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LDS (Mormon) Prophecy - Reasons for Preparedness

AMERICAN INDIAN NEWS TICKER!!!

LDS Prophets on "Survivalism"
". . . Latter-day Saints should have nothing to do with the secret

combinations and groups antagonistic to the constitutional law of the

land, which the Lord 'suffered to be established,' and which 'should be

maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh according to just

and holy principles.' " (Gospel Ideals, by David O. McKay p. 306.

Italics added.)

There are those who recommend that the clash between communism and

freedom be avoided through disarmament agreements. Abolishing our

military strength and adopting an unenforceable contract as a

substitute to protect us would go down in history as the greatest

mistake free men could make in a time of peril.

President McKay declared:

"Force rules in the world today, consequently, our government must

keep armies abroad, build navies and air squadrons, create atom bombs to

protect itself from the threatened aggression of a nation which

seems to listen to no other appeal than compulsion." (Ibid., p. 304.)

This parallels the historic statement by George Washington when he

vigorously warned:

"There is a rank due the United States among the nations that will be

totally lost by the reputation of weakness. If we would avoid insult we

must be able to repel it, if we would secure the peace it must be

known that we are at all times ready for war."

Some timid, vacillating political leaders proclaim that communism is

something we will have to learn to live with . . . whether it is

Khrushchev, or some other leader. The present communist system, they

declare, will continue because there is no alternate system to replace

communism. The policy of increasing power, of pushing their system

outward and using the communist party, they say, will go on.

Such a negative attitude writes off the hundreds of millions behind

the iron curtain as a lost cause. Surely no courageous, liberty-loving

citizen will treat the communist secret combination as "something we

will have to learn to live with."

There is a more courageous and sounder point of view. President McKay

expressed it in these words:

"Men will be free. I have hoped for twenty years that the Russian

system would break up. There is no freedom under it, and sooner or later

the people will rise against it. They cannot oppose those fundamentals

of civilization and of God. They can't crush their people always. Men

will be free." (Church Section, Deseret News, November 6 1957, in an

article entitled, "President McKay receives Senator Kennedy at Church

Offices.")

What is the official position of the Church on communism? In 1936 the

First Presidency made an official declaration on communism which has

never been abrogated. I quote the concluding paragraph:

"We call upon all Church members completely to eschew communism. The

safety of our divinely inspired constitutional government and the

welfare of our Church imperatively demand that communism shall have no

place in America"

We must ever keep in mind that collectivized socialism is part of the

communist strategy. Communism is fundamentally socialism. We will never

win our fight against communism by making concessions to socialism.

Communism and socialism, closely related, must be defeated on principle.

The close relationship between socialism and communism is clearly

pointed out by Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina in a letter to

the editor of the Washington Post, of August 6, 1961, in these words:

". . . Both socialism and communism derive from the teachings of Marx

and Engels. In fact, the movements were one until the split over methods

of approach, which resulted after the Russian revolution in 1905.... The

aim and purpose of both was then and is now world socialism, which

communism seeks to achieve through revolution and which socialists seek

to achieve through evolution.

"The industrial achievements of the U. S. are the result of an

economic system which is the antithesis of socialism. Our economic

system is called 'capitalism' or 'private enterprise' and is based on

private property rights, the profit motive and competition.

"Both communism and socialism seek to destroy our economic system and

replace it with socialism; and their success, whether through evolution

by socialism or through revolution by communism or a combination, will

destroy not only our economic system, but our liberty, including the

'civil' aspects as well....

". . . The 'common ground' of socialism and communism is a factor to

which the American people should be alerted. Without a clear

understanding that communism is socialism, the total threat and

menace of the cold war can never be comprehended and fought to victory."

When socialism is understood, we will realize that many of the

programs advocated, and some of those already adopted in the United

States, fall clearly within the category of socialism. What is

socialism? It is simply governmental ownership and management of the

essential means for the production and distribution of goods.

We must never forget that nations may sow the seeds of their own

destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity.

The socialistic-communist conspiracy to weaken the United States

involves attacks on many fronts. To weaken the American free-enterprise

economy which outproduced both its enemies and allies during World War

II is a high priority target of the communist leaders. Their press and

other propaganda media are therefore constantly selling the principles

of centralized or federal control of farms, railroads, electric

power, schools, steel, maritime shipping, and many other aspects of the

economy -- but always in the name of public welfare.

This carries out the strategy laid down by the communist masters.

