Just thought I would take a minute to share with you how grateful I am for the opportunities that have come my way since taking on the calling of Ward Welfare Specialist.
I have learnt so much about being prepared, what it really means to be prepared and how to get myself and my family into a self reliant frame of mind.
I am humbled by the positive feedback and encouragement I have received from people within the ward and from other wards and non members.
I stand amazed daily at the information that falls into my hands, the contacts I have made and all the excellent bargains I have located. I know I am doing the Lord's will, I know it because I alone could not have found even a quarter of the information I have, let alone the contacts and bargains.
Many people who do not know or see the Lords hand in their lives may well scoff and say that I did find the information and I did all that I have done. I know because I was once a skeptic and a non believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. But now I know different. I am strong and I can do all things because He is with me. I believe He guides us, leads us gently to the experiences and knowledge we seek and I am honoured to be an instrument in His hands to bring the knowledge and skills we all need to be prepared for all things to this blog and to my Waverley welfare newsletter each week.
until next week.
yours in preparedness
Georgia
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Mini Survival kit.
Chances are an emergency will happen
while you are at work / school etc, rather
then when you are at home with
everything on hand.
A mini survival kit kept at work, in the
bottom of your school bag, in the car or
even in your handbag will help you
through. Your kit could consist of: a
mylar / space blanket, small first aid kit,
containing tweezers, sterile bandage,
band aids, antiseptic cream, tissues,
wipes. A small bottle of water and
something with a long shelf life to eat,
such as good quality muesli bars, fruit
leather, chewing gum, trail mix etc.
Small note pad and pencil/ pen. Torch/
batteries or wind up / static torch.
There is no such thing as over prepared,
only under prepared.
With the world going mad and the
increase of violence, it is a matter of time
before we see such tragedy’s as shootings
at school causing lock downs and the
children held in for hours. Prepare them
by providing a mini survival kit in their
school bags. Include a game and other
comfort foods such as chocolate. Add a
photo of the family to give them
something to focus on. Perhaps discuss
during FHE some instructions they could
have written down in their kits, cue cards
to keep them calm, such as: stay where
you are, remain calm, help will come etc.
Even a note from you expressing your
confidence in them to act appropriately
and your love for them.
while you are at work / school etc, rather
then when you are at home with
everything on hand.
A mini survival kit kept at work, in the
bottom of your school bag, in the car or
even in your handbag will help you
through. Your kit could consist of: a
mylar / space blanket, small first aid kit,
containing tweezers, sterile bandage,
band aids, antiseptic cream, tissues,
wipes. A small bottle of water and
something with a long shelf life to eat,
such as good quality muesli bars, fruit
leather, chewing gum, trail mix etc.
Small note pad and pencil/ pen. Torch/
batteries or wind up / static torch.
There is no such thing as over prepared,
only under prepared.
With the world going mad and the
increase of violence, it is a matter of time
before we see such tragedy’s as shootings
at school causing lock downs and the
children held in for hours. Prepare them
by providing a mini survival kit in their
school bags. Include a game and other
comfort foods such as chocolate. Add a
photo of the family to give them
something to focus on. Perhaps discuss
during FHE some instructions they could
have written down in their kits, cue cards
to keep them calm, such as: stay where
you are, remain calm, help will come etc.
Even a note from you expressing your
confidence in them to act appropriately
and your love for them.
July 4th 2008
The two way street
Recently the church published online a resource guide for disability’s.
A marvellous read, one I would recommend. It can be found at
www.lds.org under the home and family section. It covers all the major
disabilities such as autism, hearing / sight impairments, chronic illness,
mental, physical disabilities etc. Of course everyone has different needs
and it would be too exhaustive to cover them all, but as a general guide
it can be adaptive to the individual needs of the members.
The message is simple. Everyone has the right to full participation in
the church, whether it be as a child in Primary, YM/YW, YSA, RS,
Priesthood, Sunday school, as a teacher of those with special needs or
with special needs themselves or serving in any calling. Our limitations
due to disability should not impede our participation. The awareness of
and the incidence of disability is on the increase , we all need to do our
part.
This subject is fraught with danger. I will tread carefully but please pull
your feet under the seat so I don’t step on any toes.
We are all given talents and gifts, we are all given the opportunity to increase and magnify these gifts and talents to further our own journey towards exaltation and to glorify our Father in Heaven.
