Hope Grows

"As we put our faith and trust to work, hope is born. Hope grows out of faith and gives meaning and purpose to all that we do. It can even give us the peaceful assurance we need to live happily in a world that is ripe with iniquity, calamity, and injustice."

--M. Russell Ballard, "The Joy of Hope Fulfilled", Ensign, Nov 1992, 31



D&C 45:28, 36–39, 44

Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning, Hymn #56

Self Relaince Tip #43 Fire Starter!

We've been talking about meals and ways to prepare them. Time for a pop-quiz. Here is a scenario to think about to get your creative juices flowing...like cranberry juice, so good for your kidneys, but a little bitter.


Ok, so lets say that you've got all your breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts all squared away. You have a rocket stove, a WONDER OVEN and a solar oven. You have enough water stored for a few weeks, except for laundry...darn I should have gotten more. Your town is hit with an ice storm (I know we're in Arizona...it happens :) ). The power will be out for at least a week and the water pipes are frozen for at least two days.


Its time to make breakfast. There is no sun for a solar oven. You will have to make fire. Nobody told me about that!! I forgot to get matches!!!

What do you do?

I've been researching ways to make fire without matches. Here are a few ideas.

1. Flint fire...it works really well if you have saved some dryer lint. I've been saving for months. Some days I'm tempted to take the lint back to the store and see if I can get a little money back for half of my clothes stuck in lint catcher :).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T1pXOC_AkU&feature=related

2. Hand drill method - by the way, he's wearing brain tanned leather :).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WjHZJbebJc&feature=related

3. Using a magnifying glass - I watched SEVERAL magnifying glass videos. None (that I saw) but this one actually made fire. They usually smoked. The difference is the size of the magnifying glass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCuXQONbuEU

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....And another thing....

I just found this site and I LOVE IT!! It has videos for just about everything storage and organization related. If you are a visual person (like me), and learn faster by watching someone do something than read about it, I'm there!

There are even Pressure Canning 101 videos. Awesome!
http://everydayfoodstorage.net/videos

Camp Verde West Africa Missionaries

Hi Ladies!
I received this email from Sister Louise Tolman...
DONATIONS
ARE NEEDED FOR
CAPE VERDE WEST AFRICA
Missionaries Entering the Mission Field
from Cape Verde
are In DESPERATE Need of Clothing
as they Begin Their Missions
If You Would Like to Help, we need:
Shirts, Socks
Shoes, Ties
Belts, Suits
Tan Twill Pants (such as Dockers)
Sizes
Men - Small, Med or Lg (no xlg or larger)

Contact Brother and Sister Tolman - 428-0941
Ron served as Mission President in Cape Verde - we know and
love these dear members. Our grandson has taken this on as an
Eagle project but we want to help as well. We need these items
by February 25.

If you are interested in donating please let me know. You can drop stuff by my house, Marsha's house, or Alisha's house. They specifically asked that the clothing be new or VERY gently used. If you wouldn't send it to your own missionary, don't send it.

Thanks!
Brandi

Self Reliance Tip #42 Just Desserts!!

Good Morning Sisters!!!


Now that you've been armed with nutritious and delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners, now its time to break out the good stuff!



On my mother-in-law's wall is a saying " DESSERTS is STRESSED spelled backwards." Nothing calms the "sour" of hardship like the opposition of something sweet. It's a proven fact...in my life anyway. Desserts are the "Comfort Food of Queens." In a WCS (Worst Case Scenario) calorie counting will be the LAST thing on anybody's mind.


Here are a few ideas:


http://preparednessmatters.blogspot.com/2007/09/cooking-with-basic-storage-desserts-and.html


Brownies
Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Honey Graham Crackers
Oh Henry Bars
....and more!


Sister Leiah also told me about this website this week and I LOVE it!! This English Muffin recipe is awesome. My first try was 1/2 wheat 1/2 white and they turned out BEAUTIFUL! This blogger takes all her recipes and budgets every penny. She has a HUGE list of recipes.

http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/07/english-muffins-068-recipe-008-each.html

....And another thing....

An "EXCELLENT" shout-out to Sister Alisha for a job well done on Sunday's talk. There is so much more to self-reliance than food. I loved what she had to say about education!


In March our family will be "Preparedness Camping". Last night for Family Home Evening we put each family member in charge of making a dinner and a dessert through the week. Some of them I had to bite my tongue (...like with ramen noodles...yuck). I think it is important that each family member understands how much work and planning goes into food storage meals. It is important for them to learn how to cook. Yeah, it would just be easier to do it, but it is part of an education they won't be getting at school.

Stand Firm

"As we go about living from day to day, it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged. We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others and yet standing in the minority or even standing alone concerning what is acceptable and what is not. Do we have the moral courage to stand firm for our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone?"

--President Thomas S. Monson, "Dare to Stand Alone", November 2011 Ensign

Deuteronomy 6:18

Stand for the Right, The Children's Songbook #159

Self relaince Tip # 41 Free samples.. Oooooo :)

Hello! Yep! Its Tuesday again!!


I am so proud of all of you! Keep up the good work!


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Goal for this month: Make a menu of at least 5 breakfast, lunch or dinner meals (or go for the gold and do all three!)


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This week's tip is different lunch ideas. Since discovering this website, I have learned a lot from it. It is cute and full of good information!

