Thoughts on Storing Food

First - Where is the revelation where God commands us to store food?

I wonder if it would have been better to learn how to trust God for my supply, instead of putting away food.

What if food storage subverts the work of God as He tries to teach us to rely on Himinstead of the arm of flesh (even if it is our own arm)?

We (my family and I) are living off our food storage. The oil is nearly gone. Depending on how many sweets we make, the sugar could last several months to a year (we don't usually use it very quickly). The salt will last forever (we don't use much of that, either). Our oils are olive oil and grapeseed oil. Our sugar is sucanat (brown) and dried cane juice (white, but not as white as refined cane sugar). To replace any of those items with similar items is more than we can afford right now. We'd have to “downsize” to the lowest quality available (or go without).

But this post isn't to draw attention to us, nor to make anyone feel sorry for us. God is taking care of us. We aren't starving. I'm just wondering if we would have, perhaps, been better off learning to trust God for our food supply instead of our own ability to hoard, even if collecting the food entailed sacrifice (which it did at times).

Second - The fruits of storing food.

What are they? You know the most prolific fruit I see? Fear and violence.

So many people (not all - and I know many because of my interaction with the internet) are stockpiling weapons to defend their food storage. They speak of how they plan to kill anyone who tries to take their food by force. They speak of how they will make someone who asks for food labor in the most menial, demeaning ways to earn the right to survive. You know, s/he didn't prepare when the time was right. Now the time of preparation is past. Even though I didn't agree with the violent tendencies, it seem “normal” to me. But, now . . .

What about King Benjamin's sermon? What about not judging the beggar? What about freely giving to him/her? What about the fact that his/her death is upon your head if they perish because you withheld food?

“Which of my children should die that you might live?” Catchy comeback for those who assume they can just come to your house and get some food when times get bad, because they didn't store away food. (I liked the comeback when I first heard it. I thought I could use it if I ever came across that particular situation.)

But this doesn't sound like the fruits of the Spirit on either side - Not on the side of the one assuming they have a right to take, nor on the side of the one who assumes that sharing means automatic death for a family member.

I see food storage preventing faith that God will provide.

I see food storage causing otherwise good people to desire to kill their fellowmen.

I see food storage causing selfishness, pride, and greed.

I see food storage causing envy, covetousness, and anger.

This is a new view for me. A new paradigm. An unexpected turn of thought.

What if we are supposed to rely on God and God only, for our support?

The rich man who hoarded his grain was only being a good steward. He was making sure he had his long term supply of food - And God called him a fool.

Jesus said (in the Bible) that we shouldn't worry about how or if we are fed and clothed. He seemed to be talking to everyone, the 12 apostles as well as the general congregation. Jesus said the same thing to another group (in the Book of Mormon), but it was to 12 disciples and didn't seem to be directed to the multitude in general. I don't know if that means something or not.

A group of people in the Book of Mormon got together a 7 year supply -

But -

1) They did it together

2) There was an immediate threat they were responding to.

The Pharaoh in the Old Testament had a warning dream. God's seer interpreted it. Again, there was a specific threat. God gave a specific revelation in relation to it.

What if the people in Pharaoh's time had been righteous? What if they were in the habit of trusting God for their supply? Would there have been a need for them to eventually sell their souls to the Pharaoh? Would the dream have been necessary? Joseph certainly would not have been in prison because a wanton woman would not have been among the people (neither would slavery had been among them). Did God provide the dream because the people, like us, lacked the faith for God to provide for them day by day and minute by minute? Like the ravens. Like manna. Like clothes never wearing out (and that was among a rebellious people).

And the Israelites the dream was intended to save? How righteous were they? Many of them wanted to kill their brother. Instead, they threw him in a pit and sold him as a slave, putting blood on his clothes so the lie they told their father would seem more realistic. Two of them massacred a great many young men in a certain town. One slept with his father's wife. This doesn't sound like people who would be able to draw down the power of heaven when a famine showed up (and perhaps the famine was to humble them).

For us today, what happens when the food runs out? When there are no stores to go to? No money even if there were stores? No gardens because there is no safety, no unpoisoned land, no good water? Will we be fed by ravens? Will manna come from heaven? What if we have killed to protect our food supply? Is God bound to save our lives after we have done that? Will He still send ravens or manna or water from a rock to a murderous people?

