Mormon experiences

[Marshmallow]

I know one of the practices of Mormons is to have food and provisions on hand for long-term emergency survival. I am unclear on the reasons behind this and would love to know more. Does anyone on this forum know more who would share some insights?

[Grandpa]

This program was instituted in 1936. (remember the depression?) Members were encouraged to build up their own reserves and the Church began a very energetic program to provide assistance to whoever needs it. They bought farms to raise produce, built factories for processing and have developed an entire infrastructure to funnel aid wherever needed. It would shock you to know how much aid the LDS Church sends to disaster areas compared to the Red Cross. They now have their own fleet of trucks and even planes. Whether Haiti, Indonesia or New Orleans, those supplies are moving within hours of any calamity. This is not something you will hear about from the mainstream media. They are not doing it for "proselyting" reasons. They do it because it's needed.

At the local level, members in need do get assistance if needed as well. Those receiving assistance also help out occasionally at the canneries or wherever their talents will benefit someone else. If you really want to know more about it, PM me and I will get you in touch with someone local to you who could explain it much better than me.

[Greatoutdoors]

I have used many Mormon resources to help me get started with our food storage system, and they are so helpful. They also have cannerys where you can go can your own dehydrated or freeze dried goods for a fraction of the cost it would be somewhere else.

[Grandpa]

Here is a good link to get started

Family Well-Being

[ponderosa]

Grandpa covered it well. I am LDS and try to follow the counsel to be prepared, although there are some aspects my family is still working on, bit by bit. I sometimes think most people think we are preparing for some apocalyptic event, but really there are many reasons our church counsels us to have storage, including security against unemployment, serious accident or serious illness that prevents employment, and natural disasters. Earthquake is the most likely disaster scenario where I live, but anybody can fall on economic hard times for any number of reasons. Remember also that this is a worldwide church, and members in many areas of the world live where political upheaval can disrupt the food delivery system.
My dad was one of the guys in charge of organizing church members to get relief to folks when the Teton Dam flood happened in eastern Idaho in 1976. Many people lost their personal storage when their houses floated away in the flood, but hundreds of other church members donated their storage for those who needed it. By the time the Red Cross showed up a couple days after the dam broke, there wasn't anything for them to do. Food, water, clothing, hygiene supplies, etc had already been gathered from members who were unaffected, and distributed to those in need through the established church emergency preparedness plans.

[BGreen]

These explanations and stories are so interesting. I do wish the general media would go into the reality more. I have some Mormon friends, and I am so impressed when they start talking about the reasons they do things in certain ways. If only the rest of the population were as proactive about self-reliance and doing what is right in life. I love, too, what the Mormons do that helps preserve family history and to make it accessible to the masses.

[rayne]

I am not Morman, but I do remember growing everything we ate. During the summer we froze, canned and stored all the vegetable from our garden. We slaughtered cows and hogs for our meat and we raised chickens for our eggs. There's a lot to be said for being self sufficient, Morman or not.

[Theosus]

So if the poo hits the fan, go shoot the mormans first and take their stuff. Got it.

I used to hear that too. They are supposed to have a years worth of fOod and supplies or something. I can't imagine. I know what my wife brings home each week, I wouldnt have space for 52 times that amount.

[Grandpa]

Originally Posted by ponderosa

My dad was one of the guys in charge of organizing church members to get relief to folks when the Teton Dam flood happened in eastern Idaho in 1976. Many people lost their personal storage when their houses floated away in the flood, but hundreds of other church members donated their storage for those who needed it. By the time the Red Cross showed up a couple days after the dam broke, there wasn't anything for them to do. Food, water, clothing, hygiene supplies, etc had already been gathered from members who were unaffected, and distributed to those in need through the established church emergency preparedness plans.

Our Stake sent two bus loads of men to help with the cleanup Ponderosa. I was at Rexburg helping. Eight of us were assigned to one house to shovel the mud and debris and gut the basement walls before the mold got started. They were lucky and didn't get water into the upper floor. All the home owners had to do was watch the debris for anything they may want to try and save.

[Lamebeaver]

Originally Posted by BGreen

These explanations and stories are so interesting. I do wish the general media would go into the reality more. I have some Mormon friends, and I am so impressed when they start talking about the reasons they do things in certain ways. If only the rest of the population were as proactive about self-reliance and doing what is right in life. I love, too, what the Mormons do that helps preserve family history and to make it accessible to the masses.

They don't do this to be nice, they do it so if you convert, you can posthumously baptize your ancestors into the faith. There was a big stink about this recently, as they were baptizing Jewish Holocaust victims. Allegations are that they removed these names from view, but that it was still going on in secret.

I know a few Mormons, and they are very nice people, but some of their religious views are kinda out there.