Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of January 30th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

Congratulations to Sister Barbara Holland! She won the FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing today, January 30th. She won a Small Folding Stove with 2 Heat Cell cans for her 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack.

Quote:

"Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the Church -- and the need for that cleansing seems to be increasing -- a famine in this land of one year's duration could wipe out a large percentage of slothful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned." (God, Family, Country, page 383)

Currently I am reading in 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. In Chapter 3 & 4 it talks about how the Nephites and the Lamanites united and gathered together in the lands of Zarahemla and Bountiful to protect themselves from the Gadianton robbers and the armies of Giddianhi , they brought their families, all their provisions, grains (food), flocks, herds and all their substance together. Because of them doing this they were able to protect themselves from the Gadianton robbers and the armies of Giddianhi. The armies of Giddianhi were weak because they had few provisions. In Chapter 4:18 we read, "But behold, this was an advantage of the Nephites; for it was impossible for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long to have any effect upon the Nephites, because of their much provisions which they had laid up in store".

This is a testimony to me of the importance of storing up food, water and emergency supplies for our family. If we are prepared we will be able to fight the Gadianton robbers and the armies of Giddianhi in our days. If we fortify ourselves, as the Nephites and Lamanites did, we will be able to protect and provide for our family. How important it is to store the necessary items to protect our family from what may come some day!

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:

This week add the following:

1) 2 Mess kits (2 per Family Pack/Bag should be enough to warm up soups, water, etc for a family.) On emergencyessentials.com they are about $6. You can also purchase them at department stores (Wal-Mart, Target, etc.) in their camping/sports section, surplus survival stores or Boy Scout shops (you may pay more).

2) Street map of the near by towns--cost about $5 (You can purchase these from most gas stations, AAA Auto Club (if a member), or make copies out of your Thomas Guide of local towns. In an emergency situation you may need to know alternate routes if areas are not accessible.)

You should have the following items in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:

1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first-aid kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio with extra batteries (or a solar radio with extra batteries)
4) hand can opener
5) extra large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of masking tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches
11) 2 Mess kits
12) street map of local areas

Weekly Challenge:

How to figuring out how much you will need for a years supply of food for your family--

By now you should have done the following (this is a great thing to involve the whole family with, especially picking out their favorite dishes):

1) a list of your favorite breakfasts and dinners you cook for your family

2) decided if you want to do the 7 day menu plan or the 14 day menu plan, or a 7 day menu plan for breakfast with a 14 day menu plan for dinner

3) you should have chosen 7-14 each of breakfasts and dinners and put each dish on a separate 3x5 file card (different color cards for breakfast and dinner), giving you 7-14 breakfast dishes and 7-14 dinner dishes

4) you should have put down the ingredients and measurements for each dish on each card

4) you should have either multiplied each ingredient amount by 52 weeks or 26 weeks (depending on if you are using the 7 day or 14 day menu plan) and determined how much of each ingredient you will need for a years supply. I will give you the chart to figure out how much you need for a year this Sunday.

This weeks challenge:

This Sunday I will give you a chart to help you purchase those items. It is an easy way to know what you need, how much you already have and how much you need to purchase. Fill in the chart listing the food items alphabetically. Follow the instructions with the chart.

How to use the chart I gave you this Sunday (Jan. 30th) at church. If you did not get a copy please see Sister Cuppett or call her at 310-835-0902.

"Organize all of the information from your cards into a notebook. Make a chart or table that alphabetically lists all the foods from your recipe cards. The chart has 5 columns. The first column lists the food item. The next lists all the meals that food item is in. The third column lists how many cups, cans, or jars are needed. The fourth lists how much of that item I have and the fifth, how much I need to buy."

Note: If you do not know what to do for the above, see the last few Weekly Challenge and Assignment postings below.

Remember: Post your name and comment at the end of this blog posting to have your name put into our January 30th FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing. Good luck to all who enter!