I have not seen even one revelation from God for our time, commanding us to have a food supply (yet we think there was one). I have not seen such a revelation telling us to rely on it for our lives.

A dream by an unknown person (attributed to John Taylor, I believe, but the truth is that there is no name attached though there is a space for the name once the journal writer found out who had it). What credence should we give to that? The same as we give to the myriad of other rumors of thus and so general authority had a dream or a prophecy, but never bothered to deliver the message over the pulpit, pointing out that God had given it to him to warn the people?

“Thus saith the Lord, it is meet that my people gather together food and other supplies to sustain them for xxxx years, And this is a standing law unto them forever (or at least until I come). Amen.”

Where is it? If God said it and it is scripture for our day, it should be in the Doctrine and Covenants. I cannot find it there.

And if it isa commandment from God (but someone forgot to canonize it), why are the fruits

fear

greed

anger

envy

violence

murder

slavery?

If it was from God, wouldn't the fruits be

faith

charity

peace

generosity

freedom?

As one who has been to the spirit world, I can tell you that to kill for fear of dying from hunger makes no sense. If you do that, your death when it comes will not be pleasant for you. As one who has experienced serious hunger, I assure you that one does adjust to hunger. For myself, the pain became my friend. I didn't want it to leave. Scary thought, huh?

God Has Not Deserted Us

I came across this comment on Google+ and got permission to post it as a guest blog.

Maybe it's not a test that you are failing, maybe you are being humbled. What is more humbling than losing all your teeth and feeling like you will never be "good enough" to see God?

I'm not calling you prideful, I'm just saying, well, this -- "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me--the fountain of all righteousness." --Ether 12-27-28

Moroni wrote this right in the middle of that big sermon on faith. Faith always starts with weakness.

I think painful experiences are more likely to be humbling to build faith than tests to prove something. There is only one test and it is not about seeing if you can be a perfect person every day of your life. It is about trusting that whatever happens will turn to your good.

It is about taking blows to your self esteem because all of your teeth are falling out and you don't know if you'll ever find someone decent to marry.

It is about wondering how you can stay with a church that has gone so far astray that you wonder if there is anything to gain by staying with it.

It is about worrying every day that you are going to miss the boat and end up living in a cardboard box on the side of the road.

It is about taking your personalized doubts and fears and weaknesses and letting God lead you. Sometimes it feels like you are diving headfirst off a cliff, naked and blindfolded, but you have to trust that you will find somewhere to land, that it is not what it seems.

"Those who fear God are remembered, visited and blessed by Him. Those who had reason to be 'proud' of their status in mortality, the great ones of the day, dignitaries, presiding authorities, kings, rulers and magistrates 'he hath scattered' like dust. They will be put down from their mighty seats. In their place those of low degree will be exalted. Those who crave knowledge and are hungry to be filled with truth will not reject His messengers, and will be filled. This is so even if the greatest message of the day comes through an elderly woman, pregnant for the first time, and her lowly, still unmarried, pregnant cousin. Oh how wonderful are the workings of God! How little the praise and recognition of man matters! How foolish to men are the ways in which the Lord works in every generation! How easy it is to mistake social standing for God's favor, and to consider lowliness to mean insignificance! This God, who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, surely has given us all sufficient warning to let us all know His ways are not, and never will be, man's ways." --Denver Snuffer, "Come Let Us Adore Him," pages 30-31

End of comment.

To my friend's comment, I would add this (that I read this morning in the same book before I read her comment):

From the widow's perspective, the judge from whom she needs relief is unjust. . . .  However, because of her persistence, the judge is finally persuaded to grant her request.

This story illustrates the difference between man's perception of God who appears indifferent, and God's greater wisdom in timing His answers to our prayers.

