Speaking of Preparedness

This article was published in the Ensign in 1982, and talks about a survey that was done three years earlier in 1979. I wonder if we are just as ill-prepared as the saints were then.
This article has charts in it, which don't show up well on this blog post. They are much easier to read if you click on the link below.


http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=c07eaeca0ea6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Ensign » 1982 » January

When Disaster Strikes:
Latter-day Saints Talk about Preparedness
By Marvin K. Gardner
Assistant Editor

Speaking of Preparedness …

In 1979 a personal and family preparedness survey was sent to 600 members in 60 U.S. wards. 78% of the people responded, most of them active members of the Church. Here are some of the findings:

“Of the 244 adult members who answered the questions about home production and storage … 209 (86 %) reported that they have some type of home storage program.”

The following chart compares recommended amounts of basic supplies to what the average member has stored:

Item


Recommended Per Person


Average Stored Per Person


Grains (wheat, rice, beans, etc.)


360 lbs.


147 lbs.


Powdered milk


75 lbs.


16 lbs.


Honey/sugar


60 lbs.


29 lbs.


Salt


5 lbs.


4 lbs.


Water (2 weeks’ supply minimum)


14 gallons


23 gallons


“The inventories of food storage were analyzed using a computer program … to determine their nutritional content. The results of the analysis showed that members are not storing a full year’s supply of most needed nutrients. Furthermore, … most family storage programs provide a very imbalanced supply of needed nutrients. …

“If a family’s production and income were cut off by emergency circumstances such as a lost job, illness, natural disaster, etc., the average family completing the survey would be able to live for the following number of weeks on each of the commodities listed.”

Storage Item


Average Supply
Would Last


Food


26 weeks


Fuel


.5 weeks


Clothes


52 weeks


Water


2 weeks


First-Aid Supply


8 weeks


(Information taken from Personal and Family Preparedness, Vol. II, Home Production and Storage, Presiding Bishopric Assessment Services, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, March 1980, pp. 1, 3–5.)

Storming Back- Ensign March 2007

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=20460ed1d61e0110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD


Ensign » 2007 » March

Storming Back
By Norman C. Hill and Richard M. Romney

This article is about Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina. Here is an excerpt:

Suggestions from Survivors

“Be both spiritually and temporally prepared,” says Charlotte Moore of the Waveland Ward in Mississippi. “Have food and water in your home, gas up your car, and know when the storm is coming. Then you’re not struggling to deal with basic needs, and you can take care of your family and serve others.” Here are some other suggestions from those who survived the hurricanes.

Evacuation, travel, communication

• Take evacuation orders seriously. Leave as early as you can.

• Travel in caravans. “It may slow you down a little, but there’s security in knowing you’re in a group,” says President Johnny Ross of the Orange Texas Stake.

• Be aware of gridlock. Highways may be tied up with evacuating traffic. Leave early to avoid it. Back roads may be open when major interstates are clogged.

• Contact your home teacher or other priesthood leaders, and let them know your plans. When you get to an evacuation center, check in and let them know where you are headed.

Evacuation centers

• Know where you can go ahead of time. If possible, have a plan to stay with family or friends.

Emergency supplies

• Gasoline. If you know a disaster is on the way, keep your gas tank full and have extra gas containers filled well in advance.

• Extension cords.

• Cash. Get it out of the bank in advance, or keep a small emergency supply if you can. “If you wait until everyone else is taking money from the bank, it will be empty,” cautions Melissa Moore of the Williamson Third Ward, Orange Texas Stake.

• Ward roster or address list. “You might not think of it first off,” says Keith Crossley, also of the Williamson Third Ward. “But when we were asked to start checking on people’s homes, it came in really handy.”

• Prescription medication.

• Flashlight with extra batteries.

• Portable, battery-powered radio.

• Waterproof matches.

• Fire extinguisher.

• First aid kit and instruction book.

• Blankets and sheets.

• Duct tape. At evacuation centers, duct tape came in handy for making labels and signs.

• Change of clothes.

