GV3 R U PREPARED?

NO brag, just Fact!

2010-01-30T05:22:00.000-08:00

Preparedness #43 No Brag…Just fact. 01/31/10

Yes, we had a fresh salad Thurs. night with a fresh tomato from our back yard garden! I kept the plant alive with a couple of painting sheets and a 60 watt bulb on the cold nights. Most of the top has frozen but we still have several tomatoes and some leaves coming along!

Which brings me to the subject for this insert: It is actually time to plant!

If you are going to plant pepper or tomatoes, this week is about the right time to get the seeds into the seed starters – especially peppers. Either find a place in a South facing window or rig a florescent light above them. Cool season veggies can be planted in 2 weeks. Does that seem soon to you! Quoting USU extension service: “Cold hardy vegetables can be planted four to six weeks before the last frost date. Some of these include broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, onions, peas and spinach. These crops thrive in cool weather and should not be planted late in the spring. Pea seeds, for example, can germinate when soil temperatures are about 40 F.” Our last frost date is March 29^th so you figure it.

I’ll keep you posted on the rest of the dates. If you are going to plant your garden in containers, I would wait a couple of weeks from the above dates since the containers will not retain heat at night and will be colder than the ground under them.

Remind me; why do we do gardens, you ask. First, because we have been counseled to, second, so we can learn how to do it well. It is probably not for the economics but it can ‘grow’ on you and there is no comparison in the taste of something you have grown yourself.

There is a great book that I suggest you consider. It has a good pedigree and the author has recently moved to Utah and lives near Huntsville. The book is gardening by the foot. You can get onto Mel Bartholomew’s web site by following this link: http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

It will tell you most of what you need to do without purchasing the book. If you get a head start, I think the Washington Co. Library has the book. I started my garden by his instructions last year and the over-winter tomato is in that planting mix.

Last fall, the Southwest Community Health guys prepared an emergency preparedness pamphlet just for us in this area. It was mailed to every address in the 5 covered counties. I hope you can all put your hands on your copy. It looks like the copy on the next page, and has nearly 50 pages of excellent material and contact information in case of an emergency.

Please, for this week, find it and start a program of reviewing it in family home evening until you are sure you are prepared in all the ways it suggests. If you are like me, you will have a hard time finding where we talked about specific items in all of these inserts; so, until we get an index, and in case you cannot get on the internet, get your book out and put it in a safe and accessible place. If you have lost your book, you can print another one out from this web address: http://www.swuhealth.org/Forms/cdep/family_preparedness_guide_SWUPHD.pdf I suggest you have one copy at home and another in your car and/or 72 hour kit or your emergency car kit. This little book covers almost everything you need to know and do in case of an emergency and it is all in one place. If you are not sure where to begin or how to evaluate how ready you are, this is the place to start. In the above web address you will need to put an underline mark where it looks like there is a space or wait until we publish this in the blog and then you can just click on it and it will come up on your computer screen.

When we have an emergency, it may affect just our own family but probably will affect our entire area. As I am keying this, the rain is coming down pretty hard with wet snow building great amounts in the high country. Fire has burned large areas in the high country and the ground is not going to absorb all of the the run-off. It has a very eerie likeness to the last 100 year flood we had here 5 years ago! Are we ready? When an event comes that requires emergency procedures, whether we like it or not, we will probably have a much different relationship with our neighbors than we do now. Even close friend neighbors will have to work together in new ways. May I suggest that we take action now to get to know our neighbors well and discuss how we will react to the scenarios discussed in the SWUPH Preparedness Guide. If you can, get several in a neighborhood together and discuss each plan and find out who has what skills and resources. Find out who has special needs and make assignments that will cover those needs. Have a way to signal for help that everyone recognizes and don’t leave it to the bishop or the city to fix the problems. They may not be available and certainly not to everyone at once. Let’s not be like the ‘bell curve’ where 30% will be at varying degrees of ready and the rest wondering how to explain to the obedient that they need to help them use their supplies. Or….., the 15% or so, who have no idea what is going on at all.

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.-Joe Paterno

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

#41

2009-11-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

For those of you who like scientific things and especially earthquakes, there is a web site that is provided by the USGS and it has lots of fascinating information. In the following link, it shows earthquakes that have happened in the last hour in red, blue for any others today and yellow for the last week in the U.S. including the islands and Alaska.

As I am looking at it now, 786 instances are showing for the past week in our great land. It shows a fairly strong one reported by the news services between Salina and Green River and two just west of us in Eastern Nevada during the past week. Most are small shakers. Here is the link. From here you can go to other fun lists on the web site. Look at the Real-time Worldwide for a global display. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/

If you think you felt an Earthquake, you can even get online and report it and be a part of a worldwide response system that gives up-to-date data on Earth movement and makes it available to anyone, anywhere in the world within seconds of its occurrence! USGS will follow with actual data from its web of seismograph stations with the intensity and the exact location of the Earthquake.

I guess this has no connection to preparedness, but who do you think is the official timekeeper of the United States? If you guessed the U.S. Navy, you are right! Here is a web site that will show you the exact time in any part of the country. http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/simpletime.html

And, now back to great ideas from the studio audience: Fenton Moss suggests that if your water is shut off or not available, you are still going to get dirty; maybe even more so. How much of your water supply would you use up taking a shower like you do now? Probably more than 400 percent (and how are you going to heat and pressurize it to give you that therapeutic wash down you usually take?) Well, Bro Moss suggests that while in the service, they had to bathe in the amount of water that would fill a helmet! Well, he suggests that everyone have a 3 gallon pressure weed sprayer and use that for a shower. Get wet, soap, and rinse off. That easy and have enough water left for another 2 showers or maybe more. Thanks Bro. Moss for that idea. Please use a clean one!

Many of you may be a little intimidated by the computer generation and all of the references I keep making to the Internet. I don’t want to leave you behind by doing this and so if there is something you want to know that we have discussed in this insert, please do not be embarrassed to ask. I have posted a brochure on the ward bulletin board which is from the Department of Homeland Security with ideas for ‘Older Americans.’ Behind the second page is a sign up sheet for personal copies of the brochure. Please sign up and I will see that you get a full sized copy for your own use.

For those of you who have internet access, there is an interactive plan maker that guides you through the development of an emergency plan, then prints it out for sharing with family and friends, so that communication during an emergency will be facilitated. You may also decide to not do it on-line in which case, they have provided a worksheet for Excel and Word. http://ready.adcouncil.org/beprepared/fep/index.jsp

The web site for the Homeland Security and FEMA that helps us be ready for a disaster or emergency is appropriately called, “Ready America” the byline is, “Prepare, Plan, & Stay Informed.” That should be our motto too.

Finally, as I remarked a few months ago and as the revised church publication “All is Safely Gathered In,” states, we need to have enough supplies set aside for ourselves and our neighbors. I would think that this might cause some varied responses in our hearts and minds as we consider taking something that has been a real sacrifice for us and be prepared to share it with someone who has had the same instructions we have had and for whatever reason, have not put sufficient away for their needs. We also need to be ready to share equally with members of other faiths. I suggest that you resolve this issue in our own minds before the time comes to be confronted by it. I also suggest that this might be the time to become informed about what educational materials are available from the Church and from “Ready America,” and start being pro-active with your extended family, friends and neighbors. The more we all get aboard on this effort, the easier it will be for all of us when a real emergency arrives. I will discuss more on printed resources next week.

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

#40

2009-11-14T17:24:00.000-08:00

It has been almost a year since we started this insert. It seems time to update our lists of things to have on hand if an emergency should come. It may seem like there are just about as many lists as there are imaginations of what could happen. Each of you will have peculiar needs as well, so it is very important to look at all of the lists and adapt them to your family. As soon as you think of something that has not shown up on any list but that is important to you, add it to your pack and update your list.

It is time also to rotate the food and clothing items and any other perishables in your packs. Make sure you check batteries and if they are installed in radios or flashlights, take them out and make sure they are not leaking. Be sure to have an extra set outside of the radio or flashlight and test them to make sure they are fully charged. If the batteries have leaked, take them out and toss them. You may not need to discard the flashlight or radio or other appliance. Try carefully wiping out any white powdery oxide stuff with a cloth soaked in bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and water. Careful not to get water into the electronic compartments. After cleaning, you can clean the contacts with a typing eraser to remove anything that would interfere with a good connection to the battery.

Cell phones are going to be a great resource to have when a large scale emergency happens. Remember however, that there may not be power to charge your batteries. How frustrating that would be to have this device but have a dead battery and a need to contact family inside or outside of a disaster area. You might consider watching for solar chargers for your important devices. Solar cell phone chargers are available for prices ranging from $20 to more than $100 and are just beginning to come on the market. Not all phones are supported yet but keep watching the market.

Records are the other thing you need to think about as you prepare your emergency response. In the lists on the back, I have a section on what you need to have with you if you have to leave the home. There is another side to records that I will spend another week on and that has to do with photos, family history records both digital and hard copy and other family treasures.

‘Thumbdrive’ (computer/photos/genealogy) scanned documents (important papers from above)

Personal Hygiene (teeth/hair/body/feminine)

Extra keys (work/cars/house)

Wallet ($50+cash / CC/ temple ID)

Lightsticks(3)/Flashlight/batteries

Emergency blanket/poncho/Kleenex

Evacuation Plan (places/maps/addresses)

Entertainment (cards/games/book/drawing)

Favorite Toy/blanket (child)

Emergency Food (3+ days)

Water Bottles (4) + bottle filter

Pocket Knife/matches (adult)

First Aid Kit/Moleskin/work gloves/N95 masks

Id’s/photos (/family photo)

Consecrated oil

Gum, 12 piece pack

lotion/sunblock/chapstick/brush/large trash bags and ties

*Important papers: Documents: Put your important papers, records and documents in grab and go bag. (Keep extra set in freezer will protect in case of fire)

Bank Account Numbers Passports, Birth, Death, Marriage Certificates Social Security Numbers, Charge Card Accounts and Contact Numbers, Stocks and Bonds, Deeds, Contracts, and Loan Wills, House and Life Insurance Policies, Baptism & Priesthood Cert., Family History-memory stick, Car Titles, Phone numbers/address of family/friends, Photos (on CD/mem.stick), Computer files, mem. stick Medical Info (shots, doctors, Prescription numbers and other relevant information for refils)

OK, There are some terms like mem. Stick, thumb drive and CD that you may not recognize. These are ways to store computer documents and can store large amounts of documents & pictures in a very small unit, but you need a computer to get access to them again. Get your favorite computer genius to explain all this.

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

If you have to evacuate your home in a hurry, know what order you will take the things you have time to retrieve and a plan the evacuation. Many of you are all to familiar with that scenario both from personal experience or just helping someone else. Have you ever stood at the door and just knew you were forgetting something? These lists will help.

Preparedness # 35

2009-09-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

Preparedness#35–Flu Update & Tin Can Ice Cream

As you may have guessed by the articles in the newspaper and TV etc. the flu season starts on October 4^th this year. (Who decides these dates? Does this mean we can’t get the flu sooner, yea and the Hurricane season too!) Anyway, here is the latest from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta on how to keep the flu under control. Utah is listed as having ‘sporadic outbreaks which is normal for this time of year. Other states like Arizona for example have significant problems with this flu already. (next door)

Five Tips For Keeping Kids [young and old] Flu Free

Tip 1: Make sure your children get a seasonal flu vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. This week, Secretary Sebelius announced the H1N1 vaccine will be ready in early October. But the seasonal flu vaccine is available right now! The best way to protect against the flu – seasonal or 2009 H1N1 – is to get vaccinated. Children older than 6 months are a priority group for the H1N1 vaccine, which means they will be among the first to get the vaccine when it’s available. For more information about the H1N1 vaccine, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination.

Tip 2: Encourage healthy hygiene in your home. Remind your kids to wash their hands and to cover their mouths with a tissue or shirt sleeve when they cough. Also, encourage them not to share drinks or eating utensils with their friends. For more guidance on hygiene tips for flu prevention, visit www.cdc.gov/cleanhands and http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/covercough.htm.

Tip 3: Make an effort to keep your kids’ play areas and toys clean. Use sanitizing wipes to wipe down toys, video games, and the computer. Visit http://nrckids.org for more information on cleaning in early childhood settings.

