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the_walkingdad@reddit

Hello. Latter day Saint here.

Independence, self-reliance, and preparation are big principles within the church. Much of it has to do with early LDS pioneer history of being persecuted and run off from place to place until we eventually settled in the Salt Lake valley. As you mentioned, the church operates a store to help people prepare for various scenarios. Most of those scenarios are the "prep for Tuesday" mentality. Be frugal and save your money. Have a food storage. Have an emergency plan(s). Learn industrious skills. Seek to serve your neighbor in need, regardless of their beliefs. And most of all, seek to follow a Christlike example in all you do.

We offer lots of free and publicly-available local class on self-reliance. For example, I was recently assigned to teach two courses, "Find a Better Job" and "Starting and Growing My Business." I'm not paid and they are open to anyone who wants to attend. You might get what you pay for with my courses though (hahaha). But the church provides the course material. There are other similar courses (not taught by me) that cover education, emotional resilience, and addiction recovery.

From a doctrinal perspective, we do believe in the prophecies of the Bible foretelling calamity, chaos, and destruction accompanying the second coming of Christ, but this isn't explicitly why we prep. We believe we have a responsibility to take care of others when that time comes though. For example, should that event happen during my lifetime, I fully anticipate willingly turning over my family's year's worth of food to the local Bishop, who will oversee the distribution of those supplies to anyone in need in the local area. And that distribution is open to all people, not just other Latter day Saints.

The bit about the 144K people is actually a Jehovah's Witness belief, not LDS. We believe that the accessibility the Atonement of Jesus Christ and subsequently heaven is open and available to all people.

I don't want to turn this into an AMA, but I'm happy to do my best to answer any follow-up questions without being overly preachy.

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TheFuckboiChronicles@reddit

So, living in the SLC valley as a non-believer myself, sounds like I should report to the local ward when things fall apart?

This is awesome to hear. My LDS neighbors (about half of them are) are all very kind, and I’ve been more consciously working on some non-food communal resources to be able to share with my neighbors if bad things happen.

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OutdoorsNSmores@reddit

I've had neighbors in Utah say they don't need to store food because they have guns. I'd never help them. I also didn't bother to tell them that I do too. Maybe I would... But they'd be far down my list!

But to your point, someone who has prepared something, has something to contribute (even just muscle) and an attitude to pull together when things are rough? No problem, religion should not be a barrier between neighbors.

What kind of communal resources?

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TheFuckboiChronicles@reddit

Yeah maybe, I’ve seen the type, but I’m in the middle of the burbs surrounded by a bunch of young professionals.

Two things as far communal things:

Once I realized how easy and my rudimentary rain collection system was, I started buying lots of spares. Gutter rainwater diverted, large collapsible water containers, etc. Happy to give em out to my neighbors should they need. Grabbing water filters every time on they’re on sale too.
Archiving useful websites with a solar setup to send out stuff over WiFi. If anyone is in range of my router and needs to access Wikipedia, detailed maps of the area, medical websites, survival books, khan academy, etc. I could give them specific instructions on how to come get them on any phone or tablet and it could run 12 hours a day based on the battery backup. Working on a few “internet in a box” machines like this to have on hand that only takes about 30 watts. Even have some classic sitcoms and kids shows that I could stream to a few tablets.

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OutdoorsNSmores@reddit

Nice! 1. Never enough water in a desert! I built a house in Utah with a 500 gallon tank inside. Some people thought it was crazy.

I love those kinds of projects. My version was less prep and more entertainment, but I used old hardware to make a media center for traveling with young kids and no cell service. It was great to load up with content and let them connect. I should repurpose it for information.

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Baboon_Stew@reddit

I have 4 water barrels around the house for rain collection. Almost 200 gallons. I'd have to be pretty thirsty to drink from them but it would be good enough for flushing toilets or watering garden beds.

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OutdoorsNSmores@reddit

I don't know about you, but I like to go backpacking, so keeping a few extra water filters meant I could filter everything I had and the money spent on filters wasn't a waste.

I have a well now, but should still look at collection.

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Baboon_Stew@reddit

I have filters too. It's a matter of chemicals leeching put of the asphalt shingles that get swept up with the rain water.

