Weekly Assignment and Food Storage Ideas (Week of April 8th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

General Conference was fabulous! If you were not able to hear each great talk, then go to LDS.org, click on April General Conference, and see your May Ensign issue which will be out next month. You do not want to miss a word that was spoken.

Quotes:

"By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;...." Hebrews 11:7

Donald Halstrom, President of the Seventy spoke on Saturday morning. He spoke about the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Priesthood/Gospel by Jesus Christ. He mentioned why our church is so great and there is no other church "in all the world" like it. Why is this so, because of all the great programs in our church that help the members grow both temporally and spiritually; Temples, Missionaries, Youth Programs, Primary, Priesthood, Relief Society, Welfare System, lay leaders that selfless serve, and we are taught to be Self-Reliant. He said, "We can be active in church, but less-active in the gospel." What a profound statement.

How many of us come to church but are not active in living the gospel each day? How many of us have been warned by our General, Stake and Ward leaders to "be prepared", but still procrastinate? How many of us are Self-Reliant when it comes to providing for our self and our family in an emergency situation? How many of us are striving to obtain a 3-Month Supply, and working towards a year's supply, of food and water, and emergency supplies?

This blog is dedicated to helping each of us work towards and accomplish that goal. Use it and apply the suggestions and ideas.

April Goals: Sanitation (purchase a portable toilet, toilet paper, baby wipes)/Add Grains, Rice, Cereals and Dry Pastas to your Food Storage

Sunday Display: See the display this Sunday regarding our April Goals. Also see the sign-up sheet for the Portable Toilet (includes 6 Enzyme packages and a bag of cat liter), cost $20. I need your money no later than Sunday, April 29th.

Remember: You need a total combination of 300 pounds of grains, rice and cereals per person per year. See last weeks posting for more information about grains, rice and cereals.

Weekly Assignments:

1) Sanitation: Add a large package of toilet paper to your emergency supplies. Watch for sales. Costco and Sam's Club has a large package (36 rolls) for about $15.

2) Add Hard Red Wheat to your Food Storage (30+ year shelf life). You can add Whole Wheat flour to your food storage but it does not last as long, only about a year. Also needs to be sealed in some type of plastic container to keep out the moths and bugs. You should have a combination of the Hard Red Wheat and the Hard White Wheat, makes better bread.

Prices:

LDS Dry Pack Cannery (in Los Angeles): Prepackaged, 5.5 pounds, #10 cans, $3.50 each, package your self, 5.8 pounds, #10 can, $3.50, 7.0 pounds, pouch, $3.75, buy in bulk to package yourself, 25 pounds, $11.45. The prices are the same for the Hard White Wheat. The bulk bags you will have to progress yourself buy sealing them in Mylar bags with Oxygen Absorbers and putting the Mylar bag in a 5 pound food grade bucket and seal with the lid. You can see how to do this on Utube. I you want to can the wheat at the Dry Pack Cannery you must call for appointment. Makes a great family activity, call to check on the ages that can go the dry pack cannery.

EmergencyEssentials.com: Either Hard Red or Hard White Wheat, #10 cans, 88 oz, $8.25, 45 pounds Superpail, $46.95, Shipping $6, $8 and $12 (the most they charge no matter how much you order).

ShelfReliance.com (Thrive): #10 cans, Hard Red White, 4.85 pounds, $7.99 and Hard White Wheat, $7.79. Bucket, 40 pounds, $49.49. Check out their website for other offers, by the case.

Costco Online: Hard White Wheat, 40 pounds, $44.99, free shipping.

Rice Prices: I did some price checking while at Costco on rice. Blue Ribbon Long Grain White Rice, 10 pounds, $3.99, 25 pounds, $8.99. Whole Grain Brown Cal Western Rice, 10 pounds, $4.99, 50 pounds, $21.99. Basmati Rice, 20 pounds, $17.99. Sam's Club prices should be very similar.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas:

I learned about two great ideas regarding burns and filtering water. I love practically ideas!

1. White Flour and Burns: Wendy Dewitt, a Food Storage expertise and speaker, learned about a burn remedy while her daughter was at Young Women Girl's Camp. She "received a 2nd degree burn on her fingertips , the cook put her hand into flour for about 10-15 minutes. It stopped the pain!" Wendy did some research on this subject and found numerous comments. "One writer said she used it when she burned her tongue. Keep a bag of flour in the fridge because the cold flour is suppose to work even better." She said many say "it is hoax, ...but she has had a first hand account of how a very safe very cheap burn remedy worked for a member of her family." No one is obligated to use it.. but she said it did work. She has not tried it on whole wheat flour yet. (Wendy Dewitt)

2. Tampons: Who knew they could work as a water filter and fire starter! Take a regular size plastic water bottle and cut the bottom off and turn with the top down. Take the tampon out of the container and fluff it. Then put the fluffed tampon in the bottle with the lid off. Pour the dirty water into the bottle and let drain through the fluffed tampon into a cup or glass. It will filter out the dirt, etc. You will still need to boil the water to drink it. To use as a fire starter, take the tampon out of the container and fluff it. Then put the fluffed tampon down under the small sticks and wood. Light the tampon with a match, it will light easily and get your fire going. Good idea to keep a few in your 72 Hour Kits.

Remember: Your comments are always welcomed! I love new ideas and experiences others have had with Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness. Post your name and comment to have your name entered into the Sunday, April 29th Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing.