Book Review: Prophetic Statements on Food Storage for Latter-day Saints

Prophetic Statements on Food Storage for Latter-day Saints by Neil H. Leash was  recommended to me by a co-worker. I believe that food storage is a good idea whether you are of my faith or not. It just makes sense. Food storage is insurance against whatever life has in store. There is not a crisis I can think of that can't be made a little less stressful by being prepared and having some food and money set aside. The world we live in has many dangers and uncertainties, but if we are prepared we shall not fear.
  If you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this book is a wake-up call. Our prophets have been telling us for 165 years that we need to prepare and set food aside. A man who we believe communicates with the Lord Almighty has implored us to prepare our homes and our families for possible disaster by storing food and putting our homes in order. It would be to our great benefit if we listened to these words of wisdom and warning.
  The saints in Nauvoo were warned to accumulate food and supplies a long time before they were driven from Illinois. Those who did not prepare suffered greatly. When they arrived in Utah they were again counseled to set aside a years supply of grain. Those who followed this council faired much better when plagues of crickets and grasshoppers destroyed their crops. Preceding the US Civil War, WWI, the Great Depression and WWII, prophets counseled members of the Church to store a few years worth of grain, and for those looking back there were obvious reasons for this. After these major events the prophets continued to repeat their advise to store what would be necessary to get by for a year. Now I don't feel that this is the place to wax on disasters and catastrophes that will come with the Second Coming, but I do believe that at some point Christ will come again and it has been prophesied in the Bible that before His coming there will be many great wars and disasters. And given this information it would be a really good idea to do what we can to prepare.
  Now no one can argue that I am not a proponent of food storage, in fact I am border-line obsessed. My neighbors, friends, family and co-workers know this about me. I'm ok with it. I use food storage on a very regular basis and try all kinds of experiments. So while I do make good use of my food storage, I haven't really been storing much lately. Since my husband started school again there has been this thought hanging in the background that there is a strong possibility that we will have to move when he is done for whatever job he may acquire and I am very much not interested in accumulating more stuff just so I can move it somewhere. This book however has really instilled an urgency in me that I need to prepare. If there were a crisis I don't think the cosmos would leave me exempt from disaster in fact I have a reputation for drawing more than my share of random chaos from the cosmos because my husband is a college student and it wasn't convenient for me to store a years supply of food. This does not mean that anyone should store more than they are able, but it did make me decide that every week I am going to do something to make my family better prepared. Yes, storing food can be a bit of a sacrifice, but if we show faith and obedience we will be blessed with the peace of mind that comes from preparedness.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from this book:
When the words of prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our attention and fill our hearts with gratitude to live in such a blessed time. --Henry B. Eyring, April 1997

I feel to exhort the brethren, and say to them---lay up bread, do not sell it for a song; let your wives and daughters go for awhile without ribbons and ornaments, let your wheat stay in your bins; let us try to get along with old coats and old hats and keep the wheat, and in a little while you will see the reason why this counsel has been given. Lay up your wheat and other provisions against a day of need, for the day will come when they will be wanted and no mistake about it.--Wilford Woodruff, 1875

More than ever before, we need to learn and apply the principles of economic self-reliance. We do not know when the crisis involving sickness or unemployment may affect our own circumstances. We do know that the Lord has decreed global calamities for the future and has warned and forewarned us to be prepared. For this reason the Brethren have repeatedly stressed a “back to basics” program for temporal and spiritual welfare.--Ezra T. Benson, October 1980

First, gain an adequate education. Learn a trade or a profession. Second, live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day. Third, avoid excessive debt. Fourth, acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life.I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness.--L. Tom Perry, November 1995

Family Preparedness is the key to meeting the needs of family members and is the foundation upon which church preparedness is based.--Victor L. Brown, May 1976

Members should be taught to provide for themselves and their families. That is the Lord's way. When they are caring for their own they are in a better position to help others as the Gospel requires.--Joseph B. Wirthlin, 1988

The Church can not be expected to provide for every one of its millions of members in case of public or personal disaster. It is therefore necessary that each home and family do what they can to resume responsibility for their own hour of need.--James E. Faust, May 1986

