Quotes from October 2007 Conference

I was listening to the Relief Society session of conference today (for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and I was struck by the comments about preparedness. Every session of conference just about has a quotable about being prepared. I feel like the best peace we can have is in knowing we have looked to the future and planned now. Whether that is a lost job, a lowered income, a disability or a calamity, we all need to be thinking what if. Sometimes it seems that "What iffing" is defeating. If we think about it then we must be assuming it happens. But thinking about it erases anxiety, lifts us up and allows the Lord to bless us with inspiration. As I have begun this blog and been thinking about preparedness I have found so many little things that the Lord has whispered. Comfort about getting an education, peace at having food stored, love for the protection that we have had hitherto. All it takes is an awareness of a principle and the opportunities for growth and learning will present themselves. Now for the quotes:

Sister Julie Beck: "They should be laying up a store of money, food, and skills, which will sustain them and their families in perilous times."

Elder Walter Gonzalez: "We don't know when or how earthquakes will hit us. They likely won't be literal shakings of the earth, as happened in Peru, but rather quakes of temptations, sin, or trials, such as unemployment or serious sickenss. Today is the time to prepare for when that type of quake comes. Today is the time to prepare-not during the crisis."

Elder Cook quoting Paul: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7)

I love this story that Elder Cook told about the people in the Pacific Islands: "Vav'u which is a relatively small island, usually has sufficient rain but periodically there are severe droughts. The island has long inlets or bays, almost like sounds, which curl into the island below steep hills. When drought conditions left the billage without water, there was only one way they could obtain fresh water and stay alive. Over the centuries they had found that fresh water traveled down through rock formations inside the mountains and came up in a few spots in the sea.
The Tongan me would set off in their small boats with a wise elder standing at one end of the boat looking for just the right spot. The strong young men in th eboat stood ready with containers to dive deep into the seawater. When they reached the appropriate spot, the wise man would raise both arms to heaven. That was the signal. The strong young men would dive off the boat as deep as they could and fill the containers with fresh springwater. "

Isn't that just beautiful? In a topsy turvy world we know where to find that fresh water. In terms of provident living it is such a blessing to have guidance and direction, like at Provident Living.

There are many more quotes from Conference. There are also many resources out there that are full of motivation and guidance. Seek them out and they will come.