• Adequate supply of food and water.

• Coloring books and crayons. These will give your children something to do during long hours of waiting.

• Favorite games, toys, and books.

• Consecrated oil.

• Scriptures.

For those who stay and those who return

• Turn off gas and electricity.

• Don’t open doors or windows during a storm. The change in pressure may cause destruction.

• Beware of downed power lines. To avoid electrical shock, treat every power line as if it is live.

• Take as many belongings as possible off the floor, or move them to a higher floor.

If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear- Perry Ensign 1995 Nov.

Ensign » 1995 » November

“If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear”
Elder L. Tom Perry
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=da4b6e9ce9b1c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

...acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. Obtain clothing and build a savings account on a sensible, well-planned basis that can serve well in times of emergency. As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness.

Careers are ever changing. They tell me that young people entering the work force today will have major career changes maybe three or four times during their work life. Job changes will occur even more frequently, even ten to twelve times during a life’s work cycle. I know of no other way to prepare for these times of adjustment than to be certain that during times of employment, preparations are made for less prosperous times, should they occur. Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future.

Many quotes by modern prophets about preparation

I was told about a website for LDS people interested in being prepared. It costs money to join. I don't know much about it, but you can check out the public pages (you don't have to pay to look at them.) I especially liked this page listing many of the statements by modern prophets about getting your food storage:

http://www.ldsavow.com/brethren_quotes.html

Learned to grow Alfalfa Sprouts

I had a can labelled "Alfalfa sprouting seeds 2009" and finally opened it.

To make alfalfa sprouts, you can use a variety of types of containers, but I bought a sprouting tray. The instructions were to soak the seeds for 12-24 hours, then spread them in the tray. Water them four times a day and drain the water off. Don't put them in direct sunlight.

Exactly 3 days after I first touched them, the sprouts were small and already delicious. Exactly 4 days after I first touched them, the sprouts were probably the right length, and delicious. Then I put them in the fridge. Maybe I could have let them grow one more day, but I didn't.

I am definitely a fan of alfalfa sprouts.

Listening to preparedness podcasts

I have started listening to some pretty amateurish radio broadcasts (via podcast) from preparedness radio. The hosts are not great at hosting, but the information is good. I will listen to them and pass along the stuff I learn.

Here are a few things:

1- Preppers.

Did you know that food storage and emergency preparedness websites, blogs, and businesses have taken off since 9-11 and Katrina? From what I've heard on the podcasts, many of those people really started their businesses after experiencing those disasters and wanting to get prepared. They didn't want to call themselves "survivalists" because that had a bad connotation, so the name "prepper" started being used. Now there is an American Preppers Network, made up of different chapters in most of the 50 states (for instance, Texas Preppers, Utah Preppers, etc.). They have blogs and websites and share information with each other.

2- Just in time delivery

Have you ever wondered how much food the grocery store has back there in that "employees only" section? The answer is: basically none. What you see is what you get. All their inventory is usually out on the shelves. That back room is mostly for tear-down of pallets and boxes.

So when an emergency or disaster happens, and people start buying up everything in the store, there is nothing to replace those goods until a truck comes. And if the trucks don't arrive, the store will be empty until the trucks start running again.

Wouldn't you rather have a nice stock of food in your own home, so you don't have to run to the store and fight with all the panicked people during a disaster? It is a smart thing to think about.

AND:

3- The type of stale jokes you will hear on preparedness radio network:

One man to another: "You better have a year's supply of toilet paper and feminine hygiene supplies, because if you don't, in a disaster your wife will leave you for the man who does."

"Prepare for the Days of Tribulation" by Benson 1980

Ensign 1980 November

Prepare for the Days of Tribulation
President Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=90cdfc3157a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Have you ever paused to realize what would happen to your community or nation if transportation were paralyzed or if we had a war or depression? How would you and your neighbors obtain food? How long would the corner grocery store—or supermarket—sustain the needs of the community?....