Tip 4: We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again - if your child has a fever or displays symptoms of the flu, including body aches, sore throat, headache or a cough, keep your child home from school.

Tip 5: Regularly visit www.flu.gov this flu season for the latest news about the flu and the vaccine, and for more tips to keep your family healthy this flu season.

To read the CDC’s Child Care and Early Childhood Guidance, visit http://www.flu.gov/professional/school/childguidance.html.

As promised, I have another way to use the empty gallon storage cans from the dry pack cannery or other sources. (This is my excuse for this being appropriate for the insert.) You will need a plastic snap on lid which you should have gotten with your order. If not, borrow or….. you will probably find it worth it to get a few extra.

Tin Can Ice cream

1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half – (add a little more if the milk is skim or 1%)
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Nuts or Fruit, as desired – We used frozen peaches(thawed) and peach yogurt

(I add a small container or 2 of yogurt in the flavor of the fruit added.)
1. Combine ingredients in a one quart Zip Loc Freezer bag.

2. Place inside a number 10 (gallon) food storage can like you get from the dry pack cannery.
3. Hold the bag upright in the middle of the can and Pack with crushed ice. Pour 1/2 cup rock salt evenly over ice. (Ice maker ice cubes work OK)
4. Place a tight fitting lid on the number 10 can. Tape with masking tape or Duct tape. (It is possible for the lid to come off and the contents to spill.)
5. Roll the can back and forth on a table or the floor or on the grass at the park or front lawn for about 15 minutes.

You may feel the bag inside rattling around like a thud in which case it has frozen solid and is ready to open. If you open and the ice cream is not firm, add a little more ice and a little more salt and roll some more. Don’t pour the salty water on the grass or plants or it will look like you had a very large dog visit your garden and it will last a long time!

It will be interesting to see what variations you come up with. M&Ms, gummy bears, okra? We will try Splenda instead of sugar and some other fruits. Let me know what works. Is this stretching preparedness? Nola and I reasoned that if we could dry whipping cream that there might be a reason for doing this! It’s fun and tasty and has no air or extra chemicals!

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com 9/20/09

2009-09-19T21:52:00.000-07:00

Preparedness#34–Creative Storage Ideas 09/13/09

This week, just for fun I have searched for some ideas for making better use of space for storage and using no.10 gallon cans. Most of us are short on storage space for our emergency supplies but could be surprised what can be ‘stashed,’ with some creative thinking and some ideas from others who have already discovered some ways. Frankly, some of these ideas could look like they were created by ‘the ‘loving hands of home,’ and not really add to the décor of our homes. However, with some care, some of these and other ideas could really look good and provide a place for more of the emergency storage we need.. Remember too that when you are hungry, you may wish you had compromised a bit on ‘the look’ and been a little more obedient about storage. Here are some ideas that I found on the Internet for space and organization:

“Try bed risers and put them under beds, desk, bookcase, table legs so they are raised and have extra space underneath!

Blankets, curtains and sweaters can be stored between your mattress and box springs. All these items are best if stored flat and pressed. They never get lost, are always available and are wrinkle free when needed. [They stay relatively clean as well.]

Use screw-top, glass [or plastic] jars of various sizes for refrigerator storage. They're sanitary, do not stain, and you can tell at a glance how much of what remains to be used up!
Mount screw-in wooden knobs on a length of board, paint it, hang it with 2 or 3 large picture hooks to a wall at child height to encourage kids to "store" bathrobes, towels, jackets and such up off the chairs and floor!
Mount a number of ordinary curtain rods one over the other and you'll have a place to hang a library of magazines (by their spines), folded towels, or tablecloths and bureau linens. Of course you can paint the rods to compliment the room's decor.
- Nett of NH

“My kitchen provides a few extra storage spaces: The space between my kitchen range and the counter is used for storing narrow items. Right now some of my carpentry tools are stashed there. I can also store my portable window screens there. The cabinets have an inset along the top that is about 2" deep. There extra kitchen linens are kept fresh in a plastic bag plus other flat items fit well.

Look for narrow spaces behind furniture and appliances. Often a few inches are lurking there unused. Don't overlook space underneath steps.” ~Charlotte

“Purchase one of those big, plastic trash cans (with the lids that snap on)... the kind you use to store trash, outdoors... take the lid off and place a piece of round plywood (or wood) on top; place a sheet/table cloth over the wood piece... and there you have it: a VERY LARGE storage container AND a side table. If you go to the snow, use the lid for a snow pan.

We have already talked about using a gallon can for a stove, but you can also put gallon ‘Zip Loc’ bags in them with the top folded over the edge and fill with liquid. If you have tried to do that without a support, you know what a good idea this is.

Above ideas come from: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000519.tip.html

Someone mentioned a way to use a gallon can for an emergency car heater with a roll of TP and alcohol. Does anyone know about that? Sounds interesting for trips north in the winter, to include in the auto emergency kit.

Personally, I like baby food bottles for spare parts in the garage; especially the larger bottles. Just screw the lids to a 2X2 (all 4 sides) put nails into the ends and support with a bracket under a shelf and you have a rotating screw, nail and small part storage system. Make sure you have the same number of bottles on each of the 4 sides so it balances.

Next week I will share a recipe and process for Tin Can Ice Cream. Every kid should have their own personal kit! Some other recipes will also be included.

If you are not allowed to store liquid fuel where you live, consider storing charcoal. Make sure that it is allowed as well but it is quite important you have some type of fuel. I will be doing some more experimenting with Solar ovens etc. but in the mean time I would not plan on solar ovens taking care of all your heat needs. Charcoal is easy to store, does not deteriorate over time and is a very efficient fuel You may even find it on sale this fall. If you don’t have one, watch now for close out prices from camping and outdoor stores for Dutch Ovens. A few pieces of charcoal on the top and bottom of a dutch oven can cook an entire meal. Some of the meals are nothing short of spectacularl.

If any of you have ideas inspired by today’s comments, please share them with us

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

Preparedness#33–A Zion People or ‘Which way does your tent door face’ 9/06/09

2009-09-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

Preparedness#33–A Zion People or ‘Which way does your tent door face’ 9/06/09

One of my favorite lessons in the Old Testament is the lesson on the division of land between Abraham, the great patriarch and his special nephew Lot. History has taught us the ultimate fate of the two men but at the time that they moved into the new land that the Lord had given them, Abraham turned to Lot and asked him which of the land he wanted. The choices were rich fertile land nourished buy the water of a great river or the deseret land adjacent to it.

Lot chose the fertile land that was sure to yeild great wealth an prosperity. Abraham took what seemed to be waste land and baren of the plant life so abundant on Lot’s choice land.

The land that Lot chose included the great cities of Sodom and Gamorah. Knowing the type of things going on there, Lot and his family decided to pitch their tents far away in the grazing lands from the cities but faced the tent doors toward the cities just to keep an curious eye on the ‘goings on.’

Abraham, on the other hand, moved to his new desert home and built and altar. It was the closest thing to God he could create since he lacked the means or the time to build a temple. It was his sacred place. He then gave thanks for the new land the Lord had given him, blessed it to the good of his family and his ability to serve the Lord. Some would say he got a less than optimum start in the new place. He seems to never have been resentful of Lot’s choice to take the best and not divide it with some good and some bad evenly between them but made the most of what he was given.

After he gave thanks to the Lord for his ‘gift,’ he set up his tent with the door facing the alter he had just built and used to worship. To make a long story short, most of you know what finally happened to each man an his family. Lot and his family finally moved to Sodom, his wife turned to salt for not quite leaving Sodom in her heart, Lot and his family deteriorated spiritually.

Abraham, on the other hand became exceedingly wealthy, and became the patriarch through which the Covenant of all the blessings of the gospel/Priesthood were given – not only to him and his family, but all the worthy families and individuals on this Earth. What a man he must have been. I know it wasn’t just where he faced his tent door by accident that caused his blessing; it was that he was the kind of man that understood the principle and for good reason built and worshiped at the alter – then, pitched his tent toward the object of their worship to remind them daily of who they were and what they should be about. Lots choice had the same effect but with a different object and an opposite outcome!

So, as you examine your PREPARATION, which way have you ‘pitched’ your tent door. Is the majority of your involvement on a day to day schedule oriented to the big city on the plain with bright lights, the colorful entertainment and the ‘exciting’ entertainment of ‘Babylon’ or is your tent door facing the Temple with worldly persuits aimed at supporting your ability to give life to that existence of those who humbly live for and follow the Savior.

Those who follow the Savior, learn a new way. A way that we discussed last fall that was so succesful that Enoch and his people became so efficient at obedience that the whole city was taken up to heaven because it became heaven on earth. It became a Zion people. Their secret: They became a people that were pure in heart.- D&C 97:21

Today, I think that you spirits that are here are so sensitive that you know instinctively that you are the Lord’s chosen spirits to carry off the most important work the world has known. The great and small from the history of mankind are watching from the ‘other side’ to see if we will follow our individual mandate or blessing to fulfill the ‘measure of our creation’ and do the great work we were sent to do. Some of us, being the clever individuals we are seem to be trying to build our ‘tents with the door facing the big city AND the Temple hoping to be able to enjoy the ‘blessings’ of both at the same time.

The Lord makes it clear how impossible this is in Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Look up Mammon if you need a definition. )

Elder David R. Stone in April 2006 General Conference said the following: “In his first epistle, John writes: "I have written unto you . . . because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:14–15).

We do not need to adopt the standards, the mores, and the morals of Babylon. We can create Zion in the midst of Babylon. We can have our own standards for music and literature and dance and film and language. We can have our own standards for dress and deportment, for politeness and respect. We can live in accordance with the Lord's moral laws. We can limit how much of Babylon we allow into our homes by the media of communication.

We can live as a Zion people, if we wish to. Will it be hard? Of course it will, for the waves of Babylonian culture crash incessantly against our shores. Will it take courage? Of course it will.”

So then, which way is our tent door facing and are we willing to be pure in heart?

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

2009-08-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

Preparedness#32–New Booklet 8/16/09

The church has just reprinted the ‘Safely Gathered In’ booklet and made some modifications to it. We need to know what it says and review it so that we know we are in the ‘right way.’

MESSAGE FROM THE FIRST PRESIDENCY

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance,

for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to “prepare every needful thing” (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others. We encourage Church members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings.

We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your

savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into

debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve. We realize that some of you may not have financial resources or

space for such storage. Some of you may be prohibited by law from storing large amounts of food. We encourage you to store as much as

circumstances allow. May the Lord bless you in your home storage efforts.

The First Presidency

THE BASICS OF FAMILY HOME STORAGE

THREE-MONTH SUPPLY

Build a small supply of food that is part of your

normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a

few extra items each week to build a one-week supply

of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply

until it is sufficient for three months. These items

should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage.

DRINKING WATER

Store drinking water for circumstances in which the

water supply may be polluted or disrupted.

If water comes directly from a good, pretreated

source then no additional purification is needed;

otherwise, pretreat water before use. Store water in

sturdy, leak-proof, breakage-resistant containers.

Consider using plastic bottles commonly used for

juices and soda.

Keep water containers away from heat sources and

direct sunlight.

FINANCIAL RESERVE

Establish a financial reserve by saving a little money

each week and gradually increasing it to a reasonable

amount (see All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances

guide).

LONGER-TERM SUPPLY

For longer-term needs, and where permitted, gradually

build a supply of food that will last a long time

and that you can use to stay alive, such as wheat,

white rice, and beans.

These items can last 30 years or more when properly

packaged and stored in a cool, dry place. A portion of

these items may be rotated in your three-month supply

This is the end of the church publication. I added the bold type to the message from the First Presidency for emphasis. Are our hearts and hands ready?

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

Swine flu and Emergency preparedness

2009-08-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Preparedness #27 – Flu update 7/19/09
Woody Allen: "Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering--and it's all over much too soon."

Here are some dates for dry-pack canning: (I will have some sample order sheets available next week.
The first is Aug 11 Tuesday from 4 - 6 PM.
The second is Wednesday Sept 23 from 4 - 6 PM

I have been on the weekly email list for the Center for Disease Control for the last 6 months and have been watching the progress of the H1N1 flu virus. It was declared a ‘pandemic’ a few weeks ago but only because of the speed of spread of the virus, not the severity of it.
This graph was updated to June 6th and since then, the number of reported cases has more than doubled to almost 41,000 in just 5 weeks; Indicating that the line on the right has continued to rise sharply.