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babyCuckquean@reddit

Oooooooohhhhhh. I have wondered FOREVER why americans are so anti rainwater. Recently i came to the conclusion that it must be due to excessive crop dusting/rain seeding, or something like it. Asphalt shingles makes so much more sense! Well except the fact that having chemical laden shingles on your roof makes zero sense at all, not least bc it ruins your rainwater!

In australia we have a huge rainwater collection culture, and we use stuff like recycled water on public gardens - dont ever drink from a public tap thats brightly coloured in aus - and i would FAR prefer to drink rainwater than tapwater in my city, i live in the driest state in the driest inhabited continent in the world and often the tap water is tinged brown and smelling strongly of chlorine, to the point that ive been put off water since i was a baby, it makes me feel sick with a metallic taste in my mouth. I avoid it like the plague.

Have been meaning to make a post about this, and probably still will, little fun fact that ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate (vitamin C) neutralises chlorine in water. Just vitamin c tablets, crush a little bit - 250mg tablet should do 25 gallons if the chlorine is around 1ppm, but youll need slightly more if its heavily chlorinated (for example if youve liberally dosed water with bleach for storage). Works basically instantly. If its heavily chlorinated sodium ascorbate is preferred over ascorbic acid bc it doesnt mess with the pH as much.

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OutdoorsNSmores@reddit

Good point - don't drink that stuff. Some of us have metal roofing. I hadn't really thought of this being one benefit!

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oldtimehawkey@reddit

A well is good.

Do you know how to repair things on it if it breaks? Do you have a way to power it if there’s no power? Do you have a hand pump for it?

I wish I had money to buy land/a house outside of town. I’d really like a well. And some farm animals.

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TheFuckboiChronicles@reddit

That was my original intent too. I got into networking about the same time I got into prepping so it was a natural progression. Learned about If you know how to do that, Kiwix Serve can take zim files (highly compressed websites that are fully functional, all of Wikipedia with pictures is like 150gb, all of Canadian prepper’s YouTube channel is even less). Then calibre web for the things you gather in pdf and epub format.

My home server is a bit more powerful than one of those rpi setups, but the rpi5 8gb plus travel router runs it all with ease so I’ve got a few and plans for more.

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the_walkingdad@reddit

Yeah, that's the way it's *supposed* to work. Members turn over their supplies to the Bishop and he manages the Bishop's Storehouse. We believe one of the Bishop's primary purposes is to care for the needs of everybody who lives in his congregations boundaries, regardless of membership.

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Ancient_Amount3239@reddit

I don’t like the idea of organized religion, but that’s pretty fucking cool. Our world would be a lot better if that was everyone’s mentality.

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SeaWeedSkis@reddit

So, living in the SLC valley as a non-believer myself, sounds like I should report to the local ward when things fall apart?

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cellardoor_7@reddit

On the Member ID screen, there is a check box at the bottom that says you're not a member. Clicking that let me proceed but it said you would be limited to certain parts of the site. I'd assume the store would still be available to you. And yeah, the prices are good. I used to work for a non profit and the Bishop's Storehouse would donate boxes of canned foods to us each week I'd have to pick up, it was really helpful.

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fruderduck@reddit

I checked that box. It’s any food product page, states sign in for shipping order or something of that nature to add it to the cart, it refreshes back to the product page on a loop, even though I’m already signed in. I checked and have pop ups allowed, so that isn’t a step I’m missing, either.

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ConBroMitch2247@reddit

If you live in a moderately sized city you probably have a store. The prices are much better in store too. The online prices have shipping baked in.

Nope, you shouldn't have to talk to a missionary first.

The gubment stepped in (during Obama regime) and mandated that church member volunteers needed gubment certification to be able to volunteer.

That changed the dynamic of the Food Storage Centers from preservation centers to retail only. Then it morphed to online sales.

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the_walkingdad@reddit

I never heard that they weren't open to non-members. That would surprise me. You should be able to use them or buy things from them. I've only ever bought stuff online from the church, so I could very well be misinformed.

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DoofusMcGillicutyEsq@reddit

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reincarnateme@reddit

Do you have a food storage inventory list?

