Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of September 26th

Hi Carson Ward Family,

Make sure you check out the weekly assignment and challenge below for this week. Remember to post your name in the comment section at the end of each weeks posting for the FREE GIVEAWAY drawing to be held October 10th, the week after General Conference next week. See last weeks posting to see how to do this if you do not know how or call Sister Cuppett (310-835-0902) to walk you through it.

Quote:

"Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds."
President Gordon B. Hinckley

I love this quote from our dear Prophet President Hinckley. How true this is. We can apply this to Provident Living and Emergency Preparedness. Regarding Emergency Preparedness, it takes planning, setting up a budget to allow money to purchase food storage items, purchasing food storage items our family will eat plus the basic for survival (wheat, oats, rice, beans, sugar, honey, water), rotating what we have, and setting up areas in our home to store our food storage, water and emergency preparedness items. It takes hard work and diligence. Without this hard work we basically have "weeds", or in other words, nothing to provide for our family's needs in case of an emergency (unemployment, illness, disasters, etc.).

Brothers and Sisters, I have felt for some time now the urgency of how much we, if we have not already, need to start planning and setting up our Food Storage, water and emergency preparedness items. With all the things happening in our world, communities, state and government today, we need to be prepared for whatever is down the road. If we are prepared, we will have no need to fear. If we are striving to prepare the best we can, the Lord will bless us and we will have sufficient for our family's needs, not wants, but needs. If you have not started on this, now is the time. Review your budget with the family, see where you can cut back to provide money to purchase food storage items for your family. This may take scarifice for you and your family, but I promise you it will be well worth it, it will give you peace of mind. I think it is important to get the whole family involved. Maybe for Christmas gifts this year you could give each other Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness items. I know this sounds strange but I know one family in our Ward that did this one year for Christmas, it turned out great!

The important thing to do is start!

Share with your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors the importance of Emergency Preparedness and Food and Water Storage.


Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Personal Kit (purchase the follow items, 1 for each individual kit, the 99 Cent Store and the Dollar Store are great for these items):

1. Comb and/or Brush
2. Small bar of soap (put in small zip lock bag so when you use it it does not get all over the other items)

Car Emergency Kit:

Add one item from the blog posting Car Emergency Kit list.

72 Hour Food Kits:

CAUTION: If you purchase food items for your 72 Hour Food Kits be careful. I find that sometimes the food items at the 99 Cent Store and the Dollar Store expiration within just a month or so. You need them to be good for at least one-two years. You should check and update your 72 Hour Food kits each year, and rotate any food items that need replacing. Be careful in the regular grocery stores too, sometimes they expire in less than a year.

Weekly Challenge:

1. If you have not already done so, please complete your Carson Ward Emergency Preparedness Survey and give it to Sister Cuppett as soon as possible. We need these to complete the Ward Emergency Preparedness Plan.

2. Get together all insurance policy information (car, home, earthquake, life, health, etc), family health history, and emergency contact information together, print out and put in each family members 72 Hour backpacks or bags in a zip lock bag to protect from water damage.

Insurance information includes type of policy, policy number, copy of policy (shrink down to fit all on one page, front and back if necessary), agent name and phone number, company name.

Family health history includes name, phone number and address of family doctors, copy of health insurance cards (front and back), information about each family member, photo of each family member, medications take (name, amount, how often), allergies, family person's name, age, weight, height), and any health issues.

Emergency Contacts--put together a list of all family/friends emergency contact numbers, include Bishopric and RS President. Include names, phone numbers, addresses.

Remember: Post your name at the end of this posting in the comment section and each posting for September to have your name entered into the October 10th monthly FREE GIVEAWAY drawing!

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of September 19th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

We are excited to hear and see that moe and more of the Ward Members are visiting the Carson Ward Emergency Preparedness website, enjoying the postings and information, doing the challenges and assignments and leaving comments. It is great to hear about the things you are doing in your family and the challenges you are trying. Remember, do not forget to put your name in on the "comment section" below so your name can be put in the monthly FREE GIVEAWAY drawing. Next drawing Sunday, October 10th.

This is how you do it: 1) click on the "comments" at the end of the Weekly Challenge and Assignments, 2) put in your name and comment (if you want) in the "Post a Comment" white box, 3) In the Select profile drop down, choose "Anonymous", 4) click on "Post Comment" and your comment is posted.