It is probable that it will continue to spread rapidly. Some have suggested that the best way to handle it is to find someone with the virus and expose oneself and ‘get it over with.’ There hasn’t been a report on who is at greatest risk yet, but it is obvious that those over 65 years of age and have already weakened systems from existing health problems are especially at risk.

This is a lot of extra stuff this week but I felt it is time to give some information on what to do about this flu problem. It is possible that local governments will take greater precautions later if necessary to stop the wide-spread movement of the virus. Keep informed!

As always, make sure you have at least 3 weeks of everything you will need without going to the store. You may not be ‘quarantined’ or forbidden from going, but the more exposure you get, the greater the chances of sickness.

We have been making a lot of suggestions for storage that include food and medicines, but this week, you need to decide what to do for toiletries. Especially ‘bath tissue’ (politically correctly said). Imagine? This is something that can be stored in attics without floors on top of insulation since it is light and well covered.

It would if some of you who are working in heath care organizations would ask how we go about getting extra medications that the Division of Homeland Security suggests we have in our emergency supply. Please let me know if you find out how to get the insurance industry to cooperate.

Not everyone has to get the flu. Here are some recommendations from the

World Health Organization:
Updated 11 June 2009
What can I do to protect myself from catching influenza A(H1N1)?
The main route of transmission of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus seems to be similar to seasonal influenza, via droplets that are expelled by speaking, sneezing or coughing. You can prevent getting infected by avoiding close contact with people who show influenza-like symptoms (trying to maintain a distance of about 1 metre if possible) and taking the following measures:
avoid touching your mouth and nose;
clean hands thoroughly with soap and water, or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub on a regular basis (especially if touching the mouth and nose, or surfaces that are potentially contaminated);
avoid close contact with people who might be ill;
reduce the time spent in crowded settings if possible;
improve airflow in your living space by opening windows;
practise good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.
What about using a mask? What does WHO recommend?
If you are not sick you do not have to wear a mask.
If you are caring for a sick person, you can wear a mask when you are in close contact with the ill person and dispose of it immediately after contact, and cleanse your hands thoroughly afterwards. If you are sick and must travel or be around others, cover your mouth and nose.
Using a mask correctly in all situations is essential. Incorrect use actually increases the chance of spreading infection.
How do I know if I have influenza A(H1N1)?
You will not be able to tell the difference between seasonal flu and influenza A(H1N1) without medical help. Typical symptoms to watch for are similar to seasonal viruses and include fever, cough, headache, body aches, sore throat and runny nose. Only your medical practitioner and local health authority can confirm a case of influenza A(H1N1).
What should I do if I think I have the illness?
If you feel unwell, have high fever, cough or sore throat:
stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds;
rest and take plenty of fluids;
cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and, if using tissues, make sure you dispose of them carefully. Clean your hands immediately after with soap and water or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub;
if you do not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth as much as possible with the crook of your elbow;
use a mask to help you contain the spread of droplets when you are around others, but be sure to do so correctly;
inform family and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with other people;
If possible, contact a health professional before traveling to a health facility to discuss whether a medical examination is necessary.
Should I take an antiviral now just in case I catch the new virus?
No. You should only take an antiviral, such as oseltamivir or zanamivir, if your health care provider advises you to do so. Individuals should not buy medicines to prevent or fight this new influenza without a prescription, and they should exercise caution in buying antivirals over the Internet.

Warning on purchase of antivirals without a prescription [pdf 35kb] http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/drugalerts/Alert_122_Antivirals.pdf

What about breastfeeding? Should I stop if I am ill? No, not unless your health care provider advises it. Studies on other influenza infections show that breastfeeding is most likely protective for babies - it passes on helpful maternal immunities and lowers the risk of respiratory disease. Breastfeeding provides the best overall nutrition for babies and increases their defense factors to fight illness.
When should someone seek medical care?
A person should seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or if a fever continues more than three days. For parents with a young child who is ill, seek medical care if a child has fast or labored breathing, continuing fever or convulsions (seizures).
Supportive care at home - resting, drinking plenty of fluids and using a pain reliever for aches - is adequate for recovery in most cases. (A non-aspirin pain reliever should be used by children and young adults because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.)
Should I go to work if I have the flu but am feeling OK?
No. Whether you have influenza A(H1N1) or a seasonal influenza, you should stay home and away from work through the duration of your symptoms. This is a precaution that can protect your work colleagues and others.
Can I travel?
If you are feeling unwell or have symptoms of influenza, you should not travel. If you have any doubts about your health, you should check with your health care provider.
End of WHO report.

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

2009-08-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

#29 –
New resource guide 8/01/09

Remember the dry pack cannery opportunity. Please get a copy of the order sheet from the library and decide what you want. Please let me know if you plan to go and approximately how many cans you plan to use. (don’t need to know what.) Date: Tuesday, August 11 at 4 to 6 PM, Heads up for a new emergency preparedness guide coming in the mail this week. It is written for our specific area by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department and has information specific to emergencies in our area. It looks like the picture at the left. Government agencies have learned from recent disasters that communities that have prepared citizens can respond much faster than well prepared government agencies. Duh! This pamphlet focuses on Family Preparedness. Please take time to read it with your family and check it against what you have already done. After you have read it, use it as a workbook to guide you to family readiness. If you want an extra copy you can pick one up or you can download the guide at:

http://www.swuhealth.org/Forms/cdep/family_preparedness_guide_SWUPHD.pdf

I have reviewed the booklet and it has a great list of items for a 72 hour kit, a car emergency kit, a work sheet for family plan and phone numbers as well as government agency numbers and web sites. It also discusses the most likely emergencies for our area and what can be done to prepare and what to do during the emergency. Good stuff all in one place! Update on the flu: The Center for Disease Control issued this statement yesterday and contains the following quote: “CDC is concerned that the new H1N1 flu virus could result in a particularly severe flu season this year. Vaccines are the best tool we have to prevent influenza. CDC hopes that people will start to go out and get vaccinated against seasonal influenza as soon as vaccines become available at their doctor’s offices and in their communities (this may be as early as August for some). The seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against novel H1N1 influenza. However a novel H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and may be ready for the public in the fall. The novel H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine – it is intended to be used along-side seasonal flu vaccine. Here is a switch; the age group last specified for priority in getting the immunizations is the 65 and older group. Seems that these folk are the least likely to get the ‘Swine Flu!’ You can look at the current CDC report by going to this link:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm

It occurred to me as I prepared this material that our families are aware of our beliefs as much or more by what we do than by what we say or teach. If we are making a concerted effort to be prepared and share the experiences with our family, they will be taught obedience in a general way and in a specific way by observing us. Many of us belong to families that are struggling because of the economy and are having a hard time putting things into storage. Many of us have become accustomed to purchasing items for storage when many times we could figure out a way to ‘make’ what we need. Some times we discard the same items that we need to use for our emergency supply. One example is a tin can stove that uses the same cans that we will be filling in our next dry pack canning assignment. All you need In addition to the gallon can, is some cardboard, a tuna can, wax and a little aluminum foil. When we are obedient and clever, we teach more than obedience, we teach resourcefulness and self reliance just for starters. You can see the article with complete instructions for the stove and, a tin can breakfast.

http://www.meridianmagazine.com/enjoying/090723tincan.html

If you have preparedness ideas or solutions that are creative and fun and can be a part of a family night activity please let me know so I can pass them along. One last thing: A few years ago I contributed to a book that was published by the ‘Tightwad Gazette.’ They had a weekly newsletter with ideas on how to save money and not be tempted by every ‘wind’ of advertisement in the media. I found that it is still on the Internet as are many others like them. If you want some fun ideas for saving money and making do with what you have, there are some good ideas in these web sites. The Tightwad Gazette can be found at:

http://www.tightwad.com/index.htm

They also have a list of links to other similar sites. gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

Preparedness #24 Power’s out! -6/14/09

2009-06-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

Well, here is some interesting news: In this past spring, someone gained access to fiber optic cables in San Jose, California and cut four or five of them. The cut was made on cables 8-10 feet underground in an unsecured manhole and as a result, terminated service to cell phone customers, internet access and only 52,000 residential telephone customers. The outage also disrupted 911 service and it took 15 hours to get that part of the system working again.

One day before that happened, the Wall street Journal reported that intruders had gained ‘administrative’ access (in other words, they can do anything they want to the programs and operations) of the United States electrical grid. These intruders reported to be from China, Russia and other countries have embedded software into these power systems which could insure their access to the systems even if the software engineers found and secured access in the ways that the intruders were originally able to enter the systems. What bothers me is that they haven’t tried to do anything yet, just secure an option to enter later if they ‘needed’ to infiltrate it for reasons of sabatouge or war.

I have to tell you that I usually turn a skeptical ear to this kind of stuff, but I made my living working on computer systems and managing their operations. I was the Director of Information systems for the City of Flagstaff and had direct access to all of their computerized systems. I know that we then, and to some degree now, are not ready for sophisticated intruders into our essential services. You will notice that most cities are gradually building enclosed water storage reservoirs and you may suspect that there is a program of water quality testing going on almost around the clock. But, it is my strong conviction that we are not prepared for a planned and carefully executed attack on any of our essential services that we take for granted. Be it water, power, communications, and even natural gas, we are going to be in trouble. We are trusting and naive and we leave everything open!

It wouldn’t take very many well placed subversives to disrupt these services for essentially the whole country and we would not have any way to communicate except by short wave radio and that would be overtaxed in such a condition. All air travel would cease and flights in progress could be compromised.

Brothers and sisters, maybe none of this will happen but we do know that BIG disruptions can happen and do happen. The communications problem in San Jose did happen. A few years ago much of the North East United

States and South Eastern Canada went without power for days. If we were to have an Earthquake, it could be months before water lines and gas lines could be repaired. You think that this is a California problem? Get online to the internet and look at the State of Utah geological reports on the number of active faults in the Washington County area. This is real stuff!

I was at the Dry Pack Cannery of the church last Saturday and the missionary couple in charge of the operation said that interest in food storage and preparedness has significantly dropped off lately. Many canning dates had not been honored and many more cancelled. We had the canner in the ward and had announced it in this bulletin and only 3 people used it.

What are we thinking?! Have we figured out how nothing is going to happen so we have more time? When I went on my mission in 1961, then Elder Joseph Feilding Smith stood up and said that anything that hadn’t happened that needed to happen before the Second Coming, could happen in 2 weeks! I say that any disaster that hasn’t happened could happen within the hour. Don’t get complaisent. Get it done! Then enjoy the serenity of knowing you are prepared.

One of the things we have not discussed yet is the need to have clean clothes. Laundry detergent will last almost indefinately if kept dry and sealed. This will sound funny but you can make a clothes washer by having a (new – do you think) toiled plunger and one of the orange buckets from Home Depot with a lid. Make a hole in the lid the size of the plunger handle and put clothes, water and a small amount of soap in the bucket, put the plunger in the bucket and the lid threaded down over the handle and seal it. Then, simply push and pull the plunger up and down to wash and rinse the clothes!

Yea, it was a close one, but we did talk of one technique. The thing is, each one of us has different levels of need for each of the services that could be disrupted. That means that each one of us needs to sit down as a family, or? (home or visiting teacher), and make a plan of what we will do if any of our services fail – For whatever reason.
Be sure to be thorough: if you have gas for water heating and cooking, do they require electricity to ignite and keep the valves open? Could that be a ‘gottcha’? Think carefully of everything.

If you have a medical need for electricity, make sure the City has you on their list. They may be able to deliver a short term power supply for you. JUST GET PREPARED. Try to think of everything. THIS IS REAL; GET TO IT!

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

Preparedness #23 Preachin’ to medlin’-6/6/09

2009-06-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I hope someone can help me. I remember my Dad telling a joke that ended with someone standing up in church after the pastor said something and saying “OK preacher, now you’ve gone from preachin’ to medlin.” I see the quote of the last line on the Inernet but can’t find the whole joke.

Anyway, it’s hard to know when you are preaching and when you are ‘medlin.’’ It doesn’t seem to matter what any of us say, there will always be those who obey and those who intended to do it some time and a few who didn’t ever plan to do do it.

An interesting question is, what will you do when someone of those who didn’t heed the warning voices and did not (for what ever reason) put away a supply as commanded, comes to you for help. Does being prepared include a decision on your part, as to how you will react to them and to those of other faiths that were not specifically warned?