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farmerben02@reddit

I was raised LDS by my grandmother from age 9 to 14. The phrase that stuck with me was "God helps those that help themselves." She worked to the seven year rule but we never had the money to get there.

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buchenrad@reddit

More details about the self reliance classes, from someone who has done a couple of them:

They are not super advanced in material, but what they are extremely good at is helping you actually do the things it teaches. For example, the finance class only teaches the basics of financial responsibility, but by the time you're done, you will have built up the habits needed to continue applying and benefiting from the things you learned. They're all about helping people to actually implement and master the fundamentals.

They do have a spiritual portion, but you will not be required to do it to do the rest of the class and nobody will (or at least should) pester you about doing anything more than the class if you don't want to.

There's a good chance that your local unit of the LDS church will have some going on the next year. Contact your local church or check out the link for details. The website navigates more intuitively on desktop than mobile.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/self-reliance/group-members?lang=eng

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Accomplished-Yam6500@reddit

Do you ever zoom (or similar option) the courses?

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buchenrad@reddit

If you reach out to your local LDS church they may have some going locally, it's a worldwide program and all local churches are encouraged to have them regularly as long as there is interest.

Here is the web page that will give you more info. The website navigates more intuitively on desktop than mobile.

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GibsonBanjos@reddit

When/how did you see these ghosts?

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babyCuckquean@reddit

Have you never seen one? Ive seen two. One was an old guy in a dark coat and hat that was angry and in my friends bedroom, the other was a female child that used to sit on my mums bed from time to time in one of our houses. Mum walked in more than once and thought it was me sitting there. I saw it when i woke up in the night once when i was sleeping in her bed, she was away in Europe.

Also my sisters house is haunted, never seen one, but i rented the upstairs parents retreat for a while and they did NOT like me. As soon as i was upstairs the noises would start downstairs, it would get so loud with footsteps, muffled voices, doors opening and closing that i may as well have been above a mall, not an empty 4 br house.

I would sit in bed, scared witless and calling friends begging them to come over. When they arrived, nothing. Silence. Except one friend he got to see what was going on. I asked him to come help because the walk in closets door handle was not screwed on properly and the inside of the closet door knob kept falling off, while i was in the room but nowhere near the door.

It was beyond terrifying, many times i would just flee, onto the street and stand there until a friend was able to either get there to sit with me, help me retrieve my things, or talk me through quickly getting the essentials and getting out. My nephew was the only one living downstairs at the time and it never happened when he was there.

After i moved out i had to get my friend who had come re the doorknob to return a stick vac. Told him to leave it outside on the table out the back. He took it round the back and the whole house went from pitch black to completely lit up - every light, every room all at the same time and super bright. He said it was menacing, and fled. This is an ex army guy with extensive and nasty combat history who isnt scared of eff all.

So yeah, ghosts exist imo. I think they are more viewable by some people than by others, but they exist. I asked my nephew how his family managed to live in that house his whole life and he said they knew about it but just determined they would stay and eventually it calmed down. Until i was alone there lol.

I still get hot prickly tears well up when i think about any of these times, and have had a few other experiences too but these are my ghost ones.

If youre curious about demons or al. Iens ive got experiences with those two which you can critique all you want - i know what i experienced - and then theres the 'future dreams' i had as a teenager which i believe saved my life. Those impressed me enough to become a christian and be adult baptised full immersion at 27.

Im not crazy, or a conspiracist, my mental health is pretty good these days despite having had an overly full and intense life and i dont feel the need to bring these events up but for ghost skeptics, ill tell the stories.

When my uncle died during routine surgery they waited for the family to arrive before they switched him off. We all had our hands on him when they did. I could feel him passing through my hand as he left his body. I dont know what everyone else felt, but i felt him.

Not sure its related but I also can feel electricity on my partners skin when we have electric blankets on. Its like a slightly magnetic fuzzy feeling, i dont have to even make full contact with his skin to feel it. Its not an electrical fault, weve tried several. I also cant have phone charger cables touching me, they zing me. But my partners unaffected. I think some people are more sensitive than others, and that can be on many planes.

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overkill@reddit

Zing!

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Jay4Kay@reddit (OP)

How do you store food for 7 years, especially historically? Or is this including livestock?

