*This article was originally written and published mid-2015 via the Independent American Party. It no longer exists on their servers, so I’m uploading it here. I’ve made a few minor changes to the content, corrected some typos, and added some pictures, but it remains essentially the same as the day I first published it. Enjoy and please heed my plea to prepare* 

I want to devote this article to the topic of food storage. This topic is, in my opinion, absolutely crucial. I don’t believe a person can claim to be fully prepared for the future if they don’t have, or at very least are working towards getting, a substantive food storage. My desire here is to inspire you with an urgent feeling of the necessity of food storage and other forms of personal preparedness. I will first discuss my motivations for pursuing this subject and then I will discuss what a person should be storing and how to go about it.

Above all else, the thing that motivates me to pursue a food storage with vigor is the fact that I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As such, I believe in modern, current, and living prophets and apostles who guide the Church through inspiration and revelation adapted to current circumstances. God has always operated in this manner with His children. 

Indeed, our Savior has promised us through His servants that His Church would be built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 4:11), that it would be led by continuing revelation (Amos 2:7), and that men and women would see visions and dream dreams (Joel 2:28-29). These modern apostles of the Lord have counseled for a hundred and fifty years on the necessity of gathering food storage and of being personally prepared for the promised times of tribulation. I want to quote several examples of the general counsel they have given because doing so will help convince you that preparation is simply good advice, and also so that you will better understand where I am coming from. 

In 1860, President Brigham Young asked Latter-day Saints a few tough questions. Said he: 

“I wish to ask the strong-minded men – the talented men . . . How many of you have had wisdom enough to procure and lay up for yourselves produce enough to last until harvest? You may call this a small matter. How many of you have wheat or flour to last you a year? If you are without bread, how much wisdom can you boast, and of what real utility are your talents, if you cannot procure for yourselves and save against a day of scarcity those substances designed to sustain your natural lives? . . . If you have not attained ability to provide for your natural wants, and for a wife and a few children, what have you to do with heavenly things?” 

George Q. Cannon stated the following in November 1891: 

“It seems scarcely possible, in so fruitful a land as America that there should be famine; yet we have good reason to believe that sooner or later even this country, now so bountifully supplied with every product of nature, may be visited by famine; and we should not waste the bounties of the earth because of their abundance and their cheapness. We should garner our grains and fruits of the earth and preserve them so that we may have on hand sufficient to meet our wants should crops fail for one or more reasons. This is true prudence on our part and should be acted upon by every wise man and woman in this country, especially those who have faith in the predictions of God’s servants.” 

In April 1937, J. Reuben Clark, Jr., made the following wise recommendations: 

“What may we as a people and as individuals do for ourselves to prepare to meet this oncoming disaster, which God in his wisdom may not turn aside from us? First, and above and beyond everything else, let us live righteously. . . . Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague; where we are now in debt, let us get out of debt; if not today, then tomorrow. Let us straitly and strictly live within our incomes, and save a little. Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead. You of small means put your money in foodstuffs and wearing apparel, not in stocks and bonds; you of large means will think you know how to care for yourselves, but I may venture to suggest that you do not speculate. Let every head of every household aim to own his own home, free from mortgage. Let every man who has a garden spot, garden it; every man who owns a farm, farm it.” 

On October 6, 1973, presidents Harold B. Lee, N. Elder Tanner, and Marion G. Romney released a statement in which they quote President Clark and added their own warning: 

“Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and where possible fuel also, for at least a year ahead. Planned storage in the home will assist the membership to be self-sustaining in times of need. . . . The likelihood of such eventualities as accidents, illness, and underemployment face nearly every family at one time or another. Wars, depressions, and famines, as well as earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes, loom as possibilities to be considered in looking ahead and planning for the care and protection of the family.” 

In an October 1973 talk entitled “Prepare Ye,” Ezra Taft Benson made the following recommendations for good preparation: 

“Concerning clothing, we should anticipate future needs, such as extra work clothes, and clothes that supply warmth during winter months when there may be shortages or lack of heating fuel. Leather and bolts of cloth could be stored, particularly for families with younger children who will outgrow and perhaps outwear their present clothes . . . Wood, coal, gas, oil, kerosene, and even candles are among these items which could be reserved as fuel for warmth, cooking, and light or power. It would also be well to have on hand some basic medical supplies to last for at least a year. I have seen a hungry woman turn down food for a spool of thread. I have seen grown men weep as they ran their hands through the wheat and beans sent to them from Zion – America.” 

