December Newsletter

 

Today While The Sun Shines

Medicine Hat 1^st Ward December 2008

Store Some Sweets!

We are told that we should have some sweet treats in our food storage. These are called comfort foods because they offer us comfort and break the monotony in a crisis. Hard candy has a very long shelf life as does chewing gum. Whatever you choose, make sure that you wrap the items in plastic, store in a bucket or sealed container, to prevent damage from humidity and to minimize flavor loss. This is a good time of year to stock up on candy when it goes on sale around Christmas time. Hot chocolate and other powdered drinks are other sweets with a long shelf life that will add variety to your food storage. Hot chocolate and orange drink crystals are sold through the church cannery for a very reasonable price and can be dry pack canned for a very long shelf life.

Time to set some goals for 2009!

• Spiritual Goals – set goals for yourself, with your spouse, and your family for the year like: genealogy, family home evening, family prayer, service, and scripture reading

• Character Goals – Thomas Jefferson used to pick 13 character traits he wished to improve in himself each year. For example you could pick honesty, kindness, integrity, modesty, gratitude, service, patience, temperance, cleanliness, courage, generosity, loyalty, humility and tact. He would practice each for one week totally focusing on the particular virtue. This can be done 4 times a year. Imagine how refined your character would be if you did this for the rest of your life? If you would like a comprehensive list of 52 virtues go to www.virtuesproject.com

• Food Storage Goals – What would you like to accomplish by the end of 2009? You can start your food storage program with 1 month of food for each family, if you have already achieved this, then set the goal for 3 months, and so on.

• 72 Hour Goals – Make goals to improve and complete your 72 hour kits. Make a goal to practice using them once this year. Look to the spring when with other families you can take an opportunity to live off of them, to evaluate, and improve.

Storing Powdered Milk for Your Food Storage

Powdered milk is a very important food storage basic. It can be used for both cooking and baking. It can be reconstituted with water to make milk and can be used to make yogurt, cheese, and other goodies like whipped topping. It is an important source of nutrition in your food storage. Nonfat milk either regular or instant stores well in airtight, low oxygen packaging. Low oxygen means that the oxygen has been removed, as in dry pack canning. This will increase the length of time the milk can be stored by 2 – 3 times. It also has a better flavor than when stored in boxes or plastic bags. It is important to buy non fat milk as powdered milk with fat has a short shelf life and will go rancid after 6 – 9 months at room temperature. Powdered milk can be packed and stored in the #10 cans and has a 20+ year shelf life stored this way. Each can will hold approximately 7.3 pounds of milk, when shaken down and dry packed.

Provident Living Goal – Make a goal to read 30 minutes a day to your children or grandchildren. If you do not have children to read to, make a goal to read at least 30 minutes a day just for pleasure.

You may have tangible wealth untold: Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be – I had a mother who read to me. Strickland Gillilan, "The Reading Mother"

It's not just about reading aloud to them, it is the time spent together in that loving way. Slip into that world where only your imaginations are the limit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diet and Your Health

In the Doctrine and Covenants we are counseled in Section 89 about our diet. We are taught the importance of abstaining from alcohol, coffee and tea. But there is much more information as to what we are to eat if we want to be strong and healthy. The following is from Section 89:

10. And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man -

11. Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

12. Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;

13. and it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

14. All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

15. and these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

16. All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground -

17. Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

18. And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones.

19. And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20. and shall run and not be weary and shall walk and not faint.

So a brief summary: We should eat herbs, grains, fruits and vegetables, and meat – eaten sparingly, if at all.

Most people don't take control over their health like they should. According to the Surgeon General in the USA, the leading cause of death and disability is a poor diet. This leads to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, all things which could probably be prevented by proper diet.

The Lord has blessed us with some pretty specific guidelines and pretty specific blessings if we follow those guidelines. We can sustain and improve our health and the health of our families, by following the Word of Wisdom, and "eating what we store and storing what we eat."

We feel the need to emphasize with greater clarity the obligation for members of the Church to become more independent and self reliant." Gordon B. Hinckley, April 1983.

