Are you prepared for the famine?

Sunday school lessons on the final chapters of Genesis typically discuss the story of Joseph and his brothers and then skip ahead to the blessings Jacob (Israel) gives to his sons before his death. Perhaps more pertinent to our time is the story that often gets passed over — the story of the increasingly severe famine after Joseph’s family is settled in Egypt.

This story is told in Genesis 47:13-26. I recommend reading the entire thing, but here is a summary of what happened as the famine dragged on for years:
1. Pharoah collected all the money in the land in exchange for corn.
2. Since the money had failed, the people gave their cattle to Pharoah for bread.
3. The people sold their land and themselves to Pharoah for bread.
4. Joseph gave the people seed (presumably this was the end of the famine).
5. Twenty percent of their increase from that time on to went to Pharoah.

Sacrifice and Consecration

This story strikes me as having interesting parallels to the Law of Consecration: 1. The people gave up all their property.
2. They were fed from a common store.
3. They received a stewardship (of seeds) that they were responsible to magnify
4. After receiving their stewardship, they paid back a percentage of their increase.

Of course, there is a major difference. These people did not participate voluntarily. They gave up all their material possessions in exchange for food because their very lives depended on it.

We Latter-day Saints currently have a different opportunity. Many of us have already made voluntary covenants of sacrifice and consecration. What are we doing to live up to these covenants? Hopefully we are preparing for what is coming. We are, after all, living in the “Latter Days.”

Procrastination

But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;
For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:41-43

Humans are exceedingly good at ignoring the consequences of our own actions until it is too late. Like the people in Noah’s day, we usually just carry on with our lives, playing with our stuff. We tend to ignore the prophets, the scriptures, and the signs of the times – until the flood comes.

Well, here are some uncomfortable facts. We in Utah (and Arizona, and Nevada) live in a desert. We are 22 years into a “megadrought.” Eighteen of the past 22 years the rainfall has been below average. Last summer two of the largest reservoirs in America, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, both reached their lowest levels ever recorded. Yet, 40 million people in seven states and Mexico rely on the Colorado River.

Will a day come when you turn on the tap and no water comes out? Is it possible that our carefully accumulated money could someday become worthless? We don’t like to consider these possibilities, but the book of Genesis teaches us that just such events can and do happen.

Preparation

In Genesis, a Hebrew named Joseph came to Egypt at just the right time to save his family, and the entire nation, from starvation. If this story from scripture teaches us anything, clearly the lesson is that during times of plenty, one should store up and prepare for times of shortage.

If you think about it, this is true both spiritually and physically. We must store up during the times of plenty. Here is President Nelson’s counsel from the April 2020 General Conference.

The Lord has told us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” Of course, we can store our own reserves of food, water, and savings. But equally crucial is our need to fill our personal spiritual storehouses with faith, truth, and testimony.

Our ultimate quest in life is to prepare to meet our Maker. We do this by striving daily to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. And we do that as we repent daily and receive His cleansing, healing, and strengthening power. Then we can feel enduring peace and joy, even during turbulent times. This is exactly why the Lord has implored us to stand in holy places and “be not moved.”

Russell M. Nelson, “Opening Message,” Saturday Morning Session, General Conference, April 2020

A Warning

I believe our times of plenty may be coming to an end very soon. I encourage you to live and plan accordingly.