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JawnZ@reddit

Canning, preserving, etc.

Vacuum, cold or salt. Best ways to keep food for a longer time.

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In context it’s still huge, given that it’s still a bigger ratio of net worth to humanitarian aid than any of the other large religious organizations, and they were still in that ballpark for a few years prior to that increase.

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NemoOfConsequence@reddit

Why would I give them money? That cult is incredibly rich already, pays no taxes, and is misogynistic as hell. I’m not giving them my hard earned money

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voiderest@reddit

If you don't like the idea of giving them money that's fine but it's not like using their store is a donation. It's buying food.

"When someone you love attacks truth, think celestial and don’t question your testimony. The apostle Paul prophesied that “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” There is no end to the adversary’s deceptions. Please be prepared. Never take counsel from those who do not believe. Seek guidance from voices you can trust. From prophets, seers, and revelators and from the whisperings of the Holy Ghost who will show unto you the things what ye should do." ( The Full Text of President Russell M. Nelson's "Think Celestial" Conference Talk | LDS Daily )

There is an isolationist view in the church that others are not to be listened to for truth.

Add to that the churches views on gay, single women, ect

Everyone should have a happy face and not rock the boat.

Mormon pantry.

The answer is not meant to be snippy. A common design in houses in Mormon areas is to have a very large pantry in the house. They are locally referred to as the Mormon pantry.

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USS_Dolan@reddit

Had a mormon friend in highschool. Now it makes total sense why her house was consistently stocked with food. I got a glimpse at their pantry and it was massive. She never told me that they followed this rule though.

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teport@reddit

I live in Utah and grew up Mormon and I have never heard this. Most Mormon houses i have been in they have a closet or a corner pantry. Food storage is usually in the basement/cold storage.

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iRelapse@reddit

My ex-wife's family had literal grocery store shelves in their basement for food storage. Every time they went grocery shopping, they would put the new stuff in the basement and rotate stuff from the basement into the kitchen.

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sparkle-possum@reddit

This is the smart way to do it.

I was raised in a Mormon family. This is true they required it, and if you look a little deeper it is the writings of the “prophet” Joseph Smith himself. What other Christians refer to as the “Rapture” or the second coming of Jesus, Smith described in vivid detail and he made it sound a lot like nuclear war. “Like a sea of glass and fire”

So during the Cold War period Mormons began to think that this was the beginning of the end and began preparing for nuclear holocaust. They don’t just stockpile food they also built mountain vaults that contain genealogical records. You can imagine a group of men with control over a massive amount of funds discussing current events in the context of an inevitable doomsday event they believe will happen. There was a vague notion that this would occur within their or my lifetime when I was growing up in the 80s.

They’ve moved away from this type of thinking in recent years and I doubt it ever returns, regardless of the fact that nuclear war or the use of nuclear weapons is more likely now than it’s ever been.

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Concrete__Blonde@reddit

It’s one of those religious teachings that developed from common sense. Mormonism developed in an area and time that saw unpredictable agriculture outputs and faced persecution that isolated them from outside help. So they taught themselves to be resilient.

Same thing with Judaism and Islam regarding not eating pork. Insufficiently cooked pork causes trichinosis, and back then, there was no real understanding of endoparasitic diseases. So the prevailing religions banned it to keep their followers safe.

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NewSchoolBoxer@reddit

You’re making that up that not eating pork was due to health reasons. Of course they didn’t understand the cause or spread of disease. Doctors debated washing their hands before surgery in the 1800s.

They could eat eggs and undercooked eggs can have salmonella. Also cows and undercooked beef can have several species of tapeworms that can be passed onto humans.

The Orthodox don’t look for a reason of why they can’t do things. It doesn’t matter and it’s beyond human understanding.

Now some of us store it in a pantry if you have a basement a lot of people have a store room in their basement where they put their food storage we have a basement and so we have food storage in our basement and we are actually working on expanding our food storage by buying a freeze dryer.

all the leftovers from all of our dinners will get put in the freeze dryer and freeze dried and vacuum packed so they're ready to go One of the advantages to that is it I can grab it when I go camping and throw it in the truck or keep some in the truck so all I got to do is just boil some water real quick and I got food to eat.

