Consistency is Key

Family Home Evening

We highly recommend reading "More Diligent and Concerned at Home" by Elder Bednar. It can be found
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/more-diligent-and-concerned-at-home?lang=eng

"We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest."- President Thomas S. Monson

What makes family home evening successful?

Start and end with prayer. This invites the Spirit, increases love, and teaches your family how to pray.
Learn from the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets to help your family live the gospel.
Add music, such as hymns and Primary songs, to create an atmosphere of love, peace, and joy. Visit the music site →

Make it fun by playing games, acting out scripture stories, and making treats. Keep the atmosphere light and loving.

Add variety. Help a neighbor in need, hold a lesson at the park, or go for a walk as a family.
Be consistent. Monday nights are set aside by the Church for family home evening. If that doesn’t work, find a night that does.

From Elder Bednar's talk

"As our sons were growing up, our family did what you have done and what you now do. We had regular family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Now, I am sure what I am about to describe has never occurred in your home, but it did in ours.

Sometimes Sister Bednar and I wondered if our efforts to do these spiritually essential things were worthwhile. Now and then verses of scripture were read amid outbursts such as “He’s touching me!” “Make him stop looking at me!” “Mom, he’s breathing my air!” Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling and poking. And with active, rambunctious boys, family home evening lessons did not always produce high levels of edification. At times Sister Bednar and I were exasperated because the righteous habits we worked so hard to foster did not seem to yield immediately the spiritual results we wanted and expected.

Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they would answer. They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development. What they would say they remember is that as a family we were consistent.

Sister Bednar and I thought helping our sons understand the content of a particular lesson or a specific scripture was the ultimate outcome. But such a result does not occur each time we study or pray or learn together. The consistency of our intent and work was perhaps the greatest lesson—a lesson we did not fully appreciate at the time.

In my office is a beautiful painting of a wheat field. The painting is a vast collection of individual brushstrokes—none of which in isolation is very interesting or impressive. In fact, if you stand close to the canvas, all you can see is a mass of seemingly unrelated and unattractive streaks of yellow and gold and brown paint. However, as you gradually move away from the canvas, all of the individual brushstrokes combine together and produce a magnificent landscape of a wheat field. Many ordinary, individual brushstrokes work together to create a captivating and beautiful painting.

Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33). Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes.

http://www.lds.org/topics/family-home-evening?lang=eng

Powdered Milk, Budgets, and Blessings

This week we wanted to share with you a very inspiring article that we believe is appropriate for all people whether they be LDS or not. We have all heard the age old saying that "money doesn't bring happiness" and I can personally testify of it's truthfulness. Trust that the Lord will provide for your needs, but one aspect that is important for religious and non-religious folk is to prioritize your money and make a budget. (If you don't think you are going to be able to pay your rent this month then don't go out to Olive Garden and buy a 3 course meal). Be grateful for the things the Lord has blessed you with and keep in mind that He knows you and knows your needs.
Enjoy the article it can be found at: http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/07/powdered-milk-budgets-and-blessings?lang=eng

Powdered Milk, Budgets, and Blessings

BY SUSIE BOYCE ANGERBAUER

---

Our financial situation forced us to restrict our budget—and our effort at provident living had an astonishing effect.

Growing up in a home with seven siblings, I was used to living on a tight budget. Our parents taught us the value of hard work and frugality at a young age. They had all kinds of creative ways to save money and live within their means.

At a very young age, my siblings and I started delivering newspapers. The money we earned from our paper routes and then from later jobs was divided up into three categories: tithing, savings (half of our earnings), and spending. We grew up on powdered milk, homemade wheat bread, and lovingly prepared home-cooked meals. I have few memories of clothes shopping and remember my excitement when a kind neighbor or ward member dropped off bags of clothing they no longer needed. Working hard for what we had and coming up with tricks to disguise the taste of that powdered milk was not a lot of fun as kids, but that was how it was in our family.

My parents gave each of us an invaluable gift: the knowledge, skills, and real-world experience to live providently.

