Words of the Prophets...

Need another reason to increase your Self-Reliance? 

Here are quotes from our own Apostles and past Prophets to help put a little pep in your step... 

“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.”     -Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, April 1965)

“The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.”    -Ezra Taft Benson  (“Prepare Ye,” Ensign, Jan. 1974, 69)

 “For the righteous, the gospel provides a warning before calamity, a program for the crises, refuge for each disaster... The Lord has warned us of famines, but the righteous will have listened to the prophets and stored at least one year's supply of survival food..."    - Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1973)

“We encourage families to have on hand this year’s supply; and we say it over and over and over and repeat over and over the scripture of the Lord where He says, ‘Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?’ [Luke 6:46.]  How empty it is as they put their spirituality, so-called, into action and call him by his important names, but fail to do the things which he says.”    - Spencer W. Kimball (General Conference, April 1976, 171)

“We have placed considerable emphasis on personal and family preparedness. I hope that each member of the Church is responding appropriately to this direction.”   - Spencer W. Kimball (Conference Report, Apr. 1977, 125)

 “Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake ... cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?”    - Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1980

 “I ask you earnestly, have you provided for your family a year's supply of food, clothing, and where possible, fuel? The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.”   - Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1987)

 “The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God on the earth will be combined together at Christ's coming - and that time is not far distant. How I wish we could get the vision of this work, the genius of it, and realize the nearness of that great event. I am sure it would have a sobering effect upon us if we realized what is before us.” - Gordon B. Hinckley (General Conference, October 1992)

 “I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order.” - Gordon B. Hinckley (General Conference, October 1998)

"The greatest events that have been spoken of by all the Holy Prophets will come along so naturally as the consequences of certain causes, that unless our eyes are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and the spirit of revelation rests upon us, we will fail to see that these are the events predicted by the Holy Prophets."   -George Q. Cannon (Journal of Discourses 21)

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven..."    -Matthew 7:21

"All we have yet heard and we have experienced is scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be preached. When the testimony of the Elders ceases to be given, and the Lord says to them, “Come home; I will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth,” all you now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon that will be preached with fire and sword, tempests, earthquakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful destruction. What matters the destruction of a few railway cars? You will hear of magnificent cities, now idolized by the people, sinking in the earth, entombing the inhabitants. The sea will heave itself beyond its bounds, engulfing mighty cities. Famine will spread over the nations and nation will rise up against nation, kingdom against kingdom and states against states, in our own country and in foreign lands; and they will destroy each other, caring not for the blood and lives of their neighbors, of their families, or for their own lives."    -Teachings of Brigham Young - The last days will be a period of great turmoil (DBY, 111–12)

"Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land."  -D&C 38:28

 

"...but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."    -D&C 38:30

“In words of revelation the Lord has said, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing” (D&C 109:8). Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparation as will assure survival should a calamity come. We can set aside some water, basic food, medicine, and clothing to keep us warm. We ought to have a little money laid aside in case of a rainy day.”    -President Gordon B. Hinckley ("If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear," Ensign, Nov. 1995)

  “Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year’s supply of food … and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year’s supply of debt and are food-free.”    -President Thomas S. Monson

 

"Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. . . . As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year's supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness"   -L. Tom Perry
 

“A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity…
And, brethren, we lay up in store! Then, “through [the Lord’s] providence, notwithstanding the tribulation … the church [and its people will] stand independent.”..and ... we lay up in store! By doing these things, “the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in [our] midst.”   -Bishop Keith B. McMullin, (Lay Up in Store, May 2007, Ensign)

 

“The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary. … “We can begin with a one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs”   -Gordon B. Hinckley (“To Men of the Priesthood,” Ensign, Nov. 2002, 5)


“We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in pots and planters. … Make your garden as neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibilities”   -Spencer W. Kimball (“Family Preparedness,” Ensign, May 1976, 124).


“We expect the individual to do all he can to help himself, whether it be an emergency for a single family or for a whole community, that the relatives will do all they can to help, then the Church steps in with commodities from the storehouse, with fast offerings to meet their needs that commodities from the storehouse will not supply, and finally, the Relief Society and the priesthood quorums will assist with rehabilitation”  -Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 171).



“[The pioneers] were taught by their leaders to produce, as far as possible, all that they consumed, and to be frugal and not wasteful of their substance. This is still excellent counsel”   -Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) (“The Pioneer Spirit,” Improvement Era, July 1970, 3).

“We feel led to caution the Latter-day Saints against forming the bad habit of incurring debt and taking upon themselves obligations which frequently burden them heavier than they can bear, and lead to the loss of their homes and other possessions. … Our business should be done, as much as possible, on the principle of paying for that which we purchase, and our needs should be brought within the limit of our resources”  -Wilford Woodruff  (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff [2004], 232–33).


“How on the face of the earth could a man enjoy his religion when he had been told by the Lord how to prepare for a day of famine, when instead of doing so he had fooled away that which would have sustained him and his family”  -George Albert Smith (1870–1951) (Deseret News, Mar. 4, 1868, 26).


“If you are without bread, how much wisdom can you boast and of what real utility are your talents, if you cannot procure for yourselves and save against a day of scarcity those substances designed to sustain your natural lives?” -Brigham Young (1801–77) (Deseret News, July 18, 1860, 153).