Prepping is something that everybody should do even if you live in an apartment inside the city you can always find a way to play stuff there's always room under your bed or there's a space in the closet or somewhere that you can have some food storage I think everybody should have it so that way in case you suddenly lose your job you would have food that you can eat during that time when you know you're working on trying to find a new job.

There's a lot more to prepping that I do as a member of the LDS church that some don't, I have sufficient enough fuel for my generator weapons so that way I can go and hunt and defend myself there's several other things I do I'm also a veteran of the military so I have a lot of other training that plays into this as well.

If you guys have further questions about Mormons and the food storage you know feel free to comment on this and ask questions and I will answer them to the best of my abilities and share my knowledge that I have with you guys as well.

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DesertPrincess5@reddit

They have a saying, "Be prepared for every needful thing." I'm not Mormon but I follow Kimmy on "She's In Her Apron " on YouTube.

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Former Mormon here. No, Mormons do NOT believe that only 144,000 people will be saved. They believe salvation is available to all.

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NemoOfConsequence@reddit

Not really. Your rules for salvation are interesting, to say the least. They just don’t have a number attached. That doesn’t make you better than the Witnesses

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TomSmith113@reddit

First, they're not "my rules." Even when I believed the religion, its not like I came up with them.

Second, I don't believe in any form of Christianity, Mormonism, or otherwise, anymore. They're ALL wrong.

Third, having been a Mormon for 30 years, I am well aware of the doctrines held by Mormons. I know what beliefs I, as a Mormon, held and did not hold.

Yes, they do believe that all people are capable of being saved. So, "yes, really." They do believe that the gift of salvation is freely given and available to all people, and only those who personally choose not to accept that gift will not receive it.

JohnBarnson@reddit

Hello! I'm a practicing LDS.

I remember in the late 90s and early 2000s, the church leader Gordon B. Hinckley promoted everyone being well prepared in case of a disaster. I remember the term "one-year food supply" being spoken a lot, but I don't remember if that was the official teaching, or kind of a cultural interpretation by members.

I wouldn't say that the concept of being prepared is no longer part of LDS teachings, but it seems like subsequent church leaders have focused on other teachings/policies. It seems like preparedness is now more considered part of a larger "provident living" portion of LDS teaching, that covers the need for education, support in finding a good career, etc.

But in places with high LDS representation, like Utah, you'll still find a lot of pretty good prep stores.

And for what it's worth, I haven't heard general church leaders tie preparedness to a soon-to-come apocalypse. If anything, it's more like, "if you can take care of yourself, you'll be better able to serve your neighbor in case of any disaster". But at a local level, church leaders are effectively volunteers, so you may hear any sort of speculation at a local church pulpit.

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Olefaithfull@reddit

Utah Walmarts are awesome for gear.

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lilmoki@reddit

The quit promoting food storage as it is considered a crime as hoarding in some countries

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Budget_Putt8393@reddit

"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."

Articles of Faith:12

I can see that being the reason they stopped being specific about amounts.

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JohnBarnson@reddit

Also for, what it's worth. I tried this prompt on ChatGPT

Can you find an LDS general conference talk from Gordon B Hinckley that talks about the importance of having food storage?

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPTSearched 2 sites

Gordon B. Hinckley emphasized the importance of being prepared, including the necessity of food storage, in various general conference talks. He advised starting with a one-week food supply and gradually increasing it to a three-month supply, emphasizing that having basic food supplies at home is preferable to relying solely on community or church resources. He underscored this principle with a broader perspective on preparedness, linking it to spiritual readiness and the ability to face unforeseen challenges without fear.

In his October 2005 general conference talk titled "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear," he discussed the broader context of preparedness in the wake of natural disasters and other emergencies, noting how the Church and its members responded with significant aid efforts during crises. This theme of preparedness as both a practical and a spiritual principle recurs in his teachings, reflecting the longstanding counsel of the Church to its members to be self-reliant and ready for any situation.

For further details, you can read more about his views on preparedness in the 2007 Ensign article.

That seems pretty in line with what I remember.

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xHangfirex@reddit

A guy I used to work with that was LDS once told me if the world starts to end or stuff goes sideways, follow the guys in slacks and ties riding bikes. They're heading to a safe place.