We are also given challenges and obstacles to overcome for the same reasons. To journey forward towards exaltation through endurance and faith; and to glorify our Father in Heaven. For many the challenge is a disability. For us as members of the Church we need to be understanding of these limitations and the with all sincerity ask how we may help these members fully participate. We then need to respect the way that person
/ parents deals with things and not try and force our ideals upon them. It is easy to get caught up in the ‘you just don’t understand’ frustrated attitude as a sufferer / parent and it is easy to get caught up in the ‘well I’d do it this way’ judgemental attitude. Both are wrong, both need repentance and forgiveness. Both need to
learn the unconditional pure love of Christ.
Page 276 of the teachings of the Presidents - Joseph Smith manual states:
‘The work in which we are unitedly engaged is one of no ordinary kind. The enemies we have to contend against are subtle and well skilled in manoeuvring; it behooves us to be on the alert to concentrate our energies, and the best feelings should exist in our midst; and then, by the help of the Almighty, we shall go on from victory to victory, and from conquest to conquest; our evil passions will be subdued, our prejudices depart; we shall find no room in our bosoms for hatred; vice will hide its deformed head, and we shall stand approved in the sight of heaven, and be acknowledged the sons of God.’
Here within the gospel should be our haven, our solace and safe harbour from the world, let us not bring it in here too. Love one another, be your brothers keeper, have compassion and understanding, even if your don’t understand and possibly never will, have the faith in the Lord and the love to not judge. It is too easy to become hardened, we are weak and we are wicked, but with the love and strength of the Lord we can be exhibitors of Christ like love for all. We are poor wayfaring men of grief and we are the ones
who took Him in and lifted Him up, we are all these things and more because of Him who died for us.
The conductor of the choir I am in told us of a member of his church choir who continually disrupts the rehearsals and makes a huge fuss over the way this person believes Amazing Grace should be sung. He reminded that person as he reminded us when we sang it last week that it is not how you sing it, it is to whom you are singing. It is what you are singing about.
Same for us, it is not what you look like, how you are dressed, how your hair is styled, how you speak, behave or any number of things, it is for whom we are here. It is to whom we have come to worship and adore that matters. He didn’t wear a suit with a crisp white shirt and conservative tie, He did not ask those around Him to come follow Him as long as they had the right shoes on or thought the way other people did.
He came to set free the sinner. To lift up the poor and lowly of heart, restore sight to the blind, health to the leper cause the lame to walk. He cares not what we look like, he cares that we follow Him and that we love one another.
From the bottom of my heart in all sincerity I love you my brothers and sisters and I pray the Lord will help me be compassionate and understanding, to put away my pride and unrighteous judgments and to always
love my fellow man.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Welfare article week ending 22nd June
Bargain Hunters Corner
Superior Foods at 769-781
Springvale Rd Mulgrave, has many
great bargains to be had.
Allied Mills Buttermilk pancake
mix 10kg for $39.00 or Edylln
Buttermilk pancake mix 10kg for
$33.00. Why pay $6.60 a kilo at
Coles for Pancake Parlour brand
buttermilk pancake mix which is
made by Allied Mills!
Also Alpen blend drinking
chocolate $14.80 equals 11
supermarket size jars, but saves
you $21.50 in price! (in my
opinion it is the nicest drinking
chocolate hot or cold)
I shall put a list, on the notice
board in the Relief Society room,
of the Allied Mills products that
Superior Foods will get in if you
ask them. Cake mixes, scone
mixes, muffin mixes, flours and
grains and other food stuffs.
WELFARE KNOW HOW
Our first night will be on using a dehydrator and the oven for
dehydrating. If you think dehydrating is just for making banana
chips, then come along for a surprise. Make soup mixes, jerky, fruit
leathers, dried fruits, dried vegetables. A whole world of possibilities
and goodies awaits you. Not just for the women folk or the Molly
Mormons among us ... Men folk I would love to see you there
learning and tasting. Youth and Young Adults don’t be shy come
along, you’ll be homemakers one day too!
Date and time to be advised next week.
HFPE Report
For those who were unable to come Wednesday night to the HFPE Welfare night, you missed a great
night. It was a night full of fun, laughter and learning. We had some great lessons and demonstrations and
some seriously nice food storage inspired food and drink.
