Those Who "Almost" Believe

I saw that expression (Those Who 'Almost' Believe) in one of the best books I've ever found on food storage. The book is called Prophetic Statements on Food Storage for Latter-day Saints. The author is Neil H. Leash and can be found here.

Here is a quote from Prophetic Statements on Food Storage for Latter-day Saints:

"Perhaps we can find meaning for ourselves by looking at Abraham's struggle concerning the city of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Genesis 18:23-33). In his situation, as you may recall, Abraham was laboring with the Lord to save the city if sufficient righteous men could be found. In our day the story might go something like this:

"'Peradventure' Lord, will thou save the Saints if we can find sufficient with seven years supply of food storage?" (as the Lord instructed the Saints through the prophet Brigham Young). And the Lord responds, 'If you find those with seven years supply, I will save them.' Then our doubt begins to set in, because we know it is very unlikely that there is hardly anyone with a seven-year food supply, so we quickly ask the Lord to consider another possibillity:

"'Peradventure' that some shall have but one year less, wilt thou save them if we can find those with six years of food storage? And the Lord answering says, 'If you can find those with six years of food storage I will save the Saints.'

"And so it goes; and as with Abraham we continue to press the Lord, trying to reduce our anxiety and cover our doubts. Thus, we have gone from 7 years of food storage to 6, to 5, to 4, to 3, to 2, and eventually to a minimum of a year's supply as the Lord, sadly, acquiesces before us - a people unwilling to extend themselves to meet the greater requirement, but one none the less in our best interest. You will also note that the Lord has reduced the amount to be stored to a minimum, from the food we regularly eat to that which would 'keep us from starving.' And so it is with us today, as the history of the food storage program has unfolded." (p. 147)

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One might say, where does one store all this food? I will be researching this, because I live in a state where most homes have few closets due to the warm weather. It is also too hot to store food in the small garages we have here. So it's an interesting proposition. But it is no excuse. The Lord only asks that which we're capable of.

Oftentimes obedience is simply a shifting of priorities. I may not be able to store 12 months of food for a family of eight, but I certainly (if this were my scenario) could show my efforts in obedience to have stored at least three months worth (or whatever my home is capable of bearing).

A large dream is begun by living the smaller dream at first. Let us first start with at least one month's worth of food in storage to show the Lord we're learning to live a preparedness lifestyle. Then next month, we add a second month's worth. The following month, we add a third month's worth. Little by little soon becomes a lot.

I'd rather store a little at a time, rather than one day my children starve because I didn't get started today. Remember...preparedness is a lifestyle, not a one-time event. Thus, let's go find something to begin with today!

P.S. You might want to start by getting Neil Leash's book today. It can be found here.