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overkill@reddit

Half my family on my mum's side are LDS. The first time my wife met them she was handed a pamphlet on how to get together a year's supply of food for a family of 4. This was before introductions or names or anything.

They have a good set of resources, to be fair.

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dinamet7@reddit

Does this list exist somewhere online? I'm curious to know what is on it.

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overkill@reddit

I imagine it isn't the same list as this was nearly 25 years ago. I can't find it at the moment online.

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Crazed-Prophet@reddit

As have been one of those guys there is a 25% chance of backfiring. They have probably decided that they can get more points by converting someone during the end of the world.

"Hey Elder, I know we are supposed to shelter from the radiation, but we should go tracting instead. Since we are doing the Lords work, we will be safe from the nukes."

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WerewolfOtherwise175@reddit

Do you mean LSD prepping?

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Ok-Dimension4468@reddit

Can’t read the word Mormon without thinking moron.

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I keep wanting to visit their store, which I heard is open to the public. They do such things as canning dried food, which seems like it would last for a very long time. I'm sort of afraid if I drop in, they'll peg me for a conversion and bug me after that, lol.

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Sandman0@reddit

I've been in a couple of their supply stores and never gotten any pressure, just fyi.

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BilobaBaby@reddit

Grew up non-Mormon in Utah, but as my parents used to be members, we had a pantry full of non-perishables.

Fast forward to early 2020. I'm living in Berlin and hearing people lament that they cannot possibly survive 2-weeks without going grocery shopping to top off their food. This country is barely two generations from utter destruction and starvation conditions, but meanwhile they haven't developed (or perhaps have forgotten) food storage skills. And I mean just having some extra rice and dried beans and then knowing what to do with them, not drying meat or preserving eggs. Even when the grocery stores were ransacked, you could still always find dried legumes .

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Jorgedetroit31@reddit

Also if the JH only are going to see 144k sent to heaven, why are they always out recruiting? I would be low key making sure we are never over 144k

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nativeofnashville@reddit

Their belief is that 144,00 will go to heaven to rule as co-rulers in God’s Kingdom with Jesus and everyone else will love forever on earth which will be converted back to a paradise like God originally intended.

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senegal98@reddit

This is how I understood it, so I might not be totally exact:

They believe in a kind of "2 heavens" system. One, "proper heaven", is reserved for those 144k. Everyone else will be reborn on a cleansed earth, free from sin and sinners.

So, it's more like a question of being the best or the "best of the best". As a Muslim, I really don't get it: We will all answer to God one day, but claim to know his exact plan? I wish I had their certainty of the details😂.

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Jorgedetroit31@reddit

Enshallah

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Typical-Obligation94@reddit

Aust_Norm@reddit

They believe in each family carrying 12 months minimum food on hand. Additionally they have the Bishops Store (stockpile not shop) that is to be used to assist the faithful and non faithful in time of crisis.

They also believe in carrying no credit card debt, financial responsibility, no alcohol or stimulants such as coffee.

Not a Mormon, but never had a bad interaction with one.

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CyberVVitch@reddit

definitely not true about the credit card debt, and they drink loads of caffeinated soda.

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TomSmith113@reddit

That most don't perfectly fulfill their ideals/beliefs doesn't mean they don't hold those ideals/beliefs.

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CyberVVitch@reddit

are you in the Mormon community?

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TomSmith113@reddit

No, I'm an ex-Mormon. But my point applies to basically all groups and people.

All of Christianity is a cult. In most ways, the Mormons are on the lower end of the "bad" spectrum. Given the choice between a Mormon and an Evangelical, for example, I'll choose the Mormon every time.

But yeah, they are a cult, just like the rest.

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WhenMichaelAwakens@reddit

The church can’t wait to take over the world because they think they will be the world global leader when the government fall. How else can it keep its members obedient except for scare tactics? It’s not like they don’t have their own storehouses, billions in the stock market, and who truly knows how many acres of land. Also if the “profit” says to be prepared and anything happens they can claim their prophecy works. It’s probably a much simpler answer though like one of the apostles might have a cousin that owns a prep food company or something.