Lunch ideas:
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/recipes/lunch-recipes/

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

I learned about this company when I visited Book Worms about a year ago. To buy a year worth is out of my budget, but I could probably afford this:
http://wisefoodstorage.com/gourmet-emergency-grab-and-go-food-kits/56-serving-breakfast-and-entree.html

They are individually packed and all you do is add hot water, stir and you're done. That could really come in handy for a few meals.

http://wisefoodstorage.com/

There are even free samples:
http://wisefoodstorage.com/try-a-sample

Self Reliance Tip # 40 Food Storage

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I found this link and thought it would be worthy to share. I plan on printing a copy of it and heeding the advice found in it.


http://ldsliving.com/story/67084-evacuating-from-home-in-an-emergency

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This month I would like to focus on food storage recipes. So you have black beans, katsup, canned meatballs and jello, what can you make with that...uh, those together not a whole lot :)... The meal of the day I struggle with the most is breakfast. Cold cereal is really convenient, but with some favorite cereals you would need to take out a small loan to buy a year supply of it. A small loan would defeat the purpose :). Sure, you can stock up on cereals, but they can also get boring!

Here are some ideas for breakfast:
http://beprepared.com/recipes.asp_Q_ai_E_4_A_name_E_Food%20Storage%20Recipes%20Breakfast

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


....and another thing...


......from Heavenly Father's Medicine cabinet...


I found this book in its fullness on this website:
http://www.pshm.org/mormonmedicine.shtml

There are accounts of when people didn't know what to do when faced with sickness or injury, they appealed to their Heavenly Father and the Spirit enlightened their minds as to what to do. I will share shortened versions from their journal entries.
When Sister Lucy Mack Smith saw that her daughter Sophronia who had typhus (which is kind of like mono with rashes, high fever and ache) looked very close to death. A doctor had been helping her for 89 days. He told her there was nothing else he could do. Her and her husband knelt by their bedside and prayed that she would be spared a little longer. Sister Smith picked her up, wrapped a blanket around her and began pacing the floor with her. Sophronia began to sob and from that time forward began to recover.
Amanda Barnes Smith was the mother of a child named Alma severely wounded at the Haun's Mill Massacre. His hip was in such bad shape that none of the bones were together. With her son Willard by her side they prayed together for help and inspiration. She told Alma " The Lord has made it known to me that He will make you well, but you must lie on your stomach for a few weeks." She then took white ashes from the camp fire to make a weak lye and washed the wound. Then she made a poultice of slippery elm tree roots. When the poultice turned black, the wound was washed again and the poultice was changed. He fully recovered.

These stories remind me when Sister Marianne's sister came and spoke to our ward about an experience she had in an emergency when the Holy Ghost told her what to do. These testimonies are so important for us. When we are unsure what to do in an emergency, ask the Lord for guidance first and things will fall into their proper place.

A Wonderful Future

"I see a wonderful future in a very uncertain world. If we will cling to our values, if we will build on our inheritance, if we will walk in obedience before the Lord, if we will simply live the gospel we will be blessed in a magnificent and wonderful way. We will be looked upon as a peculiar people who have found the key to a peculiar happiness."

--Gordon B. Hinckley, "Look to the Future", Ensign, Nov. 1997, 67



1 Cor. 9: 14

I Will Follow God's Plan, Children's Song Book 164

Self Reliance Tip #39 Breakfast Planning

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I found this link and thought it would be worthy to share. I plan on printing a copy of it and heeding the advice found in it.

http://ldsliving.com/story/67084-evacuating-from-home-in-an-emergency

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


This month I would like to focus on food storage recipes. So you have black beans, katsup, canned meatballs and jello, what can you make with that...uh, those together not a whole lot :)... The meal of the day I struggle with the most is breakfast. Cold cereal is really convenient, but with some favorite cereals you would need to take out a small loan to buy a year supply of it. A small loan would defeat the purpose :). Sure, you can stock up on cereals, but they can also get boring!


Here are some ideas for breakfast:
http://beprepared.com/recipes.asp_Q_ai_E_4_A_name_E_Food%20Storage%20Recipes%20Breakfast

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


....and another thing...


......from Heavenly Father's Medicine cabinet...


I found this book in its fullness on this website:
http://www.pshm.org/mormonmedicine.shtml

There are accounts of when people didn't know what to do when faced with sickness or injury, they appealed to their Heavenly Father and the Spirit enlightened their minds as to what to do. I will share shortened versions from their journal entries.
When Sister Lucy Mack Smith saw that her daughter Sophronia who had typhus (which is kind of like mono with rashes, high fever and ache) looked very close to death. A doctor had been helping her for 89 days. He told her there was nothing else he could do. Her and her husband knelt by their bedside and prayed that she would be spared a little longer. Sister Smith picked her up, wrapped a blanket around her and began pacing the floor with her. Sophronia began to sob and from that time forward began to recover.
Amanda Barnes Smith was the mother of a child named Alma severely wounded at the Haun's Mill Massacre. His hip was in such bad shape that none of the bones were together. With her son Willard by her side they prayed together for help and inspiration. She told Alma " The Lord has made it known to me that He will make you well, but you must lie on your stomach for a few weeks." She then took white ashes from the camp fire to make a weak lye and washed the wound. Then she made a poultice of slippery elm tree roots. When the poultice turned black, the wound was washed again and the poultice was changed. He fully recovered.

These stories remind me when Sister Marianne's sister came and spoke to our ward about an experience she had in an emergency when the Holy Ghost told her what to do. These testimonies are so important for us. When we are unsure what to do in an emergency, ask the Lord for guidance first and things will fall into their proper place.