Quote:

"We continue to encourage members to store sufficient food, clothing and where possible fuel for at least one year. We have not laid out an exact formula for what should be stored. However, we suggest that members concentrate on essential foods that sustain life, such as grains, legumes, sugar, salt, cooking oil, powdered milk, and water. Most families can achieve and maintain this basic level of preparedness. The decision to do more than this rests with the individual. We encourage you to follow this counsel with the assurance that a people preared through obedience to the commandments of God need not fear." The First Presidency

Weekly Assignements:

72 Hour Food Kit:

I forgot a couple of important items for your 72 Hour Food Kits. Purchase the following and add to your kit:

3 stryofoam cups (one for each day) (or one camping metal drinking cup)
3 spoons (one for each day) (or a metal camping utienls set)

If you have tried to put all the 72 Hour Food items in a large zip lock bag I know it is hard, but if you work at it, it all does fit. Make sure to double the large zip lock bag.

Note: Remember to put, if using the same menu for each day, a copy of the daily menu inside each 72 Hour Food Kit. The menu is on the 72 Hour Kit blog posting.

72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit (This week we will start this kit, remember, you need one of each item for each kit):

Add the following:

Tooth brush (99 Cent Store or the Dollar Tree is a great place to purchase these)
Small traveling size tooth paste (Do not purchase at dollar stores, they usually come from other countries where they do not have the strick food and drug laws we have in the US, the they do not have fluorided water as in the US)

3 Month Food Supply:

Purchase some extra cans of fruit

Car Emergency Kit:

Add one item on the Car Emergency Kit list to your Kit.

Weekly Challenge:

Congratulations to the Boyer Family. Last week for Family Home Evening they learned how and taught their children how to turn off the main water and gas values and the electricity in case of an emergency. They also discussed "what if there was a fire in our home?" and had a fire drill. They even invited another family who also wanted to learn to their Family Home Evening. Great job Boyer Family!

So my challenge this week is to have a Family Home Evening with your family and discuss how to turn off the main water and gas valves and electricity. Also, to discuss how to handle a fire in your home and have a family fire drill. If you have young children in your home I would encourage you to have monthly fire drills, and if you have older children (teenagers) have a fire drill every 3-4 months. Check out the Week of August 1st posting that talks about fire drills and fire safety in our home.

Did you know? If you need to take off work and are not paid for the time off to take care of a loved oned or you just had a new baby, the State of California has benefits through the Paid Family Leave Act. For more information check out the blog posting at the end of all the posting.

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of September 12th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

This week we will finish up our 72 Hour Kits if you have been following along the past several weeks. I heard this quote last Sunday in our Relief Society lesson and love it (thank you Sister Lawson).

Quote:

"To be prepared is one thing, to live prepared is another thing."
Elder James E. Talmage

72 Hour Kit Assignment:

Purchase the following this week. Remember, if you are following the same 3 day menu you will need 3 of each item for each family 72 Hour Kit you are putting together.

Snack--Beef Jerky (one package per kit, this is just an extra snack)
Fruit snacks (like Fruit Roll ups, dried fruits, this is just an extra snack)
Note: I put these items along with the hard candy and gum in a separate plastic zip lock bag.

If you have been following along you should have purchased 3 of each item below for each family 72 Hour Kit:

Granola bars
Juice Box Drink or Fruit Drink mix
Instant hot chocolate drink mix
Small box of raisins
Instant Oatmeal
Fruit Cups or Apple Sauce (or mix)
Trail Mix
Dry Soup Mix
Peanut Butter crackers
Water (either 2 Liter Bottle or 3 regular size drinking bottles, not the small ones)
Gum
Hard candy
Today's
Beef Jerky
Fruit snacks (like fruit roll ups or dried fruits)

A great place to get items for the 72 Hour Food, Hygiene, and Personal Kits is The Dollar Tree, The 99 Cent Store, and Big Lots. (Thank you Myra Albao for reminding me.)

Congratulations! You have just finished putting together your family's 72 Hour Food Kits. Now put everything together in zip lock bags (remember keep the gum and hard candy in a small bag so the food does not take on the taste) and put in your backpack for each family member. Next week we will start the 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kits.

I learned from one Sister in the Ward she is putting the 72 Hour Kits together as Christmas gifts for her family this year. What a great idea!

I have discovered a great water family pitcher and individual flip top bottle filtration system product. The church is purchasing thousands of these for our missionaries in the field throughout the world. Go to the Water Storage posting and get more information. It is at the end of the posting.

Car Emergency Preparedness Kit:

Add one item on the list on the Car Emergency Preparedness Kit posting that you have not already added.