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eleiele@reddit

elle2js@reddit

The 144,000 [according to Jehovah Witnesses] are the saints. Not to quote scripture [as I don't remember] in Revelations, after it speaks of the 144,000, it then says something to the effect of 'Bring before me those that have not taken the mark of the beast and set a table before them' and the it goes on to celebrate them. So if the scripture is believed, then there would be more entering heaven. The 'Kingdom' is acually the earth with Jesus as the King and earth as his inheritance.

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H60mechanic@reddit

I was told it was due to the Mormons being persecuted by Christians. They were often kicked out of town. They kept moving west until they landed in Utah. No one wanted to settle Utah. It was too dry and no good for farming. So the Mormons were left alone. Because of the desert environment. They learned to store up what they had in case of drought or whatever other calamity may hit them. Between persecution forcing them to be ready to pack things up and leave. Or the environment working against them. It just stuck around as doctrine.

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Rainbike80@reddit

That's not Mormons That's Jehovis Witnesses that believe in the 144,000.

Ancient text (Bible) also says people who plant different crops near each other should be killed. People believing in this stuff is what has gotten us into this mess in the first place.

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PossiblyOrdinary@reddit

Where does it say that? Natives in my area believe in planting the “3 sisters” corn, beans and squash. Corn in the middle, beans around it to grow up the stalk, then squash around the perimeter..

Edit: found this, but natives have been doing it long before we were here.

biskitsNmusturd@reddit

So I need to make friends with an LDS family ✅️

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-lovehate@reddit

>I have read Mormons believe only 144,000 people will be raised to Heaven during the second coming of Christ or the apocalypse or something of the like. Are they preparing in case they are not one of the lucky ones?

No, you're thinking of Jehovah's Witnesses I'm pretty sure. Members of the LDS church (most prefer not to be called Mormons anymore, by the way) believe that almost everyone will go to heaven, even non-believers. Only the most evil types of people will go to the "outer darkness" - basically the equivalent of hell.

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Chainsawsas70@reddit

🙋 Former member... And you are Correct.

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Upset_Height4105@reddit

I lived out in Utah for a while and the most beautiful hive had 20 years prep for 20 people 😳 how could you not be impressed. They taught me a lot in a short time. Their book got me prepped for 3 years in 1.

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TomSmith113@reddit

Former Mormon here. Church guidelines advice a 1 year food storage and general preparedness target.

The prepper culture in the LDS church derives from two sources, one theological and one historical.

Historical: During early LDS church history, Mormons forced/chose to migrate across the country in large numbers several times, and often at short notice. This developed a culture of general emegency preparedness and self/community sufficiency that has persisted to this day.

Theological: Mormons, like many Christian sects, believe that a period of tribulation, large-scale societal disruption, and persecution will precede the return of Jesus Christ, and believe they will need to be prepared to face these events.

Mass delusion.

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kristie_b1@reddit

I didn't mean prepping was a delusion, just the stupid religion.

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yolopolodoloshmolo@reddit

Where is that number coming from? LDS also do not believe in a conventional heaven and not in some rapture type event. The concept of heaven/hell is more like a tiered system that you get sorted into based on your actions and practices here on earth. I was raised in the church and my parents still practice. While it is not for me and I believe the practices are outlandish for my taste, I will not slander them or put down the religion outside the context of my self. Being an American, I wholeheartedly believe in the freedom of religion. It is an ethical belief. The practices of preparing is smart. It is smart to be prepared. Many believe that it is important to be prepared as well as self sufficient. Times of disaster could always be around the corner. The church also gives a lot to its members and provides food from the storehouses or jobs at the canneries when in need. My parents often give me some of their #10 cans that they acquire. Good stuff.

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TrumpMusk2028@reddit

Because in people are always coming down on us and making our lives miserable! Ok, now recently, but yeah, in the past, us Mormons were attacked pretty frequently. So it's good to have an emergency back up!

Ok, the real reason is that we believe God wants us to be able to help ourselves and others in case of an emergency.

Ex-Mormon but still living in the heart of the culture. Jesus is coining back any second now. Ya gotta be ready because it will be rough.

Mormons are basically a watered down doomsday cult. From the very beginning they have taught we are living in the end times just before Jesus comes again and the world will be cleansed with fire. Many/most believe they will have to gather in Jackson county Missouri. Some of those believers think it will be a pioneer style journey with handcarts or wagons as the world collapses.

