by Sister Kim Brewer, Stake Family Preparedness Specialist

In the scriptures (Matthew 25:1-13) we read the parable of the 10 virgins. 5 were ready, 5 were not. Five made sure that they had not just enough oil for their lamps in the moment, but they also made sure that they had extra for when they needed it. 5 others put just enough oil in their lamps, perhaps just the exact minimum. As a child I struggled with this parable. Why couldn’t they just share? As an adult looking at this scripture I see two different applications, one being in regards to physical preparedness and one in regards to spiritual.

Physical preparedness: We have been told for years by the brethren to prepare for emergencies and to have food storage. Do you have your food storage? If something bad happened like a job loss, or perhaps a pandemic that affected supply chains at your grocery store do you have food to feed your family? Have you made sure not just to have a week or two of groceries on hand but to have some long term and short term food storage put up to take care of your family for a longer stretch of time. Yes you may have amazing neighbors that might bring you by a bag of pancake mix or a box of pasta and help extend the life of your lamp a bit longer, but not even the kindest person will take the last box of macaroni and cheese away from their family to give to you if you haven’t prepared.

On the church’s website the suggested amount of food storage for one adult for one year is as follows: Grains: 400 lbs., Legumes: 60 lbs., Powdered milk: 16lbs., Cooking oil: 10 quarts., Sugar or Honey: 60 lbs., Salt: 8 lbs., Water ( a years worth of water is hard to store, so the amount suggested on the church’s website is 2 weeks per person which is 14 gallons)

Some of us, if not many of us may be shy on these numbers. Some of us might have tight incomes and may feel overwhelmed by these numbers. Do what you are able. If you can only find a few dollars here or there in your budget, excellent use that. If the way you are able to work towards emergency food security for your family is to pick up a bag of rice or beans every grocery shopping trip and that’s all you can afford then do that. It is very unlikely that the virgins “panic bought” their oil. A little at a time adds up.

Spiritual preparedness: A well known church song says “If the Savior stood beside, would I do the things I do?

Would I think of his commandments and try harder to be true? Would I follow his example? Would I live more righteously if I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me?” The following verse goes on to ask whether we would say the things we say and so on. Well, would we? The unfortunate truth is that too many members get lazy with their spiritual progression. They chalk it up to ‘well I haven’t murdered anyone, I live the law of chastity, and I haven’t stolen anything therefore nothing more is required of me.’ False.

Too often members commit what I will refer to as “Member Sins”. Not only are member sins indeed sins but too often we rationalize them. When we gossip, lose our temper, or make someone feel unwelcome at church we brush aside our own actions with the classic catchphrase “It isn’t my fault they got OFFENDED”. Somehow there are those that feel as long as they focus on someone else getting their feelings hurt as a sign of weakness it absolves them from accountability from their own actions and words that played a part in the offense. As baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints our sins, actions, and mistakes aren’t magically less significant than wrongdoings committed by the rest of the world. They aren’t diet sins with fewer sin calories, if anything we know better therefore, we should behave better. If we aren’t daily trying to improve ourselves and prepare ourselves to meet the Savior, if we aren’t asking ourselves “What lack I yet?” or trying to mourn with those that mourn we aren’t any better than the foolish or lazy virgins saying “ I haven’t murdered anyone, I live the law of chastity, and I haven’t stolen anything, I have the exact minimum amount of oil to run my lamp at least for a little while. Why would I work harder to bring more oil? Nothing else is required of me.”