 

 

 

Spiritual Goal

Decide as a family how you can better remember and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Preparedness Tip

Make duplicate keys for everything. All adult members, and other responsible family members should have a key for everything.

Sore Throat? Just mix ¼ cup of vinegar with ¼ cup honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. Both the vinegar and the honey will kill bacteria.

 

 

 

Ready?

Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come..... D&C 1:12

The people in your neighboring cities have been devastated by a natural disaster, and have been forced to evacuate their area. Your Bishop said that they will be arriving shortly after church today. There are 500 people that are hungry, cold, tired, dirty, and really discouraged. Many are in a state of emotional shock after what they have been through. They need places to stay for at least 5 days, until most of them can figure out what other options they have. How many will you be willing to take into your home?

Your first thoughts are okay, how many beds do I have extra.....so I guess I can take 2 into my home. The Bishop looks at you and says, "Now come on, how many can you REALLY take?" So you have to rethink.....okay, I have couches, a family room, sleeping bags, and lots of floor space. You can take 8 or 10.

How many could you really take in for a few days? Where would you put them? Do you have extra bedding, toothbrushes, and food? Could you include them into your normal flow of daily life? Meals? Laundry? Showers?

How would you be their friend and help them emotionally? What would you do? Could you do it? Are you ready???

Recipe

Lemon Squares Recipe

A great recipe for Christmas!!
Crust:
* 1 cup margarine or butter
* 2 cups flour
* 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix and pat into a 9X13 inch pan. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Filling:
* 4 eggs beaten well (or equivalent powdered eggs)
* 2 cups sugar
* 6 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 tablespoon flour
* pinch of salt
Beat these ingredients together and pour over the crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes until it has set.
This is very tasty and freezes well.

Weekly Wisdom #10

Weekly Wisdom #10

Motivational Monday - Practice drills for your family are a good way to remind your family what to do in case of emergencies. Today for your family time, take a bit of time to review what your family would do if there were a fire in the house. Go through each room in the house and point our two exits for each room. Then have the kids go and act as if they are doing something they would do each day, when all of a sudden someone yells fire! Have them go through the mock emergency, and their escape routes. You might also want to pair up your kids so that they have a buddy system to ensure that the younger ones have an older one responsible to help them. Or one adult to one or two children as a buddy system. This way you know who you are each responsible for and then the parent is responsible to check in with each of the older ones. Practicing for emergencies will help us to keep calmer in emergencies. It is a well known fact that when in emergencies we all tend to not think clearly, so if we have practiced, then we won't have to think too hard, it will be a natural reaction of what we should do. Preparedness is not living in fear. Preparedness is being aware of things that could happen, so we know how to act responsibly, and confidently, with clear minds. Preparedness is peace of mind!

Timely Tuesday – Ever thought of how much toilet paper your family would go through in one year? Here are a couple of ways you can figure it out. Start today, and either have a small paper and pen beside your toilet, checking off a mark every time you change the roll, or have a bag somewhere in your bathroom where you can place all of the empty rolls for one month. Count them up and multiply by 12, then you will know how many rolls your family will need for one year. I personally would rather use toilet paper, than newsprint, or old magazines. Start storing your toilet paper, every time you buy one package for your house, buy one to tuck away for storage purposes, and don't touch it. Soon you will have a nice little stash! Your family will thank you.

Workin' Wednesday – In an emergency, there are three things vital to your survival. Water, Food, and Shelter. If you have these three things, you can deal with most other problems. In your 72 hour kits, you have your food for a minimum of 3 days, your water and water purification options, and now you should make sure today that you have some sort of shelter ready for your family. The types of shelter you will want for your family will depend on the size of your family and any special needs they may have. If you are on your own and love being in the outdoors, you may get away with a tarp, ropes, and a few stakes as your shelter. However if you have to evacuate and you have a spouse and a few children of various ages, you should think a bit differently. Do you have a comfortable tent that would be easy to grab and go? Do you have enough tarps in case of severe weather, so you can shelter your tent? Think of this third most important survival need and prepare for it today. If you need to purchase some things you don't have, then at least make a list of what you need so you can start working on it. Water, Food and Shelter will keep us alive! Take away any one of these and ..... well you get the picture!