Sister Bulfin gave us a great lesson on how to calculate what you would need to store for 3 months, based
on the First Presidency’s recent publication encouraging us to at least have a 3 month supply. Sister Bulfin
walked us through the process of list making and calculating the supplies needed. Here is a brief over
view, for further information please consult lds.org/providentliving
1: Make a list of dishes your family likes to eat.
2: How many times per week do you want to eat this dish?
3: Write down the recipe ingredients and amounts
4: Calculate what is needed per week, then for 3 months (12-15 weeks)
5: compile a master list of ingredients and the amounts you need to purchase for you 3 month supply.
6: Calculate non food items (date when open)
Include at least 10 mail meals, 4 breakfasts and 4 lunches.
Sister Webb wowed us all with her fantastic lentil balls and demonstration of easy meals made from food
storage items. It was great to see how many different ways each item could be used making a wide variety of
meals. Sister Curtis shared her recipe for hot chocolate and wheat germ loaf. They were both delicious.
The recipes are:
Hot Chocolate Wheat Germ Loaf
1 ½ cups white sugar 1 cup currents
1 cup dry milk powder 1 cup wheat germ
¾ cup coco powder 1 cup milk (milk powder is fine)
I cup coffee whitener ¾ cup raw sugar
mix together and store in a container mix and let stand for 2 hours
add two heaped spoonfuls to a cup Add 1 ½ cups self raising flour
add boiling water and marsh mallows Bake for about 1 hour at 180 degrees
Sister Oak brought along a delicious chocolate cake made from hand milled flour (thanks to her Dad and
fresh eggs thanks to their chickens) and Sister Jupi made a lovely banana cake. We also tried some of my
favourite kibbled rye and lentil bolognese sauce, canned butter, Amaranth cereal and flaked Quinoa
(pronounced keen-wah), both of which are high in essential amino acids and other minerals making them
great super foods to add to your storage.
I spoke about the main supplies to have on hand that will keep you alive should there be nothing else. Wheat
(and other grain) water, sugar, salt, oils and fats, honey. Adding to that the benefits of sprouting your wheat
to add much needed vitamins to your diet and wheat grass. As well as the above mentioned super foods of
Amaranth and Quinoa. I also discussed including spirulina which is high in antioxidants and other essential
and non essential amino acids, mineral and vitamins. In short a great all round pill or powder to keep to
ensure your body remains healthy.
All in all it was a fantastic night, thanks to all those who came and especially to all those who provided for
us on the night.
Self reliant Tip.
Each week I would like to include
a tip on something self reliant
whether it be a cleaning or storage
tip or anything else to do with
welfare. I need all the input I can
get, so please share with me so I
can share with others.
Microwave cleaning tip
A bowl of warm water and lemon
juice set on high for 1 minute will
loosen any food splatter making it
easier to clean off.
Georgia
Superior Foods at 769-781
Springvale Rd Mulgrave, has many
great bargains to be had.
Allied Mills Buttermilk pancake
mix 10kg for $39.00 or Edylln
Buttermilk pancake mix 10kg for
$33.00. Why pay $6.60 a kilo at
Coles for Pancake Parlour brand
buttermilk pancake mix which is
made by Allied Mills!
Also Alpen blend drinking
chocolate $14.80 equals 11
supermarket size jars, but saves
you $21.50 in price! (in my
opinion it is the nicest drinking
chocolate hot or cold)
I shall put a list, on the notice
board in the Relief Society room,
of the Allied Mills products that
Superior Foods will get in if you
ask them. Cake mixes, scone
mixes, muffin mixes, flours and
grains and other food stuffs.
WELFARE KNOW HOW
Our first night will be on using a dehydrator and the oven for
dehydrating. If you think dehydrating is just for making banana
chips, then come along for a surprise. Make soup mixes, jerky, fruit
leathers, dried fruits, dried vegetables. A whole world of possibilities
and goodies awaits you. Not just for the women folk or the Molly
Mormons among us ... Men folk I would love to see you there
learning and tasting. Youth and Young Adults don’t be shy come
along, you’ll be homemakers one day too!
Date and time to be advised next week.
HFPE Report
For those who were unable to come Wednesday night to the HFPE Welfare night, you missed a great
night. It was a night full of fun, laughter and learning. We had some great lessons and demonstrations and
some seriously nice food storage inspired food and drink.
