lds2

President Boyd K. Packer and Elder Allan F. Packer have both been talking about the times ahead (at least according to my relative and friends that have lived in wards where they have unofficially spoken.) Since we aren't supposed to spread notes/rumors of such addresses I was wondering if they have been saying similar things in their talks lately and they have!!! "To gain courage for what lies ahead, we need to be connected to the gospel of Jesus Christ."..."This is not a time to be naive, unprepared, or unaware."..."We need to have the Spirit and look to the prophets and our priesthood leaders for guidance." Elder Allan F. Packer of the Seventy, Ensign, Aug. 2011, Solidly Anchored in Our Testimonies He also told of these quotes in his talk...(I have heard that Elder Packer is also related to the Ballard's FWIW) Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to the students at BYU-I about the last days. He spoke of the fulfillment of prophecies and the fallibility men. A common link in his talk was the admonition for students to strengthen their testimonies in preparation for what lies ahead. He went on to say, “I [do not] want … to frighten you but to wake you up.” He then said, “We’re in the last days—you can quote me on that. And it is moving more rapidly.” M. Russell Ballard in “Treasure Truth and Prepare for the Future,” Church News, Feb. 13, 2010, 3. “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...“It may seem that the world is in commotion; and it is! It may seem that there are wars and rumors of wars; and there are! It may seem that the future will hold trials and difficulties for you; and it will! However, fear is the opposite of faith. Do not be afraid! I do not fear.” Boyd K. Packer, “Counsel to Young Men,” Ensign, May 2009, 52. and this scripture was also referenced... 2 Timothy 3:1–6 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. I posted this before but didn't realize it would be a problem posting articles from the Ensign...hopefully this will be okay...to read the article see it here... Solidly Anchored in Our Testimonies - Ensign Aug. 2011

I figured it out once and to feed all the members of the Church would be around 5 billion pounds of food...and that would be near starvation rations for most of us. When they say repeadtedly say they can't feed us all...I think they mean it.

I just discovered this today on LDS.org and thought that y'all might find it interesting as it is the current quote under the heading of "food storage" for the Church... Food Storage For many years, Church leaders have counseled members to prepare to care for themselves and their families in times of need. This includes, to the extent that local laws and personal circumstances allow, storing and saving a one-year supply of food. Additional Information Recently, Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. . . . 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” (“If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 36).

Some of my friends think that the reason why FS hasn't been talked about in Conference is because things are only going to get better and so there isn't a need for us to have it. I must have been sleeping when President Packer said this, but it definitely tells us which way we are headed. But it is good to know if we obey His Commandments, including this one, we have no reason to fear.

Yep, that was fun...

A son recently bought a generous year supply of the basics "beans, rice, oats, popcorn, wheat and other grains" for $250 that we canned ourselves. Just a couple of cans a week adds up over the years...for those that took the First Presidency's advice to do that in 2007...they would have well over 300 cans by now. ** I understand how difficult space is...I live in a "modest" home without a basement and it is difficult. Some of our solutions have been... Some of my children sleep on food storage with bed skirts around the boxes to hide them in their rooms...other's have had canned goods. My children's TV/game stand was also made out of boxes with a matching sheet to their decor over it. We have canned goods on shelves in our clothes and other closets, hidden in our living room, and some of our longer-term grains storage is outside where we keep it off the ground, mostly out of the sun and where it will stay dry. My family and friends with more room help out...my mom has a small portion of our supply in her basement storage room and my friend has another small portion of perishables in her cold storage room. Hope this helps! .

Enduring well without sin in the face of hunger would be a very difficult thing... I think righteous Saints could starve to death, but could they watch their crying children or grandchildren starve if another family had food? My best friend says that she has no intention to prepare for her own family but she would, "beg, borrow, or steal" others supplies before she would let HER children go hungry...with usually about 5 percent of actively involved LDS families having minimal food storage there just wouldn't be enough food for everyone in a ward let alone a community in a long-term or wide spread emergency. It would take miracles to survive... My ancestors had a large family with two family members that were invalids the father and a sister. They were asked to leave their oldest son to serve a mission in Europe when they emigrated to Utah. They were well-to-do (they paid the ship passage for others) and had enough money to afford well stocked wagons with animals to pull their family across the plains. They were asked to give up the animals and wagons and pull their belongings as well as their family members to Utah in handcarts. As part of the Martin group they gave up their food and comfort and suffered starvation with the other handcart Saints. They were among those who dug the final mass graves and donated their last handmade linens for the burials. Because of their charity, faith and obedience all of their large family were healthy and LIVED which in itself was a miracle as they had the extra burden of pulling adult family members. To me putting food aside in obedience is nothing compared to what they did out of obedience. I believe obedience and charity bring blessings...sometimes even miracles. .

