Jace Wants to Follow the Prophet

Ten-year-old Jace helped Mother unload the week’s supply of groceries from the car.

“Let Dad get that one, Jace,” Mother said, pointing to the twenty-five pound bag of rice.

Jace looked at the large bag with strange writing on it. “What’s in it?” Jace asked.

“Rice,” Mother answered. “It’s for our food storage!”

“Food storage? What’s that?” Jace questioned.

“It’s setting aside a basic supply of food in order to be prepared for hard times,” Mother said.

“What kind of hard times?” Jace asked, with a worried expression on his face.

“Don’t look so worried, Son,” Mother soothed. “The Lord said, ‘If ye are prepared ye shall not fear,’” Mother said quoting a scripture from the Doctrine and Covenants. “Food storage is one of the things the prophets have encourage the Saints to have for many, many, years,” Mother continued. “We keep our food storage under the stairs in the basement.”

“So by storing food, we’re following the Prophet?” Jace asked.

“That’s right! And you know that following the Prophet brings happiness. Right?”

Jace smiled. “The Prophet says we should pray and I know I’m always happier when I do,” Jace agreed.

Jace thought a lot about food storage and following the Prophet during the week. He wanted to follow all the Prophet’s words, because, “‘His words are the Lord’s words,’” Jace said, repeating the words Sister Brown had taught him in Primary. “But, what can I do?” he thought.

The next week Father gave a lesson on Noah’s ark for Family Home Evening. “Noah was a prophet. Do you know who followed the prophet Noah?” Father asked.

“Nobody,” six-year-old Corbin answered.

“Nobody, except, his wife and sons and their wives,” Jace proudly corrected.

“That’s right! Noah’s family helped build the ark, store food, prepare supplies and gather and tend to the animals,” Father explained.

Jace smiled as he thought about what Father had said. “The Lord told them to have food storage,” Jace exclaimed. “Just like He’s told us to!”

“Yes, He did,” Mother replied. “In order for Noah’s family to prepare for hard times.”

“Hard times,” Jace thought. “The flood!”

“Mom, Dad,” Jace said. “I want to be like Noah’s sons and help with our food storage. I’m going to give you all my allowance to use for food storage, after I pay my tithing of course.”

“That’s very generous, Jace,” Father said. “But, the Prophet also said not to go to extremes in establishing our food storage. How about if you give, let’s say, one-tenth of your allowance.”

“That’s the same amount I give back to the Lord,” Jace said with satisfaction.

“Are we going to have to build an awk, too?” Asked three-year-old Morgan.

“Oh, no, Sweetie,” Mother answered. “Heavenly Father promised Noah that He would never flood the earth again and Heavenly Father always keeps His promises.”

Jace added, “That’s why Heavenly Father gave us rainbows, Morgan. As a reminder.”

“Oh, yeah! I like wainbows!” Morgan exclaimed. “They awe pwetty.”

Jace gave his little sister a big hug and whispered in her ear, “But, they’re not nearly as pretty as you are, Morgan!”

by Margie Nauta Lee