You have smart women for wives...We have talented women among us and we need their help in this matter. Some may think it is a trifling thing, but it is not; and you will find that the sisters will be the mainspring of this movement. Give them the benefit of your wisdom and experience, give them your influence, guide and direct them wisely and well, and they will find rooms for the poor, and obtain means for supporting them ten times quicker than even the Bishop could.--Brigham Young, December 1867

Let's do these things because they are right, because they are satisfying and because we are obedient to the counsels of the Lord. In this spirit we will be prepared for most eventualities and the Lord will prosper and comfort us. It is true difficult times will come-- because the Lord has foretold them.--Spencer W. Kimball, November 1977

The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare as boarding the ark was for people in the days of Noah.-- Ezra T. Benson

This book convinced me that becoming prepared is a priority. It was written in 1999, and if it was urgent to gather food storage then, it is even more urgent twelve years later. For anyone who decides to read it, I will say that the first half is a little dry, but keep reading, it becomes more interesting and compelling. This book made me want to accost every family member, friend, neighbor and acquaintance and make sure that they are doing something about food storage. It can not be denied that there are some crazy things going on this world, and the state of affairs could go south quickly if we are not prepared. I would feel better knowing the ones that I love are actively preparing for a possible crisis by having at least a little food set aside.

Preparedness Wednesday: Costco and Inventory

Last weekend when I was at Costco I picked up a food storage items. I got a 45 lb bucket of Lehi Roller Mills white wheat for $12.99 (at 29 cents per pound that is the cheapest that I have EVER seen it), a 3 lb bag of Craisins (there's a $3 off coupon at the front of the store that's good until 1/24/11) for $3.99 and a 5 quart bottle of vegetable oil for $6.29. I read of a man who lived in Germany after WWII, and he said that vegetable oil was the most valuable food item. With it one could acquire nearly any other desirable item. A quart of vegetable oil could trade for 3 bushels of apples or 300lbs of potatoes. It has a long shelf life (he said his lasted for 20 years and still tasted fine), it has a high caloric content and can be used to improve the flavor of many other foods (and non-typical foods such as roots of shrubs and wild plants). He recommended grain as second highest in priority and Craisins are probably the most popular food storage item with Thing 2. So three good food storage items for about $25.
As for the doing this week I took an inventory. Between buying, moving three times and using my food storage in the past two years, I wasn't certain how much I have, and I need to know that before I go crazy purchasing any one item. If you go to this link there is a calculator that can give you a basic idea of how much you need depending on the number of family members and their ages.

Thoughts about Vaccinations

Last week it hit the news that the research study that claimed that there was a link between the MMR vaccine and autism had altered facts and statistics. So the MMR vaccine does not in fact cause autism. Wow, that's embarrassing. Because of the MMR/Autism scare, there are thousands of kids who didn't receive their vaccines, and as a result measles are actually becoming endemic in parts of Great Britain.
 Now I have a few mixed feelings about vaccinations. I believe that vaccinations can be a wonderful thing. Vaccinations have saved millions of lives. However they are not without their faults. If you read the information sheets that come with your vaccinations they list some pretty daunting possible side effects including seizures, neurological problems, permanent brain damage and death. These side effects are very rare and it is more likely that your child will be afflicted by the disease by not getting the vaccine (which for some of the diseases can also lead to neurological problems and death) than that they will be affected by rare severe side effects. Severe side effects are not as common as they once were, as vaccinations have been developed and improved through the years. But those risks are still there and every parents should be aware of them.
  Another thing that many people don't realize is that vaccinations are not 100% prevention. Even if you get all of your vaccinations you can still contract the disease they are trying to prevent, it's just not as likely. I had all of my vaccinations and I still came down with the measles when I was six. It stands out as the most physically miserable experience of my childhood. (I remember having sores every where and feeling too weak to even scratch them. And I remember all of my joints aching like I have never since experienced.) But if most of a population has been vaccinated against a disease, it makes it difficult for the disease to spread. (On a side note because I actually had the measles, my antibody levels against the measles are more than six times what the average immunized person has. I only know this because my doctor's office, high school and county health department all lost the record of my booster shots and I had to lab work done to prove that I have in fact been immunized before they would let me start my first Pediatric nursing job.)
  I personally have had my kids vaccinated for everything except the flu. (Flu vaccines have proven to not go over well in my family, hospitalizing multiple relatives. For us it's easier just to deal with the flu.) It's something that I prayed about long and hard before deciding. I felt that the benefits outweighed the risks. But I can't speak for every parent. Every child is different and their reactions may not be the same. I have an aunt that when she took her daughter into get her standard vaccinations and a strong spiritual experience that told her that she should not get her child vaccinated. No one know what would have happened if she had ignored that prompting, but she didn't and her children have all been remarkably healthy. As a parent it's part of our job to determine what is best for our own children, and if we follow the Lord, He will help us along the way. I believe that for the vast majority of people vaccinations are a great thing and I highly recommend them. They have helped to decrease the incidence of many diseases that have been known to maim and kill untold numbers of children. But if a parent told me that they had prayed about it and strongly felt that their child should not be vaccinated, I would not argue with them.