This is a compilation of related quotes from the general authorities that I've been collecting for some years now...I find them pretty convincing when I read them all together... Your friend who's LDS2

According to the food calculator on provident living a family of 6 needs 300 pounds of grains and 60 pounds of beans or other legumes per person to stay alive for one year...that means that family would need a minimum of 2,160 lbs. of food. (I say minimum because 1,400 to 1,500 calories per day is considered bare survival for adults…particularly for those that must labor or might experience extreme temperatures, etc.) The church also recommends that, "You…add other items to your longer-term storage such as sugar, nonfat dry milk, salt, baking soda, and cooking oil…[and] foods containing Vitamin C and other essential nutrients." A year's supply of food currently is $264 (for 12 “starter kits”…The starter kit is a one month supply of food for one person. Each box contains 2 cans wheat, 2 cans rice, 1 can oatmeal and 1 can of beans.) For a family of six this year supply could have 72 cases and would cost $1,584 (if bought directly from the dry pack cannery.) A lot of people think if the government and church can’t feed their family they can turn to their neighbors for food; or that food will be “called in” and that there will be enough food to feed the ward or stake. This scenario is unrealistic…even if your neighbor has a year supply of food on hand, a meal’s ration of food is less than a cup per meal (1/3 C Beans and 2 cups grains per day). Since in many wards there are only a few families with such supplies it is unlikely that they would be able to feed their extended family members…let alone their friends, ward members, neighbors, work associates and all of the many other people that have said to them, “We know where to go when things get bad.” In other words, if your neighbor, ward or stake feeding you and your children is your calamity survival plan, you need another plan! Many believe that it is pointless to store food since it would be gone so quickly…to them it seems better to continue on and use their money to “eat, drink and be merry” as much as they can, while they can. The reason I would give to prepare is probably different from most others. I believe we should prepare because the Lord has lovingly commanded us to do so. Being obedient to the commandment to prepare may be one of those irrevocable laws upon which our future blessings are predicated. A few years ago, Bishop McMullin told us to, “Be faithful. Unencumber your life. Lay up in store…As we do our very best, we can be confident that ‘the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail.’ We shall enjoy greater wisdom, security, peace of mind, and personal well-being. We shall be prepared, and because we are prepared, we ‘shall not fear.’”17 These are wonderful blessings! Most people buy many types of insurance each year to help prevent unexpected loss, I would like to recommend a type of insurance that could actually save life. “Famine insurance” or food may not always be easily available and/or affordable. There is a saying that says, “I would rather prepare five years too early, than five minutes too late.” It only takes hours to clean out grocery store’s shelves when disasters are imminent…unfortunately we don’t always get advanced warning for when a natural or man-made disaster will occur. Also, roads can be impassible, fuel can run out, truckers can strike, foods can be out-of-stock, power outages can make food unobtainable in the stores as cards and registers cease to function. In many places the only local crop is hay…not fruit, vegetables or grains. It takes knowledge, good soil/land, water, fertilizer, seed, the right season and often many months to harvest your own food. In 1856, Heber C. Kimball warned, "Yes, we think we are secure here in the chambers of these everlasting hills...but I want to say to you, my brethren, the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy against the people of God. Then is the time to look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall. For I say unto you there is a test, a test, a TEST coming."18 In 2010, Elder M. Russell Ballard speaking to the students at BYU-I said, “I [do not] want … to frighten you but to wake you up.” He then continued, “We’re in the last days—you can quote me on that. And it is moving more rapidly.”28 In April 2004, Elder Dallin H. Oaks declared, “Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it.” He goes on to say, “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).”19 Elder Eyring speaking in 2005 believed, “The giant earthquake, and the tsunamis it sent crashing into the coasts around the Indian Ocean, is just the beginning and a part of what is to come, terrible as it was…and all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people (D&C 88: 88-91)...As the challenges around us increase, we must commit to do more to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.”20 About that disaster Elder Boyd K. Packer said, "If 9/11 was a wake-up call, then the earthquake and tsunami in Southeast Asia, was a kick out of bed. We need to pay attention to the Signs of the Times."21 In the June 2008 Ensign, President Eyring counseled us, “Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. That ground becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came. And then it was too late.”9 How foolish do people who have stored a three-month supply of food and a longer-term supply for their families and others seem to you? Pres. Benson said, “The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.”22 The door of the ark was shut to those seeking entrance once the rains began, the door was also closed to the five foolish virgins (whom we are told represent some of the Saints of our day.) So…if doors were “shut” for any reason would you be safely locked in? or would you be locked out? Every prophet (until President Monson) over the last 70 years has talked about having the Church members get a bare minimum of at least one year’s supply of staple food items. This counsel has changed, the church now has put emphasis on gaining a three-month supply of foods your family will eat. To me this is interesting because twelve weeks is generally the accepted amount of time experts say most families would need to “shelter-in-place” in case of a pandemic in their area. At the government pandemic flu site it says, “In an affected community, at least two pandemic disease waves (about 6-8 weeks each) are likely over several months.”23 Experts agree that it is only a matter of time before the next pandemic hits. The 1918 flu took one week to spread across the country…with today’s travel it would be a matter of hours. It would be well if we were prepared to stay safely “sheltering-in-place” at home should this occur. The major change in what we should store occurred several years ago when a new pamphlet, “All Is Safely Gathered In,” was distributed. It was first talked about by the Presiding Bishopric, then it was handed out to the Bishop’s to distribute to all the families in their wards, and later was included in the Ensign. It seems that it was important counsel meant for us to read and follow. The following message is from this pamphlet: “Message from the First Presidency Dear Brothers and Sisters: 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) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others. We encourage Church members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve. We realize that some of you may not have financial resources or space for such storage. Some of you may be prohibited by law from storing large amounts of food. We encourage you to store as much as circumstances allow. May the Lord bless you in your home storage efforts. “24 Brothers and Sisters, the Lord sent us down in this blessed but difficult dispensation for a purpose and He has a plan for us. President Benson told us, “For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming of the Lord…the kingdom of God will remain intact to welcome the return of its head--even Jesus Christ. While our generation will be comparable in wickedness to the days of Noah…there is a major difference this time. It is that God has saved for the final inning some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the Kingdom triumphantly. And that is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God…Make no mistake about it--you are a marked generation. There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time as there is of us. Never before on the face of this earth have the forces of evil and the forces of good been as well organized…The final outcome is certain--the forces of righteousness will finally win. What remains to be seen is where each of us personally, now and in the future, will stand in this fight--and how tall we will stand. Will we be true to our last-days, foreordained mission?25 Fortunately, we have been prepared to meet the challenges of our day. President Monson said in his closing remarks from October Conference in 2009, "My brothers and sisters, He has prepared us. If we heed His words and live the commandments, we will survive this time…He is ever mindful of us. He loves us and will bless us as we do what is right."26 I believe “He has prepared us” both spiritually and temporally so that “we will survive this time” and the times ahead. HEAVENLY FATHER has lovingly commanded us to prepare every needful thing. May the Lord watch over us, direct us, guide us and bless us with His miracles as we do our very best to do so… 1) Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, “Living in the Fulness of Times,” Ensign, Nov. 2001 2) Pres. Henry B. Eyring, “Let Us Raise A Voice of Warning,” Ensign, Nov. 1998; “Let Us Raise a Voice of Warning,” Ensign, Jan. 2009 3) Elder David A. Bednar, “Who’s on the Lord’s Side? Now is the Time to Show,” BYU-I Education Week Address, July 2010 4) Pres. Thomas S. Monson, “A Word At Closing,” Ensign, May 2010 5) Pres. Kimball, “Faith Precedes the Miracle,” pg. 253 6) Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, “To the Boys and Men,” Ensign, Nov. 1998 7) Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Times in Which We Live,” Ensign, Nov. 2001 8) Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, “If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear,” Ensign, Nov. 2005 9) Pres. Henry B. Eyring, “Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, Jun 2008 10) “Food Crisis 2011? 14 Disturbing Facts That Make You Wonder If The Coming Global Food Shortage Has Already Begun,” The American Dream, Feb 2011 11) Pres. James E. Faust, “The Responsibility for Welfare Rests with Me and My Family,” Ensign, May 1986 12) Pres. Thomas S. Monson, “That Noble Gift—Love at Home,” BYU Women’s Conference Address, May 4, 2001 13) Bishop Victor L. Brown, “Prepare Every Needful Thing,” Ensign, Nov. 1980 14) Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, “Prepare for the Days of Tribulation,” Ensign, November 1980 15) President Brigham Young, Mill Creek Ward Remarks, July 25, 1868, Journal of Discourses 12. Quoted by Bishop Victor L. Brown in, “Prepare Every Needful Thing,” Ensign, Nov. 1980 16) The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” read by President Gordon B. Hinckley, Sep. 23, 1995 17) Bishop Keith B. McMullin, “Lay Up In Store,” Ensign, May 2007 18) Heber C. Kimball, 1856. Quoted by J. Golden Kimball, Conference Report, October Conference, 1930 19) Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign, May 2004 20) Elder Henry B. Eyring, “Raise the Bar,” Brigham Young University–Idaho Devotional, Jan. 25, 2005 21) Elder Boyd K. Packer, Meeting of the Twelve and the Seventy, Jan. 11, 2005. quoted by H. Aldredge Gillspie, LDS Business College Address, Feb. 9, 2005 22) Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Fathers in Israel,” Ensign, Nov. 1987 23) “School District (K-12) Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist,” Flu.gov 24) First Presidency, “All is Safely Gathered In, Family Home Storage,” Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2007 25) Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, “In His Steps,” BYU Fireside, Mar. 4, 1979 26) Pres. Thomas S. Monson, “Closing Remarks,” October Conference, October 4, 2009 27) Pres. Packer, “Counsel to Young Men,” Ensign, May 2009 28) Pres. Ballard, "See M. Russell Ballard, “Treasure Truth and Prepare for the Future,” Church News, Feb. 13, 2010 Some of the thoughts and words of this talk? come from a talk given by Marti Grobecker around 2007. Really it is a compilation of my collection of quotes that I believe pertain to our day. Best wishes my friends, LDS2