John Strachey, a top official in the Labor Socialist party of Great

Britain, in his book entitled The Theory and Practice of Socialism said:

"It is impossible to establish communism as the immediate successor

to capitalism. It is accordingly proposed to establish socialism as

something which we can put in the place of our present decaying

capitalism. Hence, communists work for the establishment of socialism as

a necessary transition stage on the road to communism."

The paramount issue today is liberty against creeping socialism. It

is in this spirit that President McKay stated:

"Communism is antagonistic to the American way of life. Its avowed

purpose is to destroy belief in God and free enterprise.... The

fostering of full economic freedom lies at the base of our liberties.

Only in perpetuating economic freedom can our social, political, and

religious liberties be preserved." (Excerpt from Inaugural address for

Dr. Henry A. Dixon, President of USU, delivered by President McKay at

the USU fieldhouse, Logan, Utah, Monday, March 18, 1954.)

Again President McKay warned, citing the words of W. C. Mullendore,

president of Southern California Edison Company:

"During the first half of the twentieth century we have traveled far

into the soul-destroying land of socialism and made strange alliances

through which we have become involved in almost continuous hot

and cold wars over the whole of the earth. In this retreat from freedom

the voices of protesting citizens have been drowned by raucous shouts of

intolerance and abuse from those who led the retreat and their

millions of gullible youth, who are marching merrily to their doom,

carrying banners on which are emblazoned such intriguing and misapplied

labels as social justice equality, reform patriotism social welfare."

(Gospel Ideals, p. 273.)

It is significant that 118 years ago this month the Prophet Joseph

Smith, after attending lectures on socialism, made this official entry

in church history: "I said I did not believe the doctrine." (History of

the Church, Vol. 6, p. 33.)

No true Latter-day Saint and no true American can be a socialist or a

communist or support programs leading in that direction. These evil

philosophies are incompatible with Mormonism, the true gospel of

Jesus Christ.

What can priesthood holders do? There are many things we can do to

meet the challenge of the adversary in our day.

First, we should become informed about communism, about socialism,

and about Americanism. What better way can one become informed than by

first studying the inspired words of the prophets and using that as a

foundation; against which to test all other material. This is in keeping

with the Prophet Joseph Smith's motto, "When the Lord commands, do it."

(Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 170.)

The Foundation for Economic Education, Irvington-on-Hudson, New York

on which President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., served as a board member,

continues to supply sound freedom literature. We should know enough

about American free enterprise to be able to defend it. We should know

what makes it possible for six percent of humanity -- living under our

free economy -- to produce about one-half of the earth's developed

wealth each year.

We should know why paternalism, collectivism, or unnecessary federal

supervision will hold our standard of living down and reduce

productivity just as it has in every country where it has been tried. We

should also know why the communist leaders consider socialism the

highroad to communism.

Second, we should accept the command of the Lord and treat

socialistic communism as the tool of Satan. We should follow the counsel

of the President of the Church and resist the influence and policies of

the socialist-communist conspiracy wherever they are found -- in the

schools, in the churches, in governments, in unions, in businesses, in

agriculture.

Third, we should help those who have been deceived or who are

misinformed to find the truth. Unless each person who knows the truth

will "stand up and speak up" it is difficult for the deceived or

confused citizen to find his way back.

Fourth, we should not make the mistake of calling people "communist"

just because they happen to be helping the communist cause. Thousands of

patriotic Americans, including a few Latter-day Saints, have helped the

communists without realizing it. Others have knowingly helped without

joining the party. The remedy is to avoid name-calling, but point out

clearly and persuasively how they are helping the communists.

Fifth, each priesthood holder should use his influence in the

community to resist the erosion process which is taking place in our

political and economic life. He should use the political party of his

choice to express his evaluation of important issues. He should see that

his party is working to preserve freedom, not destroy it. He should join

responsible local groups interested in promoting freedom and free

competitive enterprise, in studying political issues, appraising the

voting records and proposed programs, and writing to members of

Congress, promoting good men in public office and scrutinizing local,

state, and federal agencies to see that the will of the people is being

carried out. He should not wait for the Lord's servants to give

instruction for every detail once they have announced the direction in

which the priesthood should go. Each member should exercise prayerful

judgment and then act.

Sixth, and most important of all, each member of the priesthood

should set his own house in order. This should include:

1. Regular family prayer, remembering especially our government

leaders.

