VERY IMPORTANT: A Reason To Be Prepared

Even though this isn't my calling anymore, I decided that this was important enough to make it to the blog. This isn't meant to scare anyone, but to bring an awareness to a potentially dangerous, but plausibly diffusible situation. I'm talking about Avian Influenza, also known as the Bird Flu.

According to Wikipedia, there have been approximately 3 pandemics each century for the the last 300 years. The most virulent pandemic flu was in 1918, killing over 50 million people worldwide. The flu affected all ages and came in three waves between the late Summer of 1918 and the Spring of 1919. It left thousands of children orphaned and millions of families torn apart. My husband's great-grandparents and great-great grandparents lived in New York City at the time and died in the pandemic leaving his grandfather orphaned. The following is an excerpt, taken from Pandemicflu.gov, of what life was like:

As the disease spread, schools and businesses emptied. Telegraph and
telephone services collapsed as operators took to their beds. Garbage went
uncollected as garbage men reported sick. The mail piled up as postal carriers
failed to come to work. State and local departments of health also suffered
from high absentee rates. No one was left to record the pandemic’s spread and
the Public Health Service’s requests for information went unanswered.
As the bodies accumulated, funeral parlors ran out of caskets and bodies went
uncollected in morgues... In many communities, quarantines were imposed to prevent the spread of the disease. Schools, theaters, saloons, pool halls and even churches were all closed.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the world is long overdue for another such episode.

On Thursday, March 20th, the Newnan Times-Herald published an article about a presentation done by Coweta County Environmental Health Director Duane Fields to the Coweta Board of Health on the bird flu and preparations that Coweta County is making to get ready for an outbreak. According to the article, "the key to containing the deadly disease will lie in parents' willingness to contain their children in their homes for weeks or even months at a time...[If] parents can manage to keep their children at home, it will reduce the number of flu attacks by 93 percent...That's because children are natural incubators for diseases like the flu, which rely on close personal contact to spread effectively. "

If the key to containing this disease is staying home for weeks and possibly months at a time, it is all the more important that we begin and continue to build our 3-month's supply of food that the First Presidency has encouraged us to have. Granted, this is a dire reason to be prepared. It is more likely that you will need to use your food supply because of a financial hardship than because of something like this. However, this is definitely something to think and ponder about. Having just had the regular flu myself for the last 5 days, I wish we would have been a bit more prepared ourselves by way of food stuffs. We had food in the house, it just wasn't organized in a way that made it easy for my son or husband to make a meal. I also realized that I did not have enough disinfectant wipes or Klennex in the house. It was definitely a lesson in preparedness for our family.

There are definitely reasons why the Lord, through the First Presidency, has asked us to be prepared. The possibility of another pandemic flu is definitely a good one; but we should be prepared because we realize that this is a commandment with a promise..."but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:20). If we follow the counsels of our Heavenly Father, we will have nothing to fear--not illness, job loss, financial recession, food shortage, nothing.

Home Storage Starter Kits & Home Storage Center Order Forms Available Online

Through the Distribution Services Online, the church has made available Family Home Storage Starter Kits. They are a great way to "jump start" your home storage efforts. They also would be appropriate to buy for young married couples and college students just starting out on their own. The kits are available online to ship anywhere in the United States and cost $29.95. They will be available to buy at local Home Storage Centers in the Spring of 2008.

The kit includes:

• All is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage pamphlet



• All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances pamphlet



• All is Safely Gathered In: Basic Recipes pamphlet



• Financial reserve and drinking water teaching aids



• Two #10 cans of hard red winter wheat



• Two #10 cans of white rice



• One #10 can of pinto beans
  


• One #10 can of rolled oats

Also available now online is the Home Storage Center Order Form. It is to assist you in planning for your next purchase at your Home Storage Center. You can download the order form, fill it out using your computer, print it out, and bring it with you when you come to your local Home Storage Center. This is a great tool to help you plan and build your home storage. Prices are valid from the date printed at the bottom of the form.

Spiritual Preparedness: A Temple Motivated People

As a Family History Consultant, I recently received an email from the folks at Familysearch. It was about being a Temple Motivated people. I have included the entire email here followed by a few things to help those who are ready to do Family History work get started. There are tremendous blessings waiting for us when we do work for our ancestors that they are not able to do for themselves.

We would like to share the following teachings of President Howard W. Hunter. This passage is from “First Presidency Message: A Temple-Motivated People” (Ensign, Feb. 1995, 2–5).