One Sunday morning in Relief Society I participated in a discussion of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In it we discussed the prophecies of Joel wherein he said the sun would be darkened and the moon turned to blood…and we wondered what that might look like when it happens. I vaguely recalled another discussion regarding this prophecy and after searching found President Hinckley’s talk entitled “Living in the Fulness of Times” (given shortly after 9/11.) He said that this vision, along with the words of Malachi, have been fulfilled, “The vision of Joel has been fulfilled wherein he declared: ‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come…’ (Joel 2:28–32).”1 I wonder if the twin towers were the pillars of smoke spoken of in Joel’s prophecy or whether the Gulf War may have fulfilled these or other prophecies. I do not know. However, knowing that the signs mentioned in the vision of Joel were fulfilled years ago makes me wonder where we are in time and how much longer we will have in order to prepare for the further prophecies of the last days. Elder Henry B. Eyring once said, “Because the Lord is kind, He calls servants to warn people of danger. That call to warn is made harder and more important by the fact that the warnings of most worth are about dangers that people don’t yet think are real…Here is the charge given to each of the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: ‘Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor’…It’s easy to say, ‘The time isn’t right.’ But there is danger in procrastination.”2 My neighbors, I would like to share with you that I know that we are living in the fullness of times where the Lord has commanded us to prepare every needful thing because he loves us (D&C 109:8). He has directed us to, “Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus, who was on the earth, and is to come, the beginning and the end…Behold, I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly. Even so. Amen” (D&C 49: 12, 28). While we are instructed to “watch with all perseverance” we should do it with faith…not fear. Elder Bednar gave us this guidance, "Now brothers and sisters, these teachings from modern and ancient prophets about latter-day tests and trials are sobering and solemn. But they should not be discouraging, and we should not be afraid. For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, spiritual warnings lead to increasingly vigilant watching. You and I live in ‘a day of warning’ (D&C 63:58). And because we have been and will be warned, we need to be, as the Apostle Paul admonished, ‘watching … with all perseverance’ (Ephesians 6:18). As we watch and prepare, truly we have no need to fear (see D&C 38:30).”3 President Packer speaking in conference in 2009 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...the future will hold trials and difficulties for you...However, fear is the opposite of faith. Do not be afraid! I do not fear.”27 We truly have no need to fear, our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson gave us “a word at closing” at the end of General Conference in 2010, “My brothers and sisters, today, as we look at the world around us, we are faced with problems which are serious and of great concern to us. The world seems to have slipped from the moorings of safety and drifted from the harbor of peace…My counsel…is to look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing…The Lord loves us, my brothers and sisters, and will bless us as we call upon Him.”4 President Kimball in his book, "Faith Precedes the Miracle" wrote, “Do we lose faith, do we lose patience, do we lose hope, do we get weary in waiting, because the day is long and the event delayed? It is difficult to be prepared for an event so long delayed. Many have found it too difficult and they slumber without due preparation…But we cannot allow ourselves to slumber…I believe that the Ten Virgins represent the people of the Church of Jesus Christ…The wise had to go; else the bridegroom would have gone unwelcomed. They needed all their oil for themselves; they could not save the foolish. The responsibility was each for himself. This was not selfishness or unkindness.”5 A year or two ago I heard a stake president tell us in his testimony that at the regional leadership conference a general authority referenced President Hinckley's talk from 1998 regarding Pharaoh's Dream, the stormy weather ahead, and the need to have our houses in order. Then he asked them how many in attendance now wished that they had hearkened to President Hinckley’s words? Why does that matter? Because I believe Pharaoh’s Dream has great significance for our day. I’ll show you why… The first time President Hinckley mentioned Pharaoh’s dream was in 1998 when he said, “I wish to speak to you about temporal matters. As a backdrop for what I wish to say, I read to you a few verses from the 41st chapter of Genesis. Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, dreamed dreams which greatly troubled him...And I saw in my dream…seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.” Then Joseph’s interpretation, “Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine…And God will shortly bring it to pass (Gen. 41:20, 26, 30, 32). Now, brethren, I want to make it very clear that I am not prophesying, that I am not predicting years of famine in the future. But I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order…There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed...That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable.” A portent means something of prophetic or ominous significance. President Hinckley also spoke of the fragile economy, how people are living off of their borrowings instead of earnings and how paying interest is financial bondage. He said that he hoped that there wouldn’t be a depression…twice, but then said he was concerned about all the debt our members are carrying. He talked about how Elder Faust paid off his mortgage quickly, and how content that has made him.6 President Hinckley again referenced Pharaoh’s dream just weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attack in his talk, “The Times In Which We Live.” Pres. Hinckley said, “The economy is particularly vulnerable. We have been counseled again and again concerning self-reliance, concerning debt, concerning thrift. So many of our people are heavily in debt for things that are not entirely necessary.” Then he talked about getting a modest home and paying it off as quickly as possible. He said, “We cannot provide against every contingency. But we can provide against many contingencies. Let the present situation remind us that this we should do. As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need…” He referenced Pharaoh’s dream when he said, “I do not know what the future holds. I do not wish to sound negative, but I wish to remind you of the warnings of scripture and the teachings of the prophets which we have had constantly before us. I cannot forget the great lesson of Pharaoh’s dream of the fat and lean kine and of the full and withered stalks of corn. I cannot dismiss from my mind the grim warnings of the Lord as set forth in the 24th chapter of Matthew. I am familiar, as are you, with the declarations of modern revelation that the time will come when the earth will be cleansed and there will be indescribable distress, with weeping and mourning and lamentation (see D&C 112:24). Now, I do not wish to be an alarmist. I do not wish to be a prophet of doom.”7 Said President Hinckley in October Conference in 2005, “What [calamities] we have experienced in the past was all foretold, and the end is not yet. Just as there have been calamities in the past, we expect more in the future. What do we do? Someone has said it was not raining when Noah built the ark. But he built it, and the rains came…We can heed warnings…the best storehouse is the family storeroom. In words of revelation the Lord has said, ‘Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing’ (D&C 109:8 ). Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparation as will assure survival should a calamity come. We can set aside some water, basic food, medicine, and clothing to keep us warm. We ought to have a little money laid aside in case of a rainy day…” This talk was given exactly seven years from the date that President Hinckley first gave (as I call it) his “seven years of plenty talk.” In it he again mentioned the dream of Pharaoh when he said, “Let us never lose sight of the dream of Pharaoh concerning the fat cattle and the lean, the full ears of corn and the blasted ears, the meaning of which was interpreted by Joseph to indicate years of plenty and years of scarcity.”8 President Eyring told us, “In our own time we have been warned with counsel on where to find safety...One of the keys to recognizing those warnings is that they are repeated.”9 Not only did President Hinckley warn us repeatedly, he also could not “forget” or “dismiss from his mind” this dream, he also warned us of a “portent” of stormy weather ahead for which his warning was most emphatic. It is interesting to note what was happening in Egypt during the “years of famine.” In Genesis 47:15 it says, “And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.” As their money failed they gave the government all their remaining assets including their valuables, homes and lands in exchange for food and shelter. Eventually the people were gathered together and became slaves of the government. We can see that financially we are in lean years and most agree that it will take years to come out of this recession…but could we experience an actual famine where there is no food or we can’t afford the food that is available? If you have been watching the news you will have heard of the extreme record breaking drought in Russia in 2009, at the beginning of 2010 we heard of a near 200-year drought which affected China, and record breaking floods (Mississippi, Vermont) and droughts (Texas and surrounding states) in the United States, Europe, Africa and Argentina; devastating floods and hurricanes have hit Australia, China, Pakistan, Brazil and Mexico, etc.; killer heat waves and freezes have been destroying crops all over the world. We will be looking at famine that could “wax sore” if things don’t improve in the next few growing seasons. China, Russia and the Middle East continue to buy vast amounts of food and other commodities and even global farmlands. Other countries have been increasing their food stores to prevent hunger induced chaos. Poor countries are begging to be given a bigger “piece of the pie” as their people starve because of failed crops and/or higher food prices.10 There are also many other food related issues such as animal and plant diseases, insect, rodent and other plagues, plant fungi, increased transportation costs, volcanic ash, declining bee populations, increased prices for fertilizers and seeds, farmers who no longer have the financial means or access to credit to replant, etc. Unfortunately, years ago, the US government stopped storing emergency grain for its citizens. Fortunately, that doesn’t matter to those of us of the LDS faith because the Church has grains enough and to spare…at least that is what we tell ourselves. That is not what our leaders tell us however, from President Faust we hear, "Every father and mother are the family's storekeepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency…The Church cannot be expected to provide for every one of its millions of members in case of public or personal disaster. It is therefore necessary that each home and family do what they can to assume the responsibility for their own hour of need… I believe if we are provident and wise…and are faithful, God will sustain us through our trials.”11 A friend in Northern Utah was called as the ward employment specialist in his ward a few years ago when there were two men who were chronically unemployed, two weeks later there were 11 families experiencing unemployment. Last we talked, he reported there were 56 members in his ward needing employment. Our prophet President Thomas S. Monson once observed that, "Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year's supply of food and clothing 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."12 Can the church feed us all? During the last recession Bishop Victor L. Brown told us, “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...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…the welfare program rests on the basic principle of personal and family preparedness, not on Church preparedness…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).”13 In order to feed the members of the Church “longer-term supply” bare survival rations for one year it would currently require around 5 BILLION pounds of grains and legumes. Calamities can happen to us all…even the “Saintliest” of Latter Day Saints. President Ezra Taft Benson told of his experiences with the righteous Saints in war torn Europe, “I shall never forget the Saints of Hamburg who appeared on the verge of collapse from starvation, or their small children…We saw the terrible physical and social side effects of hunger and malnutrition…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. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion.”14 Brigham Young warned of the consequences of failing to prepare adequately for the possibility of famine caused by insects in his day, "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?...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."15 The First Presidency told us in, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” “By divine design, fathers are…responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.”16 Over the years we have been told repeatedly that personal and family preparedness are the responsibility of the members, not the Church. So what is our responsibility for ourselves and our family and what is expected of us? First we must gather a three-month supply of foods that we normally eat and a two week supply of water. Then we should gather a longer-term supply of grains and beans (and a financial reserve where possible.) What is meant by “longer-term” is left between us and the Lord. Brigham Young encouraged the Saints in his time to store seven years worth of provisions, then it progressively declined over the decades to just one year of provisions.15 This counsel stayed the same for over 70 years. I have read that some Christian denominations plan on storing food to last through seven years of tribulation. Most in our Church would agree that that is overkill, but we need to be close enough to the spirit to discern how much the Lord would have us store for our families and for others.

