Heavenly Homes

"A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live not only influence the success of our earthly journey, they also mark the way to our eternal goals."

--President Thomas S. Monson, "Heavenly Homes, Forever Families", World Wide Leadership Training February 2006



D&C 138:47–48

Families Can Be Together Forever, Hymn #300

Walk In the Light

"Choices are not always easy to see clearly. You make choices every day and almost every hour that keep you walking in the light or moving away toward darkness. Some of the most important choices are about what you set your heart upon."

--Henry B. Eyring, "Walk in the Light", Ensign, May 2008, 123–25



Moroni 7:13–15

Teach me to Walk in the Light, Hymn #304

Self Reliance Tip # 38 Don't forget Tithes and Offerings!

Goal this month: Do something to be more financially prepared.

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If you follow this link:

http://www.providentliving.org/media/training/peaceheart/main.html

...it will directly lead you to the advice given by the First Presidency on finances. This month we have covered "use a budget" and "avoid debt". I failed to mention the most important and first on their list "pay your tithes and offerings". Just like every other principle of the gospel, you have to live it first to gain a testimony of it. This also applies to the last point The Presidency want to add under "Managing Household Finances Wisely"...that is Build a Reserve.

Having a savings set away is an excellent idea. I could list so many reasons why it could make your head spin. I'm sure you could give me even more reasons than I could think of. But, of the savings you have, how much of it is in digital form? How much do you have that you could just get without going to the bank to withdraw it?

In last weeks tip I shared an excerpt from "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" - the authors stated that because of all the unpaid credit accounts, the ATM's no longer could give cash out because they didn't have any. Sometimes I've gone to the bank when the ATM isn't working and I grumble because I HAVE to go inside. What if you go and the bank or the ATM will issue no money to anyone? That would be a little more than a slight inconvenience. Especially if you need diapers or something that is a similar necessity.

In the book "On the Wings of Faith" by Fredrick W. Bable (which I highly recommend), he shares that someone who was in charge of church monies in Germany during WWII was trying to protect it. The government was following the money from bank to bank. Finally he buried it. After the war, he went back through it. There was more than what he put there. Unsure of what to do with the extra, he was advised to record it as "anonymous donation". I LOVE THAT! Now that I'm thinking about it, there is so much in that book about the miracles of spiritual self reliance "when you do your part, the Lord can do his."

I was given the advice once to save small dollar bills as well as the bigger ones.

Well, that's about it for today! Have a safe and a happy New Year!

Christmas...

Christmas means giving

"Christmas means giving. The Father gave his Son, and the Son gave his life. Without giving there is no true Christmas, and without sacrifice there is no true worship."

--Gordon B. Hinckley, "What Shall I Do Then with Jesus Which Is Called Christ?", Ensign, Dec. 1983, 3



John 3:16

He sent his son, The Children's Songbook #34

Self Reliance Tip #37 Finances...

So, I just found this show on BYUtv.org and I LOVE IT!!! I've been watching it with my kiddos on Sunday nights. I encourage you to take the time to watch some...
http://byutv.org/watch/d4c8b5ec-b416-4e33-aaf4-0796bfc998a9

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This month's goal: Do something this month to help you be more financially self reliant
Put some money away

Pay an extra payment on a credit card

Pay off your mortgage :)...you know something small :)



Ok onto todays tip!


One of my FAVORITE past times is to read from "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader". It is full of humor, interesting facts and just plain silly things. There are like 20 editions now, but I wanted to share with you something I read from the 17th Bathroom Reader, the "Slightly Irregular" one (isn't that hilarious!).

Have you ever planned something to solve a problem and your plan worked a little too well?

"The Plan: To get its citizens to spend money, and thus boost the country's faltering economy, in 1999 South Korea instituted a program making it easy for anyone to obtain a credit card.


It worked... The nations economic growth climbed by 10 % in the first year alone.


...Too well! by 2003 the average South Korean worker had four credit cards and consumers had run up more than $100 billion in debt. There were so many unpaid credit card accounts that the nation's largest credit company had to stop issuing money from their ATMs and had to get an emergency loan just to stay afloat. Credit card debt was also blamed for a rash of suicides, thefts, kidnappings and prostitution cases. "Koreans ate a poison pill," economist Kim Kyeong Won told Time magazine, "It tasted sweet at the time, but was still poison." (pg 194)

It is kind of interesting that our country did the same thing only a few years later. The way to true economic growth is to provide a good or service. The way to economic decline is to spend "free" money because you end up paying double if not more. 

I still remember the talks given by Sister Noelle and her husband a few months ago. They spoke about communication in finances between husband and wife. They are good at saving and remind the other what are needs and what are not.

It can be tough when you're strapped to the hilt as it is..."How can we pay this stuff off?"

President Eyring gave a conference address in October 2010 about trying to heed the counsel of President Benson about getting out of debt and staying out. He specifically mentioned paying off the mortgage. President Eyring and his wife prayed, had faith, obeyed the promptings of the spirit. Then they received the blessings for being obedient. You can read more of the details here.
http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/trust-in-god-then-go-and-do?lang=eng&query=mortgage+(name%3a%22Henry+B.+Eyring%22)

.....And another thing....