We encourage you to be more self-reliant so that, as the Lord has declared, “notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, … the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world” (D&C 78:14). The Lord wants us to be independent and self-reliant because these will be days of tribulation. He has warned and forewarned us of the eventuality.

President Brigham Young said, “If you are without bread, how much wisdom can you boast, and of what real utility are your talents, if you cannot procure for yourselves and save against a day of scarcity those substances designed to sustain your natural lives?” (In Journal of Discourses, 8:68.)

Food production is just one part of the repeated emphasis that you store a provision of food which will last for at least a year wherever it is legally permissible to do so. The Church has not told you what foods should be stored. This decision is left up to individual members. However, some excellent suggestions are available in the booklet produced by the Church entitled “Essentials of Home Production & Storage” (stock no. PGWE1125; 35¢ each). There are also booklets available on gardening from BYU.

From the standpoint of food production, storage, handling, and the Lord’s counsel, wheat should have high priority. “There is more salvation and security in wheat,” said Orson Hyde years ago, “than in all the political schemes of the world” (in Journal of Discourses, 2:207). Water, of course, is essential. Other basics could include honey or sugar, legumes, milk products or substitutes, and salt or its equivalent. The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.

Elder Harold B. Lee counseled,

“Perhaps if we think not in terms of a year’s supply of what we ordinarily would use, and think more in terms of what it would take to keep us alive in case we didn’t have anything else to eat, that last would be very easy to put in storage for a year … just enough to keep us alive if we didn’t have anything else to eat. We wouldn’t get fat on it, but we would live; and if you think in terms of that kind of annual storage rather than a whole year’s supply of everything that you are accustomed to eat which, in most cases, is utterly impossible for the average family, I think we will come nearer to what President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., advised us way back in 1937.” (In Welfare Conference, 1 October 1966.)

There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own.

President Benson quoted President J. Reuben Clark, Jr:

“Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead. You of small means put your money in foodstuffs and wearing apparel, not in stocks and bonds; you of large means will think you know how to care for yourselves, but I may venture to suggest that you do not speculate. Let every head of every household aim to own his own home, free from mortgage. Let every man who has a garden spot, garden it; every man who owns a farm, farm it.” (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., in Conference Report, Apr. 1937, p. 26.)

(Benson, Nov. Ensign 1980)

Mortgages

Here is one specific piece of counsel concerning provident living which was given in the October 2010 General Conference.

Henry B. Eyring, October 2010 General Conference, "Trust in God, Then Go and Do"
http://new.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/trust-in-god-then-go-and-do?lang=eng

Years ago I heard President Ezra Taft Benson speak in a conference like this. He counseled us to do all we could to get out of debt and stay out. He mentioned mortgages on houses. He said that it might not be possible, but it would be best if we could pay off all our mortgage debt.9

I turned to my wife after the meeting and asked, “Do you think there is any way we could do that?” At first we couldn’t. And then by evening I thought of a property we had acquired in another state. For years we had tried to sell it without success.
But because we trusted God and a few words from the midst of His servant’s message, we placed a phone call Monday morning to the man in San Francisco who had our property listed to sell. I had called him a few weeks before, and he had said then, “We haven’t had anyone show interest in your property for years.”

But on the Monday after conference, I heard an answer that to this day strengthens my trust in God and His servants.
The man on the phone said, “I am surprised by your call. A man came in today inquiring whether he could buy your property.” In amazement I asked, “How much did he offer to pay?” It was a few dollars more than the amount of our mortgage.

A person might say that was only a coincidence. But our mortgage was paid off. And our family still listens for any word in a prophet’s message that might be sent to tell what we should do to find the security and peace God wants for us.

(Pres. Eyring said he heard President Ezra Taft Benson speak about paying off your mortgage. I will put Pres. Benson's talk on this blog tomorrow.)

