my two cents

I teach my Young Women (mostly by example...haha) to be the kind of person you wish to marry. That way, if your knight in shining armor gets attacked by dragons or Vikings before he can reach you, you can still find satisfaction in your life choices.

I live (and therefore eat) alone, so I'm pretty satisfied with my food storage. I've spent a year not gainfully employed (sometimes 45 hours a week, sometimes 12) and one thing that experience taught me is that it takes a lot of days without food to starve to death. I know, for myself, if I hit a patch where I have to dip into my food storage, I cut portions. If your food storage is a 3 months supply, and you cut each portion by a third, that really gives you a 4 month supply. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
I also make sure I have a couple of portable (phone) chargers charged up when severe weather warnings start, should the power go out for a while. (I also keep my phone in airplane mode most of the time it goes out, to preserve battery life.)
True story: I have a friend who's dad got pretty intense about the 2012 Mayan calendar apocalypse. They have a farm, and while I don't know if he had a legit bunker or anything, I know he was prepared to use one of his semis (diesel, still functions if there's an EMP event) to meet his daughters on their way if the world started ending. Anyway, he told my friend that our old roommate was invited because she was a nurse, and I was invited because I'm a Mormon. He'd met me maybe twice, and the only other Mormon he even came close to knowing was Mitt Romney. But apparently that was enough to get an invite to his apocalypse party.

This just in:
I rest my case.

In case you haven't realized it yet, I'm somewhat of a prepper.   Not the kind you see on the documentaries with hidden food and bunkers, but just general self-sufficiency.  Most people wouldn't even notice it.  There are so many aspects to self-sufficiency but here is what I've found to make the most sense, particularly for those starting out.
1.  Most disasters aren't the apocalypse.  Most disasters are an injury that lands a family member in the hospital for multiple days.   A power outage for a week.   Getting snowed in.  
2.  Always keep a bug out bag for those small emergencies.  Toys to entertain kids.  Snacks.  Change of clothes.  Cell phone chargers.  Things you use daily and would miss if your whole family is stuck in the hospital with a sick child.
3.  Food supply is important.  MREs stink.  Do you want to eat them for 90 days?  They also have a shelf life.  When was the last time you needed extended food stores?  You don't want to replace your entire storage every "x" number of years.
4.  Set up a food pantry.  Can racks work GREAT, too.  The freshest is always on bottom.  Make a place to easily store food where rotation is natural.
5.  Track what you use.  Since most people don't eat the same meals every week, I suggest you track it for a month.  Every time you use something, write it down.  EVERYTHING, to include paper products.  At the end of the month, you now know what your typical food usage is for a month.  Duplicating this is "one month's supply".
6.  Buy what you use.  Do you eat canned beans a few times a week?  Every time you shop,  buy a few extra cans.  Buy only what you typically eat.  Don't buy peas because they are on sale and make a good prep item.  Buy what you use.
7.  Store these items in your can rack or pantry.  Continue to eat normally, using your stores.  Keep shopping on your normal schedule, buying a few extra cans each time and adding the new food to the back of your stores.  Since you're buying what you eat normally, you are constantly rotating your own stock.  Newest in the back, oldest on the dinner table.  Most importantly, should you ever NEED your stores, you just continue eating normally.  You bought the meals your family typically eats.
8.  Water filtration.  Stored water is fine, but it takes up a ton of room I don't care for the taste.  Sometimes it's necessary, so it's important in at least small quantities.  Have a well?  Buy a hand pump.  Buy water filtration so you can get your water anywhere.
9.  Start a garden.  Many people are turning their backyards into food production.  I have a friend who earns a living off 1/4 acre of fairly urban land.  That's it.
10.  Buy chickens.  Just a few hens can produce enough eggs for a family and they are almost zero work.  I know people with chickens in the city and suburbs.  If needed, they can also find most of their own food.
These are just inexpensive and simple ways to start.  I have rack plans, coop plans, chicken tractor plans, etc if anyone ever gets super crazy.  Add a rooster or two and now you sustain your own flock.  Save the seeds from the best plants and now you foster your own garden annually.  Graft trees and now you have multiple fruits in limited acreage.  Becoming self-sufficient isn't that hard or that much work.  

