Self-Reliance

Nearly 50 years ago, President Kimball encouraged Latter-day Saints to plant a garden. What does the Church say about that now?

“The welfare program … stresses ... education, health, employment, family home production and storage, family finances, and spiritual strength.”

One of the greatest principles the Church teaches us is to be more self-reliant, which includes increasing our education in all areas of life.

The new self-reliance course includes resources for developing healthy thinking patterns, managing stress and anxiety, understanding sadness and depression, and overcoming anger.

The new self-reliance course is aimed at building spiritual and practical skills to help participants better care for their mind, emotions, and relationships.

Before President Russell M. Nelson’s challenge to turn social media into our own gratitude journals, there were dozens of lists online of things to be grateful for in the year 2020. Since his invitation, millions of ideas have been added by those using #GiveThanks. But there are a few spiritual things that I think we have become more grateful for this year, as we have either relied on them more or had to do without them. Everyone’s list will look a little different depending on personal circumstances, but here are a few things that I think many of us have come to appreciate more than ever this year (in no particular order).

Benjamin Taylor had a routine—and it wasn’t one he wanted to keep up. He had held six different jobs over the course of six years, and none of them had worked out.

"I do want to congratulate you. I am really surprised to see that level of work you are offering here. You are inspiring to others," His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa said after touring Welfare Square.

Updated safety guidelines for leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were released in a letter from the Presiding Bishopric on Oct. 10.

How does the welfare program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints help and inspire millions around the world? A new Church video gives a glimpse into this incredible program and how it allows Latter-day Saints to follow and live the teachings of our Savior.

It’s no secret that the changes in the Church are preparing us to become more spiritually self-reliant in preparation for the Second Coming. We’re responsible for receiving inspiration for our ministering families and come January, we’ll focus more than ever on learning the gospel in our home and developing our own unshakeable testimonies.

Recently, the Church announced a new approach to worship, with an emphasis on making gospel learning more self-reliant and family-focused. As with any change, we can become overwhelmed at first. So to help make this change just a little easier, here are a few techniques on how to be a self-reliant learner.

If you knew that there was a possibility you would die in a year, what would you do?

“Just as the Church adapts food production and storage projects according to changing needs, families may want to make similar adjustments from time to time in their food storage plans to ensure availability for their own use and to share with others,” Sister Jean B. Bingham said.

Despite apostolic warnings and repeated admonishments to avoid becoming caught up with Second Coming sensationalism and apocalyptic alarm, there have been many in every generation that assume the answer to the age-old question “When will He come again?” is “Now.”

We all have times when answers come easily. We have times when answers come clearly and distinctly. And we all have times when we really pray about something and seemingly receive no answer. On some such occasions, we may feel that we've conscientiously followed the instructions in Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9. We have studied the issue out in our minds, prayed about it (perhaps we even fasted), and asked the Lord if our decision or understanding is right. But after all that, we still do not feel we have received a burning in the bosom—or a stupor of thought—and thus it appears we are left to our own resources to try to solve the problem. Or we may be certain we have received an answer—but then things don't work out the way we thought they would.

It's been said that Mormons would fare well in a post-apocalyptic world, but we think that there's more to it than just food storage. See how Mormons will have a leg up on the competition if brain-eating zombies walked the streets.

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For decades, we have been counseled to be prepared by having food storage for our families. But even with so many resources available to us, there are still a few pitfalls we might be falling into. Here are some common food storage mistakes to look out for and tips to avoid them.

“Just to see the way everything works out [at Welfare Square] and how the organizational aspect of it, the voluntary aspect of it — it is so impressive and something that I think every religious tradition — and not even faith communities, but everyone — should participate in, and we can learn a lot from the LDS community in this way," Saba Soomekh said after touring the Church's welfare operations and an LDS temple.

As hurricanes, fires, mudslides, and earthquakes ravaged countries around the world last year, many of us are re-evaluating our emergency preparedness. But while food and water are critical in a disaster, they may not be enough. Recent research suggests that how you react during and after a catastrophe could make the most difference to your survival.

Following are the incredible stories of Justin Bisimwa, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Collins family, a family of 15 in San Diego, California, who have now teamed up to create a non-profit organization called New Neighbor Relief that helps refugees in San Diego become self-reliant.

In 2015, the Huffington Post re-posted an article from the Salt Lake Tribune, reporting on a group of Latter-day Saint “preppers” who are preparing for the end of the world.