Sister Bulfin gave us a great lesson on how to calculate what you would need to store for 3 months, based
on the First Presidency’s recent publication encouraging us to at least have a 3 month supply. Sister Bulfin
walked us through the process of list making and calculating the supplies needed. Here is a brief over
view, for further information please consult lds.org/providentliving
1: Make a list of dishes your family likes to eat.
2: How many times per week do you want to eat this dish?
3: Write down the recipe ingredients and amounts
4: Calculate what is needed per week, then for 3 months (12-15 weeks)
5: compile a master list of ingredients and the amounts you need to purchase for you 3 month supply.
6: Calculate non food items (date when open)
Include at least 10 mail meals, 4 breakfasts and 4 lunches.
Sister Webb wowed us all with her fantastic lentil balls and demonstration of easy meals made from food
storage items. It was great to see how many different ways each item could be used making a wide variety of
meals. Sister Curtis shared her recipe for hot chocolate and wheat germ loaf. They were both delicious.
The recipes are:
Hot Chocolate Wheat Germ Loaf
1 ½ cups white sugar 1 cup currents
1 cup dry milk powder 1 cup wheat germ
¾ cup coco powder 1 cup milk (milk powder is fine)
I cup coffee whitener ¾ cup raw sugar
mix together and store in a container mix and let stand for 2 hours
add two heaped spoonfuls to a cup Add 1 ½ cups self raising flour
add boiling water and marsh mallows Bake for about 1 hour at 180 degrees
Sister Oak brought along a delicious chocolate cake made from hand milled flour (thanks to her Dad and
fresh eggs thanks to their chickens) and Sister Jupi made a lovely banana cake. We also tried some of my
favourite kibbled rye and lentil bolognese sauce, canned butter, Amaranth cereal and flaked Quinoa
(pronounced keen-wah), both of which are high in essential amino acids and other minerals making them
great super foods to add to your storage.
I spoke about the main supplies to have on hand that will keep you alive should there be nothing else. Wheat
(and other grain) water, sugar, salt, oils and fats, honey. Adding to that the benefits of sprouting your wheat
to add much needed vitamins to your diet and wheat grass. As well as the above mentioned super foods of
Amaranth and Quinoa. I also discussed including spirulina which is high in antioxidants and other essential
and non essential amino acids, mineral and vitamins. In short a great all round pill or powder to keep to
ensure your body remains healthy.
All in all it was a fantastic night, thanks to all those who came and especially to all those who provided for
us on the night.
Self reliant Tip.
Each week I would like to include
a tip on something self reliant
whether it be a cleaning or storage
tip or anything else to do with
welfare. I need all the input I can
get, so please share with me so I
can share with others.
Microwave cleaning tip
A bowl of warm water and lemon
juice set on high for 1 minute will
loosen any food splatter making it
easier to clean off.
Georgia
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Welfare article for the week ending 15th June 2008
Bit of a mixed bag for you today my dear brothers and sisters.
At the end of last year there was a ‘questionnaire’ type form for a welfare version of New Year’s Resolutions. How are you going with your plan? How prepared do you think you are right now? Or, like true New Year’s Resolution fashion did you nod sagely thinking ‘yes, yes, I’ll do this’ and then promptly forget or assign it to the too hard basket? People’s desire to live the principals of self-reliance are challenged by any number of things. Such as financial strain or even abundance. Don’t have the money to get started (or so you think) or you have plenty of money so why bother, you can just buy it when you want it. Storage restrictions… Where will I store it all? I need a whole other house to store it all! I could go on and on about the challenges we face, but the facts remain the same. The Lord Jesus Christ does not lie, He cannot lie, so if he says prepare every needful thing, He means PREPARE EVERY NEEDFUL THING.
If he commands us to do something we need to do our best to do it, even if we do not have a testimony of it, we need to have the faith that it is the right thing to do and just do it. Leave the seemingly insurmountable opposition and challenges to do it to the Lord and just do it. Was it President McKay or President Benson who said ‘Do it, Do it right, Do it right now’? What are you waiting for? Shortages are happening now, so it is really time to get organised to do something about your food storage NOW. Don’t wait to be among the panicking mob, fighting over a meagre amount of goods in a bare supermarket.
And if you think I am being one of those scruffy looking fellow’s with the billboard proclaiming the end of the world, trying to raise some hysteria, think again. Take a good hard look in the supermarket next time you are there, notice that in some spots the shelves are getting a little bare. Sometimes it may even take days for a certain product to come back into stock.