There are those who could justify blockading the house and pulling out the ‘firepower’ to back up their isolation and use the story of the 10 virgins and the closing of the door on the 5 unprepared ones. Others might open the door and welcome the desperate in even fearing that there might be 5 more families for every one that had stored what they were asked, and now were being asked to share. Question is: what will you do? And, how will you justify what you do?

Last week I quoted Pres. Packer when he discussed the Word Of Wisdom, that principles are taught but not always explained in great detail. The Lord leaves it up to us to figure out how it applies to each of us. Or as the Prophet Joseph said, “I teach them correct princlples, and they govern themselves.”

Maybe the question of how we will react will be as important in the time of disaster as how we endure the actual test. For the person with the blockaded door, he will feel justified. For the other, he may have to hope that based on the statistics that if he has a year’s supply and five families have invited themeselves over to ‘help’ with the consumption, that the test will last 20% of the year! Or, maybe they will all have faith, bless the food to the good af all and know that the Master who fed five thousand will also provide for them.

It is fascinating to me that in the gospel, everything doesn’t have to add up

the way we think it should. King Benjamin preached that if a poor man should come to the door and we had to turn him away because we had none, that it would be counted to us as if we had fed him! If, on the other hand, we turned the beggar away saying we had none to spare but were holding back, read for yourselves what his fate would be.

We are reminded in another part of the scriptures that, “The poor will always be with us.” While you are reading King Benjamin, why not find out how he would have us treat the beggar.

Whether you have, by your actions, been obedient or not, do you know how you will feel when the time comes that we will account for our decision? Elder Oaks, in a talk given in the April 2004 General Conf. (I will ask Rhonda to put it in the blog) gave nine signs to be given prior to the Second Coming. They were not only to be indications of the time drawing near but to the wise, they were to be the voice of warning so that we could be prepared. Two of the nine were that there would be famine and pestilance and an ‘overflowing scourge, a desolating sickness covering the land.

Another question like the one in the third paragraph could be: How will you feel if you have not been obedient and have to go to the neighbors and ask for their patience and help?

Boy, all of a sudden I realize that I may be thinking negatively and asuming that there might be those who are not preparing. I have asked that if there is anyone who has a reason why they are not putting things away to come to the Bishop or myself and let us help. There is no valid reason to hesitate doing that.

I love the story of the faithful saints in Mexico who can only put a handful of beans, rice or sugar away in a week. Is the Lord ashamed of them? And how about the widow that was commanded to give the last of her food (before dying of starvation) to Elijah. For all who obey to the extent they can, no matter how little, I know and testify that as Elijah promised the widow, “The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail….” (1 kings.)

I hope I’m not ‘medlin.’ Please, I don’t know how many of you read this but if you need help, please don’t be afraid to ask. There is a way (and a place!)

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

P.S. I promise next week we will get back to storage skills. Promise.

Preparation for the Second Coming

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

We need to make … spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming.

In modern revelation we have the promise that if we are prepared we need not fear (see D&C 38:30). I was introduced to that principle 60 years ago this summer when I became a Boy Scout and learned the Scout motto: “Be prepared.” Today I have felt prompted to speak of the importance of preparation for a future event of supreme importance to each of us—the Second Coming of the Lord.

The scriptures are rich in references to the Second Coming, an event eagerly awaited by the righteous and dreaded or denied by the wicked. The faithful of all ages have pondered the sequence and meaning of the many events prophesied to precede and follow this hinge point of history.

Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. I wish to speak about the fourth of these great realities: the signs of the Second Coming and what we should do to prepare for it.

The Lord has declared, “He that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man,” signs that will be shown “in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath” (D&C 45:39–40).

The Savior taught this in the parable of the fig tree whose tender new branches give a sign of the coming of summer. “So likewise,” when the elect shall see the signs of His coming “they shall know that he is near, even at the doors” (JS—M 1:38–39; see also Matt. 24:32–33; D&C 45:37–38).

Biblical and modern prophecies give many signs of the Second Coming. These include:

1. The fulness of the gospel restored and preached in all the world for a witness to all nations.

2. False Christs and false prophets, deceiving many.

3. Wars and rumors of wars, with nation rising against nation.

4. Earthquakes in divers places.

5. Famine and pestilence.

6. An overflowing scourge, a desolating sickness covering the land.

7. Iniquity abounding.

8. The whole earth in commotion.

9. Men’s hearts failing them.

(See Matt. 24:5–15; JS—M 1:22, 28–32; D&C 45:26–33.)

In another revelation the Lord declares that some of these signs are His voice calling His people to repentance:

“Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you. …

“How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, … and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!” (D&C 43:23, 25).

These signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity. For example, the list of major earthquakes in The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2004 shows twice as many earthquakes in the decades of the 1980s and 1990s as in the two preceding decades (pp. 189–90). It also shows further sharp increases in the first several years of this century. The list of notable floods and tidal waves and the list of hurricanes, typhoons, and blizzards worldwide show similar increases in recent years (pp. 188–89). Increases by comparison with 50 years ago can be dismissed as changes in reporting criteria, but the accelerating pattern of natural disasters in the last few decades is ominous.

II.

Another sign of the times is the gathering of the faithful (see D&C 133:4). In the early years of this last dispensation, a gathering to Zion involved various locations in the United States: to Kirtland, to Missouri, to Nauvoo, and to the tops of the mountains. Always these were gatherings to prospective temples. With the creation of stakes and the construction of temples in most nations with sizeable populations of the faithful, the current commandment is not to gather to one place but to gather in stakes in our own homelands. There the faithful can enjoy the full blessings of eternity in a house of the Lord. There, in their own homelands, they can obey the Lord’s command to enlarge the borders of His people and strengthen her stakes (see D&C 101:21; D&C 133:9, 14). In this way, the stakes of Zion are “for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth” (D&C 115:6).

III.

While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.

A parable that contains an important and challenging teaching on this subject is the parable of the ten virgins. Of this parable, the Lord said, “And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins” (D&C 45:56).

Given in the 25th chapter of Matthew, this parable contrasts the circumstances of the five foolish and the five wise virgins. All ten were invited to the wedding feast, but only half of them were prepared with oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came. The five who were prepared went into the marriage feast, and the door was shut. The five who had delayed their preparations came late. The door had been closed, and the Lord denied them entrance, saying, “I know you not” (Matt. 25:12). “Watch therefore,” the Savior concluded, “for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 25:13).

The arithmetic of this parable is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came.

Modern revelation contains this teaching, spoken by the Lord to the early leaders of the Church:

“And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.

“For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes. …

“And … the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.

“And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.

“And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (D&C 88:88–92).

IV.

Brothers and sisters, as the Book of Mormon teaches, “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; … the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). Are we preparing?

In His preface to our compilation of modern revelation the Lord declares, “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh” (D&C 1:12).

The Lord also warned: “Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord” (D&C 133:10; see also D&C 34:6).

Always we are cautioned that we cannot know the day or the hour of His coming. In the 24th chapter of Matthew Jesus taught:

“Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

“But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up” (Matt. 24:42–43). “But would have been ready” (JS—M 1:47).

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 24:44; see also D&C 51:20).

What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?

If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them.

We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value.

We are living in the prophesied time “when peace shall be taken from the earth” (D&C 1:35), when “all things shall be in commotion” and “men’s hearts shall fail them” (D&C 88:91). There are many temporal causes of commotion, including wars and natural disasters, but an even greater cause of current “commotion” is spiritual.

Viewing our surroundings through the lens of faith and with an eternal perspective, we see all around us a fulfillment of the prophecy that “the devil shall have power over his own dominion” (D&C 1:35). Our hymn describes “the foe in countless numbers, / Marshaled in the ranks of sin” (“Hope of Israel,” Hymns, no. 259), and so it is.

Evil that used to be localized and covered like a boil is now legalized and paraded like a banner. The most fundamental roots and bulwarks of civilization are questioned or attacked. Nations disavow their religious heritage. Marriage and family responsibilities are discarded as impediments to personal indulgence. The movies and magazines and television that shape our attitudes are filled with stories or images that portray the children of God as predatory beasts or, at best, as trivial creations pursuing little more than personal pleasure. And too many of us accept this as entertainment.

The men and women who made epic sacrifices to combat evil regimes in the past were shaped by values that are disappearing from our public teaching. The good, the true, and the beautiful are being replaced by the no-good, the “whatever,” and the valueless fodder of personal whim. Not surprisingly, many of our youth and adults are caught up in pornography, pagan piercing of body parts, self-serving pleasure pursuits, dishonest behavior, revealing attire, foul language, and degrading sexual indulgence.

An increasing number of opinion leaders and followers deny the existence of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and revere only the gods of secularism. Many in positions of power and influence deny the right and wrong defined by divine decree. Even among those who profess to believe in right and wrong, there are “them that call evil good, and good evil” (Isa. 5:20; 2 Ne. 15:20). Many also deny individual responsibility and practice dependence on others, seeking, like the foolish virgins, to live on borrowed substance and borrowed light.

All of this is grievous in the sight of our Heavenly Father, who loves all of His children and forbids every practice that keeps any from returning to His presence.

What is the state of our personal preparation for eternal life? The people of God have always been people of covenant. What is the measure of our compliance with covenants, including the sacred promises we made in the waters of baptism, in receiving the holy priesthood, and in the temples of God? Are we promisers who do not fulfill and believers who do not perform?

Are we following the Lord’s command, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly”? (D&C 87:8). What are those “holy places”? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes.

As the Savior taught in His prophecy of the Second Coming, blessed is the “faithful and wise servant” who is attending to his duty when the Lord comes (see Matt. 24:45–46). As the prophet Nephi taught of that day, “The righteous need not fear” (1 Ne. 22:17; see also 1 Ne. 14:14; D&C 133:44). And modern revelation promises that “the Lord shall have power over his saints” (D&C 1:36).

We are surrounded by challenges on all sides (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9). But with faith in God, we trust the blessings He has promised those who keep His commandments. We have faith in the future, and we are preparing for that future. To borrow a metaphor from the familiar world of athletic competitions, we do not know when this game will end, and we do not know the final score, but we do know that when the game finally ends, our team wins. We will continue to go forward “till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

“Wherefore,” the Savior tells us, “be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom—For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly” (D&C 33:17–18).

I testify of Jesus Christ. I testify that He shall come, as He has promised. And I pray that we will be prepared to meet Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

#19

2009-05-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Preparedness #19 -5/2/09

Just after printing last week’s insert, I read a talk by Gary and Joy Lundberg that gave some substance to the Faith / obedience section of last weeks insert. It referred to parts of the last conference and ended with a quote from President Monson. I would like to share some of their ideas with you.

“We can't ignore what is happening to the economy and the values we cherish, but we can control how we talk about it with our children and how much they are exposed to it, at least in our homes. Parents are the most powerful influence in helping a child deal with hard, and sometimes frightening, times. If you go around with long faces, continually talking in negative terms about the failing stock market, the possibility, or the reality, of losing your job or home, the lack of trust you have in government leaders, etc, that's like kicking the foundation out from under your child's security base. They don't have the maturity to deal with it, even teens don't. That doesn't mean they can't know about it, they just need it to be addressed with a positive we-can-make-it-through-this attitude, without it being continually in their faces.

This last General Conference showed us clearly how to do that. Did you notice how upbeat and full of hope the talks were, even as they addressed serious issues? The songs were happy and inspiring, one being “You Can Make the Pathway Bright”(hymn #228), encouraging us to have “sunshine in your heart today.” Not a bad song to go around the house singing these days.

So what can parents do?

We have a few suggestions that may be helpful as you navigate your families through these stressful times. First of all, husbands and wives need to have a serious family council with each other, without the kids in earshot. Talk about the issues and make a plan. It's important for you both to be on the same page, so kids won't be getting split messages.

1. Have daily family prayer In an article titled “The Blessings of Family Prayer” Ensign Feb. 1991, p.2, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “I submit that a return to the old pattern of prayer, family prayer in the homes of the people, is one of the basic medications that would check the dread disease that is eroding the character of our society. . . . I give you my testimony that if you sincerely apply family prayer, you will not go away unrewarded. The changes may not be readily apparent. They may be extremely subtle. But they will be real, for God “is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6.)