In April 1976, President Spencer W. Kimball counseled: 

“Brethren and sisters, we’ve gathered here this morning to consider the important program which we must never forget nor put in the background. As we become more affluent and our bank accounts enlarge, there comes a feeling of security, and we feel sometimes that we do not need the [food] supply that has been suggested by the Brethren. It lies there and deteriorates, we say. And suppose it does? We can reestablish it. We must remember that conditions could change and a year’s supply of basic commodities could be very much appreciated by us or others. So we would do well to listen to what we have been told and to follow it explicitly. . . Develop your skills in your home preservation and storage. We reaffirm the previous counsel the Church has always given, to acquire and maintain a year’s supply –a year’s supply of the basic commodities for us.” 

In October 1980, Ezra Taft Benson pleaded: 

“Obtain food storage. Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account. Save a little for storage from each pay-check. . . . Make storage a part of your budget. . . . If you are saving and planning for a second car or a television set or some item which merely adds to your comfort or pleasure you may need to change your priorities. We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now. I speak with a feeling of great urgency. Be self-sustaining during days of tribulation. The Lord wants us to be independent and self-reliant because these will be days of tribulation. He has warned us and forewarned us of the eventuality. For over forty years . . . members of the church have been counseled to be thrifty and self-reliant; to avoid debt; pay tithes and a generous fast offering; be industrious; and have sufficient food, clothing, and fuel on hand to last at least one year. Today there are compelling reasons to re-emphasize this counsel.” 

Finally, in October of 1987 President Ezra Taft Benson said simply: “The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people of Noah.” 

Any informed person will notice the wisdom inherent in the above statements and counsel. Whether religious or not, a person can see the necessity to prepare for the future. Preparation was so normal in the days of our forefathers that many of them took it for granted. Today, however, personal preparedness is abnormal. The media looks down on “preppers” and society considers us bizarre or paranoid. But who is wiser, the person who prepares for a disaster beforehand or the person who gives disasters no thought at all and does not prepare? The answer is obvious. We all need to be in the former category and do all we can to prepare for disasters both man-made and natural, both wars and depressions as well as floods and earthquakes. 

Think of your region. What types of disasters would be possible there? If you live in Utah, you live in a major earthquake zone. Are you Utahns prepared for a major earthquake? If you live in California, are you prepared for the “big one” you know will one day rock your state? Are you prepared if the drought worsens and famine strikes? If you live in Florida, are you prepared for hurricanes and floods? Are you Texans and Louisianans ready to cope with flooding, tornadoes, or erratic weather? Are you New Yorkers prepared to endure harsh winters and biting blizzards? Are you Alaskans prepared for bitter cold, earthquakes, and tsunamis? Are you Washingtonians, Oregonians, and Wyomingites ready to deal with volcanic eruptions? If you live in Missouri or Tennessee, are you prepared for the devastating earthquake and flooding that would result if the New Madrid Fault became active? I think my point is clear. How much thought have you given to the unique challenges of your specific area? 

No matter your area-specific challenges, everyone is susceptible to the eventualities of war, disease, and economic depression. Serious famine or drought would affect almost everyone as would a major blow to our nation’s power grid. Yet, there are ways to minimize the influence many of these disaster will have on you and your family. This is where good preparation comes into play. 

If you want to avoid the ravishes of war, would you be more successful living in the big city or the countryside? If you want to avoid rioting and mobocracy, would you be more successful in Dallas, Texas or in Manti, Utah? Would you feel the sting of famine more in San Francisco, California or Kalispell, Montana? Would economic collapse hurt you more living in a metropolitan area or in rural America? Could you fend for yourself and live off the land more easily in the city or the countryside? The answer is obvious. 

So, rule number one for great preparation is to get out of the major cities. At the very least, move to the suburbs and develop a plan for leaving if disaster strikes. Avoid population centers. Population density is one of the gravest threats during a crisis. Humanity turns to mobocracy with its attendant rioting, looting, pillaging, lawlessness, and savagery during a disaster. Though nowhere is immune, this is far less likely to happen in a small town. Any honest person must concede that fact. So, when considering where to live, I recommend making the sacrifice to live in a smaller, more rural community. Be smart about it and don’t pick up and move without a plan. However, if you move with purpose, you won’t regret it – and, in fact, such a decision might just be the difference between life and death one day. 

