Problems in Sharing with the Unprepared

Yesterday, a new reader of the blog posed a question.  My reply was too long, and as I looked it over, I thought it would work for an article so I decided to post it here.  While I understand that most readers here are not of the same faith, I believe some assume their preps may be shared to some extent whether due to Christ-like charity or government compulsion.  Regardless of the reason, problems with large-scale sharing and distribution of supplies will arise and resolutions should be contemplated in advance.

Like me, Melanie is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Here is her question:

Hello! I’m new to your blog and am enjoying it very much! I read your Sunday post with interest—who are we truly responsible for? I tried to comment then but for whatever reason couldn’t. Anyway, I’m of the same faith as you and it’s my opinion that we’ll be asked to literally “bring our tithes and offerings to the storehouse”. In other words, when the shtf we’ll need to give our preps to the bishop and live the law of consecration. Am I wrong? I just always thought that’s what will happen. It will relieve us of having to decide whom to help. But it will also be difficult seeing the grasshoppers eating us ants preps. If that’s how it works—who knows? What are your thoughts?

The idea that we'll just take everything to the local building for the bishop to distribute is a common one among Latter-day Saints (LDS), especially the ones who have not thought things through.  I do not believe we will be asked to do this for several reasons, some of which are presented below.  (We may be invited to bring anything we would like to donate, but I don't think it will go further than that.)

First, there is no historical precedent for it (that I am aware of) within the Church.  Even when many LDS were facing starvation in the late 1850s due to the loss of the wheat crops to the Mormon crickets, those with food were not asked (even though some members told Brigham Young to do this) to take their supplies to the storehouses.  Brigham Young wisely noted that to do so would take the decision of sharing away from those who had food and also result in those receiving food being less grateful because the food wasn't coming from a person, but from a faceless entity.  Something along those lines.  Like the welfare entitlement mentality we have today.

Then can you imagine what a nightmare that would be for a bishop or Relief Society president to administer? 

·       "I'm gluten-intolerant." 

·       "My child is allergic to peanuts/eggs/nuts/etc."

·       "I don't like red wheat.  I only want white wheat." 

·       "This food is out-of-date." 

·       "I don't know how to cook with wheat/powdered milk/beans.  I need just-add-water foods." 

·       Not to mention having to tell overweight people that they are going to have to be happy with far fewer calories. 

What about those who require special diets?  My husband is a type-1 diabetic.  Insulin-dependent diabetics can make the insulin last longer if they have a diet higher in animal protein and fat and much lower in carbohydrates.  (Beans are high in protein but also high in carbohydrates and thus not an ideal substitute for meat for diabetics.)  Do those people who prepared meats in abundance have to sacrifice their supplies?  Do those who carefully prepared their food to address life-threatening peanut (or other) allergies bring all their food down to share, only to be given back something that might kill their child?  What about those that simply need a low-salt diet?

And what about home-canned goods?  What if those canning the foods didn't follow guidelines?  It happens all the time.  I believe it was the USDA that conducted a survey a few years back and found that over 50% of home canners engaged in practices they deemed unsafe.  So would home-canned goods be included?  What about food preserved in other ways deemed unsafe by the government?

Then there is all the food that isn't stored well--like in hot garages, or exposed to light, or (gasp!) without oxygen absorbers.  Do those who carefully stored their food to keep it tasty and nutritious get 55-year-old milk stored in a hot garage back?  Or flour infested with weevils?  (Weevils are harmless, but there is the ick factor to consider.)  How will we know whether food is still edible until after we get home and open it up?  What if the oil is totally rancid?

And Boyd K. Packer said in April 1978,

We have been taught to store a year’s supply of food, clothing, and, if possible, fuel—at home. There has been no attempt to set up storerooms in every chapel. We know that in the crunch our members may not be able to get to the chapel for supplies.

(I highly recommend reading the whole talk.  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1978/04/solving-emotional-problems-in-the-lords-own-way?lang=eng)

What happens if martial law is declared or if gas is $20/gallon?  That may not be a problem in urban Utah areas, but many of us are a long way from our buildings.  And what if communication channels are down? 

So for all those reasons, I believe that the LDS will not be asked to take food to the church buildings for distribution.  Of course, that does not preclude sharing on a one-on-one basis.  But even then Brigham Young stated that he would not simply give his food away--people would need to work for it. 

At that point in time, it will be a full day of hard labor for a meal or two.  As Ezra Taft Benson said,

“Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion.

The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?”  [Ensign, Nov. 1980, 34].

All people, regardless of their faith, need to prepare food and other necessities for their own families.  It is the way it has always been, from before Joseph in Egypt stored grain against the seven years of famine, to when Moses counseled the children of Israel to store food so they would not end up eating their children (they didn’t and then some did), to now when we can easily see famine and world war on the horizon and soon before our very eyes.