Food Storage Friday: Chicken Enchilada Soup

This is by far my most requested soup recipe by family and friends. It is another recipe that took me awhile to figure out to incorporate food storage in a way that didn't change the taste. A few weeks ago I had a breakthrough. I originally got this recipe from the book 101 Things to Do with a Tortilla, but have made several adjustments to it over the years.

Chicken Enchilada Soup
Food Storage Ingredients:
1 packet enchilada sauce seasoning
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup water
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup white bean puree
3 cups chicken broth
1 6 oz can diced green chiles
1 Tablespoon canola oil

Fresh Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken breasts
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
4 corn tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
tortilla chips and cheese for garnish
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (optional)

1. Combine first four ingredients and simmer to make enchilada sauce. (See packet for details.) 2. Saute chicken in oil. 3. Add onion and garlic (and pepper) and cook until tender. 4. Add broth, green chiles and enchilada sauce to chicken. 5. Tear tortillas into small (2" square or smaller) and add to soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. 6. Add sour cream, beans and cheese and stir until melted. Serve with cheese and tortilla chips.

I love this recipe, and all though it has a fair amount of sour cream and cheese I have to say that I have cut back the saturated fat a great deal from the original with my adjustments. Also I usually use one cup of leftover grilled chicken and a can of cooked chicken. The cheese, enchilada sauce and green chiles overpower any unpleasant taste associated with the canned chicken.  Recently I read in a food storage book where it recommended adding bean flour (ground dried beans) to soups for added protein and fiber. I'm certain that this would work if you don't want to cook and puree your beans, however I'm certain it is more likely to cause gas. This same book supports the idea that you can't live on bread alone, but you can live on bread and soup. I like that idea. If you have several food storage soup recipes on hand (or even just several cans of prepared soup) you can add some bread and feed your family from your food storage without having it be strange or traumatic.

Preparedness Wednesday: Emergency First Aid Supplies

Recently I have been reading a couple of books about food storage and emergency preparedness (which I will discuss in more detail later). Throughout my reading I have decided that each week I am going to a) purchase something that makes me more prepared and b) do something to help put my house in order. (This week  the doing is working an extra shift, which monies will go toward debt, but the purchasing is more interesting.)
 I put together a collection of first aid supplies based on what I know my family regularly uses, what we might use in an emergency and supplies that I often use in the hospital. This list is not all inclusive and it is what I think will meet the needs of my family for a year. But it's a good starting place. (This is in addition to the 5 first aid kits that I have around my house and car.) I listed the generic names and then their more recognized brand name in parenthesis and if the quantity is more than one, I listed it in brackets.

• 30-second digital thermometer
• 4" self-adhesive elastic bandage (Ace wrap) [2]
• calcium carbonate, 24 tablets (Children's Pepto-Bismol)
• children's ibuprofen,4 oz (Motrin) [2]
• children's acetaminophen, 4 oz (Tylenol)
• bismuth subsalicylate, 48 tablets (Pepto-Bismol) [2] 
• loperamide hydrochloride, 48 tablets (Imodium A-D) [2]
• added strength pain reliever, 275 tablets (Excedrin)
• extra strength acetaminophen, 500 tablets (Tylenol 500 mg)
• ibuprofen, 250 tablets (Motrin) [3]
• ibuprofen, 180 softgels (Motrin)
• naproxen, 300 tablets (Aleve)
• bandage roll guaze, 4 1/2"x 4 yd [2]
• large guaze pads, 4"x4" [2]
• 1" adhesive wrap (Coban) [3]
• 2" adhesive wrap (Coban) 
• elastic net stretch bandage (Spandage, actually I'm not sure if that's the actual brand name, but that's what we call it at work.)
• 1st aid cleansing spray, 5 oz (Bactine)
• bacitracin, 1 oz
• antibiotic ointment, 1 oz (Neosporin)
• alcohol swabs, 100
• hydrogen peroxide, 32 oz [2]