I like to buy from Walton Feed in bulk and then put the freeze dried or dehydrated food into cans using the canner I borrow from the dry pack cannery. Freight is cheaper if you do a group buy. If I make a trip to Bear Lake I can bring the bags home with me! I find that when I buy from the already packaged stores that some cans can be half full depending on what's in the can and where I buy it from. Here in the SLC area we have Emergency Essentials, Augason Farms, Honeyville, Saratoga Farms and Thrive and so we have a lot of choice and we can shop around to get the best deals. But when comparing foods you need to make sure you compare not just the price but the amount that is in the can and the quality...like you wouldn't compare freeze dried bananas with dehydrated, or food from China compared to Idaho. I noticed that Emergency Essentials in their last ads whited out the ounces on their cans and its not on their online ads either. I had to call to find out how many ounces of peaches I would be getting if I bought their sale item. Honeyville has a 15 percent off on their foods if you buy a case right now if you go to their store near the SLC airport their in store prices are cheaper and there is no shipping. If you want to buy beans like kidney, the other stores usually buy theirs from Honeyville and then mark them up, and you get a great selection if you are willing to can them yourself. Of course the Macey's sale is coming up where they offer the Augason brand at usually good sale prices. While it can be a little like "Black Friday" with people waiting in line before the store opens, Auguson's outlet store has had some great conference sales and so I always watch for their sales too. The Ready Store has a new outlet in Draper, they look like they compete most directly with Thrive in that their products are not sourced from China and their cans are all the way full, at least those I have checked out so far. They are expensive but good quality, I particularly liked their "super sweet" corn, their brand name is Sarasota Farms. But if I were going to buy pre-made mixes I would get the Make-a-mix type books at Amazon and make my own. You can use a vacuum sealer and many of the mixes are delicious and very easy to make. Larger portions can be stored in PETE bottles that you can use with an oxygen absorber...I buy mine for Industrial Container Supply in West Valley. I also like to make soups using "Dinneri is in the Jar" method because then I can open the jar and have a meal that will last a while. You can vacuum seal jars using a special adapter and the food will last a long time. Make a mix Amazon.com: Make-A-Mix (9780762426027): Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, Madeline Westover: Books Dinner is the Jar Amazon.com: Dinner Is In The Jar: Quick and Easy Dinner Mixes in Mason Jars or Mylar Bags (bw) (9781450550925): Kathy Clark: Books I like to cook all at one time and then get the food out of the freezer in meal portion sizes... Amazon.com: Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money from the Inventors of the Ultimate Do-Ahead Dinnertime Method (9780312534042): Mary Beth Lagerborg, Mimi Wilson: Books Amazon.com: Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family (9781603427265): Kati Neville, Lindsay Tkacsik: Books If you have the storage, a meal in a bag is a great way to know you have everything to make a meal including the water (if there were an emergency that's good to know) and know how many breakfast/lunch/dinners you have... Amazon.com: It's in the Bag a New Approach to Food Storage (9781599553856): Michelle Snow, Trent Sno: Books The dry pack cannery has cases of foods already canned and packed in the cases and they will deliver them to your door if you don't want to go pick them up yourself or live too far away. Of course buying them yourself at the dry pack cannery is cheaper then buying them through the LDS Catalog where you will pay more because the shipping is included (at least the last time I checked.) Home Storage - LDS Online Store Costco and Sam's Club often have the best prices in bulk prices for grains, I really like Sam's price on 50 lbs of popcorn, it's been around $17 for years and it is excellent quality in popping and size. Again, many stakes or dry packs canneries have canners you can borrow and use. It's case lot sale time in Utah!!!

