Vaughn Featherstone talk on Food Storage

[arbilad]

This is an amazing talk by Vaughn Featherstone in 1976 about food storage. One interesting point is that he says - and the prophet of the time, President Kimball confirms later in that same session - that we don't need to worry about people taking our food storage from us. He says that the Lord will protect us. Of course, he also says that we get to share.


Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families’ needs? Don’t give this one more idle thought. There is a God in heaven whom we have obeyed. Do you suppose he would abandon those who have kept his commandments? He said, “If ye are prepared, ye need not fear.” (D&C 38:30.) Prepare, O men of Zion, and fear not. Let Zion put on her beautiful garments. Let us put on the full armor of God. Let us be pure in heart, love mercy, be just, and stand in holy places.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1976/04/food-storage?lang=eng

[libertygranny]

I'm back in the saddle again as the ward home storage specialist, though not officially called. The sisters who were called when I was released never really did much. They moved out of the ward a few months ago and no one new has been called yet, so I told the bishop I would do it till he found someone else. He informed me that we may be doubling up on callings, so I may be the 'official' home storage specialist again if I think I can handle it and my current callings, Primary president and temple ordinance worker.

Anyway, this talk is excellent! and I will probably make copies to hand out to the members in the future. I will be talking to the bishop about using a 5th Sunday to talk about the spiritual and temporal aspects of home storage.

[DMGNUT]

Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families’ needs? Don’t give this one more idle thought. There is a God in heaven whom we have obeyed. Do you suppose he would abandon those who have kept his commandments? He said, “If ye are prepared, ye need not fear.” (D&C 38:30.) Prepare, O men of Zion, and fear not. Let Zion put on her beautiful garments. Let us put on the full armor of God. Let us be pure in heart, love mercy, be just, and stand in holy places.

OK, I'm gona open a can of worms...
I don't know who Vaughn Featherstone is (perhaps someone can enlighten me), but I think the above quote from him misses the mark entirely.
Perhaps his comment is revelation, (but if so, wouldn't it apply to him and his family only?), or is his comment based more on the scripture he quotes? Which plainly states, you must be prepared, in order to "need not fear"... and aren't there numerous scriptures and prophets who have said the opposite... to be prepared to protect and/or defend yourself, your family, your church, and even your possessions?
Is (or was) Featherstone a church leader of some sort, area 70, perhaps, or something? Just wondering, because if his comment was in fact a revelation, I wonder if there's anyway for it to have been meant to apply to all of us... and since he was not a prophet, I don't think so... even if it's revelation, wouldn't it still just apply to those he has (or at the time, had) stewardship over.
I don't mean for this to sound disrespectful toward him or anyone else... just trying to be brief, that I don't really agree with this specific part of his comments.
Seems troubling to counsel people not to prepare to protect or defend themselves, when there are so very many other examples from scriptures and prophets of just the opposite.
Feel free to bash on me for calling this person out, but I disagree with his thoughts/comments on taking no thought toward protecting your possessions.

[arbilad]

He was a member of the first quorum of the 70, and is right now an emeritus general authority. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaughn_J_Featherstone

[DMGNUT]

He was a member of the first quorum of the 70, and is right now an emeritus general authority. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaughn_J_Featherstone

Dumb convert question, but who exactly does that give him stewardship over?
Or rather, who would it have given him stewardship over when he said it, 40 years ago?
I love his passion, but it still seems an extremely odd thing to say, considering the number of prophets and scriptures which seemly contradict his comments.
Ezra Taft Benson comes to mind quickly, as he was the next President after President Kimball (who confirmed what Featherstone said), and President Benson said a lot that was the complete opposite.

[libertygranny]

deleted original post, too tired last night to fully read the posts.

[DMGNUT]

Just curious if I stepped over some line by calling out (in a manner of speaking), an authority figure in the church hierarchy, for their comments which seem contradictory to everything else I've read on the subject/topic?
Just wondering, since it seems that no one wants to touch this.

[libertygranny]

DMGNUT, you have to remember he said this in 1976...things are much different now...men's hearts have waxed cold toward their fellow men, so the counsel would be different today. But, the Church leadership could not stand up in GC and tell everyone to arm themselves! boy, would that get the world gov'ts gander up!

[DMGNUT]

Thanks Libertygranny.
But wouldn't it be fun to watch the fall-out, of the church making such an announcement?

[arbilad]

All I heard in that message was that if you're worried about marauding gangs, don't be because you'll be protected. But like so many promises of the Lord, you do your part first. Arming yourself can go a long way towards being protected, as long as you're willing to accept that you have to depend on The Lord for the rest.

[althor]

I did not read anything in what he said that suggested that his counsel was "not to prepare to protect or defend themselves". Perhaps you are reading between the lines.

[DMGNUT]

I did not read anything in what he said that suggested that his counsel was "not to prepare to protect or defend themselves". Perhaps you are reading between the lines.

You might be right, but this is the statement that caught my attention... it's from Arbilad's first post.
"Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families’ needs? Don’t give this one more idle thought."
A whole lot of members don't give much thought at all to having arms and knowing how to use them... and that statement seems to encourage the "no worries, I don't need to bother with being prepared to defend myself" mind set.
As I said, you may very well be correct, that I'm reading something that's not there... but when the church itself says only about 10% of its members have their food storage, you can be sure that even less have a means to protect or defend themselves, and that statement just confirmed to the 90% that haven't done anything, that they don't need to bother.
Maybe if his staement was followed with... "... if you're heavily armed", it would sound better to me... :smilewinkgrin:

[libertygranny]

I think he was more encouraging people to not 'rely on the arm of the flesh' but to put our trust in God. I truly believe and have a testimony that if we are obedient to the commandment to store/put away/be prepared in all things, the Lord will bless us and protect us. and yes, we do have personal protecton in our house...but we also have obeyed the command to store. We hope to never have to defend our home, but we will if so moved upon by the Spirit.

He may also be addressing those weaker saints who have told themselves "why bother getting food storage it will all just be taken by those who did not store, so why should I spend my hard earned money and not get the benefits of it". I hear this comment all the time still today. They fail to see the blessings of obedience, that they will be protected. And it may not be by gangs or individuals but by natural disasters that protection is needed.

I will never forget the story from Hurricane Katrina, there was a family who lived on the coast of MS, where the hurricane hit, they were faithful members, had their food storage...but when they fled the coast heading north, leaving behind everything but important documents and what they could fit in their cars, the father said they were at peace. He said he knew Heavenly Father would protect and bless them and that they were together as a family. Their house and everything in it were destroyed, but they felt blessed. The father said he truly felt they were prompted to leave when they did because of their obedience to the commandments, even the command to have food storage, they missed a lot of the traffic heading north thus not being stuck on the road.

[DMGNUT]

Thanks for your comments Libertygranny.
I think your pretty much saying what Althor was saying, but your use of, not relying on, "the arm of flesh", is probably just what I needed to hear, to "get the full picture" in a manner of speaking.
I also like what you said about "weaker" members... although I often think they're just looking for an excuse to, not do, whatever it is they don't want to do.
And your last paragraph about the family fleeing from Katrina... illustrates perfectly how often the blessings we receive from Heavenly Father, come in a form we didn't anticipate?

[Earthling]

I had an old friend in Katrina. The family left their home and didn't return for 4 months. The whole neighborhood was destroyed but their house was just like they left it - like a cover had been put over it protecting it. So you never know . . .