Purifying and Storing Water, Ensign Oct. 1991

Ensign » 1991 » October

Random Sampler
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=d8e6b850e318b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

“Purifying and Storing Water,” Ensign, Oct. 1991, 71

Water is more essential in sustaining life than food is, so it is one of the first items you should collect for your food storage. Although it is difficult and impractical to store water in large quantities, experts recommend that you keep a two-week emergency supply of water on hand, because natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes may pollute or disrupt water supplies for that long. You should store at least fourteen gallons per person—seven for drinking and seven for other uses.

Before You Store

If your water is free of bacteria and if you keep it in clean, tightly closed containers away from sunlight, it will remain safe indefinitely. To purify your water before storing it, add:

Household bleach—Any household bleach solution that contains hypochlorite, a chlorine compound, as its only active ingredient will purify water easily and inexpensively. Add two drops of bleach for each quart of clear water, four drops per quart if the water is cloudy. Thoroughly shake or stir the bleach into the water.

Allow the mixture to stand for thirty minutes. Water should still have a distinct taste or smell of chlorine; if it doesn’t, add another dose of bleach to the water and allow it to stand another fifteen minutes. The taste and/or smell of chlorine in the water is a sign of safety. If you cannot detect the chlorine, do not store the water. The chlorine solution may be weakened through age or for some other reason.

Iodine—You can purify small quantities of water with ordinary 2 percent tincture of iodine. Add three drops to each quart of clear water, six drops for cloudy water. Stir thoroughly.

Like bleach, iodine becomes weaker over time and may not purify the water. Rotate your iodine each year to ensure that it will work when you need it.

Appropriate Containers

Good water-storage containers are airtight, breakage resistant, and heavy enough to hold water. They should stack well and have a lining that won’t rust or affect the flavor of the water. The following containers meet these criteria:

Mylar bags in a box.

Heavy plastic or fiberglass drums. These should be food-grade drums.

Metal tanks, if they are lined with fiberglass.

Water heaters that are glass-lined. Drain your heater periodically to release any accumulated sediment so that you can use the full capacity. Learn how to close your heater’s inlet valve so that you can shut it immediately after the water supply is disrupted. This will prevent contamination.

Water beds. A double bed holds about two hundred gallons of water. You can use this water for non-drinking purposes, but if you do, you must use an algicide that is food-approved. Some are poisonous.

Bleach bottles. These are not appropriate for storing water for drinking or cooking, but are good for storing water for other uses.

There was another topic covered in this article, "Using Your Water"

Leaves Are Commencing to Show on the Fig Tree- Brockbank

Ensign » 1976 » May

“The Leaves Are Commencing to Show on the Fig Tree”
Elder Bernard P. Brockbank
Assistant to the Council of the Twelve

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=d7cffd758096b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Before the second coming of Jesus Christ, certain promised signs and wonders are to take place, making it possible for his Saints to know the approximate time of his coming. Jesus said: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

“So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” (Matt. 24:32–33.)

President Kimball gave this counsel, “The leaves are commencing to show on the fig tree.” That is prophetic.

“What are some of these signs and wonders that shall take place in the last days, prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ?”

Read the article to find out more.

"This is Your Phone Call" Liahona May 2009

Liahona » 2009 » May

This Is Your Phone Call
Bishop Richard C. Edgley First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=bdc6230bac7f0210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Bishop Edgley speaks about today's economic challenges.

My brethren of the priesthood, in recent years we have witnessed many emergencies and natural disasters throughout the world. Among them have been hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and a devastating tsunami.

The Church has responded to these and many other disasters in marvelous ways. Groups of members have quickly mobilized to go and help those in need. They all felt good knowing they were blessing the lives of others through their service.

Often, individuals who are not of our faith—members of other churches, relief organizations, governments, and the news media—comment on how quickly the Church is able to mobilize so many who are willing to help. They ask, “How do you do it?” The response to this question can be simply stated as “We are prepared, we have organization, we have empathy, and we have charity.” It usually just takes a few phone calls from presiding authorities to local leaders to mobilize hundreds and sometimes thousands of individuals to go to the rescue of their fellow brothers and sisters in distress.