Weely Challenge and Assignment (Week of January 23rd)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

Quote:

"Say I, Wake-up, ye Saints of Zion, while it is called today, lest trouble and sorrow come upon you, as a thief in the night. Suppose it is not coming, will it hurt you to lay up the products of the earth for seven years? Will it hurt you, if you have your home in order? I want the world to know that we are ready for anything that comes along. If it s good, we are ready for that; and if it is evil, we are ready to stand against it." Herber C. Kimball

Brothers and Sisters of Carson Ward, are we ready for what may come our way, are we at least striving to become ready? We have not been asked to store 7 years of food, but we have been counseled to be prepared. Years ago the Church leaders advised the members to have a 2 years supply of food, then 1 year supply of food and now to strive for 3 months supply of food. We are still admonished to have a 1 years supply of food but our General Authorities thought it might seem more feasible to first strive for 3 months supply of food, then add to it until we have a years supply of food. We are also counseled to have water stored and fuel where possible. With the new way I have learned about, on how to figure out how much your family will need, it will become easier to do. See the Weekly Challenge below after the Weekly Assignment. Our 72 Hour Kits are not our food storage, they are for immediate emergencies when we might need to evacuate our homes or are away from our homes (why you should also have them in your car and at work). We need to set a goal with our family, and strive for a 3 months supply of food and water and then work on a years supply of food and emergency items. May we as a Ward be the most prepared Ward in our Stake. "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear"!!!

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:

This week add the following:

1) Heat Cell Fuel (They give you 5 hours of heat for cooking, 10 hours of warmth. I found them at EmergencyEssentials.com for $3.50 each. I have one for each family member.) The reason for this items is you probably have soup and hot chocolate/apple cider in your 72 Hour Emergency Food Kits that will need heating.


2) Flat Fuel Folding Stove (I found these at EmergencyEssentials.com for $7.95, you may be able to find them at surplus survival stores or camping/sporting stores.)

3) Water Proof Matches (I also found these at EmergencyEssentials.com for $.85-$3.00. If they are not in your Personal 72 Hour Emergency Kit, then add some here, you may want to have extra in the Family Pack/Bag. You can also purchase them at surplus survival stores and camping/sporting good stores.)

So far you should have the following in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:

1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first-aid kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio with extra batteries (or a solar radio with extra batteries)
4) hand can opener (not electric)
5) extra large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of masking tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches

Weekly Challenge:

Last week I asked you to gather a list of your family's favorite breakfast and dinner dishes that you make. This week I want you to purchase some colored 3x5 file cards (you will need two colors, 7-14 of each). You can either plan a weekly menu or a two week menu. If you are only going to plan a weekly menu then you will need 7 cards for breakfast and 7 cards for dinner. If you are going to plan a two week menu then you will need 14 cards for breakfast and 14 cards for dinner (different color than the breakfast ones).

If you plan the weekly menu, your family will eat the same thing each week. If you plan the two week menu, your family will eat different dishes for two weeks. Personal I like the two week menu best, more variety. They may get tired of eating the same thing each week for months.

Place a different breakfast dish on each card, giving you 7 or 14 different breakfast dishes. Place a different dinner dish on each card (different color card), giving you 7 or 14 different dinner dishes. Then put down on each card the ingredients for that dish and the measurements. If you are doing the weekly menu then multiply each ingredient by 52 weeks (number of weeks in a year). If you are doing the two week menu, then multiply by 26 weeks. This will give you the amount of food you need to purchase for a year using the weekly or two week menu. If you want to start with 3 months first then multiply by the number of weeks in 3 months, 12 weeks (remember, some months have an extra week) for the weekly menu and 6 weeks for the two week menu.

Note: You may only be able to come up with 7 breakfast ideas and 14 dinner ideas for a two week menu. That is ok. If you have only 7 breakfast ideas for the two week menu, then remember to multiply the 7 breakfast dishes by 52 weeks and the 14 dinner dishes by 26 weeks. Best to not do more than a two week menu, will involve to many dishes and more items to store.