LDS father Dennis Draleau from Grangeville, Idaho, needed a device that would allow him to haul gear and carry his young children while walking. Frustrated with options such as garden carts and wheelbarrows, Draleau turned to a historical alternative—the pioneer handcart. Since he couldn't find an inexpensive handcart with the features he needed, he decided to create his own modern version of the handcart.

“Food storage isn’t just for when the world ends; most of it’s . . . basic food storage products [used] in our everyday cooking,” Debbie Kent said. “It’s just learning how to cook with it and learning that it’s not scary to cook.”

On a trip to the Middle East several years ago, a close friend and his wife determined to save money by collecting rocks instead of purchasing souvenirs. At every significant location in Italy, Egypt, Israel, and Greece they picked up stones and labeled them with a date and a location. They were stored in an elderly suitcase brought along for just that purpose. The bag was the provocation for considerable humor during the three weeks of our trip. It grew increasingly ponderous as the days passed. The memorial stones seemed to grow correspondingly smaller.

Recently VICE News featured an LDS couple and their courage in “bucking stereotypes” and cultural norms as the husband, Robert Wood, pursues his passion by creating $5,000 violins in a converted tool shed in his backyard.

The Church opened its newest cannery in Harrisville, Utah, on Thursday to replace another in northern Utah.

In a crisis, your #1 need is food.

The temple has often been called the Lord’s university. Clearly, the Lord intends the temple to be a house of learning—one we should attend often (see D&C 109:8). In the temple and throughout our lives, we are commanded to seek learning by study and also by faith (see D&C 109:7). Learning by faith involves receiving revelation and having the Lord teach us. Our faith, prayers, fasting, pondering, and asking are all important tools to helping us understand the temple.

Elder Glen L. Rudd, the author of Pure Religion, the Story of Church Welfare Since 1930, made a great impact on the Church's welfare program. In a personal letter, President Gordon B. Hinckley wrote, “No one knows the history of the welfare program more thoroughly than do you.”

You’ve made your list, checked and double-checked. Legumes and flour. Rice and grains. Water. Fuel…hold on, wait a minute. Enough gas to run a generator for a year? A year’s supply of propane? How much is that? How much can I store safely (and legally)? It may be time to let the sun shine on your preparedness plan – with a SolavoreTM Sport solar oven. Use your propane for rainy days and let the sun do the work on the rest.

A recent program implemented by the Church that expands concepts from the Perpetual Education Fund has seen 20 times the success.

It's incredible to see how much the Church contributes to those in need around the world. No wonderPBS called the Church's welfare program "one of the world's best."

PBS recently featured the Church's welfare program in a short video. The description of the video begins, "There may be other charities that are larger or more helpful, but the welfare tradition within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must be one of the world’s best."

I’m always on the lookout for the best and newest inventions out there that could save your life in a crisis.

The Church is teaming up with the United Nations to provide aid to victims and those particularly vulnerable--those with disabilities, special needs, single mothers, etc.--in eastern Ukraine.

Imagine, living in poverty with almost nothing to give only to sacrifice your time and talents to build 25 chicken coops and with it a source of hope and self-reliance for families in your community. That's the story of one incredible man living in Haiti who became involved in the Church's Chicken Project.

Words like “preparedness” and “self-reliance” are often considered synonymous with “food storage” — and rightly so. For years, LDS Church leaders have counseled members to increase self-reliance by keeping at least three months’ worth of food on hand, with more long-term food storage as circumstances permit.

Dear Friend,

"It's the power of faith that drives this entire population and it's the power of faith that has all that grain stored right up there to feed people who need help," said presidential candidate John Kasich.

The holidays are already stressful, but they can be especially difficult if you are looking for work. This time of year is often filled with decorating, giving gifts, traveling, and attending parties, which can put extra pressure on families that are financially burdened. It may feel overwhelming to look for work when everyone is so busy. Here are a few suggestions of how you can make it through the holidays.

The chance of a cyberattack on America’s power grids is high and the nation is ill-prepared to face the catastrophic consequences, writes Ted Koppel in his recently released book, “Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath” (Crown Publishing, $26, 288 pages).

Over the last several weeks, it seems everyone from the Huffington Post to USA Today is talking about the "Mormon Preppers"–a small group of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are overstocking their food storage and updating their 72 hour kits under the premise that the world is ending.

MR says: Recently there have been a lot of rumors about the world ending, and while as Latter-day Saints we know it's good to prepare and stock up on food storage, we also know we shouldn't become fixated on events that we cannot control. Learn from one former "doomsday prepper" how she learned to find a balance between preparing for what's ahead and enjoying and living life now.