Do it. Do it right. DO IT RIGHT NOW.
And now off my soapbox.
Coming soon... Welfare know how. A fun informative evening to learn more about welfare, from dehydrating and preserving to make shift shelters and escape plans. I am happy to run each class twice, once during the day at my house and then again in the evening at the chapel if it helps. Let me know what you want to learn so I can include it in the plans. So far we have dehydrating using a dehydrator as well as the oven, plus, and, later in the year closer to Christmas we will be learning how to make jams and other preserves. I am hoping to begin the jam making with an early morning adventure picking our own berries.
Not just for the women folk… meaning full glance around trying to catch some male eye contact. Yes my dear brothers I do mean you. As the hymn title says ‘Come all ye saints of the Lord’.
How’d I get back up on this soapbox? Hmm next topic.
Getting thrifty with it.
Tell me your thrifty ideas. Do you have a secret weapon for cleaning? Or an old wives tale you swear by? Share the wealth of knowledge, just like the parable of the talents, don’t bury it in the ground or keep it to yourself, share it, grow from it, learn in return. I would love to devote a section of the WAVERLEY WELFARE to thrifty tips and ideas… want to know something… ask and I can run a request for it, someone is bound to know.
Did you know that carpet deodorises are little more than sweet smelling sodium bicarbonate? Why pay a bundle for it when you can make your own? Bi carb soda as it is commonly called, has long been known for its odour clearing properties. A tablespoon in a small open container in the fridge helps keep fridge odours at bay. As does sprinkling it on carpets, letting sit for 20 minutes then vacuuming it up.
If you want a sweeter smelling carpet deodoriser mix in some lavender flowers. Or, sprinkle some water-soluble eucalyptus a container of bi carb, let it sit for a day or so, then break up the lumps and sprinkle it over your carpets. You can use good quality oils as well, as long as you mix it thoroughly so you don’t have clumps of oil laden bi carb sitting on your carpet. If you are unsure if it will stain, use it in a small out of the way spot to test it first.
Vinegar is another wonder product, great for cleaning windows, cutlery and glasses. I like to give our cutlery a super clean every so often, by filling the sink with boiling hot water and a liberal splash of vinegar, run a scrubbing brush over each piece especially the tines of the forks, let them sit for while in the sink, let them dry upright in the dish rack for a streak free finish.
Some of my favourite sites for finding information and getting great ideas are:
www.theideadoor.com www.preparedpantry.com www.rd.com/organize-your-home www.totallyready.com http://search.ldslibrary.com/article/view/77096 www.ema.gov.au www.chefnoah.com/index.htm www.providentliving.org www.thefoodguys.com/freesoftware.htm www.enlightenedhomemaker.com www.areyouprepared.com www.pantrylist.com.au www.p2s.com.au/public/home.ehtml
If you have some sites you like to visit let me know so I can share the wealth.
And one more that you can add to the list is my welfare blog. Anyone can check it out.
http://georgiaswelfarespot.blogspot.com So if you miss out on a welfare handout you know you can always catch up with it online. I have already uploaded all of last year’s and this year’s articles and will add to it each week. Isn’t technology marvellous? ( hello to all those reading this on the blog already)
I have also found a supplier of whole egg powder if anyone is interested. It comes in 15 kg bags. So my thought was to offer it in 1kg amounts and seal it into foil pouches for you. It will work out to $14.00 a kilo, which may sound like a lot, but it works out to around 35 cents an egg (ex large egg), that is quite comparable to fresh eggs (same size) at around 30 cents, but with the added benefit of a long shelf life.
If you would like to order whole egg powder see me for an order form. I will be placing the order Monday 28th of July so all orders and money needs to be in by Sunday 27th of July. Giving us all six weeks to get organised.
I had a go at making butter this week. Quite simple and easy. A little on the messy side sometimes but the end result was some seriously nice home made butter, free from artificial additives and preservatives. If you feel your arteries couldn’t cope with home made butter try mixing some flaxseed oil into it for a much healthier blend (it is higher in the essential omega 3. 6 and 9’s than fish and heavy metal free), still free from additives and much better in taste than common butter or chemical laden margarine. Price wise it works out around the same as buying a tub of butter. However if you want to get your body back to a healthier state by reducing the chemicals and other elements highly processed foods contain then it is a great alternative. Also handy to know for that Sunday afternoon when you find the butter dish empty and guests knocking at the door.