2. Getting out of debt.

3. Seeing that each member of the family understands the importance

of keeping the commandments.

4. Seeing that the truth is shared with members of the family, with

neighbors, and with associates.

5. Seeing that each member is performing his duties in the

priesthood, in the auxiliary organizations, in the temple, and in the

civic life of the community.

6. Seeing that every wage earner in the home is a full tithepayer and

fulfilling other obligations in financial support of the kingdom.

7. Providing a one-year supply of essentials.

In doing these things a member of the Church is not only making

himself an opponent of the adversary, but a proponent of the Lord.

In the prophecies there is no promise except to the obedient. To a

modern prophet the Lord said:

"Therefore, what I say unto one, I say unto all: Watch, for the

adversary spreadeth his dominions, and darkness reigneth;

"And the anger of God kindleth against the inhabitants of the earth;

". . . I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it

may turn to you for your salvation.

"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what

I say, ye have no promise."

"

(D&C 82:5-6, 9-10.)

May God give us the wisdom to recognize the threat to our freedom and

the strength to meet this danger courageously.

Yes, perilous times are ahead, but if we do our duty in all things,

God will give us inner peace and overrule all things for our good. God

grant it may be so, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Ezra Taft Benson

April Conference, 1965

For years we have been counseled to have on hand a year's supply of

food. Yet there are some today who would not start storing until the

Church comes out with a detailed monthly home storage program. Now

suppose that never happens? We still cannot say we have not been told.

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

slothful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot

say we have not been warned.

"

Harold B. Lee

Welfare Meeting, October Conference, 1966

Brother Taylor has talked about storage. I think there is nothing

that has been so expanded all out of the original intent as has this

storage program, which is intended to teach a principle. Now one or two

things we must say to you, and in some places it is getting way out of

hand. Wards and stakes are not to enter into a buying and selling

program to their members, and certainly it is not to be done by the

Relief Society, [the Relief Society is the women's organzation of the

Church - A.S.] the priesthood quorums nor any other Church units. To go

to wholesalers and solicit a little better price on a can of beans or

pork and beans, merely to help save a few cents, usually for those who

are able to buy themselves, and then to have somebody complain, "Well, I

don't like that brand of corn," or, "I don't like that brand of peas,"

is not a part of the Welfare Program.

We can get into more trouble with our local grocerymen, with our

taxing authorities, and with the public generally by entering into a

buying and selling program of this sort, which is but competing with the

corner groceryman who is struggling to keep a litle life in his

business. Now I think there can be more harm done than the small good

that will be accomplished. We teach the principle of putting aside for

the "rainy" day.

We have never laid down an exact formula for what anybody should

store, and let me just make this comment: Perhaps if we think not in

terms of a year's supply of what we ordinarily would use, and think more

in terms of what it would take to keep us alive in case we didn't have

anything else to eat, that last would be very easy to put in storage for

a year...just enough to keep us alive if we didn't have anything else to

eat. We wouldn't get fat on it, but we would live, and if you think in

terms of that kind of annual storage rather than a whole year's supply

of everything that you are accustomed to eat which, in most cases, is

utterly impossible for the average family, I think we will come nearer

to what President Clark advised us way back in 1937.

Harold B. Lee

Welfare Agricultural Meeting

April Conference, 1969

We have had those who have tried to take advantage of this home

storage program by capitalizing from a commercial standpoint. We have

cautioned you to avoid that, but to pursue the course nevertheless, to

see that food is in your homes; and counsel your neighbors and friends

to do likewise, because someone had a vision to know that this was

going to be necessary, and it will be necessary in the future, and has

been the savior of our people in the past.

...Now let's not be foolish and suppose that because the sun is shining

today that there won't be clouds tomorrow. The Lord has told us by

revelation some of the things that are ahead of us, and we living in the

day when the fulfillment of those prophecies is now at hand, and we are

startled, and yet there is nothing happening today that the prophets

didn't foresee. Sometimes centuries ago, as one prophet of the Book of

Mormon [another volume of LDS scripture - A.S.] said: "I see in that day

as though they were now present." That's revelation.

God help us to keep our own houses in order and to keep our eyes

fixed upon those who preside in this Church and to follow their

direction, and we won't be led astray.

Dr. Edwin Brown Firmage (well-known LDS scholar)

"The Nuclear Arms Race" - Ensign, March 1971

...There now exists sufficient nuclear explosive power in the arsenals

of the two superpowers (Russia and the U.S.) to provide the equivalent

of over one hundred tons of TNT for every man, woman, and child in the

world.

