Do Instead of Plan to Do - Month Two

How did your 72 hr. kit goal go for January? If you fell off, get back on. It’s going to be fun and easy.

Here is the February list. Hopefully by now you have your family ready to work with you and they are watching the pile of items grow. Children have a way of really getting involved with righteous goals. They often surprise us with the joy and confidence that getting prepared gives them.

When I was a little girl, my folks always tried to have food storage. They certainly didn’t make much money, but they gardened, canned, shopped sales and bought extra of everything they could. At one point, our bishop asked a few families, including mine, to go home from the meeting. and take this challenge: Live for a month on the food storage they already had in their home. It was a fun and eye opening challenge. They ran out of two items in particular: toothpaste and toilet paper. After making do with other items to fill these needs, my father in particular, vowed that he would never run out of either again. I wonder how many homes would have fared as well as we did. I honestly think that in some of the very biggest and prettiest homes, is hardly one week’s supply of the necessities of life. Fine rugs, metal candle holders and stained glass will be a poor substitute for food and supplies in a real crisis. I am grateful to my parents for being prepared even with very modest means. It gave me a feeling of peace and security. This kind of peace and security in a very unmerciful and scary world, we can provide.

February Preparedness Family Home Evening

Opening Song: Be Prepared (to the tune of Yankee Doodle)

Verse 1:
Our Prophet’s told us to prepare
For famine and disaster.
If we obey, our family will
Live happily ever after.

Chorus:

“Be Prepared.” our Prophet said.
Store your wheat and honey.
Plant a garden, learn first aid.
And don’t forget some money!

Verse 2:

When father Noah built and ark,
The people laughed and shouted.
But when the rain began to pour,
The people never doubted.

Chorus: repeat

Verse 3:

We have been warned in latter-days,
There will be floods and earthquakes.
So put your house in order
And prepare before the dam breaks!

Chorus: repeat

Verse 4:

Please do not procrastinate
Excuses have no muscle.
You’ll never find a better time,
Than NOW! So better hustle.

Chorus: repeat
(this song was printed in the Magna Central Stake Preparedness Manual… author unknown)

Thought: “For the righteous, the gospel provides a warning before a calamity, a program for the crisis, a refuge for the disaster.” Ezra Taft Benson

List Two

-A notebook to put all of the emergency hand-outs and notes and important papers in…. print off these monthly lists and put them in your notebook for easy reference

-I.D. all your back-packs, containers and bas with the names of the person they belong to and (when you finally divide up all the items and put them in the bags, I.D. each with a list of what is inside of them)

-Copies of all patriarchal blessings for each member of the family who has received one. Store in a zip-lock bag.

-Old or inexpensive copies of the scriptures

-Neosporin or any other generic brand of a triple anti-biotic ointment

-Band-Aids

-Battery operated radio and batteries for it

-Small simple sewing kit with one light weight and one heavier weight needle

-Safety pins

-Extra eye glasses for those who wear them… also a pair of magnifying glasses

-Prescription drugs for those who need them… if possible, a month supply

-Water bottles for each family member… at least 3 gallons per family member should be on hand

-Sleeping bag for each person and a tiny pillow if available
(just have these on hand and know where they are so they can be grabbed at a moments notice)

Note: It is not necessary to breed a fear of disaster in our little children. Children are already afraid of so many of the things in this world that are unknown to them and over which they have no control. Speak clearly and briefly of what may happen. Assure them of the Lord’s watchful care over those whom He loves and over those who have prepared. They will be able to handle the rest when it comes. Fear comes when we have not prepared. Faith can replace fear in our hearts and the hearts of our children when we feel ready for what ever may come. You’re doing what you can as you move forward with this goal and the goal of a home food storage program. Congratulations!