Brigham Young... "But pause for a moment, and suppose you had millions of bushels to sell, and could sell it for twenty dollars per bushel, or for a million dollars per bushel, no matter what amount, so that you sell all your wheat, and transport it out of the country, and you are left with nothing more than a pile of gold, what good would it do you? You could not eat it, drink it, wear it, or carry it off where you could have something to eat." "The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat. Gold is not to be compared with it in value. Why would it be precious to you now? Simply because you could get gold for it? Gold is good for nothing, only as men value it. It is no better than a piece of iron, a piece of limestone, or a piece of sandstone, and it is not half so good as the soil from which we raise our wheat, and other necessaries of life. The children of men love it, they lust after it, are greedy for it, and are ready to destroy themselves, and those around them, over whom they have any influence, to gain it.” (Journal of Discourses, 1:, p.250). If for any reason there was a sustained bank holiday, gold and silver would probably not be as high up on the barter system as food, toilet paper, gas, etc...FWIW

President Hinckley's three warnings he gave over seven years regarding an economic "storm" = hollow Earth? I'm afraid the following may apply to you... In the June 2008 Ensign, President Eyring counseled us, “Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. That ground becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came. And then it was too late.” The door of the ark was closed to those who had been the mockers but once the rains began were seeking entrance, the door was closed to the five foolish virgins who could have had a bit of "oil" put aside but never thought they would need it. So…if the door were closed for any reason would you be safely locked in or among those that were locked out? *** I'm sure this will seem like "preaching" or "lecturing" to those that mock often...sorry about that, it is not my intention to offend... .