2. Eat dinner together. Dr. William J. Doherty, a family therapist, educator and researcher recently spoke at a BYU symposium. He said, “Family time and meals together are two factors that can help rescue parents and children from the ‘toxic combination' of cultures geared toward individuality, competition, super-sized consumerism and ‘kids-are-fragile' therapeutic thinking.” He also cited national and multinational studies that show “family meal time is a strong predictor of academic and psychological adjustment in children in teens — better than time in school, sports or cultural arts, and helping to decrease future involvement in alcohol, drugs, promiscuity, depression and eating disorders.”

3. Read scriptures together Elder Robert D. Hales said, “I remember my own mother and father reading the scriptures as we children sat on the floor and listened. Sometimes they would ask, ‘What does that scripture mean to you?' or ‘How does it make you feel?' Then they would listen to us as we responded in our own words.” (Robert D. Hales, “Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty,” Ensign , May 1999, 32)

4. Have Family Home Evening every week. President Ezra Taft Benson said, “[Family home evening is] a time for discussions of gospel principles, recreation, work projects, skits, songs around the piano, games, special refreshments, and family prayers. Like iron links in a chain, this practice will bind a family together, in love, pride, tradition, strength, and loyalty." (President Ezra Taft Benson, “Salvation; A Family Affair”, Ensign, July 1992, p. 4)

5. Keep your marriage strong. This may be the most significant thing you can do that will bring security to your children during these challenging times. If they see Mom and Dad drifting apart, arguing, even threatening divorce, they will be devastated, and all other troubles in the world will be compounded in their minds. In addition, now more than ever, it's time to pay attention to your spouse's needs. Notice the good in each other and give compliments often. Take some time out and have a weekly date night, without the kids. Even if the only thing you can afford is an ice cream cone, go out together and enjoy that time with each other. Hug each other, kiss each other, and just simply hold on to each other through the hard times. Things will get better, especially if you are working together in love and harmony as a couple. If the world should crumble and fall, you be the ones who stand together through it all. And keep smiling.

A final word from our Prophet: We'll close this article with the inspiring words of our beloved Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, given at 2009 April General Conference a few weeks ago.

“I'd like us to turn our thoughts and our attitudes away from the troubles around us and to focus instead on our blessings as members of the Church. The Apostle Paul declared, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, in large part we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told: “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

Then President Monson ended his remarks with this promise: “The future will be as bright as your faith.”

The entire Lundberg article can be studied at: http://www.ldsmag.com/familyconnections/090417comfort.html

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

PS: Keep up to date on the pandemic flue situation by following this link: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/

Pandemic Preparedness #17

2009-04-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

Created April 11, 2007

Pandemic Planning – Home & Family Preparedness

© 2007 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. English approval: 10/07. 36838

Pandemic Planning - Home & Family Preparedness

This fact sheet provides information on how families can prepare themselves for a possible flu
pandemic.
Background

A severe pandemic (defined as a world-wide epidemic) in a vulnerable population, such as the
1918 flu pandemic, represents a worst-case scenario for pandemic planning and preparedness.
Communities, individuals, employers, schools, and other organizations are being asked to plan
for the use of interventions that will help limit the spread of disease. At this time, there is
concern because of continued spread of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus among
animals in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe which has the potential to significantly
threaten human health. If a virus such as H5N1 mutates and spreads easily from one person to
another, avian influenza may break out globally. While there are no reports of sustained humanto-human transmission of avian influenza, governments and international health agencies are preparing for a possible pandemic. A pandemic can originate from any “unknown” source, such as the H5N1 virus.

General Precautions

Observe general precautions including hand washing, avoiding contact with possibly infected
poultry, or consuming undercooked poultry or poultry products.

If one of your family or household members becomes ill, they should be isolated in a separate
room. If several members are sick, they can be isolated in the same room. When caring for those
who are ill, you will need some appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) including the
following:
• Disposable vinyl, nitrile, or latex gloves or other reusable gloves that can be disinfected
• Protective clothing (long sleeved coveralls with a waterproof apron) or a disposable
surgical gown
• Disposable shoe covers or those that can be disinfected
• Safety goggles or face shield
• Wear at least the minimum level of respiratory protection which is a surgical mask or
preferably an N95 respirator
• These items must be removed in the proper sequence to avoid contaminating yourself
(see Pandemic Planning - Health Care Worker Preparedness fact sheet for more details).

Disinfection

Cups, glasses, dishes, all eating utensils, thermometers, etc., must be disinfected after use by the
ill person. The eating utensils can be disinfected either by use of a dishwasher or dishwater with
1.5 tsp. of household bleach to one gallon (3.8 liters) of water. Remember that handling these
items while they are still contaminated will lead to possible infection. Therefore, wear gloves
while handling potentially contaminated items.

Surfaces in the room of the infected persons should be cleaned with a solution of bleach water as
noted above or with Lysol® or Clorox® spray, wipes or liquid. Pay particular attention to
faucets, doorknobs, telephones, refrigerator, oven, and toilet flush handles. This should be done
For more information about this topic, call the Risk Management Division:
• 1-801-240-4049
• 1-800-453-3860, ext. 2-4049 (toll free in the United States and Canada)

Created April 11, 2007 Pandemic Planning – Home & Family Preparedness, page 2 of 2

whenever there is contact by an infected person or otherwise 2-3 times a day. Linens and
clothing need to be washed in warm water with detergent and preferably dried in a dryer.
Remember if you are not careful in your personal protective wear and hygiene measures, you
may carry infected material on your skin or clothing which may contaminate others or yourself.
Designate a specific garbage bag for infected, disposable materials.

Isolation

If you develop flu-like symptoms, stay home and isolated from your household except to seek
medical care. Remain at home for 7-10 days or until you are well and can no longer spread the
infection. Seek medical care if you have signs of pneumonia or severe lung infection (difficulty
breathing, wheezing, or a persistent fever over 102° F or 38.9° C)

If there are other cases of avian flu in your neighborhood, it would be safest to keep your
children in your yard or home away from others who may be infected. Plan in advance what will
need to be done or who you can call upon if you are either alone, ill and incapacitated, or if the
adults in the household become ill and incapacitated. Talk with family members and loved ones
about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care for them in
your home.

Schools and day care facilities will likely close. Plan your child care in advance and how you
might function by working at home for example, or how college-age family members can assist
in younger child care during the time their colleges and universities are closed. Having multiple
younger children from several households in one home for day care is less than optimal due to
the high risk of spreading the disease.

Limit your exposure to public places which may include a grocery trip only once a week rather
than every few days. In addition to the recommended food and water storage items, keep a
supply of your prescription medications, nonprescription drugs, and other health supplies on
hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with
electrolytes, vitamins, rubbing alcohol, thermometers, garbage bags and cleaning supplies. Keep
your car filled with gas and have cash on hand in case banks are closed or services limited. Use
the over-the-counter medications as directed on the container.

Maintain social distancing (see Pandemic Planning - Social Distancing fact sheet for more
details) and stay at least 6 feet away from others at all times particularly in public. Avoid
handshaking and other forms of contact. Use proper cough and sneeze etiquette even if you are
not ill (see Pandemic Planning – Personal Hygiene fact sheet for more details). Be sure to teach
your children the proper hand washing and cough/sneeze behaviors as well. If you are ill, you
need to be isolated from those who are healthy even in your own household.

References:

www.cdc.gov: Interim Pre-pandemic planning guidance: including individual
planning, workplace planning, community planning, school planning, healthcare planning,
community strategy for pandemic influenza mitigation
www.osha.gov: Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic
www.who.org: Avian Flu: Fact Sheet, pandemic preparedness plan, guidelines, WHO pandemic
influenza draft protocol for rapid response and containment
www.epa.gov: Ground water and drinking water: emergency disinfection of drinking water
LDS Church, Basic Self Reliance, p.76, 1989

Preparedness #16 -03/30/09

2009-03-27T21:37:00.000-07:00

Hey!
Have you visited the ward preparedness internet pages? If not, you are missing out on some really good work by Rhonda Johnson. She is so good to do this and makes it sound like it is nothing. Thanks to her again! Here is how to get to it if you haven’t seen this access already: http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com there are things in the ‘Blog” that we don’t have room for in the insert.

Thanks to John, Marsha and son Tom Crofts for getting the garden ready and letting us use it. I think John shows more tan from the garden work than the trip to the Bahamas - Anyway, thanks to them.

Big thanks also to Blain Gubler for the powdered ‘sunshine’ that he spread liberally on the ground and then tilled it in the ward garden. All of these individuals have ‘built the house as if they were going to live in it themselves.’ In other words, gone the extra mile.

So, since the ward garden is ready, If you want to have a plot and you have not been contacted, call me today or? and we will go over and get you set up.

I would like to take a little more time on drying food in this insert. Today, just for illustration sake, I took celery weighing 17 ounces –just over a pound, and dried it. . What weighed 17 ounces now weighs 1 ounce and loosly piled, a little over a half cup of space! Twenty five pounds of apples dry to four pounds. Think of the advantages, low storage space, no fancy equipment (I save plastic screw top jars like containers for nuts, mayo and other foods) You can use zip lock but need to use the heavy duty freezer kind. Vacuum bagging is even better but I don’t have a bagger and even though good, not necessary. It might be good to add one of those little oxygen pouches that they sell at the Dry Pack Cannery especially if storing a large quantity in one container.

The point is, you don’t need elaborate equipment, there is not a big set up to do, there appears to be little loss in food quality or nutrition. In small gardens, you don’t usually get a lot of any one thing ripening at once, so this is great for that reason; if you have a comercial dryer, you can put in as many or few trays as you want then let it go. Drying is especially good for us here in the west as the air is dry, and warm and the food dries quickly. Meat (jerky) is even relatively easy and safe to dry. There is a great publication available from the Washington County Extension Internet site that describes how to do the whole drying thing.
http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN-330.pdf

Interestingly enough, the practice ‘pizza warmer’ solar oven we discussed a few weeks ago would make an almost perfect food dryer with a few modifications to cover the food with cheese cloth to keep critters off.

Not to kick a dead horse so to say, I am trying find ways for you to do what we all have been commanded to do without it being out of financial reach for anyone. Not being silly this time, I purchased a ‘grape’ tomato that has small grape sized fruit that are quite sweet. In addition to eating them fresh, I am going to dry some for ‘Tomsins’ to store next to my Craisins. Really! Again, they can be a great snack.

If you look in the ward blog, there is an email that Bishop Langston sent that shows what a year’s supply of ‘basic’ food will cost and the space it will take. It also shows what you get for the effort: a loaf of bread and some beans. You will be well fed and crazy for variety. The things that will make the difference and add the foods that will make variety and a more rounded diet, are things that you can do with what you have to work with. In American cooking, onions are just about as important as salt and pepper. If you buy onions when they are in season for .39 a pound and dry 25 pounds of them, you can have one very important ingredient for cooking and it will store in a couple of 1 gallon zip lock bags and weigh 3 pounds! Squash – various kinds, spinach, kale, chard, tomatoes, chilies, potatoes all can be easily dried. Materials don’t always have to come from your garden – Just get them however – whenever you can. Don’t pass up an opportunity to put stuff away. Almost all fruits can be dried and many make great snacks for the winter or….. You can make fruit or vegitable purees and pour them onto trays for drying and are sometimes called leathers. I can imagine making a pizza leather; why the potential is limitless! Maybe I should settle for corned beef and cabbage leather instead of cookies! Just think how good stewed tomato, okra and zuccini leather could be. Then, maybe not.

Since all dried food does better in the house where it can be cool and dark, and because it takes very little space, it is perfect for our limited space dwellings and can fit well in small spaces like under beds, etc.

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

A note from our Bishop:Have You Seen What the Basic 1 Year Supply for 1 Person Looks Like?

2009-03-27T21:30:00.001-07:00

Exactly What Does a Basic 1 Year Food Storage for 1 Person Look Like?

These are the MINIMUM Basic Amounts of Food Needed for Survival for ONE PERSON for ONE YEAR:

DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUR READY TO LIVE ON THESE SURVIVAL RATIONS?