Raising My Own Family

My husband’s career took our family on an entirely different financial path than what I was familiar with growing up. His paychecks brought in more than enough to meet not only our needs but most of our wants as well. We recognized the responsibility we had to be good stewards, so we were committed to managing our resources wisely. We instituted many practices I was taught in my parents’ home, such as saving a good portion of our income, carefully evaluating purchases, always living within our means, and not over-indulging our children with too many toys and gadgets.

However, I admit it was often much easier for me as a tired, busy mom to go to a restaurant than it was to make a meal at home. We regularly took vacations, both big and small. I spent more time in stores than my mom ever had while raising us. And it was fun to have the financial flexibility to make discretionary purchases for our home and yard.

Despite our best efforts to manage our finances well, we began to detect a certain attitude in our children that was unsettling. They began to feel entitled in many ways. I found myself wishing for bags of clothing to be dropped off on our porch instead of taking trips to the store when they outgrew clothes. Although we had done much to teach our children, we had not done enough to structure our lives so they would feel the necessity of hard work. What could we do to reverse this trend in our children?

Around this time, my husband had an opportunity to relocate for work. After much thought, prayer, and temple attendance, we decided to take a calculated risk and make the significant career change. We uprooted our family and moved to another state, only to see the economy take a plunge. Our financial expectations and goals were greatly curtailed by the financial crisis; we found ourselves completely reliant on the Lord, hard work, and our savings.

Waiting On the Lord

Our new reality was difficult. Despite my best efforts to have an optimistic attitude, I struggled with anxiety, depression, and anger. I spent much time on my knees and in the temple, but I seemed to be getting nowhere. I knew that the Lord loved us and would not direct us down a path that wasn’t in our eternal best interest, but I couldn’t seem to find peace in our current situation.

It was then that I heard Elder Robert D. Hales’s general conference talk “Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually.” The truth of his message penetrated my soul and moved me to tears. His talk opened my understanding and helped me see our situation in a new light. Elder Hales stated, “To provide providently, we must practice the principles of provident living: joyfully living within our means [and] being content with what we have.”¹ I realized the Lord was retraining us to live providently, showing us the blessings and benefits from so doing and helping us experience joy along the way.

As this shift in my thinking occurred, I was able to look beyond worldly standards of wealth and recognize the spiritual growth our family had undergone. During our financial trials, we had been relying on the Lord more than ever before. My husband and I worshipped more often in the temple, which brought us closer together as a couple and helped us humbly place our lives and circumstances in the Lord’s loving hands.

Our children were praying for specific family needs in their individual prayers, resulting in several faith-promoting experiences. I witnessed them fasting with a purpose and saw their faith increase when the results were nothing short of miraculous. For example, they were delighted when they found that gift cards to the grocery store had been dropped off at our house. And on the very day that my husband needed specialized financial advice, our home teacher showed up at his work and said, “I had a feeling that I needed to come see you.” Unbeknownst to us, his unique professional background put him in the perfect position to answer my husband’s questions, thus steering us in a favorable financial direction.

Living Happily within Our Means

Our efforts to cut down our spending to only what was absolutely necessary had an astonishing effect. Since the children knew we could not afford extras, the number of complaints, requests, and whines dramatically diminished. Conversely, genuine gratitude for the occasional special treat increased. Almost eliminating restaurant food helped us eat healthier and spend quality time around the dinner table. Out of financial necessity, we have been extremely selective as to what extracurricular activities the kids are involved in, resulting in a more manageable schedule and increased family time.

Upon reflection, I humbly acknowledge that the blessings our family has received are exactly what we had been praying for prior to our move, and every one of them is in the eternal best interest of our family.

I often remind myself of Elder Hales’s counsel: “When faced with the choice to buy, consume, or engage in worldly things and activities, we all need to learn to say to one another, ‘We can’t afford it, even though we want it!’ or ‘We can afford it, but we don’t need it—and we really don’t even want it!’”²Our experiences have taught us that living providently blesses our lives regardless of financial circumstance. In the past we had been forgoing important blessings by not fully understanding and implementing this principle.