Thrifty Thursday – Today think about saving money by using your clothesline. Don't have one? You can pick up all of the basic supplies to build a clothesline from your local hardware store for fairly inexpensive, compared to even one month worth of using your clothes dryer. I have heard many people complain about the high prices of utilities, but don't think of simple ways like this to decrease their expenses. Plus using a clothesline gives your clothes a great fresh smell that they can only get by being dried outdoors. Even in the winter you can dry your clothes outside. They may be a little stiff, but if you pop them into the dryer for 10 minutes they will fluff up nicely. 10 minutes.....compared to one hour to dry a load. Significant savings, and another important way of being prepared.

Food Storage Friday - I read this quote the other day, "Food in the basement is better than money in the bank." Not sure where it came from, but I my thoughts are, "Ya think!" Take a good long look at the news today, most of us would agree that food in our basement / our own "grocery store", will be to us, as Noah's Ark was to those that boarded it. In fact President Ezra Taft Benson said "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." I suggest we do it NOW! Start investing in what is important! I am not saying that you shouldn't invest in other things too, but we have been counseled for many years to do this, as was Noah counseled to build the ark, and the time to disregard this counsel, is past. "FOOD IN THE BASEMENT IS BETTER THAN MONEY IN THE BANK!" Think about it!

Honey Carrot Cake

2 eggs (can use substitute)

½ cup oil

¼ tsp salt

1 cup honey

½ cup butter milk (use powdered)

1 cup shredded carrots (could use dried ones and reconstitute)

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

2 cups flour

Beat eggs. Add all other liquid ingredients and mix well. Add dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Add carrots and mix well. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Weekly Wisdom #9

WEEKLY WISDOM #9

Motivational Mondy – Be thankful and grateful for your freedom of religion. Be thankful we have a living prophet to guide us through these days. Be thankful that our prophets have warned us and guided us to be prepared. "Be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked." D&C 29:8

Timely Tuesday – How can I prepare for a blackout? Have some of these basic supplies on hand: candles, matches, lighters, lanterns, fuel for lanterns, batteries, and alternate cooking source, like full propane tank for your barbecue.

What do I do during a blackout? Turn off any appliances or electronics you were using, to avoid spikes or surges damaging equipment when the power comes back on. Leave one light turned on so you will know when the power comes back on. Leave your fridge and freezer closed as much as possible to keep things cold. Use the phone for emergency only. Eliminate unnecessary travel because signal lights will not be working traffic congestion will happen. Remember to provide for your pets in blackouts. Put on layers of clothing. Never burn charcoal indoors. Have your supplies all ready, easily accessible.

Workin' Wednesday – Add today to your 72 hour kit a list. This list is a "DON'T FORGET" list. Include all items that you need to remember to take with you but are using each day so they can't be put into your kits. Tape it to the side of your kit securely so that it doesn't peel off. The list should include things like keys, wallet, medications, special needs, recipe book, tent, sleeping bags, etc. Write down beside each item where you can find it. In an emergency it is easy to forget even the simplest things. Also if there is someone else helping you evacuate, they can easily find what they need by looking on your kit. Since your kits will already be by your door, ready to go, you should have a few minutes to quickly gather these items, especially if you have your list ready.

Thrifty Thursday – "There is an old wise saying: Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. Thrift is a practice of not wasting anything. Some people are able to get by because of the absence of expense. They have their shoes resoled, they patch, they mend, they sew, and they save money. They avoid installment buying, and make purchases only after saving enough to pay cash, thus avoiding interst charges. Furgality means to practice careful economy." James E. Faust

As we are thinking of Christmas this year, let's not be wasteful on our purchases. Let us have a new way of helping those we love. How many times do we waste money on things that are just that, "things" that have no real value. Give gifts this year that will make a difference in the lives of those you know. Here are a few small ideas.