...The danger of this massive expenditure on weaponry, apart from the

tragic waste of resources, is that the arms race itself, admittedly

originating from forces other than armaments, soon becomes a cause as

well as a result of international tension and mistrust. And weapons made

eventually become weapons used.

Brigham Young saw this and lamented it as the United States was on

the brink of civil war: "When the nations have for years turned much of

their attention to manufacturing instruments of death, they have sooner

or later used those instruments. Our nation, England, France, Germany,

Austria, Italy, and other nations have exercised their inventive

skill, and expended much means in inventing and fabricating instruments

of death....From the authority of all histroy, the deadly weapons now

mustored up and being manufactured will be used....(Journal of Discourses,

vol. 8, p. 157.)

Harold B. Lee

Welfare Agricultural Meeting

April Conference, 1970

For 30 years the leaders of this Church have been telling us to store

food and to prepare for a rainy day. We have listened, many have paid no

attention, and now suddenyl disaster begins to strike and some if those

who have been slothful are running to the banks and taking out their

savings, and buying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of

foodstuffs. The Lord has given us time to prepare, and many have.

Neal A. Maxwell

(Asst. to the Twelve, 1974; Seventy, 1976; Apostle, 1981)

"New Era," January 1971

Our task is to react and to notice without overreacting, to let life go

forward without slipping into the heedlessness of those in the days of

Noah. It has been asked, and well it might be, how many of us would have

jeered, or at least been privately amused, by the sight of Noah building

his ark.

Presumably, the laughter and the heedlessness continued until it

began to rain-and kept raining. How wet some people must have been

before Noah's ark suddenly seemed the only sane act in an insane,

bewildering situation! To ponder signs without becoming paranoid, to be

aware without franctically matching current events with expectations and

using energy that should be spent in other ways-these are our tasks.

Spencer W. Kimball

"Who Contendeth With the Almighty"

Prepared for Area Conferences in Manchester, England

but not delivered, August 1971

_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 neccessities so that when

come 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.

Harold B. Lee

"Ensign," December 1971

A few days ago we had a faith-promoting report from a young mission

president and his wife who have just been released from presiding over a

mission in Peru, where recently there was experienced one of the worst

calamities in the history of the world, in which an estimated seventy

thousand persons were buried when an earthquake moved an entire over

two cities, which was completely destroyed. We had four missionaries

laboring there, two in each city. When the earthquakes came, they were

at the Lord's buiness; two of our elders were teaching a gospel lesson

on the outskirts of town and the other two were in a preparation meeting

in another city.

After the three terrifying days of semidarkness from the choking

dust, they philosophized that this might be like the time when the

Savior was crucified, when there were three days of darkness, [this

event occured on the American continent and is recorded in the Book of

Mormon - A.S.] and when he would come again, when two should be grinding

at the mill, and one would be taken and the other left; two would be

working in the field, and one would be taken and the other one left.

(See Matt. 24:40-41.)

When an earthquake strikes, every person would be taken as he is

then living-if at a movie, or a tavern, or in a drunken stupor, or

whatever. But the true servants of God, who would be doing their duty,

would be protected and preserved, if they would do as the Lord has

counseled: to "stand ye in holy places, and be not moved," when there

days should come. (D&C 87:8.)

Spencer W. Kimball

Welfare Services Meeting, April 6, 1974

We have had many calamities in this past period. It seems that every

day or two there is an earthquake or a flood or a tornado or distress

that brings trouble to many people. I am grateful to see that our people

and our leaders are beginning to catch the vision of their self-help.

Let me say that as a stake president long ago, we had a flood in the

Duncan Valley in Arizona. As soon as we overcame the excitement of the

first report of it, my counselors and I formulated a telegram and sent

it to Salt Lake City and said, "Please send us $10,000 by return mail."

I found that I was learning about welfare programs when no $10,000 came.

When President Lee, President Romney, and President Moyle came down

and took me back in my little office in my business place we sat down

around the table and they said, "This isn't a program of 'give me.' This

is a program of 'self-help.'" And so we learned much from those

brethren.