"Surely we on this side of the veil have a great work to do. For in light of all the above-noted facts about temple ordinances, we can see that the building of temples has deep significance for ourselves and mankind, and our responsibilities become clear. We must accomplish the priesthood temple ordinance work necessary for our own exaltation; then we must do the necessary work for those who did not have the opportunity to accept the gospel in life. Doing work for others is accomplished in two steps: first, by family history research to ascertain our progenitors; and second, by performing the temple ordinances to give them the same opportunities afforded to the living.
Yet there are many members of the Church who have only limited access to the temples. They do the best they can. They pursue family history research and have the temple ordinance work done by others. Conversely, there are some members who engage in temple work but fail to do family history research on their own family lines. Although they perform a divine service in assisting others, they lose a blessing by not seeking their own kindred dead as divinely directed by latter-day prophets.
I recall an experience of a few years ago that is analogous to this condition. At the close of a fast and testimony meeting, the bishop remarked, “We have had a spiritual experience today listening to the testimonies borne by each other. This is because we have come fasting according to the law of the Lord. But let us never forget that the law consists of two parts: that we fast by abstaining from food and drink and that we contribute what we have thereby saved to the bishop’s storehouse for the benefit of those who are less fortunate.” Then he added: “I hope no one of us will leave today with only half a blessing.”
I have learned that those who engage in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both halves of the blessing" (pp. 4–5).

Family History Links:

• FamilySearch.org --You can download Personal Ancestral File (PAF) for free. Plus, you can access what work has already been done on your family files.



• Ancestry.com --This is a subscription site. You can pay monthly, or yearly, to access all census, military, and other vital records from around the world.



• Rootsweb.com --This is a free genealogy website that has several Surname bulletin boards so you can communicate with others that are researching the same families.



• USgenweb.com --This website is a database for several state based genealogical societies. It has vital records information, city/county histories, burial records, etc...

Family Home Evening Lessons: Family History

• Family History Booklet



• Compile Family History



• Family History ABC's Game

Articles about Family History:

• LDS Living Articles on Family History



• "Your Family History: Getting Started"
  Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Aug. 2003, 12–17If you don't know where to start, start with yourself. If you don't know what records to get, and how to get them, start with what you have.



• "Bridges and Eternal Keepsakes"
  Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Ensign, May 1999, 83–85Genealogies, family stories, historical accounts, and traditions . . . form a bridge between past and future and bind generations together in ways that no other keepsake can.



• "The Spirit of Elijah"
  Gordon B. Hinckley, Liahona, Nov. 1996, 19–21As the work of family history research goes on and grows, there is a concomitant flowering of temples.



• "We Have a Work to Do"
  Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, Mar. 1995, 64–65The objective of family history work is to make the blessings of the temple available to all people, both living and dead.



• "Family History: 'In Wisdom and Order' "
  Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, June 1989, 6–8We do family history work in order to provide the ordinances of salvation for the living and the dead.

Financial Preparedness: What we've been asked and how we can do it

With Tax Season upon us, I started thinking about money. The subject of money has been talked about for centuries in society. Evidently, "...you can't take it with you, it doesn't really make the world go around, and it can't buy you love" ("On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you worry about money and why?" Real Simple Mar. 2008: 53). Yet, it is an intergral part of everyday life. With today's housing market, gas prices, and the talk of a recession (Read about economic recession), money is even more on our minds. We're all trying to figure out how to save more and spend a little less money.

For decades, the leadership of the church have counseled us on the use and management of our money. They have asked us "to be modest in [our] expenditures; discipline [our]selves in [our] purchases to avoid debt. . . . " (The First Presidency, All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances, Feb. 2007, 1). The late President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts” ("To the Boys and to the Men," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 54). So, we've been asked to live modestly, avoid debt, pay off current debts, and accumulate a reserve to prepare for difficult times. So, how do we do all that?

The church has provided a wonderful pamphlet called One for the Money: Guide to Family Finance. It is a worthwhile resource to aid in becoming more financially sound. There are also several links on finances in the Financial Preparedness section on the right-hand side of this blog. I've also included several valuable articles about finances and new links to help save you money at the end of this article. Let's all try to do a little better at following our leaders' council to become more finacially prepared this year.

• “Happily Living within Our Means,” Ensign, Jan 2008, 58–63


• "Guide to Family Finance" Marvin J. Ashton, Ensign, Apr 2000, 42


• “Preparing Youth Financially” Debbie Woodward, Ensign, July 2002, 72


• “Five Steps to Financial Well-Being” Lane V. Erickson, Ensign, Mar 2004, 66–71


• Real Simple Money section


• GasBuddy.com --Locate the cheapest gas by state or zip code


• Get ClarkSmart courtesy of finanicial guru Clark Howard

FHE Lessons on money, budgeting, and debt

• Debt-Free Family


• Ponder the List


• Freeing Our Children From Bondage

Rotating and Checking Your Food Storage

So, you're working on having a year's supply. The planning doesn't stop there. Is it labeled with the canning date? Have you rotated it? How long is powdered milk good for? Is there a national recall on the case of tomatoes you bought? These and many other questions are things you need to think about when dealing with your food storage--the 3-month supply and the long term storage.

Recently, thanks Millie Meyer of Newnan Ward, I was made aware of a national food recall on canned green beans and garbanzo beans in "large institutional-sized containers, weighing approximately six and a half pounds. UDAF inspectors have found none of the products on store shelves in Utah, but because the product distribution spans the past five years, and the large size of the cans, it is possible some of the canned beans may be in long-term food storage pantries." Now, I checked, Georgia is not affected by this recall, but it made me think...what has been affected and what don't we know about? Check out consumer information from the FDA here.

