Stockpiling food a matter of course for LDS members
LAST month, the British government issued a warning that hasn't been heard in that country since the Second World War: stock up on food.
As reported by columnist Gwynne Dyer in this newspaper, the warning came from Environment Minister Angela Eagle when she was talking about the impact this year's El Niño could have on food supplies in the United Kingdom.
“We're about to experience probably the largest El that has ever been seen, and that will lead to drier summers, wetter winters, with more extreme storms in this country,” she said.
“That could lead to food shortages, Eagle said, adding: “If you've got a store of a bit of food that can keep you going for a while before the emergency services can get to you, you're going to be a lot better off than if you haven't.”
Many people in the U.K. might have been shocked by that statement. But not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that country or elsewhere; they already have food, and other essential items, stored up in their homes.
For the 18 million members of that church around the world, including over 5,000 in Manitoba, it's a matter of faith to store up to a year's worth of food, water and other essential items in case of emergencies.
The practice is promoted by the church's Doctrine and Covenants, one of four books used by members alongside the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. That book, which contains what church members believe are divine revelations and inspired declarations from their prophets — including the first prophet and president, Joseph Smith Jr. — promotes the idea of being ready for emergencies of any kind.
One of the verses from that book that is used by members to support food storage and emergency preparedness is 109:8: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house.” Another says: “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” (38:30)
The idea of being prepared in this way goes back to the church's founding in the eastern U.S. in the 1830s. Back then, members were often forced from their homes and settlements by mob violence, threats and government action.
Food storage got another push during the Great Depression, when people everywhere struggled to survive that economic crisis. The practice was later expanded to include emergencies like natural disasters, political unrest, illness, job loss, strikes and wars.
Today, church members are instructed to store a year's worth of food such as canned soups, vegetables, fruit, meat and fish; packages of pasta, rice and other grains; cereal, flour, sugar and baking supplies; pinto beans; powdered milk; drinking water; and other daily staples.
In the U.S., members are aided by church-owned farms and businesses that produce and process food. And it's a big operation; a 2026 Bloomberg report found the Church and its affiliates own at least 2.4 million acres in the U.S., with an assessed value of over US$20 billion.
The church also has what it calls bishops' storehouses around the world to provide food to members in need — something that is useful for those who live in apartments and lack storage space. There are five such storehouses in Canada, although not in Manitoba.
Steve Harvey is the welfare and self-reliance services manager for the church in Eastern Canada. Like other members, he keeps a year's supply of food for emergencies or unemployment in his home.
“The church experienced a lot of upheaval in the past,” Harvey says, adding the Bible's warning about wars and rumours of wars before the second coming of Jesus also plays a part.
But even aside from religious injunctions, being prepared is “a solid principle,” he says.
What if the worst happened? Would church members protect and hoard their food?
Harvey says no. “I would share with my neighbours, if they needed help,” he says, adding that churches across Canada are active in sharing food with local food banks and offering humanitarian aid around the world.
Chris Palmer is the Manitoba West stake president for the church. He also stores food and other supplies at his home.
“The world is more complex today,” he says, noting that his family is ready in case of an emergency.
Local church members can order larger sized cans of food from a Bishop's Warehouse in Lethbridge. Sometimes they come together to place large bulk orders with local grocery stores.
For Palmer, the story of Joseph in Genesis 41 is a guide for being ready for emergencies.
In that story, Joseph tells the Egyptian pharaoh there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He goes on to recommend that food grown during the time of plenty be stored for the time of famine — an act that ends up saving the lives of many people in Egypt.
But storing food and being ready for anything goes beyond the threat of an emergency, Palmer says.
“It's just good advice.”