I don't think you can plagiarize something you wrote?..and this is just an excerpt of the original which is still timely to this discussion. For those that believe in a more literal fulfilment it could be 1998-2005 (feast) 2005-2012 (lean) or Oct 2001-2008 (feast) 2008-2015 (lean). Since President Hinckley said that he was not prophecying in 1998 but did not make that statement in 2001 and the problems in the economy became very apparent in 2008...if this is a literal prophecy (which I am NOT saying it is) that would be my best guess for the feast/famine years. My point in posting was not really to debate literal years, but to point out that we have been warned for many years and it does appear that we are in the economic "storm" prophecied now...and I would guess that things will get worse before they get better as we may be only 3-6 years into this "storm". .

A year or two ago I heard a stake president in his testimony tell us that at the regional leadership conference he had attended a general authority referenced President Hinckley's talk from 1998 regarding Pharaoh's Dream, the stormy weather ahead, and the need to have our houses in order. Then he asked them how many in attendance now wished that they had hearkened to President Hinckley’s words? Why does that matter? Because President Hinckley talked how he couldn't get it out of his mind...for years... The first time President Hinckley mentioned Pharaoh’s dream was in 1998 when he said, “I wish to speak to you about temporal matters. As a backdrop for what I wish to say, I read to you a few verses from the 41st chapter of Genesis where Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, dreamed dreams which greatly troubled him...‘And I saw in my dream…seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.’ Then Joseph’s interpretation, ’Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine. . . And God will shortly bring it to pass’ (Gen. 41:20, 26, 30, 32). Now, brethren, I want to make it very clear that I am not prophesying, that I am not predicting years of famine in the future. But I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order…There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed...That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable.” A portent means something of prophetic or ominous significance. President Hinckley also spoke of the fragile economy, how people are living off of their borrowings instead of earnings and how paying interest is financial bondage. He said that he hoped that there wouldn’t be a depression…twice, but then said he was concerned about all the debt our members are carrying. He talked about how Elder Faust paid off his mortgage quickly, and how content that has made him. President Hinckley again referenced Pharaoh’s dream just weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attack in his talk, “The Times In Which We Live.” Pres. Hinckley said, “The economy is particularly vulnerable. We have been counseled again and again concerning self-reliance, concerning debt, concerning thrift. So many of our people are heavily in debt for things that are not entirely necessary.” Then he talked about getting a modest home and paying it off as quickly as possible. He said, “We cannot provide against every contingency. But we can provide against many contingencies. Let the present situation remind us that this we should do. As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need…” He then referenced Pharaoh’s dream when he said, “I do not know what the future holds. I do not wish to sound negative, but I wish to remind you of the warnings of scripture and the teachings of the prophets which we have had constantly before us. I cannot forget the great lesson of Pharaoh’s dream of the fat and lean kine and of the full and withered stalks of corn. I cannot dismiss from my mind the grim warnings of the Lord as set forth in the 24th chapter of Matthew. I am familiar, as are you, with the declarations of modern revelation that the time will come when the earth will be cleansed and there will be indescribable distress, with weeping and mourning and lamentation (see D&C 112:24). Now, I do not wish to be an alarmist. I do not wish to be a prophet of doom.” Said President Hinckley in October Conference in 2005, “What [calamities] we have experienced in the past was all foretold, and the end is not yet. Just as there have been calamities in the past, we expect more in the future. What do we do? Someone has said it was not raining when Noah built the ark. But he built it, and the rains came…We can heed warnings…the best storehouse is the family storeroom. In words of revelation the Lord has said, ‘Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing’ (D&C 109:8 ). Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparation as will assure survival should a calamity come. We can set aside some water, basic food, medicine, and clothing to keep us warm. We ought to have a little money laid aside in case of a rainy day…” This talk was given exactly seven years from the date that President Hinckley first gave (as I call it) his “seven years of plenty talk.” In it he again mentioned the dream of Pharaoh when he said, “Let us never lose sight of the dream of Pharaoh concerning the fat cattle and the lean, the full ears of corn and the blasted ears, the meaning of which was interpreted by Joseph to indicate years of plenty and years of scarcity.” President Eyring told us, “In our own time we have been warned with counsel on where to find safety...One of the keys to recognizing those warnings is that they are repeated.” President Hinckley mentioned pharaoh’s dream repeatedly. It is interesting to note what was happening in Egypt during those “years of famine.” In Genesis 47:15 it says, “And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.” As their money failed they gave the government their remaining assets including their valuables, homes and lands in exchange for food and shelter. Eventually the people were gathered together and became slaves.

