52 Weeks, Week 44

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52 Weeks to Family Preparedness for Two

Week 44

"The greatest events that have been spoken of by all of the Holy Prophets will come along so naturally as the consequence 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 Cannon (Journal of Discourses; vol. 21, pg. 264)

Food Storage and Preparedness Challenge Of The Week:

Food Storage Purchase 8 Cans of soup

Extra Item Purchase 8 Rolls of Toilet Paper

Family Prep: Go through your calendar now, and put a reminder on it – every six months – to review your emergency plans, update numbers, check supplies to be sure nothing has expired, spoiled, or changed. Also remember to practice your tornado, fire escape and other plans.

Spiritual Preparedness: President Benson "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power." Do an obedience check in your life. Are there areas where you can improve?

Mashed Potato Fudge

½ C unseasoned, well-mashed cooked

potato (about 1 medium potato)

3 C powdered sugar

1 C flaked or shredded coconut

1 tsp vanilla

2 squares semisweet chocolate

While the potato is hot, beat in the sugar and coconut, then the vanilla. Press into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan. Melt chocolate and pour over top. Chill and cut into squares. Keeps indefinitely in airtight container in refrigerator. Makes 64 1-inch pieces.

Variations:

Tennessee Christmas Mints: Substitute a few drops of oil of peppermint for the vanilla. Tint fondant pink and flatten balls to approx 1/2-inch thickness

Chocolate-Dipped: Melt ¼ cake paraffin wax with 6 oz chocolate chips and 2 squares unsweetened chocolate. Dip refrigerator-hardened balls or squares of candy in chocolate and place on wax paper to dry. If desired, press an almond into the top.

Peanut butter: Roll potato mixture on wax paper sprinkled with powdered sugar until very thin. Spread with creamy peanut butter and then roll into a long log. Roll in a little more powdered sugar and refrigerate. Slice to serve.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

1 pkg cream cheese, softened (8 oz.)

½ cup butter (no substitutes), softened

¼ tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar ¾ cup miniature chocolate chips

¾ cup finely chopped pecans ( w/ macadamia's)

Graham crackers

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate

chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 1

hour. Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans. Serve with graham crackers. Yield: 1 cheese ball (about 2 cups)

52 Weeks, Week 43

 

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness for Two

Week 43

Spencer W. Kimball 1976, We want you to be ready with your personal storehouses filled with at least a year's supply. You don't argue why it cannot be done; you just plan to organize and get it done.

Food Storage and Preparedness Challenge Of The Week:

Food Storage Purchase 8 Cans of Meat

Extra Item Purchase 8 rolls of Toilet Paper

Family Prep: Write out a coupon and put it in a gift box under the tree. Gifts don't have to be expensive. Teaching is a great way to pass along knowledge, skills, and to help our families become more self-sufficient.

Spiritual Preparedness: Put home and visiting teaching in its proper place of importance. This will bless our ward, individually and collectively.

Christmas without Santa

Santa didn't visit our family this year. Oh, it wasn't because we had been bad or forgot to feed him. It was because he wasn't invited. Our family was spread too far for the traditional Christmas's upon which we had grown. My brother was serving a mission halfway around the world, my sister was recovering from surgery in Salt Lake City, and Grandma had received a mission call and would be leaving shortly after Thanksgiving. With our lives changing so much and money short, Mom suggested that we not invite Santa this year so he could visit homes with younger children. We agreed.

Christmas was on Sunday so we decided to work really hard to make it a season in which we remembered the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We had family traditions that we choose to do—like harvesting the Christmas tree ourselves, making a gingerbread house, and baking goodies for our neighbors and friends. We decided, since Santa wasn't coming, we'd hang out stocking on December 1st and fill them ourselves with small gifts of love, either bought or made. Soon our stockings were bulging with little gifts.

On Christmas Eve, we set around listening to Dad tell us the stories behind the Christmas carols we loved to sing. By knowing their history, we found we felt an intense feeling of love for our family, friends, and the Savior. The feeling of calmness that filled my heart that night was a new experience.

Because Santa hadn't come, we found we concentrated on attending Church that Sunday. We read the Bible's Christmas story and learned to appreciate the reason Christ had come to earth—to show us love and give us the gift of eternal life. A gift that he gave to each of us. Looking back, my family and I agree, it was one of the best Christmases we ever had. We found things money couldn't buy—family unity and love for the Savior. Gifts that will last forever.

A story taken from an Ensign of 2001

52 Weeks, Week 42

 

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness for Two

Week 42

Our Heavenly created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to "prepare every needful thing" so that, should adversity come, we can care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others. The First Presidency – Provident Living . org

Food Storage and Preparedness Challenge Of The Week:

Food Storage Purchase 30 lbs. Wheat or Flour

Extra Item Purchase 10-20 boxes of Macaroni and Cheese

Family Prep: Read through the 10 Family Preparedness Ideas on the back of this page with your family and see the areas where you need to improve. Set goals of priority and work on them as a family.