Our financial future remains uncertain, yet I am content to wait on the Lord. When our situation changes, I know we will be able to look at our children with the confidence born of experience and say, “We can afford it, but wereally don’t even want it!”

Be Prepared through Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise are essential to maintaining a proper balance/lifestyle.  One of the additional benefits is that you will be more prepared for emergencies, such as if you need to help lift items, move sand bags, help clean up after a disaster, or walk/run to necessary locations to get help.

"Exercising physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual abilities is required to not only maintain but also improve these abilities. Without exercise, these abilities diminish. Furthermore, fitness in one area can strongly influence fitness in another. For example, improving physical fitness enhances mental, emotional, and even spiritual acuity.

"Specific exercises are designed to improve strength, flexibility, balance, and aerobic capacity. But every exercise must be tailored to meet a person’s individual requirements, such as age. Where weight bearing is a problem, water exercises are helpful. Chair and desk exercises are useful for those who spend long hours in a sitting position. There are many exercises and activities like these that are inexpensive and can fit the budget of almost anyone." - http://providentliving.org/self-reliance/health/exercise-and-fitness (Additional resources at the provided link.)

Work to be healthy, so you will be healthy enough to work!

Do you have any suggestions of exercises and ways to be more healthy?  Leave a comment below!

Additional Links:

Chair and Desk Exercises: http://www.forbes.com/2008/09/10/health-office-exercise-forbeslife-cx_cm_0910exercise.html
Jillian Michaels' Motivation Tricks to do Exercise: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/healthieryou/jillian-michaels-motivation-tricks/

What is a water filter made for?

Asked Question: "What is a water filter made for?"

This question could be asked in two (or more) ways:
1. Why do I need a water filter?

2. What does a water filter actually do?

In this post, we will examine these two questions.

1. Why do I need a water filter?

Simple answer - you want clean water.

Not-so-simple answer - the water in front of you may look purified, but it may not be.  Residential water in the United States is mostly ok, with very rare exceptions.  If you are looking at building your own house with a well, you would need to follow building code, and you would want to put in your own filtration/purification, but that is not the focus of this post.

In this post, we're talking more along the lines of: if you are out on a camping trip and wanted to drink water from a stream, lake, or *ahem* watering hole - or in emergencies such as if the city's water supply broke or was turned off, you ran out of your family water storage, and you needed to go find water from...a stream, lake, etc.

Wikipedia (the fountain of ALL wisdom, right?) has a good article about portable water purification that is really informative and actually has sources so you can double-check the information.

It says in this article, "large rivers may be polluted with sewage effluent, surface runoff, or industrial pollutants from sources far upstream. However, even small streams, springs and wells may be contaminated by animal waste and pathogens. The presence of dead animals upstream is not uncommon. In most parts of the world, water may be contaminated by bacteria, protozoa or parasitic worms from human and animal waste or pathogens which use other organisms as an intermediate host. Pathogenic strains of E coli bacteria survive briefly outside the body, to infect new hosts."

The article also mentions other pathogens and viruses that can be found in water that you would like to avoid.  It's important to remove these pollutants, pathogens, and viruses from water that you want to drink.  Otherwise, you can get sick very quickly - including diarrhea, vomiting, or even life-threatening cysts in the brain and liver.

Now that you want a filter...

2. What does a water filter actually do?

Again, in the article about portable water purification, it mentions several techniques for filtering/purifying water, and what these techniques actually do.  Here is a list of the techniques, with a quick synopsis.  For the full text, along with the proper procedures, please refer to the article.

• Boiling

Boiling water will kill bacteria as well as other disease-causing microorganisms like Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum which are commonly found in rivers and lakes.

• Filtration

Portable pump filters are commercially available with ceramic filters that filter 5,000 to 50,000 litres per cartridge, removing pathogens down to the 0.2–0.3 micrometer (µm) range. Some also utilize activated charcoal filtering. Most filters of this kind remove most bacteria and protozoa, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia, but not viruses except for the very largest of 0.3 micrometer and larger diameters, so disinfection by chemicals or ultraviolet light is still required after filtration.