Tonight I wish to speak of another challenge to which we have opportunities to respond, and brethren, this is your phone call. This challenge is not one of natural causes; however, its effects are real and are being felt globally. And while we are optimistic about the future, we continue—as we have for decades—to espouse the fundamental principle that we are our brother’s keeper.

Elder Robert D. Hales has recently observed: “The economic clouds that have long threatened the world are now fully upon us. The impact of this economic storm on our Heavenly Father’s children requires a gospel vision of welfare today more than ever before.”1 The unemployment and financial wakes of this storm are splashing over every stake and every ward throughout the Church. I suspect they have been felt in some way by each of us, whether personally—through members of our families or extended families—or through someone we know.

Brethren, there is no organization better able to respond to the challenges of humanity than the priesthood of the Most High God. We have the organization. Stake presidents, bishops, elders quorum presidents, and high priests group leaders—we now call upon you to mobilize our priesthood quorums in response to the employment and financial challenges facing our members. Consider this your personal phone call. Now is the time to rally around, lift up, and help the families in our quorums who may be in distress.

Getting Water out of a 55-gallon Barrel

We have three 55-gallon water barrels in our garage. It had been over a year since we had last filled them, so a couple of months ago I put it on my to-do list: "Rotate Water in Barrels".

I have had NO LUCK with the little water pump I bought to pump the water out of these barrels. Here is the only way we know to empty them (they are way too heavy to tip over when they are full.)

You need two people, A and B. First, open the hole in the barrel.

A: Attach a garden hose to the outdoor faucet. Turn on the water until it comes out the end of the hose.

B: Stand at the end of the hose, hold the end up about head height, and tell Person A to turn off the water. Keep holding the end of the hose up.

A: Unscrew the garden hose from the faucet and hold the end up at head height. Neither person should let any water out of the hose.

A: Should walk toward the lowest part of the yard, still holding the end of the hose high.

B: Go inside the garage, quickly insert the hose into the barrel, plunging it into the deepest part of the barrel. Don't let any air get into the hose. Yell at Person A to drop his end of the hose.

A: Drop your end of the hose. (It is best if your barrels are stored somewhere that is higher than the lowest part of your yard.) The water running out will pull the water out of the barrel.

In my yard, my barrels are only about 3 feet higher than the lowest part of my yard. Each barrel emptied in about 30 minutes.

Then I dragged the empty barrel out into the yard and rinsed it, and put it back into the garage. I was happy to see that the water barrels looked quite clean inside, no algae or anything had been growing in there. Then I cleaned off the hose as well as I could, and attached the hose to the faucet, and filled the barrel up again. That took about 20-30 minutes, quicker than emptying it. (Keep a close watch so you don't flood your garage.) I labeled the barrels, and plan to rotate them again in another 6-8 months.



Here are the water storage guidelines from ProvidentLiving.Org http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7534-1-4065-1,00.html
Water Pretreatment

Water from a chlorinated municipal water supply does not need further treatment when stored in clean, food-grade containers.
Non-chlorinated water should be treated with bleach. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon (8 drops) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) for every gallon (4 liters) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
Storage

Containers should be emptied and refilled regularly.
Store water only where potential leakage would not damage your home or apartment.
Protect stored water from light and heat. Some containers may also require protection from freezing.
The taste of stored water can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two containers before use.

72-hr kits for Babies and Toddlers

Food Storage Made Easy has a great list of items you should remember to put into your Go-Bag if you have tiny children in your house.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/03/25/72-hour-kits-for-babies/

Buy food at lower price now

Here is another article on the grain shortage, published in the New York Times today, Oct. 13, 2010:

Rising Corn Prices Trigger Fears of Rising Food Costs

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39644861

First it was heat and drought in Russia. Then it was heat and too much rain in parts of the American Corn Belt. Extreme weather this year has sent grain prices soaring, jolting commodities markets and setting off fears of tight supplies that could eventually hit consumers’ wallets....

It is always a good strategy to buy food when it is lower priced. Maybe we should get some more food storage now.

