{"id":10450,"date":"2019-02-24T11:01:55","date_gmt":"2019-02-24T17:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reliefsocietywomen.com\/?p=10450"},"modified":"2019-02-25T10:01:50","modified_gmt":"2019-02-25T16:01:50","slug":"the-terrifying-reality-of-self-reliance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reliefsocietywomen.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/24\/the-terrifying-reality-of-self-reliance\/","title":{"rendered":"The Terrifying Reality of Self-Reliance"},"content":{"rendered":"

This General Conference Odyssey post covers the October 1982 Welfare Session.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Last year had some terrifying natural disasters. The year before that was equally terrifying. What could happen to us this year? Disasters always tend to refocus our concerns for self-reliance. Marion G. Romney<\/a> said,<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI say the principle of self-reliance is spiritual, as are all the principles of the welfare program. This is not a doomsday program, but a program for today.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Living in an affluent society doesn\u2019t seem to help people live a life of self-reliance. In fact, it tends to do just the opposite. As members of the church, we simply know better.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ten virgins were all members. They all had oil, but half of them ran out and didn\u2019t have any extra. We\u2019ve used this story for years to prove the importance of temporal preparedness. Like you, I\u2019ve struggled for years to learn the best way to store extra food in the house. One thing I have learned though <\/span>is that if you store only wheat, oil, and legumes you have a better chance of preventing the kids from sneaking it out when you\u2019re not looking.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Temporal Preparedness<\/span><\/h2>\n

Welfare Square and Bishop\u2019s Storehouses all over the world <\/span>offer us a unique way to build our storage. They offer top quality foods for a good price. Nowhere else in the world does this happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

As I read Barbara B. Smith\u2019s talk<\/a>, it made me think of the untapped resource Relief Society is in our lives. During the war, sisters were getting together regularly to help families survive the years of economic downturns. Those were difficult years, far different from what we\u2019ve been experiencing for decades now. We have forgotten what it\u2019s like to help one another prepare for difficult times.<\/span><\/p>\n

With recent minor earthquakes stirring in Utah, I\u2019ve heard sisters panicking because they want to beef up their food storage and they don\u2019t know how. This is a perfect opportunity for a Relief Society president to organize a series of classes or offer text-challenges to help sisters work at getting their homes in order. This is what Relief Society does, yet it remains an untapped resource to help sisters feel prepared for whatever challenges\u00a0<\/span>their family is facing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our society has lived in affluence for too long. It\u2019s wonderful to have so much in abundance but as a result, <\/span>we have forgotten how to discipline ourselves to work hard, sacrifice, and save. Again, this is something that the members of Relief Society can easily excel at. We care more about our homes than anyone else.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Spiritual Preparedness<\/span><\/h2>\n

While temporal preparedness gives us security in an unpredictable world, it is spiritual preparedness that will save us from everlasting darkness.<\/span><\/p>\n

James E. Faust<\/a> offered a list of blessings, none of which are foreign to us. We\u2019ve heard them all before. If we obey our prophets, we will be the ones who profit most.<\/span><\/p>\n