This week at church I will hand out the table to figure out how much of each ingredient in your receipt you will need to store, mostly for teaspoons, tablespoons, cups and pounds.

Next week I will give you the chart to help you purchase these items, keep track of what you have and what you need to purchase.

Remember: Post your name at the end of each months Weekly Challenge and Assignment for our FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing to be held on Sunday, January 30th. Good luck to all you enter!

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of January 16th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

Quote:

"Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earth quake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion." (Ezra Taft Benson, October General Conference, 1980 Ensign, November 1980, pages 32-33)

As I think about the quote above from President Ezra Taft Benson I realize how true this statement is. How many of us think there are months, years before we need to work on our Emergency Food and Water Storage, our 72 Hour Emergency Kits and other emergency supplies our family will need, and procrastinate getting started or completing our goal? It is so easy to get involved with the temporal daily task at hand. Emergency Preparedness should be at the top of our goals for our self and our family. Not only is Emergency Preparedness temporal, but it is also spiritual. We have been counseled and warned by our General Authorities and our Stake and Ward Leaders to be prepared. We may never need our emergency supplies, like food, water, and our 72 Hour Kits, but I do not want to be left without them if something does happen. I want peace of mind knowing that I am trying my best to prepare and are working towards a goal of Emergency Preparedness for my family. I can testify to you that if we are truly trying the Lord will bless us and our families with the things we will need. The main thing to do is just get started, set some goals, even if it is an extra can of vegetables or soup each week, it is a start.

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Family Emergency Duffel Bag:

This week please add the following:

1) Extra large waterproof tarp--maybe 10x14(can be used to make shelter along with the nylon rope and masking tape below) (cost $5-$15 depending on where you go.)

2) 50 foot nylon rope/cord

3) Roll of masking tape (about $8 at Home Depot or Lowe's)

Note: Harbor Freight in Lomita on PCH sometimes has great prices. Check out their weekly add in the sales papers you get in your mail, newspapers, or go online.

So far you should have the following in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Duffel Bag:

1) Duffel bag to put the items in

2) First-aid kit

3) Portable small radio, or solar one, with extra batteries (the free ones we handed out at church, or you received earlier, are great for this)

4) Hand can opener (not electric)

5) Extra large waterproof tarp

6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord

7) Roll of masking tape

Weekly Challenge:

I found a new easier way to determine what you should store for your family for 3 months, 6 months and/or a year. Do the following:

First make a list of all your family's favorite dishes you make to eat, including breakfast and dinner, with the ingredients and amounts for each one. Next week I will tell you what we are going to do with them.

Great News! I finally got them. I work with a company through my work that does fire and water damage restoration. I have been trying to get these for months. They were able to get me 50 red main water shut-0ff tags. These tags are to be put on your main water shut-off valve to let others know where to turn off the water to your house from the main line if there is an emergency where water is coming into your house, or if the neighborhood is alerted to shut off the water due to contamination. Please place the tag on the main water shut-off valve (handle). If you do not know where it is, ask your Home Teacher or a member in the Ward to help you. I only have one per family in the Ward. I am sorry, but they are not for other family members in other areas or your neighbors.

Remember: Post your name and comment at the end of this blog posting for our Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing to be held in January at our 5th Sunday joint Relief Society and Priesthood Meeting. Good luck to all you enter!

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of January 9th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

A new year usually means new personal and family goals. I hope this year you and your family have set a goal by becoming more self-reliant by setting up each family members 72 Hour Emergency Kits, working on your 3 Months and Year's Supply of Food and other emergency items, water storage, making your home and family safe in case of a natural disaster or emergency situation, and planting a garden (or a container garden if possible).

