Self Reliance

By Nancy Rasmussen

Since the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, leaders have encouraged members and others to prepare for emergencies and other challenging times. In Doctrine and Covenants 38:30 we are reminded that, “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.”

While national and international events may cause anxiety and fear, following the counsel to “prepare every needful thing” is the surest way to combat negative emotions. Both the Church and the federal government offer myriad resources with guides to create effective personal and family preparedness plans.

Churchofjesuschrist.org

Brigham Young instructed the Saints, “Instead of searching after what the Lord is going to do for us, let us inquire what we can do for ourselves.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978, p. 293.)

Preparation is necessary in many areas, including financial, home storage and food production, emotional preparedness, and emergency planning. If we have these plans in place, we can be prepared when unexpected challenges occur.

Preparing for emergencies can help us feel more secure and can help us stay safe when a disaster or unexpected event occurs.

Under the Life Help section on the Church website click on the “Tips for Making an Emergency Plan” link to find the basics of creating your own plan. Look for the Personal and Family Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for useful suggestions and forms.

Preparing for emergencies can help us feel more secure and can help us stay safe when a disaster or unexpected event occurs.