Woah ...did you eat onions??!!!

The last time I was at my parents home, my mom gave me large bags of onions . She instructed me to dehydrate them. I don't have a dehydrator, so I used my oven on the lowest possible setting with wax paper between the onions and cookie sheet. It took all night to dehydrate them. After I diced them the "tear gas" was so strong at dinner time everyone's eyes were watering. It makes me cry just thinking about it! But...nothing flavors food storage meals quicker or more efficiently than dehydrated onions!

If I hadn't dehydrated them, they would have gone bad because there were a lot of them! Dehydrating is an excellent way to preserve an over abundance of just about anything...except eggplant maybe...well, I guess I'll never know because none of us like eggplant.


This website is AWESOME!! It has lots and lots of recipes of how to use dehydrated foods. There is even a "recipe" how to make BEAUTIFUL mahogany colored shelves to store your vacuum sealed creations! Enjoy and let me know if you find a recipe you really like!

http://dehydrate2store.com/recipes/

The Real Christmas

"How is Christmas regarded today? The legend of Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, the decorations of tinsel and mistletoe, and the giving of gifts all express to us the spirit of the day we celebrate; but the true spirit of Christmas lies much deeper than these. It is found in the life of the Savior, in the principles He taught, in His atoning sacrifice--which become our great heritage."

--Howard W. Hunter, "The Real Christmas", Ensign, Dec. 2005, 24



Acts 20:35

Joy to the World, Hymn #201

A Christmas with no presents

"The message of this season that is applicable throughout the year lies not in the receiving of earthly presents and treasures but in the forsaking of selfishness and greed and in going forward, seeking and enjoying the gifts of the Spirit, which Paul said are 'love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,meekness,temperance: against such there is no law' (Gal. 5:22-23)."

--James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents", Ensign, Dec. 2001, 6



Matt. 25:31, 34–40


Have I Done Any Good?, Hymn #223

Self Reliance Tip #36 Frugal's $ Stretch

First off a video that was shared by Sister Linda S....I LOVE EET!!!

http://youtu.be/EMwKxmTLaCs

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Oh the fun of being frugal!!!


This month we are focusing on different ways to be frugal!


At a recent Relief Society meeting, Sister Tricia gave us a few ideas with grocery shopping to make that skinny little dollar stretch more like Stretch Armstrong.

Here are some of her ideas:
I buy in bulk. I don't use coupons because they usually are for items that I don't normally buy. My flour, sugar, rice, oat, beans, ect. I have stored in 5 gallon buckets. Look up the sales online before going shopping to see which store is offering the best deals. Buy tomato sauce, fruit in #10 cans and you also can buy vegatables this way. Way cheaper and makes lots of different meals.

I found a new site with TONS of good ideas and info. Here is a page with more ideas on being frugal!
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/self-reliance/budgeting-frugality/

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....And another thing.....


Comfort food means different things to different people. Chocolate is a comfort food to many...while some prefer Sister Leann's carrot cake...yummo! You are the only one who can decide what is classified as "comfort food" for you and your family.


Comfort food is to help with "emotional survival" and not necessarily a "physical survival". I vacuum sealed some "Oreo" cookies last week. Not exactly nutritional, but oh so necessary...after all it is milk's favorite cookie! Here are a few ideas to get you started thinking about what type of things you'd like to store away (they are even fun to pull out in a non-emergency...they have to be rotated too right?)


Some of the comments under the article have some good advice too.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/babysteps/step-9-comfort-foods/

Self Reliance Tip #35 Be Frugal... and Full of Cayenne!

Find a common theme in these quotes- if you will:

"We have all the elements which are necessary to make us a great people, and we cannot be deprived of them. We are a united people to begin with. And we are a temperate people, we are a frugal people, we are a virtuous people and we are a brave people."
Brigham Young Journal of Discourses pg 224.

"As Latter-Day Saints we should be honest, truthful, frugal, and economical and do everything in our power to improve our condition."
Brigham Young Journal of Discourses pg 225.


"We expect to become a very industrious, frugal and economical people."
Brigham Young Journal of Discourses pg 23.

What does it mean to be frugal? Our society teaches us to live in a "use and throw away" existence. A "Gotta have it all, gotta have it now!" mentality...like a dollar store flashlight. You know, the kind that are broken before you get home. 

I recently heard a statistic that blew my mind away. This statistic stated that, "The average woman has $6,000 to $10,000 worth of clothes (and accessories) her closet." I'm sure those numbers are a little different in our little valley, but think about it. Do we spend more than we ought to on the things that aren't really necessary? Clothes are a necessity, but I think "moderation in all things" can apply to clothing and accessories as well. This can also apply to how much time we spend doing underwater basket weaving :)...moderation, moderation, moderation .

My sister has been an excellent example to me. She and her family live on a single income. They are getting ready to send a son on a mission so she's got a budget set up. Some unnecessary expenses have to go. She has planned for things in advance so it will take a few months to save up for it, but it won't be on a credit card. She has her expenses set up in a Google Doc (the spreadsheet kind). She knows what she's spending, she knows when she'll be done paying off certain things, etc.