I'm not sure I mentioned this yet, but I really LIKE everyone here. I like the LDS. The women. The Men. The elders. The youngers. And, I gotta tell you, I really LIKE being LIKED.  Just sayin' 

Welcome and thanks for checking with members and not just going along with what critics say (wish more would do the same)!!
One thing to keep in mind, all proxy ordinances need to be accepted by the person it's done for. They still have their agency to choose and agree to it or not. We're not forcing anyone into anything, we're just making things possible.

That's great! When I was going to go for the first time, my bishop told me to read the Pearl of Great Price.

Welcome and thanks for checking with members and not just going along with what critics say (wish more would do the same)!!
One thing to keep in mind, all proxy ordinances need to be accepted by the person it's done for. They still have their agency to choose and agree to it or not. We're not forcing anyone into anything, we're just making things possible.

Welcome and thanks for checking with members and not just going along with what critics say (wish more would do the same)!!
One thing to keep in mind, all proxy ordinances need to be accepted by the person it's done for. They still have their agency to choose and agree to it or not. We're not forcing anyone into anything, we're just making things possible.

These guys thought they had time on their side, too. 

These guys thought they had time on their side, too. 

The new Tucson temple will be dedicated tomorrow and the local members invite the community and put on an event to celebrate. The Church started this tradition several years ago but this is the first time I've heard of it being broadcast.

My boys have only been going a month, but they enjoy the activities the teachers have in primary.  They suffer through sacrament quietly and count the hymns (pssst, only two hymns left!) until they can go with the other kids.

These guys thought they had time on their side, too. 

When you think you got 983 years in your pocket, only to find out it could be tomorrow

@clbent04 - fwiw - I've heard of people being told in their patriarchal blessings that they'll be alive when the Savior comes / live, raise kids during the Millennium. Also, Pres. Nelson said this in a devotional last Jan - "Make no mistake about it—you were born to be a True Millennial."  
hint hint

Eeish, that just got me puckered up. Better start fast tracking this back to church thing

Oh gotcha. So that's why we're already put on alert. Thanks

That's great! When I was going to go for the first time, my bishop told me to read the Pearl of Great Price.

That's great! When I was going to go for the first time, my bishop told me to read the Pearl of Great Price.

You seem to not understand the purpose of a Testimony or a Talk.  There are such things as Home Teaching and Visit Teaching or even Priesthood/Relief Society meetings where these things are talked about.

What would be the purpose of you mentioning in a talk about tithing that you haven't paid tithing?  Why does it have to be said?
If you don't have a firm grasp of the concept of the talk, you don't have to give the talk.  You can decline the talk and tell the Bishop/Counselor that you are still struggling with this concept.  The bishopric can then help you with the concept and see if you gain enough of a firm grasp on it to give the talk or if you need to continue to see the bishopric to improve on it first before giving a talk on the topic.  But, accepting the talk and then saying on the pulpit, "Do as I say not as I do", is just a lot of unnecessary information that has no faith-promoting purpose.  You can give an inspiring talk without it.  If you feel the need to confess, confess to the bishop, not the whole ward.

No

Well, man certainly wasnt walking this earth 300,000 years ago. Scientists have beliefs too and beliefs dont equate to truth.

Why don't you just focus on yourself, your family, your shortcomings, your addictions, and your faith?  Why are you so concerned about all these side topics?  In my opinion, they are distracting you from getting your life straight.  It's almost like you NEED the spotlight.  You need to be controversial.  You need to post a million topics about issues that are fringe to the meat of your story.  You feel the need to worry about these obscure topics when you don't even have your foundation built.  
I seriously don't get you.