Need volunteers for YMYW activity

The Teacher's Quorum is in charge of the Joint activity next Tuesday, Oct. 19, and they want to do an emergency preparedness drill.

They want volunteer families to do the following:

Groups of three or four youth and their leader will come to your house shortly after 7 pm on Oct. 19. They will present you with an imaginary scenario (Shearon-Harris Nuclear disaster, hurricane, ice storm, etc.) and a list of all the things you might need, or a list of tasks you need to accomplish. You will get scored on how many of the items you have, or how many of the tasks you can accomplish.

Possible tasks: Light a lantern. Find all your flashlights. Flush a toilet using stored water. Heat water without using electricity. Find a tarp. Hide in a safe place in case of a tornado. (Or anything else we can come up with.)

You may also be asked to report on your experience on a future date at YMYW or at a Relief Society event, or just write it up so others may learn from it.

Anyone want to volunteer your family? We definitely need 4 families, but we may get a 5th family on standby. Please email me.

Well-Roundedness versus Specialization

I was looking around at a few websites and blogs about preparedness. One of them had this quote:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

--Robert Heinlein

Wow! I don't measure up too well.

But when times get tough, we will be thankful for every skill we have. The latest skill I have been trying to learn has been vegetable gardening. And I have to say, I am better at it after these two summers than I ever was before. So I know that if we take one skill at a time and try to master it, we can do it.

And maybe if we all learn different skills from each other, we can BARTER. That would work too.

"Preparation for the Second Coming" Dallin H. Oaks, May 2004

Liahona » 2004 » May

Preparation for the Second Coming
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

He talks about the increasing numbers of natural disasters:

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.

He talks about the parable of the Ten Virgins:

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).

Something to Think About

Here is an article entitled "Soaring prices threaten new food crisis" (published in the London "Financial Times" Oct. 8, 2010).

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/12b06cee-d300-11df-9ae9-00144feabdc0.html

Fears of a global food crisis swept the world’s commodity markets as prices for staples such as corn, rice and wheat spiralled after the US government warned of “dramatically” lower supplies.

An especially hot summer in the US, droughts in countries including Russia and Brazil and heavy rain in Canada and Europe have hit many grain and oilseed crops this year. This has raising concern of a severe squeeze in food supplies and a repeat of the 2007-08 food crisis.

The US Department of Agriculture, in a closely watched report, predicted that the country’s stocks of corn would halve to their lowest levels in 14 years.

It warned of a “much tighter supply picture” for corn and barley, the two main feedstocks used to fatten cows, sheep, pigs and poultry.....

“I think we have a food crisis right now,” said Hussein Allidina, head of commodities research at Morgan Stanley.

In Chicago, the prices of agricultural commodities jumped so sharply that they hit limits imposed on daily movement by the city’s futures exchange, the biggest in the world.....

“This revision highlights that we are in a very fragile supply and demand situation,” said Abdolreza Abbassian, senior economist at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome.

Of course, "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

Wheat Grinders - Comparisons

I have always called them wheat grinders, but of course they are really called grain mills, because they grind all grains, not just wheat. I will use both terms interchangeably.

Click on this website http://www.millersgrainhouse.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=18
to check out all the different electric grain mills or the manual grain mills. Then on the right of the page, in the second box down ("Important Links") you can click on "Mill Comparison Chart" to see it all in a chart.
Top Photo: Nutrimill



I listened to a podcast given by Donna Miller, the owner of the MillersGrainhouse business, and she said the top two best electric grain mills are the NutriMill and the WonderMill. Both run about $239-$269. They both have very good guarantees.




Bottom Photo: Wondermill

The manual grain mills are also listed and described on this website. I own what she called the economy model, the cheapest hand grinder, the one she sell is called "Back to Basics" (I bought mine on Emergency Essentials, they just call it a Hand Grain Mill). It isn't rated too highly, and it takes a long time to grind wheat with it, and a lot of muscle power. But it only costs between $50-$75, depending if you can get it on sale. The rest of the manual wheat grinders cost a lot more than that.

