Now that we have covered spiritual and temporal preparations, it is time to move on to physical preparedness. This concerns the literal preparation of your body and the church as a whole for the Second Coming and the events that will precede it. Remember that in our story, Mary was physically at the feet of the Savior while Martha hurried around the house. Part of physical preparation is knowing that there is a time to be busy and a time to be still, or a time to be up and doing and a time to watch and wait- and to know which is which.
There are certain things you must do with and to your body to prepare for the Second Coming. Some of these are spiritually driven actions, but they are in this section because there are things that physically have to happen before Jesus can come, and we have to work to bring them to pass. Let's get to it!
Missionary work- The gospel has to be preached to all the earth before His coming. President Monson recently asked church members to pray for the leaders of countries who will not allow the missionaries in, that their hearts will be softened and that missionary efforts in those areas of the world can move forward. So we need to pray.
Ordinances of the Gospel- Be baptized and renew your baptismal covenants each Sunday by partaking of the sacrament. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and live in tune with the Spirit. Receive your endowments in the temple; keep and use a current temple recommend. Be sealed to your spouse, children, parents and ancestors through temple work.
Fasting- Going without food for 24 hours once a month not only provides for the needs of others through fast offerings, but it provides us with an opportunity to teach our bodies that our spirit is in charge. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. We need to learn to function while all of our physical needs aren't being met. We need to learn to be patient and cheerful while hungry and thirsty. We need to learn to put others above ourselves.
Make your home a holy place- In Doctrine & Covenants section 45 the Lord tells us that when all these horrific events foretold in the scriptures are happening, that His "disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved" (v. 32). Since we cannot be at the temple all day every day, we need to make our homes a safe haven and a refuge from the literal storms of life. We are told in the Bible dictionary that "Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness." (pg. 781) and if we want to abide the day, we need a place to stay! Each family prayer said, each Family Home Evening held, each scripture read and each song sung invites the Spirit of the Lord into our home. If the Lord can create the world by speaking the right words, the words we sing and say in our homes can build a holy place if we so choose.
Eat Right- I say "right" instead of just "healthy" because physical preparation for an emergency is different from a good diet. It takes time for our bodies to learn to digest whole grains if we're not already used to them. Oatmeal and beans and rice every day is a bleak prospect for pop-tart and pizza type people. You don't need to cut those things out entirely, just add the right things in! In most cases (including in our family) sweets are a part of our daily lives; we need to learn self restraint in that area too. Try going without any sugar for a week, and you'll be surprised how your body reacts (I was!). And if you are a caffeine junkie, you might consider kicking the habit now. It's not just that soda is bad for you, but that the last thing you want in an emergency is to have to deal with a crisis while also feeling the physical effects of needing an addiction fix! The current recommendations for caloric intake and food sources specific to your body type and stage in life can be calculated at http://www.mypyramid.gov/ .
Exercise- Our bodies are temples. We need to keep them in order. The Word of Wisdom promises us that we can run and not be weary and walk and not faint (D&C 89:20). But did you ever stop to think that maybe that is the result of the healthy lifestyle choice we commit to, not an over-the-counter-blessing? We need to give the Lord something to work with, and if we don't put forth the effort by being healthy He can't bless us with the effects of strong physical abilities. Be fit and condition your body to know how to work hard. The current exercise recommendations for the average healthy adult under 65 years of age is 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise daily (except the Sabbath for us of course!), and weight bearing exercise twice a week. For weight loss programs and other physical activity information see http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/.
Sleep Right- We are counseled in the Doctrine and Covenants to "cease to sleep longer than is needful" and also to "retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." (D&C 88:124) Brigham Young is also attributed with the idea that the day should be divided into thirds: eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. Our bodies need rest to perform optimally so make this a priority. The current recommendation for the average adult is seven to nine hours a night. For more information and recommendations for infants, children, and teens see http://www.cdc.gov/features/sleep/ .
Practice makes perfect; get experience! - We need to not only have the equipment to survive any emergency, but we need to know how to use it. Having first aid supplies and having first aid experience are worlds apart in value. Find recipes and try them out. Buy patterns and make clothes for gifts. Plant a garden and learn from trial and error how to produce the best food while you can still mosey over to the market and get whatever your heart desires. And remember, any intelligence we gain in this life will be retained for the eternities so gain experience now and no matter what it won't go to waste.
Have plans and practice them. - Research shows that it is not enough to have read information about disaster response--we need to physically go through the motions. Especially where children are involved, we need to practice what to do in an emergency. Experts also say that you need to update information and rehearse your plans twice a year.
The best part about all these things is that there is no cost directly linked to any of them, so don't delay!
Merry Christmas!!
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