....Something was said about gardens and about trees. I should say that

in our little yard Sister Kimball is our farmer, and she nearly feeds us

through the year from that little yard in the back. We have carrots, and

we have apricots, and we have applesauce, and we have other things that

help. Then she plants beans along the grillwork of our back porch, down

among the roses, and they climb up over this grillwork. I joke with her

a lot of times about having done that so she can sit in her rocking

chair and pick the beans, but we just almost live on beans and it is

good food, very good food. The little gardens and the 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 can put it up." But that

isn't quite the answer, it is, Sister Spafford? Because there will come

a time when there isn't a store. I remember long years ago that I asked

a very prominent grocer who had a chain of grocery stores, "How long

would your supply of groceries last if you did not have trucks to bring

in new supplies?" And he said, "Maybe we could stretch it out two weeks

from our storehouses and from our supplies." People could get awfully

hungry after two weeks were over.

Spencer W. Kimball

October Conference, 1974

We are also concerned with the great waste from our homes and stores

and restaurants and otherwise. After the usual banquet, enough is

carried out in the garbage to feed numerous mouths that have been

drooling for a bite to eat in less-favored countries. Many are starving,

and we throw away much and waste much.

Spencer W. Kimball

October Conference, 1974

_Gardens promote independence._ Should evil times come, many might

wish they had filled all their fruit bottles and cultivated a garden in

their backyards and planted a few fruit trees and berry bushes and

provided for their own commodity needs.

The Lord planned that we would be independent of every creature, but

we note even many farmers buy their mild from dairies and homeowners buy

their garden vegetables from the store. And should the trucks fail to

fill the shelves of the stores, many would go hungry.

H. Burke Peterson

(First counselor to Presiding Bishop Victor L. Brown, 1972; Seventy,

1985)

October Conference, 1975

To foster the economic self-sufficiency of the Latter-day Saint

families, fathers and mothers, priesthood and Relief Society leaders are

encouraged first to focus upon family preparedness, an important part of

which is home production-canning, gardening, sewing, making household

items-and also upon home storage, on the need for Saints to have a

year's supply of food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel. All this is

accomplished as fathers, mothers, and children respond to priesthood

direction and prepare for the eventualities that lie ahead. Fathers

receive instruction through their priesthood quorums, mothers from their

husbands and through Relief Society's program for provident living.

...Therefore, family preparedness, with home production and storage,

must be the way the majority of our families take care of themselves.

...The study revealed that only about 5 percent of our Church members

had a year's supply of meat products. Only 3 percent had a year's supply

of dried or canned fruits or vegetables. Approximately 18 percent had a

year's supply of grains. In the milk group, only three families in a

hundred had a year's supply of canned or powdered milk. On the average,

about 30 percent of the Church had a two-months supply of food; the

remainder had little or none.

These survey statistics indicate that most Church members are not

prepared to meet month-to-month problems and future economic trials.

Clearly, in this area of home production and storage, it is extremely

important that priesthood and Relief Society leaders and all Latter-day

Saints place great emphasis on home storage-on obtaining and carefully

storing a year's supply of food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel. In

the area of home production, we would hope that members would heed the

admonition of the prophets and, where possible, grow a garden, sew their

own clothing, make household items, and, in general, become as

self-sufficient as possible to prepare against the days to come. In the

words of President Kimball, "We are pleased that many people are

planting gardens and fruit trees and are buying canning jars and

lids....We congratulate those families who are listening and doing.

"We make a conscientious effort to look out for our own members, and

we teach them to practice economy, to store a year's supply of basic

commodities." (Ensign, May 1975, pp. 5-6)

Victor L. Brown

(Second counselor to Presiding Bishop John H. Vandenberg, 1961;

Presiding Bishop,

1972; Seventy, 1985; Emeritus General Authority, 1989)

October Conference, 1975

We realize that it sounds as though these represent some extremes;

however, they also represent the facts of life. There are few of us who

do not need bolstering in some aspects of personal welfare at some time

in our lives.

In the Welfare Services session of conference held last April,

Bishop H. Burke Peterson described family preparedness this way: "When

we speak of family preparedness, we should speak of foreseen,

anticipated, almost expected needs which can be met through wise

preparation. Even true emergencies can be modified by good planning."

(Welfare Services Meeting, April 5, 1975, p. 5.)

Family preparedness is the key to meeting personal welfare needs for

the members of the family. Every other aspect of Welfare Services, such

as ward preparedness, is designed to support family preparedness.

...Home production and storage: The prepared family has sufficient

stores to take care of basic needs for a minimum of one year. Further,

they are, where possible, actively involved in the growing, canning, and

sewing, and production of their year's supply.

continued

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