This year's Carson Ward Emergency Preparedness Goals:

1) help each family become more prepared for an emergency situation
2) having first-aid and CPR classes
3) having an Emergency Preparedness Fair/Workshop
4) classes on how to cook with your Food Storage (especially the long storage items like wheat, dehydrated/freeze dried foods)
5) setting up a Ward Emergency Preparedness Plan along with the Stake Emergency Preparedness Plan
6) setting up a Ward Emergency Preparedness Committee
7) putting together a Ward Emergency Preparedness book that will show all Ward family members readiness, needs and talents
8) helping those who need help to plant a vegetable garden
9) how to can and freeze vegetables from your garden
10) if room plant a fruit tree (orange, lemon, etc)

I hope we will all work together to make our Ward and each Ward Family member prepared for any emergency situation we might face.

Quote:

"Recent surveys of Church members have shown a serious erosion in the number of families who have a year's supply of life's necessities. Most members plan to do it. Too few have begun.... It is our scared duty to care for our families, including our extended families." Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, September 1986, page 4)

"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." Ezra Taft Benson (October Conference Talk, Ensign, November 1980, page 33)

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:

This week add the following:

1) Portable Regular or Solar Radio with extra batteries (do not store the radio with the batteries inside the radio, keep in a zip lock bag). You may want to consider a hand crank solar powered portable radio, but also store batteries with it.

2) can opener (if you have cans in your 72 Hour Emergency Food Kits that need opening with a can opener.)

You should have the following items now:

1) duffel bag or similar type of bag to store items in

2) first-aid kit and first-aid manual (book)

3) portable regular or solar radio with extra batteries

4) can opener

Weekly Challenge:

If you have not already made Emergency Preparedness Plan a part of this year's goals, please take some time to do so. Involve the family and set goals for your 72 Hour Emergency Kits, 3 Months Food Supply, Year's Supply and Water Storage. If you have room plan and plant a vegetable garden, involve the whole family. Family Home Evening is a great time to do this or getting the family together on Sunday to make a plan. Set goals to meet each item you want to work on.

The postings on this website will help you. Also, go back to August 1st Weekly Assignment and Challenge if you have not started on your 72 Hour Emergency Kits. It will take you through it week by week.

If you need help setting up your plan and goals please feel free to email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com or call me at 310-835-0902. I am also happy to help you plan and plant a vegetable garden. A few of you have already done this and I am so excited to work with you on your garden. The best time to start your vegetable garden is in March.

Remember: Do not forget to post your name and comment (if you wish) at the end of the posting to have your name entered into the January Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing. If you having problems logging on to the website or posting your name please do the following:

Go to Google, on the top bar where is says http://www.google.com/, highlight and replace with "thearkcarsonward.blogspot.com", then click on the double green arrows or hit enter.

Scroll down to the bottom of each posting and click on "comments" at the bottom. When the comment section comes up scroll past any comments, see "Post a Comment" (add your name and comment in the white box area. Then click on "Comment as:", hit the drop down arrow, click on Anonymous, then click on "Post Comment". This will post your name and comment. Please call me at 310-835-0902 if you have any problems. Sister Nancy Cuppett

Save as a favorite "thearkcarsonward.blogspot.com on your computer to easily access the website each time.

Weekly Challenage and Assignment (Week of January 2nd)

Hi Carson Ward,

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their family and friends. May you, this new year, plan, prepare and organize your year's supply of food, clothing and other necessities. Make it a part of your 2011 Goals. The next few weeks we will be working on putting together the 72 Hour Family Emergency Pack/Bag.

Congratulations to the Cummings Family! They won the Butane Portable One Burner Stove with two Butane cans of fuel.

Quote:

"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 believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With the events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness.... Create a plan if you don't already have one, or update your present plan... 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." (Elder L. Tom Perry, in Conference Report, October 1995 or Ensign, November 1995, page 36.)

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Family Emergency Pack/Bag: (You will need one for home and one for your car, in case your are away from home during an emergency situation. You should have a small one at work too.)

This week add the following:

1. Purchase a small duffel bag or gym type bag

2. First-aid kit and First-aid book (If you all ready have one put it into your home/car/work 72 Hour Family Emergency Pack/Bag.)