• Activated charcoal absorption

Charcoal is most commonly implemented for pre- or post-filtering, in a separate step than ceramic filtering, in either case being implemented prior to the addition of chemical disinfectants used to control bacteria or viruses that filters cannot remove. Activated charcoal can remove chlorine from treated water, removing any residual protection remaining in the water protecting against pathogens, and should not, in general, be used without careful thought after chemical disinfection treatments in portable water purification processing.

• Chemical disinfection

Iodine used for water purification is commonly added to water as a solution, in crystallized form, or in tablets containing tetraglycine hydroperiodide that release 8 mg of iodine per tablet adaptation to chronic tetraglycine hydroperiodide. The iodine kills many, but not all, of the most common pathogens present in natural fresh water sources.

• Ultraviolet purification

Ultraviolet (UV) light induces the formation of covalent linkages on DNA and thereby prevents microbes from reproducing. Without reproduction, the microbes become far less dangerous. A concern with UV portable water purification is that some pathogens are hundreds of times less sensitive to UV light than others.

• Solar water disinfection

In solar water disinfection (SODIS), microbes are destroyed by temperature and UVA radiation provided by the sun. Water is placed in a transparent plastic PET bottle, which is first oxygenated by shaking partially filled capped bottles prior to filling the bottles all the way. The completely water-filled and capped bottles are exposed to sunlight, preferably on a corrugated metal roof, slanted slightly to maximize the exposure to solar radiation.

• Solar distillation

Solar distillation may use a pre-manufactured and easily portable still, commonly referred to as a solar still, but it has its roots in a makeshift still that can be constructed simply from readily available components, typically being placed over a small pit that is dug into the ground. The solar still relies on sunlight to warm and evaporate the water to be purified. The water vapour condenses, usually on a plastic sheet suspended as an inverted cone, dripping into a collection cup placed beneath its center. For more continuous use, thin tubing or a hose is sometimes routed into the collection cup beneath the inverted cone, permitting repeated removal of water without disturbing the inverted cone upon which water condenses. In an extreme survival situation, a solar still can be used to prepare safe drinking water from usually unsuitable water sources, such as one's own urine, or even sea water.

• Homemade water filters

Water filters can be made on-site using local materials such as grass, charcoal (e.g. from firewood burned in a special way). These filters are often used by soldiers and outdoor enthusiasts. Due to their low cost they can be made and used by anyone. The reliability of such systems is highly variable. Such filters can do little, if anything, to mitigate germs and other harmful constituents and can give a false sense of security that the water so produced is potable. Water processed through an improvised filters should be undergo secondary processing such as boiling to render it safe for consumption.

Summary

Now that you know why you would want a filter, and some ways to filter, make sure that you have a plan for filtering water if you run out of your water storage or get lost while camping, or any other emergency.  Water is paramount to survival.  You can only go for a few days before you will die from dehydration.  Even just getting diarrhea will compound the problem because it dehydrates you even quicker, so it's important to have clean, filtered, purified water.

Master Gardener's Seed Starting Success

• Plan to sow seeds inside 4-8 weeks before you plan to move the plants to the garden
• Start seeds in a moistened lightweight and sterilized potting medium, not garden soil
• Start seeds in clean and sterilized containers with drainage holes (these can be inside a solid tray)
• Label your containers using black permanent marker or graphite pencil
• Provide extra warmth for tomato, pepper, eggplant, seeds to germinate
• Provide supplemental light for seedlings grown in the house, even in sunny rooms or windows
• Fluorescent bulb tubes of any kind work, no need to purchase expensive plant lights
• Provide light for 12-16 hours per day, seedlings require a period of darkness
• Keep lights close to growing plants 2-4 inches above give best results
• Consider purchasing an inexpensive timer to turn lights on and off on schedule
• Do not over water your seedlings, keep the soil slightly moist, not wet
• Remove any plastic domes or coverings once seeds have sprouted
• Provide air circulation to avoid fungal problems
• Fertilize only after young plant has at least four leaves, and then at a very dilute rate
• Acclimate seedlings gradually to outdoor temperatures and sunlight
• Move them outside for longer periods each day, or provide shade and wind protection
• Wait until all danger of frost has passed before planting tender crops like tomatoes, melons, peppers, pasil or squash
• Try not to disturb delicate roots when transplanting
• Gently water new plantings and protect from wind if necessary

