Follow the Prophet -- Prepare

It's a statement many have heard since nursery, primary, and Sunday School, and it's frequently stated in Church meetings, "Follow the prophet."

But many Latter-day Saints only pay lip-service to this statement. They follow the counsel only if it fits their personal ideals, wishes, or beliefs. The counsel is only heeded if it's convenient or easy.

Doctrine and Covenants section 90 verse 5:

"And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house."

How often are the counsels given by God's oracles--the prophets and apostles--either ignored or treated lightly? Unfortunately, the answer is too often. Once would be bad enough, but the Saints, in general, have a tendency to do this regularly.

Over twenty years ago, the Proclamation on the Family was given (https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng). At the time it was given, the majority of those who call themselves Latter-day Saints heartily agreed with it. Many wondered why such an obvious proclamation was made. Much of the Proclamation seemed to be obvious and unnecessary.

Jumping to our time, it seems that many of those Saints who said they fully agreed with and supported the Proclamation now actively support morals that are directly opposed to the truths in the Proclamation. To these people, the Proclamation doesn't reflect "reality," is "not with the times," is seen as "old fashioned," and some even see it as bigoted and hateful since it clearly is opposed to the LGBT community and their goals.

Those Saints who really do not follow the prophet are those who paid the Proclamation lip-service, but, when the storms of the LGBT agenda began to descend, their professed belief in the truths of the Proclamation was shaken.

How many Saints have followed the oft-repeated prophetic counsel to get prepared, and to have food storage? Not many. In the average ward it is my understanding that less than 30% have any kind of extended food supplies, such as to last for a couple of weeks. Less than 25% have three months' worth, and fewer than 10% have a year supply of even the basic foods. 

The storms, both literal and figurative, are descending. The wind is picking up and some rain is beginning to fall. 

What will happen to those saints who have treated lightly the prophets when the wind really blows "and the rains descend, and beat upon their house"? 

And what will happen when the mild storms evolve into raging tempests and the floods come? 

Only those whose houses of testimony are built on a sure foundation of actually faithfully following the prophets will survive. They are the ones who will escape. The others will be severely damaged, destroyed, or washed away with nothing left.

There are those who think conditions in our country and the world are bad.

When I read the scriptures and think about how little is written, and there are brief descriptions about how wicked the people are, it makes me wonder how would conditions now be written in just a few sentences, or paragraphs at most.

I'm not aware of any exaggerations in the scriptures, particularly when it is regarding wickedness. If anything, the scriptures seem to understate how bad things were by just summarily stating the general conditions.

Conditions are getting bad in our time, but things will get worse, unless more people repent and return to God.

The wild and crazy weather events around the world are just hints of what is coming.

Time is short for adequate preparations to be made. Certainly preparations can continue up until the time those preparations are needed. What I think is coming in the near future is it will become increasing difficult for most people to prepare. Prices may go up, availability may decrease, rationing might take place. There may be increased restrictions, regulations, and limitations that will reduce our ability to prepare. Economic and even environmental conditions could affect the ability to purchase and the supplies on hand.

I do not know when these conditions will happen. We could start seeing hints of it this year, or it may be 5 years. For most places I don't think conditions will be that people will be required to live off food storage and their preparations, but I think in most places it will become difficult to increase food storage and supplies.

This is why those who have not acted on the counsels of the prophets need to act quickly. It takes time to build up food storage and the supplies. Most people forget there is more to preparations than gathering some grain, sugar, beans, rice, and maybe some pasta. Think about what you use over the course of a year or more. 

What supplies are really needed? 

What about water, clothes, medicines, among many other things?

How will you wash your clothes, and dishes? What about hygiene and sanitation?

I believe bigger storms are coming, both literally and figuratively. The signs of them coming are on the horizon, but most people are too absorbed in their own lives to lift up their heads and look. Those who fail to look and prepare will suddenly find themselves overtaken by the storms.

And speaking of lifting up heads, we cannot ignore our spiritual preparations. Actually following the prophet is a good start, but we need to become actively engaged in studying the scriptures and the words of the prophets. We need to learn to have "mighty prayers" and to be really guided by the Spirit. The prophets have given general counsel and instruction, but only the Spirit can properly give each person personal guidance in preparation needs.