Next, you can mitigate the effects of economic depression by doing several things. One, you can make every effort to get out of debt. Debt is bondage and the freer you are, the more likely to survive tough times you are. Two, try to own your own home. Where would you go if the money stopped flowing in and you could no longer pay your rent and were evicted? This is a serious possibility for an increasing number of people as conditions worsen. Three, having a food storage will put you in an advantageous position if employment suddenly ends or depression forces millions to take to the streets. Four, living in a rural area will allow you to avoid many of the challenges that city-dwellers will be affected by during a depression. These things are easier said than done, yet they are necessary if you want to be prepared. Start developing a plan today. 

I have mentioned developing a plan. Contingency planning is so very important. In fact, it just might be the most valuable skill I will discuss in this article. We have to learn to start thinking strategically. This comes naturally to some but not for others. Those who don’t have the natural inclination need to devote time to learning the skill. Being able to think on your feet is crucial. Being able to judge a situation and respond in a measured, reasoned manner is invaluable. And being able to view the course our society is taking and make preparations for combating the threats is vital. In a word, I am asking you to develop the skill of discernment. Pray for this skill and try to exercise it regularly. With time your ability will increase as you exercise it and pay it heed. 

The first step in contingency planning is to start pondering on the subject. You can’t plan for something you’ve never considered. As I’ve written above, consider the various threats you face in your area. Consider what would happen if the economy collapsed. Buy a detailed map of your local area and trace escape routes if you suddenly needed to leave it. I also recommend that you have on hand multiple maps detailing not only your local area, but your state and perhaps surrounding areas and states. 

Think about which items you would need to grab if some situation required you leave your home immediately, and then prepare these items in advance in a survival pack or bug-out bag. Whatever you do, start thinking about the realistic threats facing you and start planning ways to survive them. Whether Mother Nature or your fellow man is the cause, you will face crises in the future. Will you be prepared? Will you have taken the time to plan in advance for such situations? 

Along with your other storage items, you might want to consider storing some of the following: bolts, nails, screws, tools, cloth, tape, sewing needles, string, rope, tarps, shingles, roofing, wood, pencils, paper, etc. Why would you want to store these items? Simply because they will be in demand during a crisis when trucks aren’t running and store shelves aren’t being stocked. Items that now seem mundane will be worth more than gold in a catastrophe. If you have an abundance of these things, you will be in a position to barter and trade with others. Also, you will be in a position to share, give charity, and lend a helping hand to others in need. 

Think about paper for a moment. People are going to want to record their experiences. Some will want to write to take their minds off of things. Others will want to send messages or to teach their children. If you have a store of paper and pencils to sell, barter, or share, people will flock to you. The same can be said of all the items I listed and countless other I have not. 

Now I want to circle back around to food storage. You can have all the gold, guns, tools, paper, and warm clothes in the world, but you are going to die without food and water. If you store no other thing, store food and water. Sometimes people look at food storage as a daunting task. I disagree. My own experience has taught me otherwise. 

About two years ago, as a poor college student living from paycheck to paycheck, I was able to finally achieve a full year’s supply of food. All-in-all, it cost me somewhere in the ballpark of $600 dollars. This was for two people, so the costs would naturally be higher for larger families. However, if struggling college students with only part-time work and no extra funds can complete this task, I think you can. 

You might need to reshuffle your priorities. You might need to make sacrifices or go without some luxury. You might need to forego that next family vacation or not spend the money to pay for your kids to play sports one summer. Whatever the sacrifice, the prize is worth it. With a food storage comes peace of mind and security. And, for me, I received the satisfaction of knowing that I fulfilled what I consider a commandment from God. 

People are often puzzled at which food items to store. My response is to store the necessities of life. Even if you don’t eat beans and rice regularly, you would be most grateful for them in a crisis situation –and they would sustain you. Ideally you would store the same types of foods that you normally eat. However, focus on the necessities of life first and on the easier-to-gather items. After you have your basic year’s supply of food, then you can start adding a larger variety which includes more delectable items. 