We judge God. We think He delays, ignores or refuses us. This parable is teaching us to pray continually anyway. No matter what our perspective is, we should persist. Petition God until at last He delivers you. Never relent. Never stop asking. Even if you believe God to be unjust, . . .  continue to petition Him. He does listen and He does answer. [pp 169-170]

All of God's disciples experience this struggle in submitting their will to God's. All of us experience the exasperation that comes from petitioning the "unjust judge" whose patience and timing are beyond us. All are tempted to complain that God is unnecessarily delaying an answer to our needs [emphasis mine]. All of us will finally come to realize that God has always intended to avenge His people who cry to Him day and night, even though He may bear with us a long time first.

Will men lose faith? Will they lose patience as they await the Lord's answer to their desperate pleas? He is showing us the struggle we will have in the last days before His return. Despite all He may have done to answers [sic] prayers before, it will seem He has abandoned those who are here waiting. Even though He has provided proof of His word to His disciples, His delay will not only try their faith, it will cause them to wonder if God is not this unjust judge who makes them wait. It will test them so completely the Lord asks whether at the Second Coming He will find faith left on the earth. It is a sobering question. It is a warning. Do not lose faith. He does listen. [Emphasis Denver Snuffer's]  . . .

The parable is designed to forewarn us. Being forewarned should prepare us. Above all, the parable should instruct us to never lose faith. . . . He will vindicate every word He has spoken. [pp 172-173]

Idolatry

Note: This post is in NO WAY mocking Pres. Monson. This is mocking those who insist on putting our current leaders upon a pedestal that not even Christ, Himself was willing to stand on while He lived on earth. Christ never sought the chief seats nor did he seek adulation. The “honor” toward our leaders borders on idolatry, if it is not actual idolatry.

And this post is firmly tongue-in-cheek - a parody of what I read.

And for you historical sticklers out there, I am fully aware that these paragraphs (other than the original) are not historically accurate.

I came across this on a blog whose author is unknown:

A gala event is planned for August to celebrate the 85th birthday of President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The masters of ceremonies duties for the celebration, called "Golden Days: A Celebration of Life," will be shared by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and Hall-of-Famer Steve Young and former network news anchor and author Jane Clayson Johnson. The event will feature Broadway and other musical selections performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square and notable guest artists, who have not yet been announced. Choir President Mac Christensen said, "I happen to know the songs being performed will delight President Monson."

The evening will also include a nostalgic look back at Pres. Monson's life, including his childhood, marriage, time in the Navy during World War II, and decades of service. He was called as a bishop of a congregation at age 22 and has served for nearly a half century as a general authority of the church.

A news release from Mormon Newsroom quotes Young as saying, "This celebration is a great way to let (Pres. Monson) know how much he is loved and appreciated. It's a privilege to play a small part in that recognition."

How about changing the notice a little?

A gala event is planned for September to celebrate the 80th birthday of Annas of The Church of Moses of Yhwh. The master of ceremonies for the celebration (called "Length of Days: A Celebration of My Life") will be Annas' son-in-law and high priest, Caiaphas. The event will feature musical selections from Roman epic poems from the last 50 years. The poems and music have not been announced yet, but Tiberius Judas happens to know that the performance will delight Annas.

The evening will also include a nostalgic look back at Priest Annas' life, including his childhood, marriage, and time in the service at the temple. He has served for nearly a half century as high priest of the church, and has been a champion for truth and casting out unrighteous zealots.

A news release from the Jerusalem Times quotes Tiberius Judas as saying, "This celebration is a great way to let Annas know how much he is loved and appreciated. It's a privilege to play a small part in that recognition."

Or

A gala event is planned for December to celebrate the 45th birthday of President Joseph Smith Jr. of The Church of the Latter-day Saints. The masters of ceremonies for this event (called "Restoration Days: A Celebration)" will be shared by Orson Pratt and Sidney Rigdon. It is rumored that Charles Dickens and Mark Twain will make a surprise appearance. The event will feature Broadway and other musical selections performed by the Pioneer Playhouse. Brigham Young said, “I know that the songs will delight Brother Joseph.”

The evening will also include a nostalgic look back at Brother Joseph's life, including his childhood, marriage, translation of the Book of Mormon, and decades of service. He was called as a prophet of the church at age 24 and has served for nearly a quarter century as a general authority of the church.

A news release from Deseret Newsroom quotes Young as saying, "This celebration is a great way to let Brother Joseph know how much he is loved and appreciated. It's a privilege to play a small part in that recognition."

