By Ronald P. Millet Published in Meridian Magazine online September 10, 2008
http://www.ldsmag.com/ideas/080910hands.html
Recent calamities of nature have emphasized the importance of emergency preparedness and the opportunity we have to minister to those in need. Like Joseph in Egypt , sometimes the Lord preserves life through self-reliance rather than a miracle such as being fed by manna in the Sinai wilderness. Joseph told his brethren:
“I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt . Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”
– Genesis 45:4-7
In our day we have been counseled to practice provident living that includes storing a year's supply of basic foods, clothing and where possible fuel. This supply is to minister to both ourselves and to others in times of need. President Hinckley emphasized:
“We have built grain storage and storehouses and stocked them with the necessities of life in the event of a disaster. But the best storehouse is the family storeroom. In words of revelation the Lord has said, ‘Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing' (D&C 109:8). Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparation as will assure survival should a calamity come.” 1
What Brigham Said
I found a quote by Brigham Young in the Journal of Discourses that described the plight that the saints faced during the first winter in the Salt Lake Valley . It was more interesting because I had studied more about the events of the year when it was given, 1856. Even though we usually remember the cricket plague of 1848 where the crops were saved by the seagulls, the most serious insect plague for the pioneers was “the great grasshopper invasion” of 1855, resulting in the loss of over 70% of the crops throughout the now extensively settled Utah Territory . Here is one description of these numerous and dangerous pests.
“Often the first approach of the grasshoppers was signaled when swarms of them appeared in the air overhead----an awesome sight. Settlers described them as looking like a 'heavy snowstorm' or snowflakes and so numerous as to cover the sky and darken the sun. The Deseret News reported one massive appearance in which 'the grasshoppers filled the sky for three miles deep, or as far as they could be seen without the aid of telescopes, and somewhat resembling a snow storm.” 2
Heber C. Kimball traveled through the Utah territory in 1855 and reported in a letter to his son that “From this place south as far as we went, the grasshoppers have cut down the grain, and there is not fifty acres now standing of any kind of grain in Salt Lake Valley, and what is now standing, they are cutting it down as fast as possible. In Utah County the fields are pretty much desolate; in Juab Valley not a green spear of grain is to be seen, nor in Sanpete, nor in Fillmore.” 3
In 1856, as Brigham Young delivered this address, the saints were praying that their new harvest would be able to keep them from starvation after the previous devastating year of grasshopper attacks. The handcart companies were on their way to the valley starting in this year. If their crops failed or the hated insects returned again in force, the handcart pioneers might have arrived in the valley in the middle of a serious famine.
Here is what Brigham Young said in the tabernacle on June 8, 1856:
The first year that I came into this valley I had not flour enough to last my family until harvest, and that I had brought with me, and persons were coming to my house every day for bread. I had the blues about one day; I went down to the old fort, and by the time I got back to my house I was completely cured. I said to my wife, “Do not let a person come here for food and go away empty handed, for if you do we shall suffer before harvest; but if you give to every individual that comes we shall have enough to last us through.”
I have proven this many a time, and we have again proven it this year. I have plenty on hand, and shall have plenty, if I keep giving away. More than two hundred persons eat from my provisions every day, besides my own family and those who work for me.
I intend to keep doing so, that my bread may hold out, for if I do not I shall come short. Do you believe that principle? I know it is true, because I have proven it so many times.
I have formerly told this community of a circumstance that occurred to brother Heber and myself, when we were on our way to England . We paid our passage to Kirtland, and to my certain knowledge we had only $13.50, but we paid out $87.00; this is but one instance among many which I could name.
You who have flour and meat, deal it out, and do not be afraid that you will be too much straightened, for if you will give, you will have plenty, for it is God who sustains us and we have got to learn this lesson. All I ask of you is to apply your heart to wisdom and to watch the providences of God, until you prove for yourselves that I am telling the truth, even that which I do know and have experienced. 4
Brigham Young had been diligent in doing all that he could before he received these blessings where the Lord literally multiplied his food. His wagons were full of flour and his land planted as best he could. Also, in true pioneer spirit of thrift, industry and hatred of the dole, those in need who were able bodied would expect and be expected to work for what they received.
Sharing Our Food Supply
In April conference of 1976, Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone also talked about sharing our food supply with our neighbors.
I should like to address a few remarks to those who ask, “Do I share with my neighbors who have not followed the counsel? And what about the nonmembers who do not have a year's supply? Do we have to share with them?” No, we don't have to share—we get to share! Let us not be concerned about silly thoughts of whether we would share or not. Of course we would share! What would Jesus do? I could not possibly eat food and see my neighbors starving. And if you starve to death after sharing, “greater love hath no man than this …” (John 15:13.)
Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families' needs? Don't give this one more idle thought. There is a God in heaven whom we have obeyed. Do you suppose he would abandon those who have kept his commandments? He said, “If ye are prepared, ye need not fear.” (D&C 38:30.) Prepare, O men of Zion , and fear not. Let Zion put on her beautiful garments. Let us put on the full armor of God. Let us be pure in heart, love mercy, be just, and stand in holy places. Commit to have a year's supply of food by April 1977. 5
In two recent conferences, Bishop Keith B. McMullin has given us detailed counsel on self-reliance so that we can “Lay up in Store” so that our “stores may not fail.”