Cooking with Food Storage

Have you ever wondered what to make with your food storage and tried to find creative ways to get rotate your food. here are a few recipes you can try. That we have personally ate and can testify that they taste GOOD! These recipes came from the Maryann Wilcox who taught quite a few things at the preparedness fair we had yesterday. If you want to look at her information go to http://www.maryannscupboards.com/

Pinto Bean Fudge


Yield:
2 lbs of Fudge

Ingredients:
1 c mashed pinto
beans (about 1
10oz can)
¾ c melted butter
1 T vanilla
1 c cocoa
8 c pdr. sugar

Instructions:
1. Melt butter and mix in cocoa.
2. Mix beans, vanilla and butter-cocoa mixture with mixer.
Mixture will be stiff.
3. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly
between cups. Powdered sugar amount may be varied
according to consistency desired. The less sugar the denser
the fudge.
4. Press into 9x13 pan & refrigerate until used.

Hearty 14 Bean Soup

Yield:
2 Quarts


Ingredients
1 c Dry Bean Mix
1 Qt Water
1 Ham hock OR
1 T Ham Base
1 Can Diced
Italian Tomatoes
8—1cup servings

Directions:
1. Add beans, water, and ham seasoning option to a 2 or 3 quart
Crockpot.
2. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, or until beans are soft.
3. Add canned tomatoes and cook another 30 minutes.
4. Serve hot.
Other Tasty Additions:
1½ t lemon juice crystals or 1 T lemon juice
½ c dried or chopped fresh onions
½ t chili powder
1
/16 t garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Sprout Granola Bars

Ingredients
¾ c shortening or
coconut oil
1 c brown sugar
½ c sugar
1 egg
¼ c water
1 t vanilla
1 c whole wheat flour
¼ c flaxseeds
1 t salt
½ t baking soda
3 c oats
1 c coconut
1 c chopped nuts
1 c chocolate chips
1 c finely chopped
alfalfa sprouts

Directions:
1. Blend shortening/coconut oil, sugars, egg, water and vanilla
in mixing bowl and beat thoroughly.
2. In another bowl, sift together flour, salt and soda.
3. Add to shortening mixture, mixing well.
4. Blend in oats, flaxseeds, and alfalfa sprouts.
5. Add nuts and chocolate chips and mix.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown
in a 9x13 or jelly roll pan. Cool & cut.
Tasty Additions:
• Add butterscotch chips instead of chocolate.
• Substitute ½ c peanut butter for ½ c oil or shortening.
• Omit the chocolate chips and replace with 1 c raisins or
crasins and 1 t of cinnamon.

Emergency Spiritual Preparedness

In the March 2013 Ensign of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there was an article about Self-Reliance.  There are some good points brought up in there that we would like to review today.  The article can be found at http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/03/living-the-principles-of-self-reliance.

Self-Reliance is Spiritual and Temporal
The first point is that Self-Reliance is both a Spiritual and a Temporal Principle.  This is important, because often we focus on getting food storage, 72-hour kits, and first aid.  Sometimes the spiritual aspect can go neglected.  It is just as vital to be prepared for spiritual emergencies as it is to be prepared for physical emergencies.

We really liked the quote from President Boyd K. Packer in the article, “If we lose our emotional and spiritual independence, our self-reliance, we can be weakened quite as much, perhaps even more, than when we become dependent materially.”

We should be building up our reserves by daily going to the scriptures and to our Heavenly Father in prayer.  Being prepared spiritually will help during temporal emergencies.