“We should ask ourselves; What are the Brethren saying? The living prophets can open the visions of eternity; they give counsel on how to overcome the world. We cannot know that counsel if we do not listen. We cannot receive the blessings we are promised if we do not follow the counsel given”  -James E. Faust: (Reach Up for Light pg 17)


“I bear my humble witness to you that the great God of heaven will open doors and means in a way we never would have supposed, to help all those who truly want a years supply… All we have to do is to decide, commit to it, and then keep the commitment. Miracles will take place…”  -Vaughn J. Featherstone (Ensign May 1976, pg. 116)


We encourage families to have on hand this year’s supply; and we say it over and over and over and repeat over and over the scripture of the Lord where he says, Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46) How empty it is as they put their spirituality, so-called, into action and call him by his important names, but fail to do the things which he says.  -Spencer W. Kimball - Put away a 1 year supply of food (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 375)

 

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…Because there will come a time when there isn’t a store. -Spencer W. Kimball (Conference Report, Oct 1980)

 

Faith, spirituality, and obedience produce a prepared and self-reliant people.  As we obey the covenant of tithing, we are shielded from want and the power of the destroyer.  Similar blessings come as we obey the counsel of the prophets and live within our means, avoid unnecessary debt, and set aside sufficient of life's necessities to sustain ourselves and our families for at least a year.    -Bishop Keith B. McMullin (Oct 2005 General Conference) (Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric)


 “I wish to speak to you about temporal matters. As a backdrop for what I wish to say, I read to you a few verses from the 41^st chapter of Genesis. 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 wind, sprung up after them: . . . (Joseph’s interpretation) Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine. . . And god will shortly bring it to pass.’ (Gen. 41:20, 26, 30, 32) Now, brethren, . . . 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. . . . There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed.”   -Gordon B. Hinckley - October Conference 1998 (Priesthood Session.)

7 years later.....

 “Let us never lose sight of the dream of Pharaoh concerning the fat cattle and the lean, the full ears of corn and the blasted ears, the meaning of which was interpreted by Joseph to indicate years of plenty and years of scarcity.”  -Gordon B. Hinckley - October Conference, 2005

"As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son..."    -Gordon B. Hinckley - October Conference 2001


"The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat." -President Brigham Young: (President Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, p.298.)

". . .save the wheat until we have one, two, five, or seven years provisions on hand, until there is enough of the staff of life saved by the people to bread themselves and those who will come here seeking for safety." (Discourses of Brigham Young, pp.291-293)


"The Lord is not going to disappoint either Babylon or Zion, with regard to famine, pestilence, earthquake or storms. . . . Lay up your wheat and other provisions against a day of need, for the day will come when they will be wanted, and no mistake about it. We shall want bread, and the Gentiles will want bread, and if we are wise we shall have something to feed them and ourselves when famine comes."  -Wilford Woodruff (Journal of Discourses, 18:121.)



The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His Servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?"   -Ezra Taft Benson: (Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, November 1980)

 

"When the economies of nations fail, when famine and other disasters prevent people from buying food in stores, the Saints must be prepared to handle these emergencies."   -Ezra Taft Benson: (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 264.)


"We will see the day when we live on what we produce." (Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, Oct. 1998.)
 

"A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the Saints [in the last days], and the results will be financial bondage.  Persecution comes next and all true Latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit." -Heber C.. Kimball (Deseret News, May 23, 1931.)

"I will tell you a dream which Brother Kesler had lately.  He dreamed that there was a sack of gold and a cat placed before him, and that he had the privilege of taking which he pleased, whereupon he took the cat and walked off with her. Why did he take the cat in preference to the gold? Because HE COULD EAT THE CAT, BUT COULD NOT EAT THE GOLD. You may see about such times before you die."  -Heber C. Kimball: J.D. 3:262


"Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families' needs? Don't give this one more idle thought. There is a God in heaven whom we have obeyed. Do your suppose he would abandon those who have kept his commandment? He said, "If ye are prepared, ye need not fear." (D&C 38:30.) Prepare, O men of Zion, and fear Not.....Commit to have a year's supply of food."  -Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone: (Ensign, May 1976, p. 117.)

“No one know the time of His coming, but the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and be prepared for it…We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming”   -Dallin H. Oaks: ( Oct. 2007 VT Message in Ensign)



"For over 100 years we have been admonished to store up grain. ‘Remember the counsel that is given,’ said Elder Orson Hyde, ‘Store up all your grain, and take care of it!... And I tell you it is almost as necessary to have bread to sustain the body as it is to have food for the spirit.’"   -Ezra Taft Benson: (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 5, p. 17)

“There is more salvation and security in wheat, than in all the political schemes of the world...”  -Ezra Taft Benson: (JD 2:207).


"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 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."  -President Harold B. Lee: (Welfare conference address, October 1, 1966)
 

..."How on the face of the earth could a man enjoy his religion when he had been told by the Lord how to prepare for a day of famine, when, instead of doing, so, he had fooled away that which would have sustained him and his family."  -Elder George A. Smith: (JD 12:142)


"...I should like to address a few remarks to those who ask, ‘Do I share with my neighbors who have not followed the counsel? And what about the non-members who do not have a year’s supply? Do we have to share with them? ‘No, we don’t have to share—we get to share! Let us not be concerned about silly thoughts of whether we would share or not. Of course we would share!"  -Vaughn J. Featherstone: (April Conference, 1976)


..."We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yards. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in pots and planters. Study the best methods of providing your own foods. Make your garden neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibilities...Develop your skills in your home preservation and storage. We reaffirm the previous counsel the Church has always given, to acquire and maintain a year’s supply—a year’s supply of the basic commodities for us."   -Spencer W. Kimball: (“Family Preparedness,” Ensign, May 1976, 124).

 
“Brethren, I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family.  None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment…I do not predict any impending disaster…yet prudence should govern our lives…We can begin with a one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs….I fear that so many feel that a long-term supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all. Begin in a small way….gradually build toward a reasonable objective.”   -President Gordon B. Hinckley, (Priesthood Session, October 2002)