LDS Perspectives On Self Reliance
Looking at life on the long run, it simply is prudent to do as much for yourself as you can. In our world of ever narrowing occupational specialties we become more and more interdependent on society at large to meet our family’s needs. If nothing else, it’s simply a good feeling to have the knowledge and know-how to have the ability to do as much for ourselves as possible. With the ever present possibility of disruptions in life, there’s real wisdom in being able to take care of the physical needs of day to day living should personal or community hardships materialize. World Conditions: In 1832 the Lord told the Church about a yet future day before His triumphant Second Coming to the earth, "And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations." (D&C 87:6) Obviously, when these times come, there will be a universal breakdown in social order. In addition to this, the Lord has warned of distressing weather conditions; floods, hail storms destroying the crops of the earth, tornadoes and violent wind storms. Amazingly enough, there will be no rainbow the 12 months before the Savior returns to the earth. Yes, all of this seems quite impossible but yet the Lord has spoken it. People probably won’t be going to the store any more and if an item isn’t made by the family themselves or by the local community they won’t be able to get it. To prepare for these times the Church counsels it’s members to store a year’s supply of food, clothing, and where feasible, fuel. It also tells it’s members to learn now how to grow a garden and preserve the food harvested from it. Storage: The leaders of the Church counsel it’s members to store what they eat. In a world-wide church with numerous cultures belonging to it, it would be arrogant in the extreme to tell everyone what to put in the food supply. The leaders counsel members to store as much of the food they normally eat as they can. For people living in North America, they suggest a two week supply of water and a year supply of wheat or other grains such as rice or corn, legumes; salt, honey or sugar, powdered milk and cooking oil. Get the basics to sustain life first, then work on the frills. The leaders of the Church are much more interested in survival than eating in a grand fashion. There should also be a year’s supply of clothing, and fuel where possible to heat our homes and cook our food. The eating fare will indeed be sparse if in a national emergency there is no way of cooking the things we have put away! Soap and a means to clean our clothes and ourselves should also be included. And to prevent wasting old stored food, members are counseled to use their food storage while it is still wholesome and buy new food to replace the food that is being consumed. For many people this will require a certain amount of change in the family’s diet if you have stored items you normally don’t eat. Most people can’t purchase a year’s supply of food at one time. It's suggested that people include food storage as part of the family’s normal monthly budget, buying a little here and a little there, taking advantage of sales and seasonal specials. Before long, your year supply will have built up to where it will take care of your family in a tight spot. For the families that really get into this, their meal menu to a large degree will revolve around their food storage. And this is the point which families should seek to arrive at.
Home Food Production - Gardening: Home food production is the other arm of family physical preparedness. Last weekend I spent four hours making 4 gallons of apple juice from fresh apples. If I counted my time, for a lot less money I could have run down to the store and bought as much apple juice. As I was making it, I thought several times about why I was doing this instead of running to the store. Years before, a neighbor who grows a garden large enough to feed the whole block told me when I had ask him a similar question, "How much it costs in time and money to be self reliant is immaterial. The bottom line is you know how to do it." Church literature suggestions include vegetable gardens, fruit trees, berry bushes and where possible this counsel even includes chickens for meat and eggs, ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits and possibly goats or a cow for milk for those who live on enough land in the country to make such a thing possible.
•http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/index.html
Last of all, you should learn to store the things you grow by canning them, making root cellars for potatoes and carrots and perhaps even dehydrating some fruit or vegetables if you are unable to can them. | |||||
Next Page...
|| Walton Home Page || Walton Self Reliance Home || LDS Perspectives Home ||