Do we share with those who aren't prepared? (Ensign 1976)

“I Have a Question,” Ensign, Oct 1976, 31–33

Questions of general gospel interest answered for guidance, not as official statements of Church policy.

Are the Saints advised to share their food storage items with unprepared households during crises of indeterminable length? The parable of the ten virgins seems to indicate not.

Vaughn J. Featherstone, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Oct. 1976, 31–32

Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric In the general conference welfare meeting on Saturday morning, April 3, 1976, I discussed this subject. My exact quote regarding that statement is as follows:

“I should like to address a few remarks to those who ask, ‘Do I share with my neighbors who have not followed the counsel? And what about the nonmembers who do not have a year’s supply? Do we have to share with them?’ No, we don’t have to share—we get to share! Let us not be concerned about silly thoughts of whether we would share or not. Of course we would share! What would Jesus do? I could not possibly eat food and see my neighbors starving. And if you starve after sharing, ‘greater love hath no man than this …’ (John 15:13.)

“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 shall not fear.’ (D&C 38:30.) Prepare, O men of Zion, and fear not.” (Ensign, May 1976, pp. 117–18.)

These are very strong personal feelings. They have come to me over the years as I have read the scriptures. In my humble opinion, the second greatest discourse ever was given by King Benjamin. In that discourse he discussed what our attitude should be.

“And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just.” (Mosiah 4:16–17.)

You can see from the first two verses that the punishments of those who have not put away a year’s supply of food may be just. And so in our minds we may rationalize and suggest to ourselves that we have no need to share, but King Benjamin goes on to say:

“But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

“For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

“And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceeding great was your joy.” (Mosiah 4:18–20; italics added.)

What brother in the priesthood or sister in the gospel could possibly see a nearby family starving to death and feel that they were justified in withholding their substance? As I mentioned in my talk, I believe the question that we must all ask ourselves is “What would Jesus do if he were here and faced with this problem?” In his ministry, you will recall that he spent most of his time with those in poverty, the grief-stricken, the poor, the poor in spirit, the leperous, the blind, the maimed, etc. He said: “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” (Matt. 9:12.)

I think herein we find the answer to the question posed above.

The part of the question relating to the five wise and the five foolish virgins may not refer to substance and physical wants—I think it rather refers to spiritual preparedness. I think the measure of whether we have sufficient oil in our lamps or not will not be determined by how much wheat we have in our basement, but rather, if we are keeping all the commandments of God. Are we paying our tithes and offerings? Are we loving our fellowman in that Christlike way the Savior would have us do? Are we filling our assignments in the Church and exercising our stewardship in that way which is appropriate and pleasing to the Lord? Are we pure in heart? Do we follow the prophet? Are we exercising righteous dominion in our homes? Are we actually committed and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and living those standards and principles? These are the questions I think we need to ask ourselves regarding whether our lamps have sufficient oil or not. I do not think it refers to the substance we have in our basements for a year’s supply.

Let me here conclude by repeating a challenge I offered in that same talk that we ought to have a year’s supply of food by April 1977. I mentioned that the Lord would open up the way to help us achieve that goal. Let us then recommit ourselves to reducing or eliminating our vacation if we do not at present have a year’s supply of food and use that money to buy our year’s supply. Let us spend part or all of our Christmas money on a year’s supply. Let us cut our recreation budget in half. Let us be very frugal and store the basics: wheat or grains of your community, salt, sugar or honey, dry milk, and water—these are the basics.

It is thrilling to live in a Church with vision, with charity and love, a Church that has a modern prophet to guide us. In his talk at the general conference welfare meeting, President Kimball referred several times to the statement by the Lord, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46.) It was very impressive and powerful as he said this over and over again. Why, indeed? May the Lord bless us to call him Lord, Lord, but also to do what he asks us to do.