Or

A gala event is planned for March to celebrate the 90th birthday of President Nephi Son of Lehi of The Church of Yhwh of Current-day Saints. The masters of ceremonies duties for the celebration, called "Gold and Brass Days: A Celebration of Life," will be shared by former Assistant of Riches and Records in Jerusalem Zoram and former network news proclaimer Sam the Elder. The event will feature local talent. Choir President Amon said, "I happen to know the songs being performed will delight President Nephi."

The evening will also include a nostalgic look back at Nephi's life, including his stormy youth, marriage, and time in the service of the Lord. He was called as a ruler over his brothers at age 16 and has served for nearly three-quarters century as a general authority of the church.

A news release from the Land of Nephi quotes Amon as saying, "This celebration is a great way to let Nephi know how much he is loved and appreciated. It's a privilege to play a small part in that recognition."

Or

A gala event is planned for Winter Solstice to celebrate the 65th birthday of Alma the Younger of The Church of Christ. The masters of ceremonies duties for the celebration, called "Days of Peace and Rest: A Celebration of Life," will be shared by former military officer General Moroni and former mayor of the Ammonites Ammon the Fearless. The event will feature dances and other musical selections performed by the Church of Christ Choir and notable guest artists, who have not yet been announced. Choir President Moronihah said, "I happen to know the songs being performed will delight President Alma.

The evening will also include a nostalgic look back at Alma the Younger's life, including his childhood, his warring against the true and living church, time in the mission field and decades of service. He repented of apostasy and persecuting the Church of God at age 22 and has served for many years as a general authority of the church.

A news release from Mormon Newsroom quotes Moronihah as saying, "This celebration is a great way to let Alma know how much he is loved and appreciated. It's a privilege to play a small part in that recognition."

Or

We regret that the gala event that was planned for April to celebrate the 34th birthday of Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus of Galilee (also known as Joshua) will be canceled. The masters of ceremonies duties for the celebration, called "A Life of Miracles: A Celebration," was planned to be shared by former fishermen Peter and Andrew. The event would have featured musical selections performed by the Mary and Martha, and notable guest artists, who had not yet been announced. Choir President Palatius said, "I happen to know the songs being performed would have delighted Rabbi Joshua."

The evening would have also included a nostalgic look back at Joshua's life, including his miraculous conception and birth, childhood, marriage, and miraculous service to the people in the area of Israel. He was called as Rabbi at age 30 and has served for nearly four years as a voice from God outside the established hierarchy who, let's face it, hate him.

A news release from Joshua Fan News quotes Palatius as saying, "This celebration is a great way to let Joshua know how much he is loved and appreciated. It's a privilege to play a small part in that recognition."

As many have expressed shock and dismay at the cancellation, we feel compelled to explain the reason.

First, Jesus of Nazareth refused to be part of the celebration. He said, “Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth.” He also said, “They who seek the chief seats and seek to be seen of men - verily, verily, I say unto you - they have their reward.” And, finally, he said, “Do good in secret and your Father who is in heaven shall reward you openly, but if you seek to do good before men, you have your reward.”

When pressed, he admitted there was also another reason. “For the son of man goeth up to Jerusalem to be crucified, and to rise the third day.” When we said, “Say what?” He replied, “You goons love the chief seats. You love the adoration and worship of the masses. But, guess what? That will lead you straight down to hell. I have a work to do and it has nothing to do with gaining the accolades and honors of men. Those who follow me will be hated by the world. No one will seek to sing their praises. Not one will have huge parties attended by famous personalities. Those who follow me shun the limelight and the praises of men. Those servants of mine who I send will preach repentance, baptism, and coming unto Christ. They will not spend their time bathing in the adoration and worship of mindless, slobbering masses of people who look to be dictated to in every thought.” We said, “We get it. We get it.” He said, “Good! Now I've got some work to do in Jerusalem. If you'll excuse me . . . .”

So, instead of celebrating Joshua, we will celebrate a man who was released from prison by the name of Barabbas. He has no problems being the honored person in this party. Oh, and Peter, Andrew, Mary, and Martha have backed out. We'll surprise you with who the entertainment is.