For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, if they have been counseled ONCE, they have been counseled a THOUSAND times - to get prepared for an emergency! LDS Emergency Preparedness is more than a good program for taking care of our families, just in case there are times of hardship or disaster. Nor, should it be considered as optional - for any of us. With the current worldwide economic crisis, it should now be more apparent than ever, exactly why LDS Church leaders have continued to counsel us with such strong words, about being prepared for an emergency.

Gordon B. Hinckley proclaimed such words, and in particular to the "men" of the Church - during the 1998 priesthood session of October General Conference. He referred to his topic, as temporal. The talk is entitled, "To The Boys And To The Men". Most members of the Church, who either heard or read those words that were spoken by a living prophet, at the time, have not forgotten them. In fact, I would even go so far as to suggest that many have even memorized one specific statement, and can themselves, quote it. Nevertheless, the question for each one of us to ask ourselves personally is, have we acted upon his words?

He said:

"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.

So many of our people are living on the very edge of their incomes. In fact, some are living on borrowings.

We have witnessed in recent weeks wide and fearsome swings in the markets of the world. The economy is a fragile thing. A stumble in the economy in Jakarta or Moscow can immediately affect the entire world. It can eventually reach down to each of us as individuals. There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed.

I hope with all my heart that we shall never slip into a depression. I am a child of the Great Depression of the thirties. I finished the university in 1932, when unemployment in this area exceeded 33 percent."

Words To Live By For Your Family Safety...

These are the words that continue to ring in every faithful LDS member's heart... "There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed." The words which were spoken then, are perhaps even more appropriate - now.

I wrote this article a few months ago, but had not posted it. Ironically, over this past weekend, another LDS leader made these comments, in relation to the very quote above...

Now, more than a decade later, the storms are here.

"The economic clouds that have long threatened the world are now fully upon us," said Elder Robert D. Hales. "The impact of this economic storm on our Heavenly Father's children requires a gospel vision of welfare today more than ever before."

Again, we must ask ourselves the questions... have we taken "heed" and are we prepared for the storms, of which living prophets have warned and continue to warn us about - and are now telling us, are here?

Emergency Preparedness Takes Planning...

There are three specific areas of emergency preparedness and planning, that LDS families have been strongly counseled to focus their attention upon:

1. Family Home Storage

2. Family Finances

3. Family Emergency Planning

Elder Hales went on to say....

"Provident living means not coveting the things of this world. It means using the resources of the earth wisely and not being wasteful, even in times of plenty. Provident living means avoiding excessive debt and being content with what we have.

"We live in an age of entitlement," he continued. "Many believe they should have all that others have — right now. Unable to delay gratification, they go into debt to buy what they cannot afford. The results always affect both their temporal and spiritual welfare."

When we go into debt, he said, "We give away some of our precious, priceless agency and place ourselves in self-imposed servitude. We obligate our time, energy and means to repay what we have borrowed — resources that could have been used to help ourselves, our families and others."

Make The Decision Today - To Prepare Your Family For An Emergency

Each day, we make important decisions that will affect our futures. At times, those decisions may seem small and insignificant. We can be confident that by hearkening to the counsel of inspired leaders, we will feel the safety and peace - that are promised to those who actually - DO so!

"I testify," Elder Hales declared, "that happy is the man who lives within his means and is able to save a little for future needs. As we live providently and increase our gifts and talents, we become more self-reliant. Self-reliance is taking responsibility for our own spiritual and temporal welfare and for those whom Heavenly Father has entrusted to our care. Only when we are self-reliant can we truly emulate the Savior in serving and blessing others."

You can read all of Elder Hales comments about the current storms and how to better prepare your family  - The Storms Are Here!

tDMg,

LdsNana-AskMormon