BARE-MINIMUM LDS Church Food storage requirements for
1 adult male for 1 year Appx. 2,300 calories per day. (only 695lbs total)

This will keep you fed, but leave you hungry.
TOTAL FOOD PER DAY = 24.65 Ounces

It seems like we beg, plead, and even offer to help anyone that will listen in an attempt to get others to get their food storage. We try to explain why they need it, and it feels like we are beating a dead horse. Some people try to rationalize that we "really" don't need to store everything that we have been asked to store. As I'm sure most of you have experienced, we hear every excuse for reasons why we can't store. The regular excuses of no money, no room, no time, don't know how to use wheat, or don't eat wheat, etc. But lately, I've heard "that is so much to store", that "our family would never use 400 pounds of grains per person in an entire year". Also, "we don't use that much salt or oil", therefore they don't feel they need to store it.

As what felt like my last feeble attempt to try to help, the thought came to actually create a display to show:
1) what does that one year basic survival food for one person look like (the amounts the First Presidency has recommended)

2) how much does that really work out to be per day?>>

This display has been amazingly successful in our Stake.

We purposely bought food that they could get at a grocery store, rather than overwhelming them with seeing tons of dry-pack cans or buckets. We broke out each item and gave them the prices of what this would cost locally. We even gave them the price of a shelve to store it on.

When I measured out the amounts to show what you would get per day, per person it was impressive. We took all those ingredients and by adding yeast (which we know is not on the basic list – but hopefully we have stored), we were able to make one loaf of bread and 1/3 cup of beans. That would be your food for the entire day. Not much. You would survive, but it won't be pretty.

Grains (400lbs)
Unless your family already eats 100% whole wheat homemade bread, white flour should be used in the transition process to whole wheat.
Adding rye flour (10%) helps make wheat bread a more
complete protein. Dent corn is used to make tortillas.

Beans & Legumes (90lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 60lbs in 2002}
Black beans cook quickly, make a good salad complement with a vinaigrette dressing over them.
Soybeans can be used to make soy milk and tofu, a protein food you should be prepared to make.
Familiarize yourself with sprouting techniques.
Learn how to make wheat grass juice - the best vitamin supplement you can use.

Milk-Dairy products (75lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 16lbs in 2002}
Milk powder can be used to make cottage cheese, cream cheese and hard cheeses.
Ideally your milk should be fortified with Vitamins A & D.
When reconstituting aerate to improve flavor (special mixing pitchers can accomplish this). Whole eggs are the best all-purpose egg product.
Powdered sour cream has a limited shelf life unless frozen.

Meats / Meat substitute (20lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 0lbs in 2002}
Use meat in soups, stews and beans for flavor. Freeze dried is the best option for real meat. Textured Vegetable protein is the main alternative to freeze dried meats.

Fats / Oils (20lbs)
This group can boost the calories one is getting from food storage products, and supply essential fatty acids.

Sugars (60lbs)
Store your honey in 5 gallon pails.
Candy and other sweets can help with appetite fatigue.

Fruits / Vegetables (90lbs)
{minimum reduced to only zero lbs in 2002}
Some fruits and vegetables are best dehydrated, others freeze dried (strawberries & blueberries).
Fruits are a nice addition to hot cereal, muffins, pancakes and breads.

Auxiliary foods (weight varies)
Vanilla extract improves the flavor of powdered milk. T
he production of tofu requires a precipitator such as nigari, epsom salt, calcium chloride or calcium sulfide (good calcium source).
Learn how to make and use wheat gluten (liquid smoke adds good flavor).

Chocolate syrup and powdered drink mixes help with appetite fatigue.
Vitamins and protein powders will boost the nutrition levels of foods that may have suffered losses during processing.

Note:
For an average adult Female - multiply the weight by 0.75

For children ages 1-3 multiply by 0.3, 4-6 multiply by 0.5, 7-9 multiply by 0.75
For adults engaged in manual labor multiply by 1.25-1.50

#15

2009-03-21T17:46:00.001-07:00

Preparedness #14 -03/22/09

Last week we summarized some of the preparations that we have discussed over the past months. All week I kept reminding myself not to forget cooking facilities. When the time came to print, I forgot to put it in anyway. But, maybe it is better since we did not talk about it enough in the first place. Just like the importance of water, if you don’t have a way to cook your food, it won’t be of much use to you. I mean, how appetizing will sprouted, uncooked rice, beans and wheat be everyday of the week. True, you could put honey on it for a treat. Imagine a treat after F.H.E. of sprouted lentils in their own soakwater with a little honey! Yum.

Anyway, we have been advised to keep a few months of fuel to heat our homes and provide for cooking. In our communities, it is against the rules to store flammable or ‘dangerous’ chemicals or fuel. I think we are able to keep some propane which would be an excellent idea, especially to have a fair amount of it. Please remember to have more than just your BBQ to cook on. A hot plate would be good as well as an oven. These items are a bit pricy and you will have to save for them, but again, don’t go into debt for them. You would be surprised how often things like that show up at Deseret Industries or garage sales.

In the mean time, it may be time for us to learn how to make and use a solar oven. Doing this could be great fun for a family or even a ‘senior’ couple. (Who would that be anyway?) It is not that hard and if you want to hear a preposterous claim, solar ovens can be coolers too! Just imagine that; pointed away from the sun, the heat of anything in the ‘oven’ is reflected into space which is very cold and absorbs the heat from the material in the ‘cooker.’ Yea, I know I will have to prove that one; which I fully intend to do-(for myself as well as you!)

Sister Shannon Condie put me on to a solar cooker that can be made from a cardboard box, aluminum foil, some glue and a wide mouth canning jar. Oh, and a 2” piece of a 2X4 and a couple of plastic bags and black spray paint. These cookers were developed at BYU in the Physics Department by Dr. Steven E. Jones. Either Sister Condie or I will have one of these to display hopefully in the foyer or in an approved place. Maybe we could put it outside with a whistling t_a kettle in it to demonstrate its effectiveness.

Anyway, these cookers are especially good here in St. George because of the relative intensity of the sun and the few cloudy days we have. They work optimally at a U.V. (Ultraviolet) index of 7 or greater and today it is 6 – even in the early spring. If you use the canning jar with the lid tightened down, you will build pressure in the jar almost like a pressure cooker, which will cook the food faster. Most things can be cooked in 1-2 hours. Maybe this would be a good project for some of the members of the ward to make some of these for those who cannot make them. More importantly, we need to learn how to cook with them and then help everyone, including the kids, learn to cook with them. No, it, like the microwave, would probably not be a good place to dry off the kitty. But, you can cook all grains, meats, and even bake bread in it. It is somewhat like a crock pot cooker in that it is slower than a conventional oven, but it will probably not burn the food. It depends on how big you build it. I tend to want some drama so I will probably want to build a big one, so you may see me looking a little crisp after I get it going. For those on the Internet, below is the link to the BYU web site where the instructions are available to print. Have fun and let me know how it goes. This unit can be folded up and stored in a relatively small space and it might be a good idea to have a couple of them – one in the car and the other in the house.

Do make them now and use them for some meals so you are comfortable with the whole idea. In order of importance, I think this is high on the list of preparedness items. Here it is: http://solarcooking.org/plans/funnel.htm

The garden will probably be ready this week. I will be calliing to set up an appointment to select a plot at the garden.

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com

#14

2009-03-21T17:43:00.002-07:00

Preparedness #14 -03/15/09

‘Be Prepared... the meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.’
Robert Baden-Powell – who is this guy? He is the founder of Scouting.

President Faust said: ‘Obedience leads to true freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated.’

This is a checklist of most of the suggestions that have been made in the past few months. Now may be a good time to sit down with your family and see how you have done as a family, towards being prepared. Consult www.providentliving.com often.

1. Collect and fill 2 & 3 Litre pop & Juice bottles and fill them with water

2. 6 cans of beans

3. Disaster plan for families and seniors

Determine out of area contacts. Know phone number of neighbors of elderly relatives if you are in different locations. Give contact numbers to family in distant locations. ie. Home/Visiting teachers and neighbors. Give them a copy of your emergency plan as well. Keep it and copies updated. Get to know someone with a short wave radio in case of a communications breakdown. Have meeting places arranged with everyone in case the phones get cut off. Also, have a old type phone that doesn’t require electricity. I got mine at Deseret Industries.

4. Have the things you will need if power or services are cut off

5. Disaster kit- including documents, 72 hour kit and a tools to turn off utilites. Also, have a car kit with esential items.

6. Make sure you have a radio with good batteries and know where to tune to get emergency info. Check batteries often and rotate.

7. Learn to garden if even in pots, and grow things you will use. Learn to preserve by canning or drying the things you use. Become familiar with the Extension Internet site www.dixiegardener.com and other good sources to learn when and how to grow fruit, vegatables & herbs here.

8. Remember Nephi: “I will go and do…for he giveth no commandment save he will prepare a way…” As Pres. Hinkley advised, each time you go shopping, get a few extra of the things you purchase, and put them away…except celery. Potatos can get raunchy too if left too long in the garage but my deter roberies; think about it. You get the idea. Remember the saints in Mexico that put a handfull of rice or beans a week…it adds up. Just do it. What kept the 5 virgins from the feast was a few pennies worth of oil. It’s the little things we do.

9. Include the Kids in the planning. It is vital to their physical and mental health.

10.Home/Visiting Teachers, know the special needs of your families or individuals and have a plan for those in need – Medical or?

11.Figure out a way with your doctor to have a supply of the essential medications you take.

12.Consult with the Internet web site ‘Ready America’ from the Dept. of Homeland Security. It & the church site have information on national threats including pandemic flue information and a kids site for becoming a ‘Certified Preparedness Kid.’ www.ready.gov FEMA has one too: http://www.fema.gov/kids/dizkid1.htm

13.Save and prepare for Dry Pack Canning days last of May, Aug.

14.Know the wild plants weeds that are edible or good for medicine. You’d be surprised how many there are!

15.“Love the Lord thy God with all thy might mind and strength and thy neighbor as thyself.” This puts everything into perspective.

Here is a little more from Wendy Dewitt’s Blog of top ten reasons people do not do their storage:

#6. The boat and the 4 wheelers are taking up all my storage space! (priorities!)
#5. 3 letters....Y2K. Ok, that's 2 letters and a number....but they're always making way too much out of everything! This is never going to happen!” (Every prophecy that has ever been given WILL happen.)
#4. If anything DOES happen, the government will be here within hours! (insert laughter) Did you know the government has been telling us that we need to have food storage? They're actually CALLING it food storage! We now have the government telling us to store food, water, medicines...whatever we will need to be able to stay in our homes for several months.
#3. I can't afford scrap booking AND food storage. The average food storage can cost as little as a dollar a day. We live in the richest society in the history of the world, and while there are cases where money may be a problem, most of the time it is a matter of priorities. We have chosen bigger homes, nicer cars, more tv's, computers, vacations ...everything is more important than our food storage. If I asked, "Who has a cell phone?" most of you would say yes. You pay at least $30 a month to have a cell phone....that's about a dollar a day...the cost of one year's supply of food for your child. Is your cell phone really more important than your child's temporal salvation? You have to make food storage a priority.

The garden is dunged and tilled and soon will have water! Hooray!

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739

Get a kit!

2009-03-21T17:43:00.001-07:00

Get A KIT

http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html

(Go to this Internet site for links (underlined) to see info on each subject. Also check out Be Ready Utah at bottom of page.)

When preparing for a possible emergency situation, it's best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth.
Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

*

Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
*

Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
*

Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
*

Flashlight and extra batteries
*

First aid kit
*

Whistle to signal for help
*

Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
*

Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
*

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
*

Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
*

Local maps

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

*

Prescription medications and glasses
*

Infant formula and diapers
*

Pet food and extra water for your pet
*

Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
*

Cash or traveler's checks and change
*

Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
*

Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
*

Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
*

Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
*

Fire Extinguisher
*

Matches in a waterproof container
*

Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
*

Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
*

Paper and pencil
*

Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Here's Something To Think About...

You should have at least one traditionally wired landline phone, as cordless or cellular phones may not work in an emergency.

This is the main link to the Gov. web site for the ‘Ready’ Preparedness site: http://www.ready.gov/america/index.html

This is the link to the “Ready’ web site for Homeland Security Publications:

http://www.ready.gov/america/publications/allpubs.html

Utah’s ‘Ready’ web site: http://bereadyutah.gov/

Utah

Because of its varying climate and terrain, Utah can experience a variety of disasters. Wildfires can strike during the hot, dry summer months and severe storms during the winter season can blanket parts of the state, causing power outages and increasing avalanche danger. We are also at risk from flooding, tornadoes, drought, landslides, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and now the possibility of a Pandemic Influenza.

