My thoughts on preparedness
This post has been a long time in coming. It has been on my mind so much for the past couple months as we have been working on our own preparedness. I have had so many conversations with friends and family members in many different states, but I have been hesitant to put my thoughts out there to everyone. I don't like people to think I'm crazy. That's what it boils down to. :-) After our lessons in Sunday School and Relief Society yesterday and my reading this morning in 2 Nephi, I really feel like I need to share though.
The foundation for all of this is that I really believe we are led by a living prophet. In September 2014 President Monson reminded us all of the need to get out of debt and be prepared temporally and spiritually.
Due to a wake-up call a couple of months ago, we picked up the baton again. This time I took things more seriously. I don't just want to do the things to prepare, I want to have a testimony for myself of WHY our family is doing it. As I took that desire to the Lord in prayer, I feel like He started blessing me with eyes and a heart that were more awake to what is going on in our world right now. I started asking, seeking, and knocking about specific foundation stones. My testimony has come piece by piece, and I am still working on continuing to grow it. There are some things I do know are true though.
It is the last days. The Lord's work is hastening. He has a plan that is already in motion. Satan has a plan as well, and we are blind if we don't see that in motion as well.
God has told us so much about His plan in the scriptures and through counsel, visions, and revelations to modern-day prophets. That information is available to all of us.
God wants us to watch for the second coming of the Savior. He wants us to look and see Him in the events going on--blood moons, natural disasters, political events.
The prophecies and promises of the Lord will all be fulfilled. Many already have, many are in the process, and many are on the horizon. We have been warned and taught. We just need to wake up (2 Nephi 8:9, 17, 24).
This is a season of preparation. President Monson said clearly, "When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past." We are literally living out the parable of the 10 Virgins. Temporally and spiritually. He told us--all of us--that a time for decision will come. He invited us to the wedding feast. If we are prepared as we have been commanded by a living prophet then the choices we have before us will be different than if we are unwise virgins and are unprepared when He comes to call us to the feast.
I don't know how or when things will play out. I won't even speculate. When I do that I get caught up in the anxiety of it. I did pray specifically to know more information about what would be required of my family. My answer was simply that it is not time to know that yet. We just need to follow the prophet, focus on our preparedness, and keep watching and waiting. "The people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they that wait for Him" (2 Nephi 6:13).
The more we learn about it and talk about it and actively prepare for it the less fear I have. That seems so strange to me, but it is true. I know the time is now to build Zion and prepare the earth for the second coming of the Savior. God has given so many promises to Zion....comfort, protection, joy, gladness. I want to be a part of that. I want to be awake and fully live my covenants so when the time for decision comes I am prepared to follow Him.
So, there is is. Crazy? Maybe. I had a workman in our storage room looking at our furnace and AC today and he pretty much thought we were crazy because of our food storage. He doesn't even know about the clothing and provisions we are working on. Ha! Double Crazy! When we obey we will be blessed though--in ways we cannot even comprehend now. No theme is repeated more in scripture and throughout the history of God's dealings with His people.
No more putting down the baton. I want our family to be ready. When President Monson asks the question, "Are we Prepared?" I want to be able to answer, "Yes!" Join us!!!
The foundation for all of this is that I really believe we are led by a living prophet. In September 2014 President Monson reminded us all of the need to get out of debt and be prepared temporally and spiritually.
"Are we prepared for the emergencies in our lives? Are our skills perfected? Do we live providently? Do we have our reserve supply on hand? Are we obedient to the commandments of God? Are we responsive to the teachings of prophets? Are we prepared to give of our substance to the poor, the needy? Are we square with the Lord?We live in turbulent times. Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behooves us to prepare for uncertainties. When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past."It's something we have all heard before...many times. Perhaps that's partially why it's easy to become complacent. Our family was vigilant at first, and we even started a group in our area to work on preparedness together. Then the holidays came, and I put down the preparedness baton because life was just plain busy.
Due to a wake-up call a couple of months ago, we picked up the baton again. This time I took things more seriously. I don't just want to do the things to prepare, I want to have a testimony for myself of WHY our family is doing it. As I took that desire to the Lord in prayer, I feel like He started blessing me with eyes and a heart that were more awake to what is going on in our world right now. I started asking, seeking, and knocking about specific foundation stones. My testimony has come piece by piece, and I am still working on continuing to grow it. There are some things I do know are true though.
It is the last days. The Lord's work is hastening. He has a plan that is already in motion. Satan has a plan as well, and we are blind if we don't see that in motion as well.
God has told us so much about His plan in the scriptures and through counsel, visions, and revelations to modern-day prophets. That information is available to all of us.
God wants us to watch for the second coming of the Savior. He wants us to look and see Him in the events going on--blood moons, natural disasters, political events.
The prophecies and promises of the Lord will all be fulfilled. Many already have, many are in the process, and many are on the horizon. We have been warned and taught. We just need to wake up (2 Nephi 8:9, 17, 24).
This is a season of preparation. President Monson said clearly, "When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past." We are literally living out the parable of the 10 Virgins. Temporally and spiritually. He told us--all of us--that a time for decision will come. He invited us to the wedding feast. If we are prepared as we have been commanded by a living prophet then the choices we have before us will be different than if we are unwise virgins and are unprepared when He comes to call us to the feast.
I don't know how or when things will play out. I won't even speculate. When I do that I get caught up in the anxiety of it. I did pray specifically to know more information about what would be required of my family. My answer was simply that it is not time to know that yet. We just need to follow the prophet, focus on our preparedness, and keep watching and waiting. "The people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they that wait for Him" (2 Nephi 6:13).
The more we learn about it and talk about it and actively prepare for it the less fear I have. That seems so strange to me, but it is true. I know the time is now to build Zion and prepare the earth for the second coming of the Savior. God has given so many promises to Zion....comfort, protection, joy, gladness. I want to be a part of that. I want to be awake and fully live my covenants so when the time for decision comes I am prepared to follow Him.
So, there is is. Crazy? Maybe. I had a workman in our storage room looking at our furnace and AC today and he pretty much thought we were crazy because of our food storage. He doesn't even know about the clothing and provisions we are working on. Ha! Double Crazy! When we obey we will be blessed though--in ways we cannot even comprehend now. No theme is repeated more in scripture and throughout the history of God's dealings with His people.
No more putting down the baton. I want our family to be ready. When President Monson asks the question, "Are we Prepared?" I want to be able to answer, "Yes!" Join us!!!
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