Self-Reliance is NOT Independence
The next point is that Self-Reliance should not be mistaken for complete independence.  This is important because we may get into the mindset that we will be prepared once we are completely independent.  However, we cannot ever be completely independent.  We rely upon the Lord for our breath and our very presence here on this Earth, so there is no way that we can ever be completely independent.  What we can do is become as independent as possible, and then use that independence to help others that may be struggling in that area.  Do not seek to become completely independent, but as independent as possible.

This was a great article, and we recommend that you read it entirely.  Did you learn something different?  Post your comments below so we can all learn!
Be Self-Reliant!  Or...be as Self-Reliant as possible.

HAM Radio Information

HAM Radios

We have received some interest in people wanting to know the best ways to get certified to operate HAM radios.  We have found a few good study tools that we are currently using and also have found out when and where (in the Nampa area) testing is available. We will share them with you so you can take advantage of them. We recommend that you set specific goals. For example we are setting the month when we want to go in and take our tests by, so we have to be studied up by that point. Tests are available once a month.

There are 3 levels of HAM Radio Licenses:


Technician Class: This license is granted after passing a 35-question test on basic regulations, operating practices, and electronic theory, with a focus on VHF and UHF applications. No Morse code is required. With a Technician Class license, you will have all ham radio privileges above 30 megahertz (MHz) including the 2-meter band. Technicians may operate FM voice, digital packet (computers), television, single-sideband voice and several other modes. Technicians may also operate on the 80, 40, and 15 meter HF bands using CW, and on the 10 meter band using CW, voice, and digital modes.

General Class: Technicians upgrade to General Class by passing a 35-question examination on regulations, operating practices, and electronics theory. No Morse code is required. In addition to Technician Class, General Class operators may use high power transmitters and have access to the 160, 30, 17, 12, and 10 meter bands and access to major parts of the 80, 40, 20, and 15 meter bands.

Extra Class: An upgrade to Extra Class is accomplished by passing a 50-question examination on regulations, specialized operating practices, advanced electronics theory, and radio equipment design. No Morse code is required. While this may seem a challenge it results in the privilege of operating on all authorized Amateur Radio frequencies.

For additional detail on Amateur Radio licensing in the U.S. check out the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) web site and search for Licensing.

When you receive your license you will also be granted a call sign by which you identify your station on the air. The section Call Signs explains call signs and their make-up.


If you do not have a license, you can still use certain common bandwidths of HAM Radio, but it's not very much.

Practicing for Getting the Licenses

The test will take the questions out of a pool of 350 questions. The test itself isn't that long though (above  we stated that the exam for the technician license is only 35 questions). We have heard the best way to get ready for the test is to take the practice tests and correct yourself as you go along.

Study Guide:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/m86wlp87am8yom1/Tech_Study_Guide_2010.pdf

Websites to take Practice Exams for Free:
http://www.eham.net/exams/
http://aa9pw.com/radio/
http://www.qrz.com/hamtest/
http://hamexam.org/ - Also has 'Flash Cards' for studying.
If you don't like the formats for these websites, you can Google or Bing for other Practice Exams.


Amateur Radio Clubs

There are two Amateur Radio Clubs in the Nampa Area that I'm sure would love to help you even more:

http://k7si.org/
http://k7lcd.org/

April Preparedness Fair

Hello Everyone!!!

Adam and I are currently in a committee that is putting together a preparedness and self reliance fair. The fair will be held:

APRIL 27th from 10am-2pm

at

3904 E Greenhurst Rd, Nampa, ID

We are very excited for the fair and hope that many in the Nampa area will be able to attend. It is hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and all are welcome to come and enjoy the resources that will be available.

Currently this is the information that we know.

Red Cross will be there doing a blood drive

Child Finger Printing

Information about the following topics will also be available:

First Aid

72 hour Kits

Gardening

Emergency Communication (HAM radio)

Sanitation 

Alternate Power

Food Storage

Disaster Planning

Financial Preparedness

Dry Pack Canning

and more.

Please come and enjoy the opportunity to love a more provident life.