SODIS- Solar disinfection of water

What a great discovery! People in third world countries can lay plastic bottles full of water on top of a tin roof or other reflective surface, in the sun for 24 hours, and the UV rays and heat will kill the germs in the water!


http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_quality/quality1/1-explain-solar-water-disinfection.htm

We can do that too! If you are worried that the water you stored might not be safe, just lay it out in the yard on a $1 mylar emergency blanket on a couple of sunny days, and it should be safe to drink.

(I mentioned this to my dad, and he said it isn't new, people have known about this for years. When he was a kid, he went out hunting with his uncle. They saw a big boulder that had rainwater collected in shallow pools all over the top of it. It had been sunny for a day or two after the rain. His uncle told him that the rainwater had been in the sun, so all the germs were killed.

And I know that I, personally, would rather drink the water on top of the sunny boulder than water in a puddle.)

Demo on canning applesauce

Just a reminder that our ward Relief Society will be meeting this Thursday, October 7, 2010, at 7:00 pm at Mary Ann's house for a water bath canning demonstration by Nickey H. Nickey will be teaching us how to make and can applesauce. Rumor has it that she and her daughters have been busy canning this week and will have samples to give out to those in attendance.

See you all on Thursday.

BYU Living Essentials: Wendy Dewitt Solar Ovens

I bought a solar oven last month, and am beginning to learn how to use it. I went to the BYU Living Essentials website, and they had done a show with Wendy Dewitt where she explained how to do a solar oven. However, you can't watch the show, the only way to get the information is to read the transcript. Still, it has some good ideas.

http://www.byutv.org/livingessentials/files/406Trans.pdf

The Flood After the Storm- Ensign 1997 February

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=3982dbdcc370c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

An article in the Ensign about the cleanup after Hurricane Andrew in Florida.

At first we struggled to efficiently match members’ needs with available work crews. After finishing a cleanup or repair job, volunteers had to waste precious time locating a working telephone so they could call for their next assignment, and they also faced difficulty finding their way around the area because nearly all street signs were destroyed. To eliminate downtime, we instructed volunteers to simply go to work on neighboring homes after local members’ needs were met. In this way the relief effort was able to help people of all faiths almost from the start, yet volunteers still met immediate Latter-day Saint needs within three or four days. Besides assisting Church members, Latter-day Saint volunteers installed temporary roofs on more than 3,000 homes and also on a Jewish synagogue and three Christian chapels.

Through this experience, we learned not only the wisdom of emergency preparedness but also the truth of what Sister Virginia H. Pearce, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, said after rehearsing another story of Latter-day Saint disaster assistance: “Multiply this story by every natural and civil crisis. Bishops and quorum leaders accounting for families after hurricanes, members carrying food and blankets—it makes no difference where you live or what kind of chaos might occur, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will remain organized, and order will prevail. The wards and stakes of Zion will be a ‘refuge from the storm’ (D&C 115:6)” (Ensign, Nov. 1993, 80; emphasis in original).

Rotate your 72 hour kits every Conference

A lot of people in the Church have a habit of rotating the food in their 72 hour kits every six months, during General Conference. Its a good idea. Especially if you watch conference on satellite at your home, you can get out the 72 hour kits and eat all those goodies inside while you watch. Your kids will be excited to eat all those Poptarts and granola bars and Spaghettios that you don't usually let them eat.

(Just make sure you buy more food to fill it up again so it won't be depleted.)

Rain Barrels

I was at the Bond Park Community Center in Cary this week, and saw their pile of rain barrels for sale.

They have real rain barrels with spigots for around $80.

Or you can buy used pickle barrels (made out of the same dark plastic as the ready-made rain barrels) for $15 and then buy a spigot kit for $16 and drill the hole for the spigot yourself.

They included safety features to keep bugs and small children out of the barrel.

I am very interested in buying one of these. Just think of having a 50-gallon barrel of water sitting at the bottom of your rain gutters, constantly replenished with water every time it rains. You could use this water for watering your garden, flushing toilets, or washing.