3 Month Supply:

Purchase extra cans of an item you buy this week while grocery shopping for your storage.

Weekly Challenge:

Part of being prepared is not only being temporally prepared but also being spiritual prepared. The challenge this week, if you are not already doing it, is to read the Book of Mormon each day with your family. It can be just one verse or one chapter a day. The most important thing to do is just start. If you are already doing this, great job! I know it is really hard with small children and you feel they are not listen, but they are. As I witnessed my son doing this with his young family every night, I saw the struggle, but it paid off, now they are older and love reading with the family and some can even read themselves now. What a great blessing for our family!

Remember: Put your comment at the end of this posting and last weeks and your name goes into the monthly FREE GIVEAWAY drawing to held Sunday, October 10th. You will have 4 chances to win if you put a comment in each week's challenge and assignment.

Also, check out the new Recipe posting and all the Carson Ward Emergency Preparedness posting that will help you with your emergency preparedness and maybe give you some new ideas if you already have your years supply. I will be adding recipes and tips all along that will help you use and rotate your food storage.

The best thing you can do regarding Emergency Preparedness is just start, even if it is just one extra can of food, it is a start!

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of September 5th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

Congratulations! The Romo Family won the first monthly FREE GIVEAWAY drawing. They won a Portable One Burner Butane Fuel Stove and 2 cans of Butane Fuel. They are great for cooking on in an emergency situation. I cooked on one for 3 months while our kitchen was being remodeled. It worked great! The drawing was held during Relief Society today. There werer 7 names in the drawing, ward members who posted a comment on the blog during the month of August. Sister Hurst drew the name.

September is National Preparedness Month!

I cannot express enough regarding the Parable of the 10 Virgins. Do we want to be the 5 Wise Virgins with oil in our lamps (food storage/emergency preparedness items), or do we want to be the 5 Foolish Virgins who thought they could borrow from others (they will need it for themselves and their family)? Many times do we say we do not have the money or time. Time is running out, the time is now! How many of us have money for going to the movies, golf game fees, paint bald, or other types of entertainment or a new outfit or shoes, but seem to never have money for the important things in life, like building up our Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness items. We need to reevaluate our lives and our budgets. The important thing is to just start, add a few items each week and you will be surprised how fast you can build up your Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness items.

Quote:

"We can rest assured that if we have done all in our power to prepare for whatever lies ahead, He will then help us with whatever else we need."
Apostle Bruce R. McConkie

72 Hour Kit Assignment:

If you have been adding the 72 Hour Kit items each week as assigned in the other Weekly Assignment postings you are on the home stretch. Look how easy this has been.

This week (if you are following the same menu for each day) add the follow (remember: you will need 3 of each item for each 72 Hour Kit in your family):

Peanut Butter Crackers (usually come 6 crackers in each package and 6-9 individual packages in each package. I found them at Food 4 Less, Albertson and most grocery stores. Costco and Sam's Club may also have them.)

Water (2 Liter bottle or 3 regular size drinking bottles. You will need this water for drinking and to add to dry mixes in the 72 Hour Kit. This water is not for washing)

Note for Trail Mix on previous posting: I found the individual Trail Mix packages at Target in the snack ailse for $1.29 a each, great deal. Last week they were on sale for $.99. They are from Archer Farmers, called Monster trail mix, weight 2.5 oz. They have different varieties. They also have some that come 5 in a box but I think the packages are to small for what you need.

Next week we add the last 2 food snack items.

Weekly Challenge:

FILL YOUR WATER BARRELS!!! FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS GIVEN WITH THE BARRELS OR CHECK OUT THE WATER STORAGE BLOG POSTING.

It has come to my attention that some of you have not filled your water barrels or changed the water in quite some time. What good are empty water barrels doing to do you or water that is to old? Just a couple of months ago we lost our water for most of the day due to something the city was doing at Harbor Lake near our home. You never know when you may not have water or it may be contaminated.

If you are storing water in the regular small drinking bottles the water only last for a short time. It is important to rotate them. My daughter-in-law found this out when she went to drink the water she had stored some time ago. Of course, you can boil it and use it for washing but not drinking. Caution: Never refill the plastic drinking bottles. The chemicals in the plastic bottles contaminates the water with gases when you do this.

Remember to post a comment below to have your name put in our monthly FREE GIVEAWAY drawing on October 10th. If you do this each week you will have 4 chances to win the end of September.

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."