Despite these risks, there are steps each citizen can and should take to ensure they are prepared for a variety of disasters. We know that disaster preparedness works. We can take action now that will help protect our families, reduce the impact an emergency has on our lives, and deal with the chaos if an incident occurs near us.
Contact Information

Utah Department of Public Safety
Division of Homeland Security
1110 State Office Building
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801) 538-3400
(800) 753-2858
Be Ready Utah
Utah Department of Public Safety's Division of Homeland Security
Citizen Corps

We know that disaster can strike at any time. We all have a personal responsibility to be ready. Get involved in preparing your family and your community. Citizen Corps, Homeland Security's grassroots effort, educates citizens about emergency preparedness, provides opportunities for citizens to get emergency response training; participate in community exercises; and volunteer to support local first responders. To learn more and to get involved, contact your nearest Citizen Corps Council by visiting www.citizencorps.gov.

Utah Citizen Corps Council
324 South State Street, Suite 500
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 538-8606
http://www.citizencorps.utah.gov
http://www.volunteers.utah.gov

Preparedness

2009-03-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

Preparedness

The following is a quote from the Dept of Homeland Security Internet site from the December 2008 and January 2009 time frame which explains their interest:
Resolve to be Ready 2009

As the New Year approaches, the Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign is once again reminding people that Now’s the Time. Resolve to be Ready in 2009. While nearly 50 percent of Americans make New Year's Eve resolutions, very few manage to keep them. The Ready Campaign would like to make an emergency preparedness resolution easy to keep by providing the tools and resources needed to take the three important steps: get a kit, make a plan and be informed. We hope you will join the Ready Campaign this Holiday Season in promoting Resolve to be Ready. http://www.ready.gov/
Be Ready Utah and the Lt. Governor Remind You to "Be Prepared"

Utah sees natural disasters like lightning, fire, flood and earthquake and want's to remind all of our citizens to be prepared! As our political sponsor, Lt. Governor Gary Herbert and his son Brad have taken to the airwaves to spread the message. You can catch their exciting spot here on BeReadyUtah.gov or by watching FOX13.

Remember, always have a 72-hour Emergency Supply Kit ready for each member of your household and have it in a place that is easy to grab in case of an emergency.
For more information on building your kit and other Family, Community, School and Business preparedness, spend some time right here with Be Ready Utah.

http://bereadyutah.gov/

This is another great program for kids so that they can feel involved and not just hear scary words without knowing what is going on. They actually participate in the planning and evolution of the plan. They can even become ‘Certified Preparedness Kids.’ http://www.ready.gov/kids/home.html

Preparedness # 13

2009-03-06T06:54:00.000-08:00

Aunt Clara didn’t come to see us very often but when she did, we were, as children, not all that excited to see her. She had a certain aura about her. Kids today would call her weird. I remember one day we were working in the garden and she walked out into the rows to see what we were doing. I was weeding the carrots, I think, and she bent down and picked up one of the fleshier leafed weeds with reddish stems that I had just pulled and said, you shouldn’t kill this weed, it is good to eat and ‘good for you.’ I could just see in her the wicked witch trying to feed me a poison apple since I had already made my associations with this being a weed and weeds were bad. But, she persisted and pulled a couple of leaves off of it an offered it to me as I retreated with a wrinkled nose and tight lips. She was too old to chase me and probably thought better of it anyway.

Well, it turns out that Aunt Clara was right, Purslane, even though a ‘weed,’ is one of the most nutritious plants alive. Popeye, too bad you didn’t know about it…. In some nutrients, it is ten times better than spinach. Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos wrote in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1986 that it has remarkably high levels of alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 essential fatty acid) for something that's not a fish. Since then, purslane has been found to have high amounts of melatonin and other beneficial nutrients.

If we get in trouble, and even if we didn’t, it might be wise to know Purslane as well as Dandelion, Wild Mustard, Nasturtium and, add to that, some forms of Agave, Yucca, Prickly Pear and even the dreaded Stinging Nettle (which was considered a delicacy by the higher class English households). There are many more ‘wild’ plants that we may discuss in further articles, but knowledge of these could add very important elements to our diet if we were unable to get fresh produce from the store. And,even now,might be useful and maybe more nutritious.

If one of you are interested in edible plants growing ‘wild’ in this area, and would like to do some research and share the information with everyone, let me know and I will pass along what I have found.
☼
I realize it may be early to discuss fall gardening but what I am going to say may influence what you plant now. Root crops like carrots, beats, onions, turnips, potatoes and some other root crops can be planted in the late summer (as directed for fall gardens,) then left in the ground until needed. They may need a covering of mulch to prevent freezing but otherwise do very well this way. When you need some carrots for Christmas dinner, just go out and dig them!
☼
I purchased a tomato called ‘Heat Wave’ that is supposed to be able to set fruit until 100 degrees instead of 87 like other tomatoes. Has anyone had experience with it?
☼

Preparedness # 12

2009-03-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

Mark Twain said that “Human pride is not worth while, there is always something lying in wait to take the wind out of it!”

In the gardening meeting on Thursday night, I was going on as if I knew everything and dear sister Horton finally said “but brother Collier, have you gardened here?” I apologize to all that were there for acting like I knew what I was talking about.

Case in point was my suggestion to lay a long tomato plant on it’s side just under the soil surface with the roots on the South side of the tomato, since tomato plant roots like to be WARM. As I was mentally going through the evening’s meeting in retrospect, I realized that we planted that way in Cache Valley because it takes a long time for the deep soil to get warm. I wonder if the poor tomato planted that way in St. George will like BLAZING HOT soil! So, until I get smart, do it the way you have been doing it or ask one of the wiser members. And, thanks to Sister Horton for saying what others were probably thinking and helping me remember the embarrassing “P” word.

Even though the Crofts have made a great effort in time and means to provide a garden spot for the ward, some unfortunate legal and pump issues have delayed our being able to plant. Brother Crofts has gone way beyond what most would do but continues to hit a block wall. Thanks to the Crofts for all they have, and continue to do for us. The Lord knows what He wants us to do and will make it happen. But, it would be a good thing for us to remember them and the garden in our prayers. We have been asked to do this, I know with the Lord’s help it will happen.

In the mean time, almost all of us have places we can garden in containers. You’d be surprised how effective and productive it can be. Here are some locations with ideas for planting in tight spaces. http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/container.html
http://journeytoforever.org/garden_con.html#contgard

Planting Times for St. George Area
By Rick Heflebower, Washington County Horticulture Agent

FEBRUARY 15 – MARCH 15 *
Radish Beets
Cabbage (plants) Carrots
Kohlrabi (plants) Cauliflower (plants)
Onions Endive
Peas Lettuce
Spinach Parsnips
Turnip Potato
Swiss Chard

MARCH 15 – 1 APRIL *
Bush Bean Lima Beans
Corn Cantaloupe and melons
Cucumber Eggplant (plants)
Spinach Winter Squash
Summer Squash Tomato (plants)
Pepper (plants)

FALL HARVEST/JULY 15 – AUGUST 1
Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Onions, Pole Beans
Spinach, Turnips,

ST. GEORGE HAS A GROWING SEASON OF ABOUT 210 DAYS
Last frost in Spring – April 1st
First frost in Fall – October 1st

Thanks to all for everything you do. We had 36 at the dry pack canning day and did many cans for ourselves and even helped another brother from another stake. As usual, the sisters in the RS pulled it off by keeping it all organized. Thanks,This is being a spectacular experience!

Our next dry pack date will be May 28th – June 1. We will have the canner in the ward to do whatever we want.
gv3grant@gmail.com 628-2739

Preparedness # 10

2009-03-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

OK, I have been saying some fairly preposterous things about food lately to see if any of you were actually reading this insert and I guess it may have backfired since a few of you have thought that maybe we were eating weenie and sauekraut cookies! Well, just for that I just may try it. Seriously, it is important that we store what we are going to eat. In this regard, it is important if you have children living at home, that kids participate in this preparedness project. It is important on many levels not the least of which is emotional readiness. As these little ones hear us talking about ‘disaster’ planning, they can get a real sense of uneasiness unless they are carefully included in the planning and process of preparation. I have given you an Internet site for ‘kids’ that is sponsored by FEMA which gives kids a form to fill out and actually become certified as a ‘Disaster Action Kid.’ FEMA even sends out regular emails to the kids. Just in case you didn’t see it before, here it is the link again: http://www.fema.gov/kids/dizkid1.htm

Some announcements:

There are some emails going around that talk about Dr. Susan Puls and the Church Pandemic preparedness. I cannot verify the validity of the email but this link will take you to the official statement of the church on family preparedness having to do with a pandemic. A pandemic is a world wide epidemic. One of the diseases being watched now is the ‘Asian Bird Flu.’ It is all discussed in the church internet site which is listed here: http://www.providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/112086_PPHomeFamilyPrepardness_pdf.pdf The link also has links to the World Health Organization and other sites.

We intend to start the garden next Saturday Feb 28th. Listen to the announcements today for a meeting to lay out the plots and answer questions.

DON’T FORGET – TOMORROW MORNING 8 AM DRY PACK CANNING!
By the way, to tag onto last weeks information on drying fruit and vegetables, there are a lot of internet sites that give additional and informative techniques that you might find profitable. One thing that I suggest is that you keep plastic food container like the ones that have Mayo or salted nuts or even large jars with cookies and have a sturdy structure with a lid that fits tightly, save them for storage of dried stuff. It is even good to have them for storage of smaller items in zip loc bags as double protection.

Lin’s Grocery Store is having a case lot sale including a good price on 55 gallon storage tanks. It runs from March 4th to 17th.

I have been asked to provide a list for a 72 hour kit. I don’t know where these names and designations get started. But, 72 hours is a start. The kit needs to be available in a place near the door of the house or garage (if it can be kept from getting too hot). This does not substitute for the car kit given earlier because it will not be kept in the car. It can be a part of the year supply however, and just needs to be ready to travel if that is the instruction. The church does not publish such a list that I am aware of since they do not want that to be a ‘stopping’ place. Here is a list from a few sources though, that are very good. Not every person or family needs all of the items on each list and may need thing not on any list. Make your own and follow or modify it for yourselves.
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/appendix_b.pdf
http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/public_information/emergency_kit.htm
http://www.avertdisasters.org/html/72_hour2.html

And now, some more reasons people don’t have their years supply:
I have a year's supply...and the bullets to go with it! I've heard time and again, "How dumb is that to go to all the time and expense of getting food...just to have some guy with a gun come and shoot my family to take it away?" Here's a better question. Are you afraid of the guy with the gun? Or are you more afraid of BECOMING the guy with the gun? What would you do if your children were starving to death? Would you lie? Cheat? Steal? Would you shoot your neighbor for his food? I guarantee....if you were watching your child starving to death, you would do anything you had to to keep them alive. If you don't have your year's supply, you are putting yourself in danger of losing not only your temporal salvation, but your spiritual salvation as well.

So far, all the reasons we don't have our food storage involve eating someone else's food. Please, don't put your family's temporal salvation in other people's hands. No one is storing food for you. Not your neighbors, not the government...not even the church.

gv3grant@gmail.com 628-2739

Let''s do this!! Helping Familes Get Ready for an Emergency

2009-03-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

Now that we have our food supplies starting to accumulate, we are going to start preparing for physical situations. I will continue to pass along tips as they become available on whatever I find but there is much to do in other areas of preparedness. Materials this week come from the Division of Homeland Security and related agencies.

There may be a condition happen which the authorities could decide that evacuation would be more of a risk than staying put. In some ways this would be good as it gives us access to our food and materials without having to transport them.

Most of these things are available commercially but many can be made from things around the house.

One of the top items: you knew it would come sometime – Duct tape! This may be used with large sheets of plastic which you can also get from the hardware store as painters plastic. Don’t get the lighter one but don’t get the heaviest expensive one either. If there is a chemical or biological situation that makes breathing the air outside unhealthy, you may need to seal up your house so that you are breathing only the air inside. The faster you can seal up the doors, vents and windows, the cleaner and less harmful the air will be. “Ready America ” web site suggests precutting these plastic pieces and labeling them so that they can be put up quickly. Since the doors of attached garages are the hardest to seal, you may want to quickly move your materials in the garage inside and seal the door to the garage.