For my entire childhood every family was encouraged to keep 2 years of food storage on hand. This was official church policy.

While it has been de-emphasized in the last decade prepping is still very much part of the culture.

Mormons get special patriarchal blessings that are basically like a lifelong personalized horoscope situation and many are told they will personally see the second coming of Jesus. This fuels the prep.

Add in the history of run ins with the government, being displaced and settling a hostile climate and they are born preppers.

The 144,000 thing is jehovahs witnesses, an easy thing to confuse.

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gadget850@reddit

Not a Mormon. This is big with Jehovah's Witnesses.

Revelation 7:4 and Revelation 14:1-3

https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/r8ce1h/is_it_true_the_only_144000_people_will_go_to/

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PReasy319@reddit

Well, the prepping is big with Mormons. Just not the “only 144,000 will be saved” thing.

A year’s supply of food and other supplies has been advice from the LDS Church for a looong time.

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Protect_your_2a@reddit

The 144,000 is the Jehovahs Witnesses lol. As a Mormon myself I think it stems from two main sources: 1. Every church leader in recent history has asked that we keep and maintain at minimum a two year food storage for each individual in the home

It also ties back to our pioneer ancestry when they came out west in handcarts and had to learn to be independent and self-sufficient

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Maeng_Doom@reddit

Hard lessons learned from the Mormon Wars centuries prior.

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YardFudge@reddit

In practice…

since they have thought about, experimented, and did prep for so long they have a very logical, effective approach

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CyberVVitch@reddit

Grew up Momo- in addition to everything people are saying, Mormons tend to have huge families and we are taught to have extra reserves in case the patriarch loses their job, or cannot work for whatever reason. I will say this did help our family of 11 immensely when things got rough financially.

It doesn't have anything to do with the "rapture." We were just always taught to be prepared for anything.

I will say that most mormons do not practice this so much anymore, which is sad. No one in my family preps anymore besides me. They've really been lulled into the false comforts of trips to Costco, and Amazon prime whenever they need something.

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Vollen595@reddit

I grew up with Mormon neighbors and played with their kids. I still remember TONS of food, buckets, supplies, etc in their garage. The garage was about half full. We built forts out of the buckets to play in. That was 40 years ago, it’s nothing new. It stuck with me. Not as a kid but years later I started paying attention and building my own preps. Mormons might be more in-tune than the average couch moistener.

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sbinjax@reddit

Yeah, I grew up next door to Mormons and their stash was in the basement. The one time I was down there was eye-opening. This was the 70s so we're talking 50 years ago. That was when the Cold War tensions were high, the closest elementary school was the local fallout shelter, and these folks could have survived for a year in their basement.

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Preparedness, including having extra food and supplies, is a significant aspect of the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), commonly known as Mormons. Here are a few key reasons why:

Scriptural Guidance: The LDS Church encourages members to "prepare every needful thing" as stated in their scriptures (Doctrine and Covenants 109:8). This directive emphasizes the importance of being self-reliant and ready for emergencies.

Emergency Preparedness: Having a supply of food, water, and other essentials helps members be prepared for various emergencies, such as natural disasters, economic crises, or other unforeseen events. This preparedness ensures that families can sustain themselves during difficult times.

Self-Reliance: The principle of self-reliance is central to LDS teachings. By storing food and supplies, members can avoid dependency on external aid and be in a position to help others in their community.

Community Support: Preparedness isn't just about individual survival; it's also about being able to support and assist others. When members are prepared, they can share resources and provide aid to those in need, fostering a sense of community and mutual support.

Long-Term Planning: The LDS Church advises members to gradually build their food storage over time, focusing on both short-term and long-term needs. This approach helps avoid financial strain and ensures that supplies are rotated and used efficiently.

Overall, the emphasis on preparedness reflects a broader commitment to self-reliance, community support, and faith in being able to withstand and overcome challenges.

[Preparing an Emergency Food Storage](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/emergency-preparedness/01-food-and-water-storage/01-preparing-emergency-food-storage?lang=eng_

What All Mormons Should Know About Food Storage