52 Weeks, Week 52

Our ward preparedness blogs:

www.todaywhilethesunshines.blogspot.com

www.1stpreparedness.blogspot.com

We are finished our 52 weeks to preparedness.  I hope that it has been helpful for at least some of you to help build your storage through this last year of 2009.  During 2010 I will continue on with a weekly bulletin insert and a monthly newsletter.  It won't be quite the same thing, but will still give suggestions on preparation weekly and monthly.  Keep up the great work, preparedness never ends, it is an ongoing process!

Remember my motto for 2010 is D&C 88:118,119 - Prepare Every Needful Thing - Establishing a House of Order!

 

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness for Two

Week 52

President Brigham Young "My faith does not lead me, to think the Lord will provide us with roast pigs, bread already buttered, etc.; He will give us the ability to raise the grain, to obtain the fruits of the earth, to make habitations, to procure a few boards to make a box, and when harvest comes, giving us the grain, it is for us to preserve it-to save the wheat until we have one, two, five, or seven years' provisions on hand, until there is enough of the staff of life saved by the people to bread themselves and those who will come here seeking for safety. Ye Latter-day Saints, learn to sustain yourselves."

Food Storage and Preparedness Challenge Of The Week:

Food Storage Purchase 5 Quarts of cooking oil in small containers

Extra Item Purchase 2 Quarts of Peanut Butter also in small containers

Family Prep: Have you thought about what your children might need in case of an emergency when your not around? If it's beginning to get dark, are the flashlights in an accessible location? Are fresh batteries with them? Did you check the light bulb and store a spare? Do you have snacks ready to grab for them? Do you have bedding in a location that can be used if the house is locked up? Have you discussed with the older children where emergency supplies: phone numbers, money (phone), and shut offs are in case they are home alone with the younger kids are? Do you have meeting place pre-picked to go to? If not, now is the time to get these things done. Don't put it off, knowledge now could save lives and heartache. It also helps eliminate fear, and give you peace of mind knowing that the kids are taken care of.

Spiritual Preparedness: Put your lives in order and all else seems to take it's proper order....D&C 88:118,119

A Houston Member's Experience With Hurricane Ike

....Just to let you know that we are doing well. We have a 6'x6' hole in our roof, no electricity, or running water, Trees down everywhere. However, because we listened to the counsel of our Prophet, we were prepared. In fact, it seems to me that it's only the members of the church who seem to be calm, prepared, and helping one another with trees on roofs, flooding, etc.

There is a Point of Distribution in Tomball, TX where we live (slightly northwest of Houston). There, you get water and ice IF you have enough fuel to wait in the 3-hour lines. We don't have to do that because we have 3 full water barrels, 75 juice bottles filled with water, and our pool, which is dirty but we use it to flush.

I am grateful that we have a generator. We run it 4 hours a day to keep our fridge running and to give us light. I am grateful that we have had fuel for it. You can't even buy gas containers as they are rationed. We can only buy bread once a week and are limited to 2 loaves at a time. Water is rationed by the case at the grocery store; 3 cases per family.

The ATM machines do not have power. For the past 6 months I had stashed small bills away because I have had such a feeling of foreboding. We have cash because of that. LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT! Get cash in small bills because the stores can't make change, and credit and debit cards often don't work. I had to pay 5 dollars more for an item because they couldn't make change for me, and . . . PHONES ONLY WORK OCCASIONALLY.

Believe it or not...I have not had a bath in 4 days. Today was the first day I got to wash my hair with pool water. I haven't fixed my hair in a week!!! It just doesn't matter anymore. We

can not do laundry because we don't have water. So, we wear our clothes until they are literally disgusting. When we do finally get water, we will have to boil it since it is contaminated.

Please get your generators, 5 gas cans full of gas, canned goods, baby items, baby wipes to bathe, and all the water you can store...even if you have to trip on it in your home. Have your lanterns, crank flashlights, tarps, rope, etc., ready to go because you never know when it will be your turn to endure the test.