• A small lantern and fuel for it
• Wind up flashlight / radio
• Grain mill and a few bags of wheat
• 72 hour kit
• Emergency Car Kit
• Good sleeping bag
• Warm outdoor clothing
• Cookbooks for food storage

Food Storage Friday – Price recognition is important in food storage. Before you can take advantage of good deals, you need to be able to recognize them. Create a worksheet or list of items you are looking for, or commonly use. Begin to watch the flyers and check around to various places and start to track the prices and soon you will be able to pick out the good ones. And then when you learn to pick out the good deals, learn to buy them in bulk to stock up on items regularly used in your food storage. Soon you will find that you "FOOD STORAGE SHOP" not "grocery shop". Then you start to see some real results in your home preparedness and it gets exciting.

Sopapillas (These will keep for weeks without refrigeration, and can also be frozen for longer term.)

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup dry milk

3 tablespoons shortening

3/4 cup cool water

Optional cinnamon-sugar coating:

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. At this point, you have a mix. Store the mix for no longer than thirty days in the pantry, six months in the refrigerator, or two years in the freezer.

2. To use the mix, place the ingredients in a medium bowl. Form a depression in the middle and pour in the water.

3. Cut the water into the mix. The dough will be crumbly and dry. Remove to a clean surface and knead for two minutes. You will have a stiff dough.

4. Form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Smash the balls flat with the heel of your hand until they are no more than 1/4-inch thick.

5. Heat cooking oil in a heavy fry pan or Dutch oven. The oil should be 3/8- inch deep and hot enough that there is a slight sizzle when the dough is placed in the oil.

6. Fry each side until brown. You can then slit open one side and fill with taco meat, chili, tuna salad, or whatever your family likes. Or you can dip in cinnamon and sugar.

These will turn into a family favorite and are so easy to make.

Makes about 36

Weekly Wisdom #8

Weekly Wisdom #8

Motivational Monday - "The greatest events that have been spoken of by all of the Holy Prophets will come along so naturally as the consequences of certain causes, that unless our eyes are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Revelation rests upon us, we will fail to see that these are the events predicted by the Holy Prophets." George Q. Canon

Elder L Tom Perry, 1995 "I believe it is time, and perhaps with some urgency, to review the counsel we have received in dealing with our personal and family preparedness….We have been instructed to follow at least four requirements in preparing for that which is to come. Gain an adequate education. Live within your income. Avoid unnecessary debt, and store a reserve of food and supplies…..As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year 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."

Timely Tuesday – Today is a day to think and make a list. What I am going to do today is write a list of all of the skills I believe my children will need in the future. And then attempt to check off that list as I teach them. I believe that our days of "normal" education are no longer adequate for the lives our children will live. They need to have real life skills, survival skills, back to basic type skills, as well as education, high tech skills, and low tech skills. Skills to deal with economic trials, and leadership skills. I do not like to knock the public school systems, but the reality is, they don't teach all of these kinds of things to our children, and we as parents have that responsibility to do so. So today make that list, think into the future of your kids / grandchildren and try to imagine what they may need to know, (I know that is a tough one) and then get to work teaching. Make use of those family home evenings, and any teaching moment. Teaching something is also the best way to really learn it.

Workin' Wednesday – Today check your 72 hour kits for comfort foods and entertainment. Comfort foods are not life saving items, but in an emergency they may very well be. It is so important that we have familiar items in our kits, not only for our children but ourselves. Something that will help to take our mind off of the emergency situation and relieve stress. Comfort foods and entertainment will help to do this. Your comfort foods may include some form of chocolate, salty snacks, gum, hard candy, something that has a decent shelf life to sit in your kit and not spoil. Entertainment could include coloring books and crayons, card games, puzzle books, magazines, or anything that the person using the kit really likes. Remember to keep the foods and entertainment light weight, but remember to get them in there!

Thrifty Thursday – Learning how to make food from scratch, or from your food storage has several benefits:

1. It is definitely healthier for you, no preservatives

2. It will save you lots of money, you can make something for pennies, or buy it for dollars!

3. It will cause you to rotate your food storage

4. You and your family will learn before a crisis hits, how to use your storage and actually enjoy it. Then when the time comes to use it, your bodies won't suffer from the switch over.

Today make something from scratch, like flour tortillas. The biggest thrifty, money saver for most people is learning to cook at home, rather than eating out. So look through those thrifty recipes and make something from food storage items today. And then come to the Wonderful Wheat class tonight!

Food Storage Friday – President Kimball has said, "Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden spectacular program."

Did you know that included in our food storage should be bedding, clothing, medical supplies, garden seeds, lighting sources, and fuel sources, to name a few.

Today is the day to check your alternate fuel sources. Your utilities could easily be interrupted during a natural disaster, but food must still be cooked, dishes must be washed, people must be bathed and kept warm. The families that have sources of fuel in their "food storage" will be much better prepared than those who ignore this counsel. Today would be a good day to check your fuel sources and see what needs updating. How about making sure your propane tanks are all full for the winter, that way you could use your barbecues. Think of ways you could cook, clean and stay warm if electricity was unavailable, and get them organized today. Winter is here! Don't be caught off guard.

Some ideas, candles, matches, lighters, light sticks, small cook / heat stoves, kerosene and lanterns, flashlights, hand/feet/body warmers, propane, generators (stored fuel), fuel for any alternate sources you have,

WEEKLY WISDOM #7

Motivational Monday

– Benjamin Franklin said "Failing to prepare is simply preparing to fail."

Can we afford to be wrong?

Is it better have, what you don't need – or – need what you don't have?

Is it better to have a little too much – than to have a little too little?

Is it better to be prepared a little too soon – than one day late?

The United States grain inventories are at their lowest level, in history, according to record keeping by the U.S.D.A. In 1960 they had a 1095 day, or 3 year supply of grain reserves. In 2005 they had a 1 day reserve! 70% of the One-Day reserve consisted of unprocessed wheat and the remaining 30% was fresh milk, cheese, peanuts and lentils.

Can we afford to be wrong?

Timely Tuesday

– The WHO (World Health Organization) predicts that the world is now closer to a pandemic than in the past 50 years. The influenza season is about to begin according to Dr. Paul Schnee, who visited us last Thursday evening. Today put together a "flu kit". Think of the things that you would need to take care of your family when the nasty flu season hits. Start adding to your kit. Have it ready with any medical supplies that you will anticipate that you may need. Dr. Schnee made it very clear that these items will likely not be available at the greatest time we will need them so we should gather them now! Have food stored, savings (cash), alternate communication methods, and skill knowledge available. Look forward to after the New Year when we have an evening to learn basic nursing skills and hygiene skills to be able to care for our loved ones in our home!

Start today and prepare for this. Now is the time! It is only a matter of time, so plan for the worst, and pray for the least!

Workin' Wednesday

– Today add to your 72 hr kits some things for general sanitation. You can create a portable toilet out of a five gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid. Fill it with a plastic bags for liners, toilet paper, twist ties, disinfectant, powdered chlorinated lime, deodorant and insecticides, ziploc bags, wipes, toothpaste and toothbrush, shampoo, soap, feminine supplies, kleenex, chapstick, bug spray, hair brush, mirror, hand towel, face cloths, and anything else you think your family will need for sanitation.

After you have it filled, snap the lid on and put it with your 72 hour kits and you have ready made, transportable, washroom.

Thrifty Thursday – How about going through some of your old clothes and shoes today. Some of your old winter clothes may prove useful in your 72 hour kits, or in your car travel kits for the winter. Some old but sturdy shoes could be used instead of thrown out. Think of how you could reuse items, instead of throwing them out. I believe there will come a day when we will wish we had learned this principle of thrift. So start today with this one small task of sorting and finding other uses for the clothes or shoes we would normally toss. I remember a time when instead of throwing something out, my mother and grandmother would cut off all of the buttons, zippers, pockets, or anything else reusable, so that they could use it on something else. It is a forgotten art!