Schools, work places and public facilities need to have an emergency plan and so do you as a family. Even talking about this with children can be distressing to them. Carefully and lovingly explain why you are doing this and let them know that it is all to help protect your family from separation and risk. Your family plan needs to spell out how you will contact each member of the family and what they will do if they cannot contact you or each other. They need to know to respect authority of schools or other agencies and know that you as parents will work with them until you are home safe or in a shelter together. For the children, rehearse and practice the drill until you know they have it; then practice it at intervals to see that they remember.

If you have family or friends in far away places, send them a copy of your plan with phone numbers and email addresses of friends and contacts so that a network can be established. Even though communications can be disrupted sometimes they are localized or available by emergency shortwave radio by designated individuals. Have one person in another state or location away from here that everyone knows to contact in case they can’t get in touch with each other, Make sure the children know how to reach that person. Each stake is supposed to have a short wave radio operator so that the stake president can report to SLC Church headquarters. They will also be the designated contact to the State of Utah Emergency Coordinator. See if your ‘far away contact’ can find out who that individual is so that they can make contact through them. Also give them your local short wave radio operator.

If you know someone that has a short wave radio, contact them and practice a remote contact with the designated person. If you don’t know someone, see if you can find someone or become qualified yourself. We will have more on this later. If any of you are already involved, PLEASE let me know.

Home teacher and visiting teachers: know specialized needs of your families and as soon as your family is secure, make sure that they are in their home or taken to a place where they can be cared for. Make sure they can be ready to go quickly if need be. If they have medical needs like oxygen, make arrangements for this by knowing who have generators and can ‘host’ the individuals temporarily. The Red Cross and the local medical facilities are preparing for such emergencies but may be restricted from movement just as you may be. Just be ready for as many possibilities as you can. You will need a battery operated radio to keep in touch with the government services – so, have one.

If you are not prepared, the first thing you will be tempted to do is panic and try to call the Red Cross or 911 or... the Bishop. These agencies and individuals will not be able to handle the call load for people who are hysterical and cannot listen anyway. They need to be there for the things they do best. We need to be prepared. Do have though, a list of all emergency numbers just in case.

One last thing: know how to shut off your gas if you have it. Have a wrench handy so you can shut it off. Know where the water valve is for your home and how to shut it off too.

Today's web sites:
Homeland Security: http://ready.adcouncil.org/beprepared/
Ready America: http://ready.adcouncil.org/beprepared/
Ready Kids: http://www.ready.gov/kids/home.html This is good! FHE? There is a readiness planning worksheet here that the kids can do or help prepare so that they know what is in it and how to use it.

The 10 Virgins did it! So can we!!

2009-03-06T06:34:00.000-08:00

How did Enoch do it? The more I think about him and what he accomplished, the more I wonder at his accomplishments. All ten of the virgins in his story were at the door with lamps full of oil! They were all going to the temple regularly, serving faithfully, loving their neighbors by deed, not just smiling to them over the fence. They obviously loved their Father in Heaven because they were taken into his presence because their acts were so consistent with his presence that he could not deny them. Wow! And, Enoch was another of the ‘weak and simple folk’ of the world. As I recall, he even considered himself homely and not able to express himself well! He just wanted to be left alone on the back row. How did he do it?

Brothers and sisters, the Lord has not given us this assignment for us to fail. We can do it. I love what The Lord tells us through Samuel the Prophet “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Sam. 15:22. So, is it the day to day little things we do in obedience to what we are asked to do that fills our lamps? Is that why we can’t share our “oil” with the other five? Think about it; here is the Savior of the world who gave the law of Sacrifice to Adam who then was instructed to make this the center point of worship just as the Sacrament is today, saying that to obey is better than Sacrifice!

So, do you feel overwhelmed with everything you are asked to do? I do. If however, we do as Nephi did when he said, ““I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:6).

Of what then do we have to fear? If we listen to Pres. Hinkley from a quote 10 years ago, it would be to delay our obedience. “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” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1998, p. 53).

For everyone of you that has a legitimate reason for not being able to make weekly contributions to your storage, there is someone in the ward with help for you to do it. If your excuse is that you are just a lazy loser, don’t be proud, confide in your priesthood leader and I am sure the bishop will have some kind and appropriate advice.

How fortunate we are to have been warned. How lucky we are to still have time. But how much do we really have? Let’s give Bishop Langston a feel of what Enoch must have felt when all of his people obeyed.

And, it might not be a good idea if you Real-estate people start eyeing this property for development when the ward is taken up or you might find yourselves here to do the job.

Gardening Land offered

2009-03-06T06:30:00.001-08:00

I am so excited with the number of you who have expressed support for this insert. I hope it is useful. It is so good to be in a ward where participation in everything good is so high. What a privilege to be here.

I think this will be the last week of suggesting what food to put away since everyone is in a different place with their storage and food preferences. Pres. Hinckley spoke recently and made the whole thing of storage very simple: “Store what you eat.” That means, purchase a little extra of non-perishables that you get when you go shopping and put them away until you have a weeks supply-then add another week and so on. Be sure and know what the storage limits are on each food and rotate it. That’s one of the benefits of using what you eat. Don’t go by the date on the label, go by the recommended storage time from the extension department guidelines. I’ll try and get some of them soon.

This week we should make sure we have a start on dry or canned beans. Purchase as many as you can of the ones you like and eat. If you don’t eat them, you might want to get some anyway. Sister Schmidt says that rice and beans together make a perfect protein which is good if you are not storing much beef or animal protein, including cheese.

We have been offered some ground for a ward vegetable garden. We need to know this week how many would be interested in participating (working) in such a garden. Please call or email me if you feel you want to do it. If there is enough interest, we will take the offer.

gv3grant@gmail.com or 628-2739

look on the back for some good resources on the internet.

This is the link to the Extension service and has many good things. Look at ‘Dixie gardener’ and ‘home matters’ for some great ideas. These guys also take calls if you have questions.
http://extension.usu.edu/washington/

This is an interesting site for storage – you decide if you like it but it may be helpful. Check out the section on getting a 3 month supply in 90 days to see what you think:
http://www.theideadoor.com/FoodStorage.html

A sister in my son’s ward in Highland, Utah has this one and it is very professional and I think very good. Try it out:
Http://www.safelygatheredin.com

Then, not last, and not least – the churches web site:
www.providentliving.org
look on the left for lots of good connections

If any of you have other resources or ideas, let me know and I will share them.

PS, if some of your vegetables are not going to be used before they turn into slime in your refrigerator, try drying them or freezing them. Green peppers or any others for that matter can be cut up and frozen without blanching (dipping in boiling water). Don’t waste!

You may want to watch for a food dryer especially if you see one in a garage sale or on sale in the store. It is a great and safe way to store many fruits and vegetables.

Preparedness wk 3

2009-03-06T06:28:00.001-08:00

Preparedness

So, now we are working on water in two liter bottles, and seeds. This weeks assignment has to do with medications. Don’t forget the other projects because they are on-going. Just add this to them because this is an ongoing project too. For those of you who are lucky enough to not be on medications, purchase a few bottles of generic aspirin. Get a few adult strength and some child strength. For those on prescription medications, we have not been able to convince the doctors, pharmacies or insurance companies that we need to have an emergency supply yet, so, purchase a pill box like you already have; and, every time you forget to take your pills, put the whole lot in your ‘extra or emergency’ box and save them. I have talked to people that actually make or assemble the chemicals for medications and most are good for a very long time – much longer than printed on the container. We can find out if you are concerned about individual medications.

Spring Gardening in St George

2009-03-06T06:27:00.001-08:00

Spring Gardening in St. George
By Rick Heflebower, Washington County Horticulture Agent

Vegetable gardening in Washington County can be rewarding and successful. The county has a wide range in elevation which has a significant influence on the climate and growing season. For example, St. George has an elevation of 2,624 feet and a frost-free growing season of more than six months. Cold-hardy vegetables such as cabbage, onion, peas, spinach, and turnips can be planted before the danger of frost is over. This is because they can tolerate cold temperatures and they do not fare well once temperatures get into the mid-eighties and above. Other plants such as beets, carrots, potatoes and Parsnips may be planted before the last frost date but could be tender if they are out of the ground on a night when the temperatures drop well below freezing. Keep in mind that the frost-free dates given here are only average dates and will vary from season to season. Even though the season starts early and ends fairly late in the St. George area, the middle of the season is too hot to grow most vegetables successfully. There is a period beginning in June which often goes until August when the temperatures exceed 95 degrees nearly every day. This extreme heat renders the pollen of most vegetables sterile and fertilization cannot take place. This is often seen on tomatoes and squash when the flowers wilt and die in midseason rather than forming young fruits. Another way to deal with the heat of summer is to think of it as two growing seasons. Begin early and plan to mature vegetables before it gets really hot. You can also plant late in the season and try to have plants come into bearing late enough to miss the worst of the heat. In theory, this works well on short-season crops like beans and squash but is more difficult on long-season crops such as tomatoes and melons. You may also beat the heat by purchasing young transplants and putting them in while it is cool. Transplants will take less time to mature than direct-seeded vegetables and therefore mature before it gets too hot. However, this does not work well with all vegetables. For example, corn, beans, and carrots should not be transplanted. Some gardeners have used shade cloth or other ways to shield plants from the harsh afternoon sun. The period from 2 pm until sundown is generally the hottest time of the day. Where possible, offer protection from the sun from the west in late afternoon.

Preparedness

2009-03-06T06:26:00.001-08:00

Obedience leads to true freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated. – Elder Faust

Brothers and sisters, this week your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to start your water collection for your food storage program. For this week, start saving all two and three liter or juice bottles. Milk bottles are not suggested to be used.

Wash the bottles thoroughly then fill them full leaving little or no air at the top. Screw the lid on tightly. The bottles can be stored laying down or standing up.

I would like to have a forum each week in this bulletin to help with problems associated with keeping food storage. If you have ideas or solutions that you or others have found, please contact me by phone or email (preferred).

Thanks,
Grant Collier grantdcollier@msn.com 628-3729

10 ways to prepare for disaster

2009-03-06T06:14:00.000-08:00

Our last column discussed how, in the event of a disaster, a plan can help reunite families faster and help minimize the stress on seniors and other family members during an already stressful time. Following are 10 ways that seniors, their families and caregivers can prepare for a natural disaster.

1. Be informed. Contact the local emergency management office to learn about the most likely natural disasters to strike your area. Valuable information is available at www.gov.ns.ca/EMO.

2. Complete a personal assessment. Seniors should determine what they can or can't do before, during and after a disaster. Make a list of those needs and resources that can meet them.

3. Make a plan. Schedule a family meeting to assess your needs in an emergency and develop a plan of action. Include in your plan key people in your life - neighbors, friends, relatives and professional caregivers - who could help. Remember to include pets in your plan.

4. Assemble a disaster kit containing essential supplies, as well as photocopies of key identification, your health card, and legal documents. The easy-to-carry kit should have three days of non-perishable food and water, plus an additional four days of food and water readily accessible at home. Keep bottled water on hand since it's easy to store and carry. Refresh and replace your supplies at least twice a year. Medication and other personal supplies such as a cane, eyeglasses, or batteries for a hearing aid should also be part of your kit.

5. Label every piece of equipment or personal item in your kit, in case they are lost.

6. Discuss multiple escape routes. Seniors should develop at least two escape routes - one out of their home in case of fire when they must get out quickly, and one out of the area in case they must evacuate the local community. (The local emergency management office can provide escape routes out of the community). Designate a place to meet other relatives or key support network people outside the house, as well as a second location outside the neighborhood, such as a school or church. Practice the plan at least twice a year.

7. Know when to go or to stay, and how to make the decision. When deciding to evacuate, older adults should go sooner rather than later. By waiting too long, they may be unable to leave if they require assistance from others.

8. Know where to get information during an emergency, either through the local television, radio station, or weather radio. Have a battery-operated radio on hand. Different alarms are available for people with medical conditions, such as a strobe alarm for the hearing-impaired.

9. Make a list of contact telephone numbers. The list should include people on a seniors' support network, as well as doctors and other important health-care professionals.

10. Call a professional caregiver if you or your loved one needs help. If a senior needs assistance and you can't be there, contact your local office of Home Instead Senior Care.

For more information about local caregivers and how they can help in a crisis, call the Home Instead Senior Care office.

jburke@homeinstead.com