Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of September 20th)

Hi Torrance Stake Family, Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Focus on what you have done! But at the same time continue to be better prepared!

Many times we become overwhelmed with what we have not accomplished and do not recognize the many things we have already completed. We become focused on the past when we should be focused on the now and the future. So many of us when we become overwhelmed just stop dead in our tracks and do not move forward. The same goes for emergency preparedness. Even if you have just a few commercially canned and packages of extra food, and water, on hand it is better than nothing. Just continue to build on what you already have and before you know it yow will have 1-3 months of food storage and other emergency supplies. Do not worry about the long term food storage until you have at least 3 months of canned and packaged foods your family will eat. I know in some countries you cannot store move than allowed, store what you can. We are so blessing living in the United States that we are not limited to our food storage.

I hear many are concerned about all the news we are hearing about the world is going to face a financial crises and other major situations in the next few days, months. There is a lot of fear. Stay focused on what you are doing by being as prepared as you can with extra food, water and emergency supplies and staying close to the Spirit (Holy Ghost) for guidance and you will be alright. Yes, you may face some difficult trials and challenges ahead, but staying close to the Spirit will bring guidance, peace and comfort in the difficult days ahead, what ever they be. By reading your scriptures daily and praying daily the Spirit will guide you and protect you.



Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said (paraphrased) "we should not go to extreme preparedness in our emergency preparations". We should never go into debt.  Add to you food storage and emergency supplies gradually and as you can afford them.

Elder M. Russell Ballard, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, also stated, "Today, more so than in the past, I am asked about the signs of the times and if I think the end of the world is near. My answer is the same one that Jesus gave some two thousand years ago, 'But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Farther.'" (1992 conference)

Elder Boyd K. Packer, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stated, "It is a marvelous time to be alive. The world is not going to come to an end anytime soon. You are going to have time to stand, as I stand now, talking about your children, your grandchildren and your great-grandchildren. You decide!" (2011 conference)

So while it is good to prepared, there is still some time for us to improve and plan for the future. But do not procrastinate your preparation. As we have seen many many times on the news, life can change in an instant, disaster can happen at anytime. Be prepared before they happen!

September Monthly Assignments

 

Food Storage: Drinks 

This month we are focusing on adding all types of drinks to our 

short storage and long storage food storage. 

Drinks: Fruit juices (bottles, canned, cartons, dehydrated/freeze-dried), lemonade mix, milk (dehydrated/freeze-dried), hot chocolate mix, apple cider mix, etc.. What ever type of drinks your family will drink. Do not store something they will not drink, a waste of your money. Fruit juices in bottles, cans and cartons do not usually last as long, about a year. Make sure you keep on top of the expiration dates and rotate before they expire. Box powdered milk from the grocery store usually only last about 6 months. Rotate them as needed. Use the milk so your family will be accustomed to drinking it, use while cooking and where milk is call for in recipes. There are long term storage dehydrated/freeze-dried milks that are whole milk, watch the expiration dates on these, they may not store 20+ years, it may only be 7-10 years.

How much to store: Determine how much your family drinks, each variety, in a month, multiply that by the number of months you have set your food storage goal. Each time you go grocery shopping or find the types of drinks you are storing on sale purchase them and add them to your food storage. Always be on the look out and aware of sales throughout the year.

Where to store: In a cool, dry, dark place like your pantry or a closet. Never in the garage, to hot!

Remember: Rotation, Rotation, Rotation is the success of any food storage.

Emergency Supplies: 
             72 Hour Emergency Family Bag

 

You can use a sports bag or a backpack

  

 The 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag is an important part of your 

72 Hour Individual Emergency Backpacks. 

This bag contains items you might need during the emergency that you cannot get into your 72 Hour Individual Emergency Backpacks. Click here to see what items to add to this bag. You can also review this list on the right side of this blog under "Postings". Some items can get purchased at discount stores (99 Cent Store, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, etc.), some online and some at department and sporting goods stores, some you may have around the house. 

Emergency Preparedness Ideas

Dehydrated and Freeze Dried Long Term Food Storage . . .

Many of us have dehydrated and freeze-dried long term food storage (in 2.5 cans, #10 cans, super pails, Mylar bags, etc.) along with our commercially canned and packaged food storage. But do you know how to cook with it?

If you store long term food storage it is a good idea to get some of it out and experiment with it; learn how to
re-hydrate it and now to cook with it. If I order some type of dehydrated or freeze-dried foods I have not used before I like to order the smaller 2.5 cans, not the #10 cans, to see if I like it, if my family likes  and how to cook with it. Emergency Essentials is the only company that I know of that has the 2.5 cans.




Once you open a can you need to use it up within a month. If you live alone the 2.5 cans may be best for you. In some things I ordering the 2.5 cans, like seasonings, peanut butter, powdered butter, baking ingredients, etc. because I may not use they up as quickly.



  

Emergency Essentials has a several great website with recipes and demonstrations on how to use your long term dehydrated and freeze-dried products. Click here to see them. 

Remember: If you store dehydrated or freeze-dried foods, you need to store extra water to re-hydrate the food.

Comments and Questions: Please share your comments and questions, they are most appreciated. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. Please share them below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. I will answer your questions on my next blog posting. Thank you for your comments and questions. Note: If you are having a hard time leaving a comment try another server like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.