Food Storage Friday

– Here is a great way to use your food storage and save a little bit of money. It is called Cream of Whatever Soup Mix - From your storage you use:

2 cups powdered non fat dry milk

¾ cup cornstarch

¼ cup instant chicken or vegetable bouillon

2 tbsp dried onnion flakes

1 tsp basil leaves,

1 tsp thyme leaves

dash of pepper

Combine ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. To substitute for 1 can of condensed cream of whatever soup, combine 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 ¼ cups cold water. Heat and stir until it thickens. Use as you would canned soup. Makes the equivalent of 9 cans of soup at the cost of pennies per recipe.

Mushroom soup: add ½ cup finely chopped mushrooms

Celery: add ¼ cup minced celery

Potato: add 1 cup cooked diced potatoes

Chicken: add any amount of cooked chicken

Vegetable: add ¾ cup cooked vegetables

Broccoli: add 1 cup cooked chopped broccoli

Weekly Wisdom #6

Motivational Monday – Tonight for home evening – Try your "Lights out" home evening. Do everything as if there were no power. Make a whole evening of it. Then when done, take some time to talk with your kids about it, and what you need to have extra in your home to prepare for it. Scripture you could relate to this.....

"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

Timely Tuesday – A disaster may, and likely will, disrupt power. Stash some Cash!!! Find all your toonies and loonies and add a couple of $5 bills to your 72 hr kits today. Remember when life falls apart, and you need cash, small bills are what you need. So make it a habit to stash these away and start today by adding some to each 72 hr kit. You will also need small change to make phone calls, or a prepaid calling card.

Workin' Wednesday – Find all of your empty two-liter pop bottles. Wash them out and then fill them with water. Put them out of the way in a closet, or in the back of a cupboard, or on a shelf somewhere. Or if you don't have any empty pop bottles, go to somewhere and buy a case of water bottles, or Costco for example, and buy a large bottle of water for $5, and tuck it away. Now you have added to your water storage a bit more.

Thrifty Thursday – Today is the day to get educated!!! Become prepared!!!! Have peace of mind!!!! Go to the Pandemic Preparedness Evening at the church! It is not a matter of IF it will come, IT IS A MATTER OF WHEN! We should be prepared to isolate ourselves in our homes for 3 months or longer – and we need to start preparing NOW!

Food Storage Friday – Research has shown that the average American household has less than a week's supply of food on hand. This is also shown to be the case with the average supermarket. Food storage becomes more than good insurance if you practice storing what you use and using what you store. It is a wise investment! Learn how to use the recommended long term storage foods in with your daily diet. It will not only have some great health benefits, but will save you money and give you a feeling of great security.

Wheat Hamburger Casserole

1 cup cooked wheat

1 can corn, drained

1 finely chopped onion (substitute dehydrated)

1 finely chopped green pepper (substitute dehydrated)

1 lb hamburger (substitute TVP)

2 cans tomato sauce (substitute bottled tomatoes)

¾ cup water

grated cheese

Put wheat on the bottom of a casserole pan. Layer half of corn, onion, pepper, beef and sauce. Repeat layers. Pour water over top. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Top with grated cheese. Serves 8.