Another helpful suggestion is to start introducing bulk foods such as beans and rice into your diet to acclimate your body. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that your store’s shelves will always be stocked with fresh produce and an endless variety of products. Start thinking strategically and realize that you very well might need to live off of the bare staples one day. Additionally, where possible, become self-sufficient by planting a garden and growing fresh fruits and vegetables free of harmful pesticides. 

So just what are the necessities of life? Traditionally, most cultures have considered grains, rice, and legumes their staple foods. The Iroquois tribes in the eastern United States subsisted on three main foods which they deemed the “three sisters” – corn, beans, and squash. Roots and tubers are staple foods in many portions of the world. Potatoes, fruits, and beans are staples of South America. Rice, soybeans, bamboo, yams, and various fruits are staples of Asia. Wheat, rye, and beans are major staples in Central Europe. Wheat, yams, and millet are staples of Africa. Rice is a major staple on the Indian subcontinent. 

This is a small smattering of the staple foods of various regions of the world, yet you can see a general pattern. When everything is accounted for, the average diet world-wide consists of approximately 50% cereals (whole grains, wheat, barley, oats, corn, millet, etc.), with roots and tubers (potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.), then meat and milk and eggs (including legumes), then vegetables following. 

Beyond the staple foods, make sure not to neglect items such as cooking oil. Coconut oil is one of the best for this purpose, not only because of its health benefits but because it stores far better and for far longer than regular vegetable or olive oil. Natural, healthy fats like tallow and lard should also be high on your list. 

Also don’t forget spices. Think of how valuable a cabinet of spices would be if you had to subsist on beans and rice for a long period. Pepper and salt will be priceless commodities during a crisis, as well as cayenne, paprika, cumin, and others. When choosing salt, be sure not to store your regular table salt which is devoid of iodine. Himalayan pink salt is, according to my research, probably the best salt you can find. 

Honey is another item which should be near the top of anyone’s list. Like salt, make sure you pick the right kind of honey. Pick raw, unfiltered, unheated, pure honey rather than filtered and processed honey. Agave is also becoming a popular substitute for honey or sugar. Honey lasts quite literally forever and contains essential nutrients that can keep you going in a crisis. 

You can supplement the staples with canned goods. You may can many foods ranging from apples and apricots and peaches to tomatoes and beets and corn. Meat can also be canned and stored for long periods. Not only tuna, sardines, and Spam, but chicken, beef, etc. 

Learning to make different types of bread out of the grains you store will be vital. It’s a skill our ancestors all knew. It’s a skill that will keep you alive as long as you have grain on hand or know how to grow it. 

And don’t forget foods which can break the monotony such as chocolate or hand candies. These comfort foods will add variety to your storage. They will be little reminders of civilization. You might say they’ll be symbols of hope. 

Though there are many specialty stores and websites which sell food storage and food storage packages, I recommend shopping for food storage at your grocery store or local market. Food is much cheaper at the grocery store than at a specialty store. I recommend buying in bulk. You can normally find a twenty-pound bag of rice or beans without much difficulty. Many stores, particularly out west, sell bulk buckets of grains, oats, potato flakes, etc. 

What is stopping you from throwing an extra 20-pound bag or white rice into your cart the next time you’re at the grocery store? Surely the meager cost isn’t stopping you. You’re already spending the money on food – why not spend a few dollars extra to buy a bulk bag of beans for your food storage? Forego that next fast-food stop or pizza run and buy yourself a couple bulk bags of rice and beans. You can start a food storage that easily. 

If you don’t feel you have enough money to go for a 20-lb. bag just yet, then throw in an extra can of corn the next time you shop. Let that one can of corn be the foundation for your food storage. And the next time you go to the store, add another can of beans to the mix. You would then have two cans of food in your storage. Then the third time, grab a 5-lb. bag of rice. Within just a few weeks you will have several cans of vegetables and a bag or two of rice or beans and you will be on your way to achieving a respectable food storage. Make a commitment today to begin storing food the next time you shop, even if it’s just one single can of corn. 