Botulism and Salmonella are two of the most common reasons for recalls (Read more about Botulism and Salmonella). However, there are several factors that you need to keep in mind when checking and rotating your food storage. Look at the "Best by" or "Expires by" dates on store purchased items and make sure you use them in the alotted time. As far as storage and rotation, there are two types of foods--rotatable and indefinite.

Indefinite/Longer term foods are:

• Wheat
• White Rice
• Dry Beans
• Honey (needs to be stored in plastic, NOT metal)
• Sugars
• Salt
• Distilled Water
• Baking Soda
• Jell-O & Puddings (Although, the Jell-O company does recommend using by the date stamped on the box)
• Dried Fruits and Vegetables
• Dried Eggs
• Soap

Rotatable Foods are:

• Dry Milk
• Canned goods
• Frozen foods
• Home dried foods
• Vitamins
• Peanut butter
• Fats & Oils (they go rancid)
• Brown rice (1-year)--Should be stored in your freezer and can not be canned
• Ground or cracked grain
• Dry yeast (Also store in the freezer)
• Pasta

When storing and rotating your food storage, keep the following rules in mind:

1. Store what you eat--If you store things that you don't eat, it won't get rotated and you'll have wasted time and money.


2. The best storage conditions are cool & dry--Georgia doesn't have the best storage conditions for long term food storage, but a basement or disbursed through your house is probably your best bet.


3. Eat what you store--Incorporate what you've stored into your every day diet. Use it or lose it--at least with the rotatable food stuffs.


4. Send it with your kids--When your kids get married or move out into homes of thier own, send their portion of food storage with them to start their new family. You don't need it--they do.

When it comes down to it, food storage is an art. There are a lot of nuances that are involved in keeping and maintaining your year's supply. I think this intimidates a lot of people. It really shouldn't, though. Use common sense, don't store items you don't eat on a regular basis, and eat what you store and you should be fine.

Here are some "neat reads" on the subject of Food Storage:

• 7 Major Mistakes in Food Storage by Vicki Tate


• Food Storage Guide: How Long is Too Long?


• How Long Will Products Last?


• Using Your Food Storage


• Cooking with Food Storage

Emergency Preparedness: LDS Magazine Article Answers Some Important Preparedness Questions

This article is really good about preparedness. It answers some key questions that you may, or may not, think about. The article also includes links to several other articles the author has written about preparedness for LDS magazine and includes a link to the author's own blog on preparedness. Thanks to Lorna Boot for sending me this link.

• What Your Neighbor Wants to Know about Preparedness

Starting Your Three-Month's Supply

Now that we have our 72-hour kits together, we are going to concentrate on the next step--Your 3-month supply of food. By definition, this should be "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 (Provident Living website)."

There are several ways to go about doing this, but two of the easiest tools are:

1. Buy two, use one--If you need a jar of spaghetti sauce for dinner this week, buy two and keep one on hand. Always have at least on jar unopened in the pantry.


2. Choose 15 meals and multiply the ingredients needed by 6--For example, Spaghetti, veggies, & croissants is your meal. If, in one meal, you go through 1 box of spaghetti, 1 jar of sauce, 2 cans of veggies, and 2 cans of croissants, this is what your 3-month supply of this meal would look like:

• 6 boxes of spaghetti noodles


• 6 jars of spaghetti sauce


• 6 pounds of hamburger meat (can be stored cooked in the freezer for 3 months)


• 12 cans of veggies or 6 bags of frozen veggies


• 12 cans of refrigerated croissants

You would just repeat this process for 14 other meals. Having 15 meals will ensure that you only have to eat the same meal twice in a month. If you don't mind having the same meals every week, you can use less recipes. Gradually build up your supply of each ingredient with the "Buy two, use one" principle.

Remember to make a few things from scratch to be able to use your staple, or long term, storage items, too. Here are some websites to look at to get some ideas for easy meals:

• Kraft Foods


• Campbell's


• Betty Crocker: Dinner Made Easy


• Pillsbury

Also, here are a couple cookbooks and recipe search websites that have GREAT recipes that don't have a lot of ingredients:

• All Recipes


• Recipe Zaar


• A Man, A Can, A Plan: 50 Great Guy Meals Even You Can Make


• Eating For Life--Recipe book based on the Body For Life diet & exercise plan (Great tasting, healthy recipes even if you don't follow the plan itself)


• New Cookbook (Better Homes & Gardens)

Challenge: For Family Home Evening, discuss with your family what their favorite meals are. Come up with 15 and gather the recipes to determine how much of each ingredient in that recipe you will need to build up to a 3-month's supply.

The Sharpsburg Ward has put together a 3-month supply booklet with recipes, budgets, and ideas for planning for your 3-month supply. I would like to do this for our ward also. Please send your 3-month supply recipes to Sis. Schaefer at justjen@stsweb.com. The deadline for getting recipes in will be March 29.