Weekly Challenge:

Are you safe in your car? Is you child safe in the car? Parents, grandparents and anyone who drives with a child in the car, please read the following:

Working in the insurance business, one of my greatest concerns and that I am adamant about, is children being safe while their parents and others are driving. I have take several accident reports where children were injured due to unsafe car seats or restraints, one was very bad.

The mother was driving a Suburban in the diamond lane on the freeway. Her 7 year old daughter was in the back seat behind her restrained by the adult car seat belt. A car next to her lost control, spun around and hit her head on, they were both traveling about 65 miles an hour. The impact of the car hitting her, threw the mother against the steering wheel and her head hit the windshield. She reached behind her and called her daughter's name, there was no response and she could not feel her daughter's legs. She panicked and called for her again. One of the other cars who had stopped to help told her there was no one in the seat behind her. Her daughter had been thrown from the adult car seat belt, through the front windshield, over the car that hit them head on several feet down the freeway. Her daughter spent several weeks in a coma with a fractured skull and several months recovering in the hospital. Her daughter has permanent brain damage and will never be able to do the things a 7 year or other little girls do.

We often think our children are safe in the adult seat belt. The adult seat belt does not fit them correctly and will not hold them in the seat. The California law regarding children in the car is as follows:

A parent or legal guardian or any driver may not permit his or their child or ward or any child to be transported upon a highway in a motor vehicle without properly securing the child or ward in a rear seat in a child passenger restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards, unless the child or ward is one of the following:

1. Six years of age or older.
2. Sixty pounds of more.

(I find this may not be enough either, look what happened to the little girl in the story above. A child booster seat would be better.)

VC Section 27360 & 27315

A child or ward may not ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle with an active passenger airbag if the child or ward is one of the following:

1. Under one year of age.
2. Less than 20 pounds.
3. Riding in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system.

I strong feel they should not be in the front seat at all, there is not enough protection for them.

Children under 12 years of age:

No child should sit in the front seat of a car, even if the airbag is turned off, if they are under 12 years old and at least 100 pounds, the adult seat belt will not hold them in and protect them from hitting the dashboard. They need to sit in the back seat in the middle if possible. Check the sun visor on the passenger side in your car for instructions.

The best type of child restraint systems and safety:

1. A 5-star lock child car seat gives a child the best protection. Check to make sure there has not been a recall of the type you are buying. Please make sure the car seat or booster seat is secure in the seat, does not move around easily. Check the instructions on how to properly install the car seat and booster seat. You can also go online for help in how to properly install a child car seat or booster seat.
2. Booster seats should have the same type of 5-star restraint.
3. Never buy a used child car seat or booster seat, you do not know if it has been in an accident.
4. If the child car seat or booster seat has been in an accident do not use it, destroy it and then throw it away, do not sell it or give to DI or a thrift store. Most insurance companies will give you the money to replace the child car seat or booster seat.
5. Make sure you properly install the child car seat or buster seat. There are several websites that will help you with this. I found a great one at http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/travel/auto.html#

Adult safety while driving:

1. Before you get into your, walk all around your car to make sure no one is hiding inside.

2. If you are at a hospital late at night and by yourself, have the security guard walk with you to your car.

3. Be aware of who is around you while getting gas, going to your car. If someone approaches you to sell you something tell them no thank you and quickly get into your car and lock the doors.

4. Always have your keys out and ready before getting to your car.

5. Try to park in a well lighted area.

6. Keep your doors locked. If you sit in your car to review a sales receipt or use your cell phone, lock your doors.

7. Always wear your seat belt.

8. Do not talk on your cell phone or text while driving.

9. Keep a small flash light on your key chain or in your purse or pocket.

Please be safe and keep your child safe while driving!

Remember: Post your name and a comment, if you wish, at the end of this blog for our January monthly FREE giveaway drawing.