 Since I am not purchasing these for immediate use I was very careful to check the dates on products, the soonest being 09/2012. I bought most of these items at Target, because I have tried several generic brands of children's medicine and this is the one that my kids like best, and it tends to cost less. (I recently discover that they will not take the Western Family ibuprofen.) After I purchased these I did discover that the bacitracin and antibiotic are cheaper at Smith's. I bought a lot more ibuprofen compared to acetaminophen because I have that it is generally more effective for relieving fevers and general aches and pains.
 If you don't already have a separate first aid kit I would recommend adding adhesive bandages, bandage scissors, tweezers, 2x2's, gloves and burn gel. Other good items to have in there are lip balm, plastic spoons and a clean hand towel. Now getting this all at once can be kind of expensive. I spent $140 on the above pictured items, because I had FSA money to burn. Otherwise I would have hesitated to spend that much at once. However, I have seen most of these items for lower prices than I got at Walgreens, but not all at the same time. It's worth watching their ads and building up your first aid items a little at a time.

January Giveaway: $85 CSN gift certificate

Let's start the new year with a giveaway. This month's giveaway is provided by CSN stores where you find almost anything under the sun, including modern duvet covers. One lucky winner will receive a $85 gift certificate to use at CSN stores. Here's how to win: Become a follower of Secrets of Mom through GFC and leave a comment. (Old and loyal followers just have to leave a comment.) For an additional entry you can share this giveaway on Facebook.  For two extra entries you can blog about it and leave me a link to the blogpost in the comments. This giveaway runs through January 31, 2011 at 11:59 MST. The winner will be selected using a random number generator. Good Luck. If you live outside of the United States, CSN international shipping rates apply.

Favorite Books of 2010

Favorite Books for Mom
1. The Hiding Place- This is the amazing story of Corrie Ten Boom in her quest to save Jews in WWII Holland, her survival through the Nazi camps and her determination to see the positive in every situation. My favorite message from this book is "There is no problem so great that the power of Christ is not greater still." This was definitely the best book that I read this year.
2. The Hunger Games Trilogy- These books reminded me of 1984 and Lord of the Flies, but were much more gripping, with a main character who was easier to relate to. The series follows Katniss Evergreen, a 17 year-old girl as she fights to protect her family, friends and neighbors from a superficial and bloodthirsty government. If you haven't read them yet you should.
3.The Help This is the story of young privileged white woman in Mississippi and two black maids. Together they write a book about the realities of households in the 1960's and how black women are treated. In the process they find friendship and learn more about themselves.
4. How Children Learn I recommend this book (or bare minimum my longer review) to anyone who ever interacts with children. "If we show children sincere love and interest their confidence will grow, as will their love of learning. There is no time in all of a child's growing up, when he will not be seriously hurt if he feels that we adults are not interested in what he is trying to say."
5. Slow Fat Triathlete This is book is by an overweight woman who decided to take action, start exercising. Eventually she decided to enter the world of triathlons. She gives lots of practical advice on improving yourself and reaching your goals, even if the world thinks it is unlikely that you will succeed.


Favorite Children's Books
1.Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon I love this book and think that everyone should read it to their children. It's about a tiny girl who finds happiness in just being herself.

2. That Book Woman This story honors pack horse librarians who traveled through various kinds of weather on horseback in the Appalachian Mountains so that they could encourage a love of reading in the children who lived there.
3. Jump Into Science: Stars This was another great find from the clearance bin. My kids love this book. It has bright illustrations and teaches them about stars in a way that they can understand.
4. Monsters Eat Whiny Children I think my husband and I enjoyed reading this book more than our kids did. This is a story of two whiny children who are kidnapped to be eaten for lunch. But then they have to endure the whining of several indecisive monsters and eventually escape and turn into two children who whine a little less often. 
5. Snowmen at Christmas My kids and I really enjoy this book. It's a cute story, plus it's fun to find the hidden things on every page. I also love that one of the snowmen moms has "CTR" painted in tiny letters on her hat band.