Faith, spirituality, and obedience produce a prepared and self-reliant people. As we obey the covenant of tithing, we are shielded from want and the power of the destroyer. As we obey the fast and give generously to care for others, our prayers are heard and family fidelity increases. Similar blessings come as we obey the counsel of the prophets and live within our means, avoid unnecessary debt, and set aside sufficient of life's necessities to sustain ourselves and our families for at least a year. This may not always be easy, but let us do our very best, and our stores shall not fail—there shall be “enough and to spare.” (D&C 104:17) 6
From President James E. Faust, Second Counselor, we hear: “Every father and mother are the family's storekeepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency … [and] God will sustain us through our trials.” From President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor, we hear: “Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year's supply of food … and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food-free.” From President Gordon B. Hinckley, the Lord's prophet, we hear: ‘The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes. … We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. … I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all. …
Inspired preparation rests on the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, obedience, and a provident lifestyle. Members should not go to extremes, but they should begin.
We call upon priesthood bearers to store sufficient so that you and your family can weather the vicissitudes of life. Please see to it that those entrusted to your watch care receive these two pamphlets entitled “All Is Safely Gathered In.” Exhort them to prepare now for rainy days ahead. 7
Gladly Ministering
The Book of Mormon also emphasizes the importance of gladly ministering to the needy.
“And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.”
Alma 1:30
The prophetic and scriptural message seems to be that after diligent effort to be obedient and self reliant, it is our Christian generosity that then determines that we will have plenty, even extended miraculously, during difficult times. Following these principles, we might imagine that the man with the shotgun protecting his food from his hungry neighbor may go home to find his own food stolen or infested with insects or rodents. We also might imagine a modern day widow, like the widow of old who fed the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16), with her carefully saved buckets of food miraculously being able to feed a hungry multitude.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
No One to Go Away Empty Handed
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Water Our Most Important Storage Item
- WATER
STORAGE
Store at least 14 gallons of water per person—this is a bare minimum!
The average individual must drink at least two quarts of water every day. Children, nursing mothers, the elderly and people in warmer climates need more. You can survive days or even weeks without food but very few days without water. (Many people store a ton of dried foods and no water to dehydrate them. Be sure to store more if you have dried food in your storage.) Don't forget your pets-- 1 gallon per day per dog and a pint per day for a cat. Additional water should be reserved for personal hygiene and food preparation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security encourages individuals to store enough water to last a minimum of three days - bearing in mind that water is needed for drinking as well as for personal hygiene.
“If you water is free of bacteria and if you keep it in clean, tightly closed containers away from sunlight, it will remain safe indefinitely.”
Ensign October 1981, p. 71
Water is extremely heavy—weighing 8.8 pounds per gallon. If you water is from a treated source to begin with, you do not need to do anything else before storing. It is best to store at least part of your water storage in portable containers. If evacuation becomes necessary, you can easily grab these containers and put them in your car. Consider purchasing a case or two of bottled water, gallon jugs of bottled water or a 5 gallon blue water container which can be purchased at camping stores. Put your soda bottles to good use by following these steps:
Thoroughly clean the bottles with dish washing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Sanitize the bottles by adding a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Swish the sanitizing solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. After sanitizing the bottle, thoroughly rinse out the sanitizing solution with clean water. (It is NOT recommended that you use juice bottles because the fruit sugars cannot adequately be removed from the bottles) The plastic they are made of will last much longer than any of us and are an inexpensive way to build up your storage. Never use milk jugs-the plastic is made to recycle and will disintegrate (along with your water) within a year. Government agencies DO NOT recommend storing drinking water in bleach bottles. They are a good idea for cleansing and other uses.
Water Purification
Another resource available to you may be water that you find in local streams, rivers, ponds, etc. and then purify. While you shouldn’t count on this type of water as your main source of fluids, it’s a good way to supplement what you have stored.
Ways to purify water include:
Boiling for ten minutes. If you are counting on using this method, be sure to store lots of fuel and a cooking source.
Chlorine bleach. Be sure you use a product that has sodium hypochlorite as its active ingredient and does not contain perfume. Add 4 drops per quart (one teaspoon for a five-gallon container), then let sit open to the air. The resting time allows the chemical to work and excess chlorine to evaporate.
Iodine products such as purification tablets or Polar Pure.
Use a water filter. Be sure to use a filter designed for camping and backpacking. The water filtration systems designed for home usage are meant to be used with treated water and do not filter out harmful organisms such as Giardia.
ADDITIONAL WATER SOURCES
Despite your best efforts to store water for an emergency, you may find yourself in need of more than what you have stored. In this case, there are additional sources in your home. These should be used as a ‘back-up’ or as a last resort. These should not be what you are counting on to serve as your main water storage supply.
In order to prevent contamination to the water contained in your hot water heater and household pipes it is important that immediately after a major disaster you shut off the water valve that leads from the water main into your house.