Last but not least is a great big plug for HFPE this coming Wednesday night. It is all about Welfare, with lots of fabulous information and taste testing! Come along and learn some great tips and ideas. Share your own tips and ideas. Don’t be shy, don’t roll your eyes and say you’re not interested. Think of the parable of the ten virgins. Do you want to be one of the five who freely went to meet the bridegroom or do you want to be one of the five who lamented and were left behind?
Until next week remember it is good to be an every needful thing preparing, welfare principal applying, clean living, resource seeking, (HFPE attending!) getting serious about self reliance Latter Day Saint.
Yours in Preparedness
Georgia
Friday, June 6, 2008
May 2008 Waverley Welfare
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. 13th Article of Faith.
I love the Articles of Faith, I could wax lyrical about how perfectly written they are not just for the age they were written in but for all ages. But I won’t. Instead I would like to focus on fourteen words.
We have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.
Enduring all things can encompass the whole of Welfare, our physical and spiritual health, our education, employment, finances, our self-sufficiency, everything.
Often when we talk about enduring we talk about enduring to the end. So our thoughts and plans are geared towards the end. Being prepared for an event yet to come. So it is with welfare, we prepare for an event yet to come. Today however I would like to endure by looking at what is happening around us in the world and within our own shores.
On the worldwide stage we see devastating natural disasters in China, Burma and in parts of the USA. There are the on going droughts and hardships in Africa and other parts of the world. Italy is again under threat of volcanic eruptions, wars and civil unrest are breaking out across the world, terrorism is now a constant threat bringing with it, its brothers - suspicion and fear, who in turn bring their mates - violence and panic. It is pretty ugly out there.
Here within our golden shores and azure sky we fare no better really. Water is in short supply, which like on a global scale has had an impact on our food resources. Rice has gone up in price and we can expect many others to follow. The rising cost of fuel is also being felt in the supermarkets, as well as in our daily lives and budget. Another disaster sweeping the world is the loss of bees. Several theories and suggested causes have been put forward but the fact remains the same, the bees are dying which is a catastrophe for all of us. Bees help pollinate our fruits and vegetables, they provide numerous products from honey to antibiotic gels. If the bees die, we die.
Our government, like many, is slow to action in finding alternative resources for fuel and other commodities, fixing the problems we already have and in educating the populace. I believe in the articles of faith so I also follow the 12th article of faith.
‘We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.’
I sustain the law under which we live… but I don’t have to blindly sit around and wait for the government to tell me what I should do about natural or man made disasters and being prepared. I cannot live by the good old Aussie adage of ‘she’ll be right mate’ when it comes to welfare as we know it. Although the government is now starting to sporadically encourage the population to store food and other necessities, I personally don’t think it is enough.
We as Latter Day Saints are in the enviable position of having the knowledge and the guidance to be prepared, to endure the here and now as well as the end to come. But unless we get active and do it, we will, like the rest of the nation turn to the government for help and be left in the same untenable position as those poor souls in the hurricane Katrina disaster. Normally loving gentle folk turned into a savage mob, their government was unable to provide enough relief fast enough to prevent many of the follow on problems of food, shelter, disease, protection from the mobs etc.
We can be prepared; we must follow the counsel of our Prophets, both past and present. We must follow them or we will perish, whether that is physical or spiritual perishing it matters not, the end result is the same. We will stand before the Lord knowing we did nothing.
It is good to be an obedient, prepared, enduring, counsel following, Prophet heeding Latter Day Saint.
Yours in preparedness
Georgia
April 2008 Waverley Welfare
In looking up old ensign issues for welfare articles I found something really interesting. Each of the lead in sentences is in essence a mini lesson. For example:
Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, May 1999, 76–79
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members strive to emulate the Savior's example as we seek to relieve suffering and foster self-reliance.
L. Tom Perry, Ensign, Nov. 1991, 64–66
The principle of self-reliance is spiritual as well as temporal. It is not a doomsday program; it is something to be practiced each and every day of our lives. (this was one of my personal favourites)
Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Sept. 1986, 2–5
The guiding principles [of welfare are] work, self-reliance, sound financial management, a year's supply, caring for the extended family, and wise use of Church resources.
Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, May 1986, 25–27
Few, if any, of the Lord's instructions are stated more often, or given greater emphasis, than the commandment to care for the poor and the needy. Our dispensation is no exception.
Robert D. Hales, Ensign, May 1986, 28–30
When we think of welfare, let us think of the plan revealed by our Lord for the eternal welfare of our souls.
Marion G. Romney, Ensign, Apr. 1981, 3–7
Self-reliance, as taught by the prophets, becomes a fundamental truth in the gospel plan.
Marion G. Romney, Ensign, May 1980, 82–84
The crowning aspect of a Christlike life is found in serving one's fellowmen.
Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1978, 74–77
Our houses can be in order by planned, consistent, and timely application of basic welfare principles and programs.
Aren’t they fantastic, precise to the point lessons, yet lovingly conveyed by the Lord’s anointed.
Latter Day Saints in general are held in high regard by some and as objects of ridicule and scorn by others. Our beliefs and practises make us exactly as Joseph Smith described us “a peculiar people”. And he had the backing of one of the first apostles Peter who said.
But ye are a achosen generation, a broyal cpriesthood, an dholy enation, a fpeculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of gdarkness into his marvellous hlight: (1st Peter 2:9)
And yet despite the scorn of many, our practises of food storage and preparedness are now spreading to the rest of the world and being embraced as a sensible idea rather than a quirk of our religion.
Our own Government has begun to say that each household should have some food stored in case of an emergency. The United States Government has also begun to make noises about the people being prepared by storing food.
An article in the 5th of April New Scientist magazine discussed the issue of what would happen in a pandemic. A pandemic is a virulent disease outbreak or other epidemic, which would affect the current world practises and habits on both a local and a global level, such as devastation by natural forces.
For example if the bird flu or some other deadly virus took hold again and people began to die, panic would set in and people would begin to horde supplies and not venture out for fear of contracting the disease. Hospitals would be inundated with sick and suffering people, work places would shut down due to loss of staff through death or fear and enforce closures to protect the companies from further infection and losses. Which would in a matter of days cripple a nation. The world is so vast and yet technology has made it so small. Supermarkets now carry only enough food for three or four days, why stock more when they can get more trucked in from storehouses? Same with hospitals they carry a three to four days supply of things like oxygen, medication would also run out pretty swiftly as would blood supplies. Government bodies are starting to look at this and take it seriously.
But this is something we have been counselled about for generations.
We know we need to be prepared against the days of trial and hardship, we know we need to be prepared for all things and we know how to do it, we have countless addresses by our Leaders, books and other instructional material for our use to help us to be prepared for all things.
Now is a fantastic time for us to share our knowledge and our gospel foundation for self-reliance and food storage. We as a peculiar people can show those who care to learn how to become self-reliant and in doing so share the gospel with them through living these principals.
Not only do we have our leaders and church materials to teach us, we have the scriptures, which also lead us and guide us and give us specific instruction.
James 1:27 areligion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To bvisit the cfatherless and dwidows in their eaffliction, and to keep himself funspotted from gthe hworld.
Jacob 1:17-19
Think of your abrethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your bsubstance, that cthey may be rich like unto you.
But abefore ye seek for briches, seek ye for the ckingdom of God.
And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to ado good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.
D&C 42:31
And inasmuch as ye aimpart of your bsubstance unto the cpoor, ye will do it unto me; and they shall be dlaid before the ebishop of my church and his fcounselors, two of the elders, or high priests, such as he shall appoint or has appointed and gset apart for that purpose.
D&C 104:15-18
And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine.
But it must needs be done in mine own away; and behold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the bpoor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low.
For the aearth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be bagents unto themselves.
Therefore, if any man shall take of the aabundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the blaw of my gospel, unto the cpoor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in dhell, being in torment.
At the end of the day it comes back to this. The Lord has spoken directly to us through the scriptures, through His mouthpiece, the Prophet, through His apostles, His church leaders, all those who are called to serve. “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).
I can show you the menu, but I can’t make you eat. The Lord can show you His choice food and help you to eat and digest it. Follow Him in all things. Don’t leave it to a worldly government to tell you what to do, get prepared now to the best of your ability and lean on the Lord.
It is a good to be prophet following, gospel abiding, getting prepared, humble example, faith building, peculiar Latter Day Saint.
Yours in preparedness
Georgia
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