Popcorn is a nutritious grain...who knew right? Popcorn is rich in fiber, potassium, vitamins B1 and B2, and energy-providing carbohydrates, and yet it contains no artificial additives or preservatives while being low in calories. Popcorn: More Than Just a Delicious Nutritious Snack - Popcorn Recipes, Popcorn History I have made corn meal out of popcorn and it was good, but I have heard it can be tough on grinders as it is smaller and perhaps harder than dent corn although I have talked to people that say they have never had a problem with it. They like to make corn meal like this when they are displaying electric grinders. Honeyville (store not online) has sold dent corn at times for a cheaper price than popcorn at Sam's. Popcorn has been REALLY CHEAP at Sam's Club for years (around $16-17) for 50 lbs and it pops up just as good as Orville's gourmet, my husband has a big bowl of it almost every night and when he says we don't use our food storage enough I point to the popcorn can. Popcorn is one of the only grains most people know how to take it from grain to a finished yummy snack! Be sure to have plenty of salt as it is essential for survival and really "makes" popcorn. Some people pop and/or "butter" there's with virgin coconut oil which is actually supposed to be healthy for some people.

Although it isn't an amazingly active board, I have made some friends at LDSprepare.org (free) and I also have been familiar at times with AVOW/GRI (see the post above, there is a fee for both of these complementary sites but it is a very active board with a lot of "experts") and LDSGLO (free, also with people that have been studying these things for a long time) For Christian type news I like trunews.com and lifesitenew.com There is also a lot of good knowledge here from what I've been seeing.

I found this by googling, but it is one of many such articles...look for the OTC drugs which could be helpful and why. TEOTWAWKI Preventive Medicine, by Dr. Bob - SurvivalBlog.com

You might look into "no poo" for emergencies a LOT of women that have tried it say that their hair is more manageable, healthier, curlier or less frizzy, etc. The No Shampoo Alternative there are many sources on the web There is an art to sponge bathing using as little water as possible, end with dirtiest area, let water run back into bucket when cleaning cleaner areas, etc. Without a lot of hot water (that uses a lot of time, energy, and fuel) the whole bath thing won't be that fun. Some people plan on using diaper wipes for sponge bathing and to stay smelling "fresh." They sell them in bulk at Sam's/Costco but sponge bathing may just have to do for most of us in a power out situation. Another thing for women is having a reusable women's product and/or truly absorbant reusable cotton products but I wont go into the brands here but you can pm me if interested. Also, you can look into using a drinkinng type squeezable bottle as a type of bidet and have a goodly supply of paper, flannel squares or cotton whatever for those various bathroom needs. These are something that should be bleached or boiled if they need to be reused and/or treated like cloth diapers without a washer/dryer.

If you are planning to bake not sprout, you want a good hand grinder, here is one comparison article on hand grinders INTRODUCTION AND ATTRIBUTES OF TYPES OF GRINDERS INTRODUCTION AND ATTRIBUTES OF TYPES OF GRINDERS

Truly I am as clueless about guns and self defense as most women. But there are mace type products out there...

Cooking...your best bet is to look at sprouting your grains, it makes them MUCH more nutritious, if you add in sprouted beans, I believe you even have a whole protein. If you don't have a grinder you can use a #10 can with a long pole or something else heavy but you are going to use up a lot more calories making the low grade flour than it would be worth. A good quality grinder is best, but yeast is tricky and for most people they won't have the skills or the environment to keep it "ALIVE" dependinbg on the season, so soda and baking powder and making flat breads are probably a good back up plan to go in a longer term power out problem. There are hand mixing bread makers and blenders but I have never tried them, and making bread by hand is not that hard to do, you can watch youtube or other similar sites to learn how then it just takes practice. Vitamins in sprouts Life Sprouts: Category :: Organic Sprouting Seeds / Product :: Pro-Vita-Mix You can buy them at health food stores, Kitchen Kneads or KSL classifieds (food storage), honeyville (store) in Utah or Walton Feed in Idaho, etc.

For washing a plunger in a 5 gallon bucket or tub if water isn't an issue will get the job done with a little hand washing where needed or you can get something like this, there are several brandshttp://compare.ebay.com/like/260744376360?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y If you need the clothes disinfected, boiling can still work on some fabrics. There are many recipes for clothes washing soap on the net using fels-naptha, borax, and washing soda...here's just one, call around to see where these are available as few stores have them all, I think Macey's, Harmons, Reams, Target, have at least one of these ingredients. The Best Laundry Detergent is made with Fels Naptha Soap, Washing Soda and Borax If there is a wringer on your mop bucket it can help get the water back out, or there are some commercial types but I haven't researched them very much. You can "hang" or "lay out" clothes anywhere where you aren't worried about water damage. Two chairs with a rope between might work for lighter fabrics, etc.

deodorant - I have heard that "stones" work and will last up to a year, the more popular brands are Thai and Crystal like any "deodorant" some people can be allergic to these mineral salts and some brands contain aluminum which isn't real good for some people.

For my dog I plan on feeding him leftover people food or animal parts I wouldn't feed to people...that's usually what's in dog food anyway...rice, grains, chicken parts, etc. Some vet supplies sell to the public, I have also seen things like flea products at Costco, pet stores, etc. Rabies hasn't been around for a long time and so if you can't keep up to date, it still shouldn't be a problem in most parts of the country if your dog can't get the shot.