Church this day and raise the warning voice. It is a prophetic voice, for I shall say only what the apostles and the prophets have spoken concerning our day. …It is a voice calling upon the Lord’s people to prepare for the troubles and desolations which are about to be poured upon the world without measure. For the moment, we live in a day of peace and prosperity but it shall not ever be thus. Great trials lie ahead. All of the sorrows and perils of the past are but a foretaste of what is yet to be. And we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually.” – Bruce R. McConkie (General Conference April 1979)

“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” – J. Reuben Clark (General Conference April 1937.)

“Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the Church … a famine in this land of one year’s duration could wipe out a large percentage of sloughful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned.” – Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, April 1965)

Now I am sure we are all going to share.

“For the righteous, the gospel provides a warning before calamity, a program for the crises, refuge for each disaster… The Lord has warned us of famines, but the righteous will have listened to the prophets and stored at least one year’s supply of survival food…”- Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1973)

“The little gardens and a few trees are very valuable. I remember when the sisters used to say, `well, but we could buy it at the store a lot cheaper than we could put it up.’ But that isn’t quite the answer, is it, Sister Spafford? Because there will become a time when there isn’t a store.”- Spencer W. Kimball (General Conference, April 1974)

“On the average, about 30 percent of the church has a two-month supply of food. The remainder have little or none…become self-sufficient as possible to prepare against the days to come.”- Bishop H. Burke Peterson (General Conference October 1975)

“Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account… We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now.” – Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1980)

“We feel the need to emphasize with greater clarity the obligation for members of the Church to become more independent and self reliant.” – Gordon B. Hinckley (General Conference, April 1983)

“Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account… We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now.” – Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1980)

“Noah heeded God’s command to build an ark…that they might be saved from the floodwaters. Yet there was no evidence of rain and flood. His actions were considered irrational. The sun was shining and life moved forward as usual. But time ran out. The floods came, the disobedient were drowned. When God speaks and we obey, we will always be right.” – Thomas S. Monson (October 2002 Ensign)

“Will you be slack, brethren, and let the evil come upon us, when we forewarn you of the future events that are coming;… We are telling of what the prophets have said-of what the Lord has said to Joseph. Wake up now, wake up, O Israel, and lay up your grain and your stores. I tell you that there is trouble coming upon the world…” – Heber C. Kimball (Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p. 336-9)

“A great many have taken this counsel, and they are prepared…Who is deserving of praise? The persons who take care of themselves, or the ones who always trust in the great mercies of the Lord to take care of them? It is just as consistent to expect that the Lord will supply us with fruit when we do not plant the trees; or that, when we do not plow and sow and are saved the labor of harvesting, we should cry to the Lord to save us from want, as to ask Him to save us from the consequences of our own folly, disobedience and waste…”The Lord has said, ‘Gather and save the produce I put within your reach

will wrote:It has been a few years, I have gone dormant on this thread, I have read many post and held my tongue. I have seen things as a Nation and the World go down hill rather quickly. The Question I have Is one I have pondered over the years. Saying we had to as a Church Share our Food Storage with those who have not prepared. How Long would it Last? Maybe two to three weeks Tops, I would Share even at the own peril of My Family. The Lord Knows this. Now Throw your Neighbors into the Mix. How long would it last? Maybe a day or two. So What is the Solution? I have come to my own Conclusion Any thoughts? I will be happy to share what I have come up with, I just want to see what others have thought on this. Also does you level of preparedness factor into your response.

That same God who gave the revelations to his servant Joseph Smith in regard to these matters, will fulfil every jot and every tittle that has been spoken, concerning that nation. What then will be the condition of that people, when this great and terrible war shall come? It will be very different from the war between the North and the South. Do you wish me to describe it? I will do so. It will be a war of neighborhood against neighborhood, city against city, town against town, county against county, state against state, and they will go forth destroying and being destroyed and manufacturing will, in a great measure, cease, for a time, among the American nation. Why? Because in these terrible wars, they will not be privileged to manufacture, there will be too much bloodshed--too much mobocracy--too much going forth in bands and destroying and pillaging the land to suffer people to pursue any local vocation with any degree of safety. What will become of millions of the farmers upon that land? They will leave their farms and they will remain uncultivated, and they will flee before the ravaging armies from place to place; and thus will they go forth burning and pillaging the whole country; and that great and powerful nation, now consisting of some forty millions of people, will be wasted away, unless they repent. JD, O PRATT 20:151

ldsfireguy wrote:If my neighbor asks me for my coat, give him my cloak also. If he asks me for a dollar, give him five.

I believe in these words that Jesus said - I believe that in following them at all costs we will be protected and supported, whether in the flesh or after. Anyone comes to my house asking for food, christian or not, LDS or not, family or not, friend or not, and they will share what we have until it is gone. If after that the end comes, then we will go on together, or the Lord will provide for us.

However, if anyone comes to my house to take the food we have, then they will get a taste of death until my breath is gone.

coachmarc wrote:It is easy to think "me" or "my family." In Zion there are no poor. And chances are that all individuals and families will be asked by their bishop to consecrate all that they have saved. You can't be a part of Zion otherwise as it wouldn't be a Zion thing otherwise. We covenanted to live the law of consecration. Just my thoughts.

I don't need food storage I know I can rely on those that have sacrificed and put away what they were asked surely we will all Share