Today While The Sun Shines
Medicine Hat 1st Ward
November 2008

What can I do with WHEAT? People often ask, "What would I do with my wheat if I needed it to sustain the life of my family – What could I make with it?" Many things can be done with wheat. It can be ground into 100% whole wheat flour using an electric or manual grain grinder. The whole wheat flour can be made into baked goods such as bread, cakes, pastries, muffins, cookies and crackers. It can also be made into pasta noodles. Wheat can be ground more coarsely to make a very wholesome hot cereal similar to "Red River". Wheat gluten which is derived from the whole wheat kernel can be made into a meat substitute that is surprisingly delicious. It can be made into burgers, used in any recipe calling for hamburger, such as lasagna or chili, stir fries,vegetarian meatloaf and pilaf. Wheat and most other grains and legumes can be sprouted. The sprouts are similar to those we've enjoyed in sandwiches. Sprouting can add greens to your diet when none may be available. Sprouts can be added to salads, soups and stir fries and are ready to eat after a few days of growth. They are full of nutrients, quick to grow and don't have any pesticide residue. Sprouted grains and legumes can be used as a substitute for vitamin supplements. The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat. President Brigham Young But What About Protein? Protein is required by the body for growing, repair and maintenance. Our bodies get 5/6 of all the protein needed through the recycling of old body tissue. The 1/6 that we need comes from essential amino acids consumed through diet. North Americans often believe that they must get their protein from meat and dairy products. There are many people living throughout the world who get enough calories in their diets and eat little or no meat, yet are in excellent health by eating only plant protein.This is wonderful news for our food storage plan. Grains and legumes are easier to store than meat and dairy products, have a longer shelf life, and are less expensive. Recipe of the Month Whole Wheat Potato Bread 8 cups of whole wheat flour 1 tbsp salt 4 tbsp sugar, honey, or molasses 4 tbsp melted shortening or oil 2 tbsp yeast dissolved in ½ cup warm water 1 medium potato (about 1 cup) cooked until soft in 2 cups water. Mash or beat potato – water mixture until smooth. Cool. Add 1 ¾ cups water to potato water. Add yeast and shortening. Pour this mixture gradually into flour. Mix 7 minutes with electric mixer or by hand until dough is smooth and stretchy. Dough will be soft. Let rest 10 – 15 minutes on greased surface. Knead and fill bread pans half full. Let double in size. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes. This will make 6 small (can loaves) or 4 medium pan loaves. This delicious bread is much finer and lighter in texture than ordinary wheat bread. Ponder This The power is out, the banks are closed, no checks are accepted, no credit is taken, debit machines are down, (no power, no machines). Do you have cash on hand? Keep cash on hand in small denominations such as $1, $2, $5, $10, and $20. Stores are not likely going to have a lot of change, and maybe cannot make change at all. You do not want to have to pay $20 for some small item that would normally cost $2. Family Home Evening Idea What do I do if the Lights go Out? Pretend your lights have gone out. Have the complete Family Home Evening with no lights. Get out the candles and warm clothing, and prepare dinner or your snack without electricity. Have children practice lighting candles, oil lamps, replacing wicks, and teach them all of the safety regarding these tools. What does your family need to do to be better prepared in the event of an electrical power failure that would last for more than a day? Ezra Taft Benson said: The Lord has warned us of famines, but the righteous will have listened to the Prophet and stored at least a year's supply of survival food. Emergency Preparedness Add these items to your 72 hour kit: soap toothbrush toothpaste shaving supplies infant needs disinfectant aluminum foil Spiritual Goal Have personal prayer and personal scripture study every day Provident Living Review your will if you have one. Make any needed changes. If you do not have one, make arrangements to get one. EVERY adult should have a will. The Importance Of Vegetable Oil in Food Storage Since my conversion and because of my World War II experiences, I now have a deep appreciation for the revealed plan of a year's supply for each member. FrequentlyI am asked, "What were the most valuable items in the days of starvation in Germany?" As for what we needed, the food item we relied on most was vegetable oil. With a bottle of vegetable oil, one could acquire nearly every other desirable item. It had such value that with a quart of vegetable oil one could probably trade for three bushels of apples or three hundred pounds of potatoes. Vegetable oil has a high calorie content, is easy to transport, and in cooking can give a tasty flavor to all kinds of food items that one would not normally consider as food wild flowers, wild plants, and roots from shrubs and trees. For me and my family, a high-quality vegetable oil has the highest priority in our food storage, both in times of daily use and for emergency usage. When vegetable oil is well-packed and stored appropriately, it has a long storage life without the necessity of refrigeration. We found ours to be in very good condition after twenty years of storage, but circumstances may vary in different countries and with different supplies. Elder F. Enzio Busche, "How Beautiful to Live in These Times and Be Prepared!" Ensign, June 1982.