As far as the actual storage process goes, I won’t say much here. But be sure to consistently rotate your food supply. Make sure that you’re storing your food at proper temperatures. For instance, you normally want to keep canned goods at temperatures of 50 degrees or lower for extended storage duration and, ideally, in darkness. Canned items will keep for several years in these conditions before their taste begins to deteriorate and usually are fine past the expiration date. Beans and whole grains will last for a good many years in proper conditions. Rice has a shorter shelf life, but will still keep well for an extended period. There are many helpful resources online which will delve into the specifics and how-to’s of proper food storage. 

On top of store-bought items, make sure to invest time in learning how to locate and acquire wild fruits and vegetables in your local area. Knowing which mushrooms and berries are edible might be a life-saving skill one day. There are many fantastic books on food identification available. I would recommend finding one that has information on the wild foods that grow in your region. Practice identifying these mushrooms, berries, roots, and other items ahead of time so that when disaster hits, you’re not fumbling around trying to figure it all out. 

A last helpful suggestion on food storage. I recommend going to this website. At the site, you will find a food calculator. If you have no idea how much food to start storing for your family, this will give you a general estimate. Simply use the calculator to type in how many family members you have and their ages and the calculator gives you an estimate of how much food and water you will need for a year. The food is broken into categories such as grains, legumes, sugars, water, etc. I have personally found this tool very useful and commend it to you. 

Now a word on water. For me, the hardest aspect of food storage is storing water. Why? Because it takes a lot of space. Humans need a massive amount of water to keep them functioning at an ideal level (as a side note, I challenge people who consume little water to substitute water for soda or other beverages and watch the amazing health results that follow). While I do absolutely recommend acquiring large drums of water, I place a more immediate emphasis on water filtration. 

Devices such as the LifeStraw are invaluable, in my opinion. I recommend that you have at least one such device in every survival pack you own as well as with your regular food storage. Chlorination tablets are also a good thing to have on hand. Water bottles with built-in water filtration straws or similar technology are useful. Having a rain water collection system goes hand in hand with these filtration devices. 

I want to now discuss medicine. I believe that God has placed everything naturally on earth to heal any sickness we may have and to keep us strong and healthy. But how many of us really know what natural remedies exist? Our society is addicted to prescription drugs and artificial medicine. Our nation’s health is being ravaged by today by the medical establishment which prefers profits over actually helping people become and stay healthy. 

I would advise you to immediately begin weening yourself off of prescription drugs and to start taking your health into your own hands. Our bodies have been designed by an all-knowing Creator. In His genius, He created us with self-healing and regenerating bodies. You can correct most of your health issues by proper dieting and nutrition. You can heal your teeth, for instance, through proper nutrition and intake of supplements. The same is true of a host of other maladies ranging from basic sickness to allergies to tooth decay. 

The reason you need to start managing your own health independent of doctors and dentists is simply because you most likely will not have access to doctors, clinics, dentists, and therapists in a crisis. If you haven’t learned to take care of yourself, what will you do when you are suddenly bereft of these crutches you’ve been leaning on? If you have depression and are on antidepressants, what will you do when your supply of drugs runs out and your mind suddenly goes into withdrawal? If you have allergies for which you take prescription medicine, what will you do when the pharmacist closes his doors and you’re left without? 

I recommend that you not only take a more holistic approach to medicine and learn natural remedies for illnesses and conditions, but that you also begin stockpiling basic medicines, supplements, and first-aid gear. Everyone should at least have a first-aid kit handy, but ideally you will have much more in your supply. You should have, for instance, basic trauma gear, surgery equipment, etc. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and nutrients. Turmeric can help with inflammation and arthritis, cod liver oil can help your teeth, vitamin C can boost your immune system, cayenne can help relieve headaches and fight fevers and heal wounds, etc. There is a rich literature on holistic and natural healing methods. If you drink deep from this fountain of knowledge, you’ll be better prepared for the future. When no doctor is available, you will become the doctor. Will you be prepared to help yourself and others should the need arise? 

I next want to stress the need to acquire useful skills. These skills can include first-aid skills, hunting, construction skills, food canning know-how, basic evasion techniques, firearms training, knot-tying skills, ham radio ability, small engine repair skills, gardening and farming, etc. A basic rule of life is that we should always be learning and growing and adding to our knowledge bank. Being able to think on your feet is absolutely essential. Being able to read a map, read terrain, read someone’s body language, speak coherently, negotiate, skin an animal, plant a crop – these are all valuable skills. In a word, we need to become independent and self-reliant as our forefathers once were. 

