As Mormons, we believe the scripture contained in the Bible found in Amos 3:7:
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
We believe that God calls literal prophets, duly ordained by Him, to lead and guide us today –
Makes sense. We live in topsy-turvy times. Remember back in late 90’s in the United States? Oh, times for many were good (not all, but that’s a story on charity for another day). Yes, indeedy, the internet investors were at a peak, as were stock market investors. Home prices continued to rise, building what felt like a tidy little nest egg of comfort for many. Things felt solid and cozy.
Yet look what our prophet had to say in late 1998:
“Now, brethren, I want to make it clear that I am not prophesying . . . But I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order . . . That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable” (Ensign, Nov 1998, p 53).
He went on to speak of a portent of stormy weather ahead. At the time some may have questioned his wisdom, because after all, the economy in the United States looked so rosy.
Oh, how hindsight speaks loudly. Now here we are nearly a decade later. The housing market is imploding. Banks are imploding. Droughts are occurring. Trouble is spoken of economically in nearly every paper in the nation practically every day. This could not be a more stark contrast than that of nine years ago when President Hinckley shared these words!
Just imagine the joy of those who hearkened to the Lord’s mouthpiece! Just imagine the comfort they must have now, for they would have begun immediately getting their houses in order. Those who listened would have begun getting out of debt systematically and wisely. They would have started accruing savings a little at a time, if they’d not done so already.
They also would have begun a systematic food storage program, full of wise rotation and planning. Health considerations would have been taken into account, as would spiritual preparations for potentially stormy weather ahead.
Flash forward. We’re now here. Things are rocky. What do we do about it?
We start today, just as the wise did yesterday. We forego big screen TV purchases and cool iPods just as the wise did “yesterday” so that we too can be working to get out of debt and placing money and food items into storage. It isn’t too late. It is later, but not too late. We too can be found among the wise, but we’d better start hurrying.
If you don’t have the money to prepare in big ways, the Lord understands that. It’s just important that you start … now. Today!