Spiritual Preparedness: President Monson is an example of loving and helping "the one." Does someone you know need some special care at this time?

Preparedness Tips To Help You and Your Family Be Prepared for Anything

Planning ahead can make all the difference when a real

emergency strikes. Imagine what you would do if you had

only five or ten minutes to leave your home. What would you

grab? Pets? Photos? Family heirlooms? Cash? Computer?

Write down your list.

Next – what if you had no warning at all? What would you grab

on the way out?

What if you had time to plan? Planning will save your life.

1. Talk about it with your family. Talk about the possible

   disasters and possible solutions to these.

2. Create a basic Family Plan – communication plan, a

   meeting place away from home, an out of area

   contact, a list of important numbers

3. Prepare your emergency kits – make them easily

   accessible

4. Take Courses – study and learn – first aid, enrichment

   classes offered – any community courses

5. Memorize emergency exits – practice and learn – mental

   practice – when in unfamiliar places run a mental

   practice in your mind of where the exits are – plan in advance

6. Be aware of your surroundings – pay attention and think about shelter or protection if needed

7. Fire extinguishers – become familiar with them and how they work – practice without pulling the pins

52 Weeks, Week 41

 

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness for Two

Week 41

President Kimball: Let's do these things because they are right; because they are satisfying; and because we are obedient to the counsels of the Lord. In this spirit, we will be prepared for most eventualities, and the Lord will prosper and comfort us.

Food Storage and Preparedness Challenge Of The Week:

Food Storage Purchase 20 lbs. of Sugar

Extra Item Purchase 3 months of Dish Soap

Family Prep: You should continue to add items as you see fit or continue to add items you skipped to your various emergency kits.

Spiritual Preparedness: Obtain the manual, "Preach My Gospel" if you don't already have one. Choose one Christ-like attribute in chapter 6 to work on in your own life.

Substitute for Lily White Corn Syrup

2 cups white sugar

¾ cup water

¼ tsp cream of tartar

1 pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. Uncover and simmer, stirring often, until it reaches the soft ball stage. Cook and store in covered container at room temperature. This should keep for about 2 months. Makes about 2 cups.

Home Made Marshmallow

2 tbsp gelatin

8 tbsp cold water

2 cups white sugar

½ cup cold water

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

Dust an 8 or 9 inch square pan with icing sugar. Set aside. In small bowl, soak gelatin in 8 tbsp cold water. Set aside. Combine sugar and ½ cup water in large sauce pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add gelatin and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Pour into large mixing bowl and let stand until partially cool. Add salt and vanilla. Beat with beater until soft and double in volume. About 10 minutes. Pour into prepared pan to about ½ inch thick. Set to cool until it will not stick to your finger. Cut into 1.5 inch pieces and roll in icing sugar. You can also roll in toasted coconut, or add other flavorings instead of vanilla.

52 Weeks, Week 40

 

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness for Two

Week 40

President Benson: God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble.....Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can.

Food Storage and Preparedness Challenge Of The Week:

Food Storage Purchase 8 Cans of Vegetables

Extra Item Purchase Multi Vitamins (for two people to last 6 months)

Family Prep: Your 72 hr. kit and gear box should be completed. You may add to them as you see fit or continue to add items you skipped.

Spiritual Preparedness: Read D&C 18:15. Is there someone you know who is ready to learn about the gospel?

 

Give the Gift of Preparedness for Christmas

or any occasion!

Flashlights – candles – matches – oil lamp with oil

    Sayings: (Be creative in your saying)- you get the idea

        You light up my life

        May your Christmas be merry and bright

        Let your light so shine

Garden Seeds

Paper Towels (1,3,6 month supply)

Solar Oven – dutch ovens – cast iron cookware

Hand Crank Radio or Ham Radio

Sleeping Cots - Sleeping Bags - blankets

Sewing Kit

Pressure Canner – jars and lids

Camp Dinnerware

Food Storage Buckets with lids

Tent - Tarps with no tear grips and straps

Books – recipe/survival/canning/gardening

Ropes – bungi cords – straps

Baskets

Sewing box / Basket

Emergency Car Kit / Bag

Sanitation Bucket

First Aid Kits

Family Emergency Activity Basket / Bin

Water pak / basket / barrel / pump

72 hour kits

lighting basket / candles etc.

gardening basket

Books – bookmarks – highlighters etc

laundry gift tub

Outdoor cooking bin

Gifts in a Jar