"As people become self-reliant, they are better prepared to endure adversities" and are "better able to care for others in need." (Church Handbook of Instructions, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
"We become self-reliant through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being." (Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President)
Last Sunday in our Sacrament Meeting our High Council speaker spoke on self-reliance. We all need to become self-reliant! It does not happen overnight, it takes time. But as long as we are striving for self-reliance we will be blessed and have peace of mind. Emergency preparedness is a part of self-reliance. If we seek the Lord's help He will guide us. Self-reliance cannot be given to us, we each need to earn it and work towards it daily. As we search the scriptures, pray and pond and follow our living prophet we will be guided as to what each of us needs to do to become self-reliant. We need to be an agent unto ourselves!
As I watch natural disasters and devastation unfold around the world, I see how it effects those who are self-reliant and those who are not. Those who are self-reliant are spiritually at peace even those things around them are not. Those who are self-reliant can take care of themselves and others around them before help can arrive, which can take days and weeks.
When our son was serving a mission for our church in Honduras I remember reading his mission president had felt for sometime before Hurricane Mitch hit the area that he needed to prepare for his missionaries by having food, water and medical supplies on hand. He stocked the mission home with needed supplies. When Hurricane Mitch hit he was able to take care of his missionaries and others around them.
Before Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippians, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 21 mission presidents distributed 72 Hour-Kits to each missionary. (See Deseret News)
We are very blessed as members of the church to have the guidance of our church leaders to warn us, and the world, to be prepared both spiritually and temporally. Are we in a position to care for our family and our neighbors? What steps are we taking on a daily basis? How do we deal with spiritual and temporal matters?
Our thoughts, hearts and prayers go out to the people of the Philippians and what they are enduring. If you would like to donate to the Humanitarian Aid Fund , go to this link.
Weekly Assignment: Family Emergency Bag
A few weeks ago we started working on our Family
Emergency Bag. This bag, either a sports bag or backpack, is kept in your
car(s). If you need to evacuate it needs to be taken along with your family's
72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks we worked on this year. If you have not completed one for each family member go back to the December 30, 2012 posting and follow through until you have complete a backpack for each family member in your household. You only need one Family Emergency Bag, possibly one for each family car in case you are not together when an emergency situation arises.
This week add the following: 1) A good First-aid Kit with a First-aid book. You can purchase one or putting one together yourself. Discount stores like the Dollar General or the 99 Cent Store will have some items.
So far you should have the following in your Family Emergency Bag: Portable regular or solar radio with extra batteries, street maps of local areas/cities, emergency flares and candles, water proof matches, 2 heat cells, flat fuel folding stove, and a first-aid kit with a first-aid book. See previous blog postings for information regarding these items and where to purchase them.
Great Home PDF Inventory Sheet:
Go to www.iinc.org. We should all have inventory of our personal things in case of a fire, disaster, theft or other situations. Keep a copy at home and with another family member out of state, at work. You should take photos and videos too. Open all drawers and closets and take photos. Do not forget your garage, storage sheds and storage units.
Emergency Preparedness Ideas:
What I have observed on CNN and other news cast shows this week regarding the devastation in the Philippians:
1) 800,000+ displaced2) 2 million without food and water
3) No medical supplies
4) No electricity
5) No shelter, except those that they have built from scraps
6) Roads blocked due to devastation
7) No emergency aid, cannot get through
8) Emergency personal, search and rescue are victims too
9) Dead bodies lying around
10) So overwhelmed the government cannot handle the effects of the typhoon11) Despair
12) People wondering around, not knowing what to do or where to go
13) No infrastructure
14) Armed gangs and others looting
15) Government cannot guarantee food and water
16) It will take days, maybe even weeks before help can arrive to all areas
What can we learn from this?1) You will probably be on your own
2) Need to keep food and water stored
3) Need to keep medical supplies stored
4) Need to keep emergency supplies stored
5) Need to have 72 Hour Individual Emergency Backpacks/Kits for each family member
6) Need to be spiritually strong
7) Need to be self-reliant
8) Need to be aware and what to do in an emergency situation
WHAT WOULD IT HURT TO BE PREPARED? It could save your life and others!
Comments: All your comments, ideas, suggestions and experiences are welcome! We all learn from each other. Thank you for your comments.
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