We should be prepared for the future. Only preparation, both spiritual and temporal, can dispel fear. Individual members and families should prepare to be as self-reliant as possible in times of personal or widespread emergency.

President Gordon B. Hinckley has suggested "that the time has come to get our houses in order. . . . There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1998, 70; or Ensign, Nov. 1998, 53).

The primary responsibility to prepare for and respond to emergencies rests with individual members and families. To help, Church leaders have counseled families to:

• Prepare spiritually through fasting, family and personal prayer, family home evening, and honoring their covenants.

• Prepare financially by staying out of debt, saving for the future, and obtaining insurance if possible.

• Families should start by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in saving.

• Prepare for home and natural disasters by having certain basic emergency and first aid supplies available in one place in your home for quick and easy access.

• Maintain physical health by practicing wise eating habits, observing the Word of Wisdom, and exercising regularly.