As we remember the events of this tragic day 10 years ago, I think back to a talk I heard from President Hinckley, 'Living in the Fulness of Times", which he gave shortly after 9/11. In it he says: 'the vision of Joel has been fulfilled', wherein Joel declared, '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)
Were the twin towers the pillars of smoke spoken of in Joel's prophecy? I dont know, but knowing that the signs mentioned in the prophecies of Joel were fulfilled at least ten years ago, makes me wonder where we are in time and how much longer we will have in order to prepare for the further signs prophesied.
We all know we are living in the fullness of times and in D&C 109, the Lord has patiently and lovingly commanded us to 'prepare every needful thing.'
Because we have 'been warned', it is our sacred duty to 'warn' others, our families, friends, neighbors and yes, even those we may not know. In D&C 88:81, "Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor."
Sometimes we let our inhibitions get in the way of sharing our knowledge. Did Noah? Just as calamties happened in the past, many more are foretold. Noah did not hesitate a minute when asked to build the ark, he was scoffed at and scorned. We, too, will be scoffed at and scorned, but our preparations must continue.
I have shared before, I have more than ample opportunity to share the gospel and 'the need to prepare every needful thing' with those i work with. At my old job, people listened, secretly confided in me that they are making preparations too (meger as their efforts are), and people souhgt me out, to ask questions, to get information and they did so with a light heart. they did not want to endure the ridicule and mocking that i alone endured, but they knew they could always ask and many many did.
At my new place of employment, that kind of talk is simply NOT permitted. There is to be no talk of 'religion', so incorporating 'preparedness' into conversations has taken on a new light for me. Now i purposefully bring 'dehydrated' foods to lunch. Things that require simply adding hot water. With that, conversations arise. My helmet I wear in total joint surgeries, has my nickname "Bunker" inscribed across the front (something my old coworkers had given me), this too, brings up opportunities to talk preparedness. Because I am working closer to home, and just a mile from the stake center, I am blessed to work with my fellow brothers and sisters, that has been a point at which to begin conversations. Still, 'preparedness' is not well received and often mocked.
In the Miracle of Forgiveness, President Kimball says: '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 delayed, and work!, yes it takes work. Too many of us find it TOO difficult and slumber without due preparation. Our patience has worn thin, the 'preparedness' council dulled, our complacency too common. We cannot allow ourselves to slumber!
We must get 'our houses in order'. More than ten years ago in a talk he had given, President Hinckly referrenced Pharoah's Dream. Many leaders since then, too, have made such referrences. Why? because it may be phrophetic for our day!
It was in 1998 when President Hinckly mentioned Pharoahs Dream and he said " I wish to speak to you on 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 winds sprung up after them." And Joseph's interpretation, 'Behold, there came 7 years of great plenty throughout the land of Egypt; and there shall arise after them 7 years of famine...and God will shortly bring it to pass."
Pres. Hinckley goes on to say: Brothers and Sisters I am not predicting famines, but it IS time to get our houses in order. There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we better give heed. That's all I have to say about it, but do it with all the emphasis of which I am capable ." I'd like to re-read that last part: 'that's all I have to say about it, but I do it with all the emphasis of which I am capable." Really? what more need be said?
In his talk 'The Times in Which We Live", Pres. Hinckley referrences Pharoah's Dream again: "The economy is particulary vulnerable. We have been counciled again and again concerning self-reliance, concerning debt, concerning thrift. So many of our people our carrying debt for things not entirely necessary. I do not know what the future holds, I do not wish to sound negative, but I DO wish to remind you of the warnings of scripture and the teachings of the prophets which we have constantly before us. I cannot forget the great lesson of Pharoah's Dream of the fat and lean kine and the full and withered stalks of corn. I cannot dismiss from my mind the grim warnings the Lord as set forth in the 24th chapter of Matthew. I am as familiar, as you are, with the declarations of modern revelations that the time will come when the earth will be cleansed and there will be indescribable distress, with weeping and mourning and lamenation. (D&C 112:24).
If we started counting from 1998 and likened our day, to what happened in Joseph's time, we can see ourselves in the 4th of the lean years. What was happening in Egypt at that time: Genesis 47:15 "and when money failed in the land of Egpyt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egpytians 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 then gave the government their remaining assests, including homes, land, valuables in exchange for food and shleter. Around the 4th year, people were gathered into cities and became slaves to the government.
I can see here, that preparations will allow freedoms not enjoyed by many. Early preparations can bring blessings of personal freedoms, safety and obedience.
With all the disasters happening in the world today, natural and manmade, we can clearly see the food shortages before us. Even though the U.S. had an abundant crop season for the last two years, the world has eaten, or lost, more food than it produced. The U.S. food reserve was completely gone for a time, and they sold the last of the government owned grain.
Fortunatley, the church has enough to feed us all.......RIGHT?
WRONG!
In 1980, Bishop Victor Brown said: "..distribution of fast offerings and commodities by bishop storehouses have been alarming. At the present rate of demand, the church will be almost expended in a short time. It would appear that in altogether too many cases the teachings of preparedness have been either misunderstood or knowingly rejected. Many of the 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 individual and family preparedness, not Church preparedness. We are concerned because the church program includes production projects, canneries, storehouses, deseret Industries that our people have mistakenly been led to believe that these things replace the need for them to provide for themselves. This is simply not so. It is the opinion of many that 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 and 'prepare every needful thing' (D&C104:16). It is silly to think the church can provide us all."
In 'The Family:A Proclamation to the World", the First Presidency tells us, 'by divine design, fathers are responsible to provide the necessities of life and provide protection for their families.'
We have been repeatedly told, that preparedness is a personal and family responsibility, not a church responsibility.
What's expected of us?
many things have been laid out for us, but plain and simple......MAKE PERPAREDNESS A PART OF YOUR LIFE!
*a three month store of food and water
*live debt-free and use your resources wisely
*pay an honest tithe
*store first aid and necessary supplies to maintain life for a period of time
*communications with family, ward families, and your neighbors
* then focus on longer term storage, a year then more
A year's supply of basic food storage per person at the cannery costs a mere $284.00. Do you spend that at Christmas? on birthdays? or vacations?
It will be unlikely, that due to the lack of council heeded, that we will be able to turn to our ward families for help. Truly truly, the 'preparedness' plan is YOUR plan, it is up to you.
Some people spend many wasted dollars on 'insurance' plans.......how about 'famine insurance'. We need to add famine insurance to our list and invest in food/home storage. It's better to prepare five years too ealy than five minutes too late!
Heber C. Kimball in 1856 said : "...now 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."
I'd like to reitterate.........a test is coming, I am sure.
As Elder Packer in 2005 said: ' if 9/11 was a wake-up call, then the earthquakes and tsunamis were a kick out of bed!"
We need to pay attention to the times!
As we do our very best to prepare, we can be sure that "the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the curse of oil fail." We will enjoy greater wisdom, security, peace of mind and personal well-being. We shall be prepared, and because we are prepared, we "shall not fear".
The Lord has commanded us to 'prepare every needful thing'.
He will guide us and direct us in our efforts.
And He will bless us with His miracles as we do our very best to be obedient.
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