Just like President Young stated in an above quote, we need to do everything we can to improve our situation, but we still need to be frugal, not wasting or purchasing the unnecessary. This is especially important to keep in mind with Christmas approaching.

President Uchtdorf said during Sunday's Christmas devotional the following in regards to the perfect Christmas memory :

"It is usually something small - we read a verse of scripture, we hear a sacred carol and really listen to its words, maybe for the first time, or we witness a sincere expression of love. In one way or another, the Spirit touches our hearts, and we see that Christmas, in it essence, is much more sturdy and enduring than the many minor things of life we too often use to adorn it."

...And another thing...

From Heavenly Father's Medicine cabinet

Man its gettin' chilly! It is a good thing we've got cayenne pepper! The wonders of cayenne pepper!! There are SO many uses for this herbalicious spice!

When my father-in-law was on his mission in the frozen lands of Canada, he used cayenne to stimulate blood flow and keep his feet warm. If you use too much, you'll feel like you're walkin' on coals!

When I was a kid, my sister and I (under the direction of our parents) took care of some 60+ chickens. The White Mountains can become a bit nippy in the winter so we would add cayenne to their water to keep them warm and laying. It worked!

Cayenne can miraculously stop external and internal bleeding (it burns like a motherless goat or a newborn Russian race horse...which ever works best for you, but it works!). For external you sprinkle it over the wound. As for internal, in Peter Bigfoot's book "Ancient Natural Remedies" he states: " I have the most confidence in cayenne pepper to stop internal bleeding. It can be taken in capsule form or in water, but I simply use a teaspoon of the powder, straight, followed by bread, rice or yogurt as a "chaser" to stop the burning feeling in the mouth (water is ineffective). The pepper needs to be taken full strength and quickly."


If you have time, check out his website. He runs the "Reevis Mountain School of Self Reliance." Sweet!!!
http://www.reevismountain.org/

For Our Primary

It is time to update our Primary Substitute lists. If you are willing to be a substitute for our precious Solomonville Ward children, please respond to this email with your name and phone number. Thank you dear sisters for all your love and support.



Love,
The Primary Presidency


p.s. if your spouses are willing you can send us their names too :)

Self Reliance Tip #34 Ode to Bread

Goal this month: Make one recipe with just the basics from food you have stored.

Ok, what are your basics of food storage? Beans, grain, nuts, .... and all the extra cooking essentials.

Last night for dinner I made beef stew and fry bread. My husband came home late from a LooooOOonng day at work. He sat down to eat. He picked up the fry bread, took a bite and said, "You have everything in our food storage to make these...right?"


Fry bread was one of the first things I learned to cook as a youth. I griped and moaned that I HAD to learn how to make bread. Life was awful. Then when I went to college and I had "perfected" my recipe, I suddenly became popular with everyone. I must say that the old saying "The best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" rings true in the courtship with my husband :).


So, for fry bread you need flour, salt, sugar, oil and yeast. That's pretty basic, but oh its good. Yeast isn't on the "basics" recommended list, but neither is baking powder or any other leavening. Who's up for unleavened bread? Not if I can plan ahead!

My "perfected" recipe changed when I met Emily Clonts. She shared her recipe with us at a RS meeting. My life is forever changed....(bowing to the Queen of Bread) .....and so is my waistline :). I take no credit for this recipe. I usually half it...she's WAY better at sharing than I am :).

Ode To the Queen of Breads
6 C. warm water
2/3 C oil
2/3 C honey
2 T salt
3T yeast
1C white flour (plus more...read below)
6 - 8 C whole wheat flour

Put ingredients in Bosch as listed. Add all wheat flour, 1 C white flour and mix until blended and then let sit for 15 minutes. Start mixer and add white flour until you can see the sides of the bowl pull clean as well as the dough coming clean from the bottom of the bowl. The dough should be very sticky and does not come together at this point, but the bowl is clean as the dough turns. Kneed on 2 for 12 minutes. Oil hands, remove dough from mixer onto ta slightly oiled counter, divide your dough with a knife into 4 to large loaves depending on your pan size. Shape loaves, and place in a well greased (sprayed with cooking spray - oil does not work, but lard will). Cover with a dry towel and let rise until doubled in size. This will take 30 to 60 minutes depending on the room temperature. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 27-32 minutes or until the inside temperature is 180. Remove from pans, butter tops and cool on cooling racks before putting into bags.

....And another thing....

Here is a quote I will leave you with.

We all need to build a personal ark, to fortify ourselves against this rising tide of evil, to protect ourselves and our families against the floodwaters of iniquity around us. And we shouldn’t wait until it starts raining, but prepare in advance. This has been the message of all the prophets in this dispensation, as well as the prophets of old.

Unfortunately we don’t always heed the clear warnings of our prophets. We coast complacently along until calamity strikes, and then we panic.

When it starts raining, it is too late to begin building the ark. However, we do need to listen to the Lord’s spokesmen. We need to calmly continue to move ahead and to prepare for what will surely come. We need not panic or fear, for if we are prepared, spiritually and temporally, we and our families will survive any flood. W. Don Ladd, 2nd Quorum of 70, Oct, 1994