Jesus, in an effort to be alone, “went up into a mountain” (John 6:3) “into a desert place apart,” and the people “followed him on foot out of the cities.” (Matt. 14:13).  He taught them and healed them, and evening came.  Not wanting to send the multitude away weak and hungry, He told His disciples to feed them.  Andrew said, “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes.”  (John 6:9).  With those five barley loaves and two small fishes Jesus fed “five thousand men, beside women and children.”  (Matt. 14:21).

Thousands of people went out into that desert place to see and hear the man that everyone was talking about.  Only one young lad had the foresight to bring along something to eat.  Why did he have the five barley loaves and the two small fish?  Did he himself think to pack a lunch, or did his mother give it to him just in case his excursion became lengthy?

This anonymous boy becomes something of a hero.  All four gospel writers wrote about this spectacular miracle which was enabled by the lad.  Of the many thousands of people at the event, only this lad came prepared.

His preparation reminds me of the young girl in southern Utah who went with everyone else to a special weekday fast meeting where the stake was to gather and pray for rain to end their drought.  She was the only one who brought an umbrella.  She was the only one who arrived back home dry.

There is another anonymous hero in the scriptures who is famous for his preparedness.  For some unknown reason he prepared a room where Jesus could eat His last meal with His disciples.  Why did he do it?  He didn't know Jesus.  The city was full of visitors who would all have to eat the Passover meal.  There shouldn't have been an empty, unspoken-for room in all of Jerusalem.

“Many years ago during the dark days of World War II, Elvon W. Orme, the president of the Australia Mission was invited to a faithful widow’s house for Sunday dinner.  Rationing had taken its toll, and many of the good foods had long since disappeared from the shelves of the local stores.

“When the president arrived, he was shocked to find a table filled with foods that were in short supply and had not been seen for months.

“'I can’t eat this,' he said, almost embarrassed that he was taking it out of the mouth of a widow.

“'I’m afraid you’ll have to,' she said.  'You see, I listened to the Brethren years ago and put in my year’s supply, and this is the only kind of food I have.'”  ( Loren C. Dunn in general conference, April 1981).

“If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.”  (D&C 38:30).

All my life I have worked to be prepared.  Before I undertake any job or assignment I go through the whole process in my mind.  Do I have everything gathered that I'll need?  Do I know what I'm going to say?  Have all the arrangements been made?  I've always done that whether I'm working the cattle or giving a talk or a lesson in church.

Now, however, I'm a stake patriarch, and I can't do that in my calling.  I can't let myself think, “What am I going to say to this person?”  The blessings have to come from the Lord, not from me.  The only preparation I can do before giving a blessing is to be worthy, and to have my mind filled with worthy thoughts.  I read the scriptures daily.  I pray many, many times for the Spirit before giving each blessing.  I fast.  My instructions say that I'm not supposed to have to fast before giving each blessing, but so far I haven't had the courage to give a blessing without approaching it in an attitude of fasting and prayer.

I'm not able to prepare ahead of time what I'll be saying in the blessing, but I do go to the blessing prepared to hear and to feel the Spirit.

I was fascinated with the talk given by Carl B. Cook in general conference several days ago.  (April 2023).  As a new general authority he was assigned to preside at his first stake conference.  He and the stake president pre-planned every detail.

Just before the conference Elder Boyd K. Packer asked if he could attend the conference with Elder Cook.  Sitting on the stand during the leadership session he told Elder Cook that they were going to let the Spirit dictate the course of the meetings.

Elder Packer got up and delivered a 15-minute talk, and announced that Elder Cook would be the next speaker.  Elder Cook delivered his prepared talk.  Elder Packer then spoke for another 15 minutes, and invited Elder Cook to take the next 15 minutes.  Elder Packer then spoke again, and Elder Cook was shocked to be invited to speak a third time.

Elder Cook felt drained of words, but found himself being invited to speak three more times in the next meeting.  Elder Packer was obviously training this new general authority how to let the Spirit guide, preside, and conduct the proceedings.

We are counseled to treasure up in our minds the words of eternal life.  “Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.”  (D&C 84:85).

This is the Lord's Church, and He knows how to run it.  We are His servants, and He will help us with every detail.  We just need to be prepared, and He will tell us what to do.  We have to have faith.

Let the Holy Spirit Guide.  (Hymns, 143).  That's what the hymn by that name says.  If we're listening we might be told to pack five barley loaves for the trip, or to take an umbrella along, or to lay in a food storage for the hard times that are surely coming.