Hot Water Heater Tank
Turn off the gas or electric supply to the tank. Close the water intake valve in to the tank by closing the faucet at the top of the tank.
Drain water into a container by opening the faucet at the bottom of the tank. Never turn the gas or electricity back on until the valve is reopened and the tank is full of water.
Drain water every six months, allowing water to drain until it flows clear. This process will ensure that the tank remains free of mineral and rust deposits and will also save on fuel!
Household Pipes
If your home is multilevel, you can drain the existing water in the pipes by gravity flow, after the water line into the house has been shut off.
Open a faucet on the top floor and drain water from a faucet at the lowest level.
Hot Tub/Swimming Pool/Water Bed Mattress This water can be used for hygiene purposes only. If consumed, this water can cause diarrhea due to chlorine content and can even cause permanent kidney damage.
Cube Trays
Flush Tanks on Your Toilet (as a last resort)
DO NOT use the water from the bowl
DO NOT use the water if it has been chemically treated (using any of the dissolvable tables or bottles of chemicals that are placed inside the tank).
It is recommended that for extra safety any water removed from the tank be purified.
If there is early warning of a disaster and you feel that water supplies may be disrupted; consider filling sinks, bathtubs, pots and pans and other containers with water to supplement what you have previously stored.
Store water in more than one location so that if you are unable to access one area of your house (where your water is located) you will still have another source to turn to.
Store your water as close to the ground as possible. Make sure they are not at risk of falling and hurting someone or damaging your water supply.- If you have extra space in your freezers, freeze soda bottles full of water. The frozen bottles help improve the efficiency of a half empty freezer and in the event of a power outage, they will help prevent other food from thawing out. After an earthquake or other emergency that can cause prolonged power outage, the frozen bottles of water can help provide an ‘icebox’ of sorts. Remember that water expands where freezing so only fill your bottles about 9/10 of the way full to prevent bulging and cracking.
Storing your barrel outside could have an effect on the life of the barrel. If possible, store in a shady place and cover it with a dark tarp. Although most sites recommend changing your water frequently, we recently changed some 12 year old water and it tasted just fine. It is more important that you store it—even if you do not get around to rotating or changing it. Do double check to make sure that it has not evaporated.
Store your water away from gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, etc. Plastic containers can be permeated by hydrocarbon vapors.
Choose your water storage locations carefully. Store your water where possible leakage will not cause damage to your home.
Water barrels should not be stored directly on cement floors. The plastic is porous and chemicals from the cement can eventually find their way into your water. Use a piece of plywood or similar material as a base for your barrels.
Save your dishwater and laundry water to flush your toilets.
One last thought: store kool-aid, gatorade, or other flavorings for your water--especially if you have children and need help in getting them to stay hydrated.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Why a blog?
For several months, I have been sharing information from many sources with some of my friends and ward members about food storage and emergency preparation. Instead of emailing all of this information, I decided that this blog might be a better way to have all the information in one place. It also allows me to add videos and other information that might be valuable to many of you. Most of the information is readily available on the web. Most of it is not new. Most of it is not my original idea or even my work. For many years I have been collecting, studying and trying to keep up with all the things that my family might need in any emergency situation. I hope that in some small way, this blog will be helpful to you and your family.
Plus...this news release from the Church:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long encouraged its members to store extra food to provide for possible future needs caused by economic hardship, disasters or other emergencies. Encouraging individual members to be prepared is part of the Church’s overall welfare plan
Please feel free to share any ideas which you may have, ask any questions, and give me any ideas for topics which you feel may be valuable to your preparedness. Hopefully if someone finds items on sale, etc., this will be a place to share that information. If you feel the information is valuable, please feel free to share any or all of it with your friends and neighbors. The more people that are prepared in any emergency situation, the better off we will all be.
Although I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have a strong testimony of its truthfulness, and fully support the teachings of the church regarding preparation,this blog is solely my own and is not affiliated or endorsed by the church.
It is my intention is to send out an email notification anytime something new is posted on the Blog. If you wish to be part of this notification, please send me an email at morgill@byu.net
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Naming the Blog!
A special thank you to Bishop Paul Keele for our blog name. While serving as the Bishop of the Truckee River Ward in Reno, Nevada, Bishop Keele would always encourage us to "think outside the box." As a ward, we were always encouraged to try other ways to activate people, to search out the 'one,' to be better Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers, to find better ways to share and to live through our actions, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thus we start this Emergency Preparation Blog with the name--"THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOAT." (Thanks Bishop Keele!) When Noah was building his Ark he only had one thing to worrry about - the flood. The Lord had told him that a flood was coming that would cleanse the earth and his boat was the means for saving his family and any others who would be obedient. In our day and age, we cannot just worry about our "boat."
We need to think beyond the boat to the many challenges that have been foretold of in the scriptures and by our Prophets. We need to think outside the boat for ways to acquire our 72 hours kits, our year's supply of food, for ways to physically, spiritually and emotionally prepare ourselves and our families for these last days. It is my hope that this blog will help all of us be better prepared for whatever lies ahead. Elder Perry states:
“The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).
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