One of the final recommendations I want to offer here concerns networking. Having the ability to fend for oneself is a blessing, but having a network of family and friends whom you can trust will be increasingly valuable as our society continues to plunge ever downward. Imagine if our country was thrust into war, our power grids were down, communications were cut off, and you found yourself alone in a rioting city. Now imagine yourself in that same situation but with a like-minded network of family and friends who have prepared and planned for such an occurrence and who have each other’s backs. Which boat would you rather be in? A team united with a singular purpose can almost always get more done than a lone wolf. 

 I’m not suggesting that you go door-to-door in your neighborhood asking for team members. In fact, it would be wise to keep most of your important preparations on the down low. But you should be feeling out people when you meet them, looking for possible allies and people you can trust. These individuals can often be found at your local church. I also recommend enlisting reliable family into your network. At the very least, know who in your community and among your circle of family you can trust enough to show up on their doorstep if the situation turns serious and you need a place to lay low or hide. This will be more important than most people realize as our government increasingly persecutes anyone who loves Freedom, who is religious, who believes in conspiracy, or who wants to be self-sufficient. Preparing a network to cope with such circumstances would be very wise. 

In conclusion, I want to ask you to open your eyes and look at our world. People are confused and scared and increasingly wicked and immoral. Basic human decency, manners, and brotherly kindness are falling by the wayside. Self-centeredness and pride are all too common. Society has gone off the tracks and has abandoned the safe moorings of religion and virtue. 

Drought is worsening, disease and illness are increasing, the weather is becoming erratic, natural disasters are increasing in frequency, the economy is plummeting, debt is skyrocketing, tensions between nations are worsening, war is raging, people are losing faith in God, education is worsening, unemployment is growing, profanity and promiscuity are more and more accepted, and conditions on planet earth generally are worsening according to almost every metric available. 

And on top of it all, the forces that run our government are following a deliberate plan to enslave us under their absolute control. They are openly pushing for world government and have done everything they can to destroy the Constitution and consolidate power in the federal government. They have harnessed international banking and big business interests to support this plan. Everything they do, every policy they pursue, every law they pass, is designed to strip us of our God-given Liberty. 

Remember Thomas Jefferson’s logic in his document entitled A Summary View of the Rights of British America. He reasoned: 

“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period, and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate and systematical plan of reducing us to slavery.” 

The American People have suffered one abuse after another after another after another for well over a century. Indeed, since the days of Lincoln, the federal government has been attempting to subjugate the citizenry, strip states of their powers, and consolidate control. This subjugation began in earnest during the Woodrow Wilson administration with the passing of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments and the institution of the unconstitutional and privately-owned Federal Reserve system. Republicans and Democrats alike follow the same policies, increase our debt, take us to war, erode our sovereignty in favor of international organizations, and trample the rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution. It is time to use Jefferson’s solid logic and recognize that our leaders have betrayed us and that a plot is being followed which will bring us into bondage. 

This path we are on will only lead to war, civil unrest, economic collapse, lawlessness, hatred, destruction, and misery. Ought we not to prepare ourselves for such eventualities? All Christians should be preparing for the harsh judgments decreed in Matthew 24 by our Lord. And all rational people everywhere should be watching world events with a wary eye and plan accordingly to meet additional war, economic depression, and an influx of disease and famine. 

The sane response to our world in commotion is to begin preparing for you and your family’s temporal needs. You need a food storage – I urge you to store at least a year’s supply. And the best time to get one is before a disaster, and preferably while prices are still relatively low. You will need additional skills – medical, survival, etc. You will need to develop a network of trustworthy family and friends to help you through the coming hardships. You will need to relocate out of the cities to safer areas, or make contingency plans to do so as soon as disaster hits. And you need to humble yourself before God and live His commandments and His standards. 

When all is said and done, the safest path is obedience to our Creator’s eternal commands. We should also listen to the advice of wise men and to the lessons of history. When disaster strikes, whether it comes in the form of an earthquake, a famine, disease, an economic depression, government persecution, or world war, I pray that you will have prepared beforehand so that you will be ready to face it with confidence and faith. God Bless. 

See two additional articles I’ve written on preparedness here and here. 

Zack Strong, 
January 1, 2022