My story

One day I looked at my four small children and had the thought, “what would I do if I did not have food to feed them and how would I feel as they cried of hunger because I had not prepared?” I cried and then I began to prepare!

My first experience that I can remember with wheat is at thrashing time. My job was to push the wheat to the back of the bins when it was unloaded. And this was the time we always renewed our efforts to chew it and make gum.

I remember us loading up a bag or two, taking it to the mill and returning with flour.

When I began preparing, I started using wheat to make bread and fed my family cream of wheat cereal. I thought I was doing pretty well. During this time, I’d heard two ladies give presentations on wheat. They both shared the miraculous health experiences of people who began eating whole wheat. I was in awe and knew inside that what they said was true.

I studied the Word of Wisdom and then knew why I knew what they said was true. I marveled at the direction given, “wheat for man”.

When I was instructed by the Lord to use wheat more than just the bread and cereal and to learn all I could about it, a unique thing happened to our family financially. I call it the tithing in reverse principle. You see, I had several promptings but did not get with it as quickly as I should have. Finally, our situation "changed"! Our income was the same, our outgoing was the same -- and yet, we had no money. I now call this the tithing in reverse principle. And by the way, as soon as I finished learning, things went back to normal.

I used wheat flour for everything. We ate gluten in all its various ways. I used the starch as a thickener and made bran flakes and used them in bran muffins. We used cracked wheat in casseroles and cooked whole wheat in soups, spaghetti sauce, and anything else a handful or two could be put in.

I have to admit that wheat was not my favorite thing to eat. I just did not care for the taste of it and because of that, I was apprehensive to use it when having to provide food to others.

My son received his Eagle Scout award. I, of course, had to provide refreshments and we had many cookies in our recipe file – this time all made with whole wheat flour. I was a bit worried that they would not be eaten and what people would think. And what a moment it was for me when a few adults told me how wonderful the cookies were as they had their third and fourth ones and when cleaning up, all were almost gone. (And there weren’t that many scouts there so the being gone cannot all be blamed on them. lol) Have to admit, I needed that and what it did for me.

Years have passed and I continued off and on to use the wheat. I taught classes. However, in the past couple of years I've again found myself thinking often about “nevertheless, wheat for man.” I’ve studied these words many times but once again, my quest came to the forefront. And the learning has again begun!

Basak