Monday Message

"Recent surveys of Church members have shown a serious erosion in the number of families who have a year’s supply of life’s necessities. Most members plan to do it. Too few have begun. . . . It is our sacred duty to care for our families, including our extended families" (Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Sept. 1986, 4; emphasis in original). 

"Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through home production and storage, but others as well" (Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1980, 48; or Ensign, Nov. 1980, 34). 

"Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year’s supply of food and clothing and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year’s supply of debt and are food-free" (Thomas S. Monson, "That Noble Gift—Love at Home," Church News, 12 May 2001, 7). 

Grow Food When Possible 

"We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasiblly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard" (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Apr. 1976, 171; or Ensign, May 1976, 124). 

"Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own" (Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1980, 47; or Ensign, Nov. 1980, 33).

http://www.creativesavv.com/2014/01/egg-substitutes-.and-how-do-you-know_15.html I think we all should be learning how to manage how to substitute things for eggs in cooking and baking. I hope you have been printing all the ones I have been putting in the messages and have them in your binders.

http://www.littlehouseliving.com/100-delicious-zucchini-recipes.html - many ideas now that the zucchini is coming on quickly. Plus if you have too many, share with others. Besides these ideas you can dehydrate it and freeze it.

How are you doing working on your storage?? I would like to hear what you are doing and what you accomplished this week.

Remember, we have a challenge to beef up our storage by the end of the year! Do the best you can. You know what you have and what you need. Every little thing you can do adds up.

http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/2011/03/3-month-food-storage-calculator-and.html - if you need to get started, time to not put it off any longer.

If you did not watch the Wendy DeWitt clips last week you need to do it very soon. It is the best thing on food storage ever!

http://newdeal.feri.org/sevier/essays/frugality.htm how many of the things mentioned in this article do you do now? Wasting nothing was what they did then, could you do it now?

I was thinking while picking dried pea pods off their dried parent plants, as I would drop in my bucket with a plunk each time I wondered if any of my neighbors were wondering what I was gathering off of the dead plants and if they knew I was saving pea seed for my next year's garden in hopes it would be a better year for gardens and making up what this year gave me.

This year has been lots of work for very little but I am thankful for it and canning it up anyway to stretch things. I was wondering is this really any difference? Did we learn from those who were before us? Can we still learn? It is hard work but when winter winds drive the snow, a bottle of good produce is like canned sunshine.

If they were here they would willingly teach you skills that you will need. What skill could you stretch yourself this week or month?

I have a friend who volunteered at a historic building in her town. She was giving a tour through a room with bridal gowns of the past. She said she got close up looks and they were hand sewn. She looked inside to see the construction, she said that one was amazing and that it turned out how it was in weird ways. I imagine the bride used every scrap of the fabric to make the dress. Could we do that?

http://www.organizinglifewithless.com/2013/12/use-it-up-wear-it-out-make-do-or-do.html - ideas here to help you understand. When I was a teen I worked as a waitress. Part of our job was to tip the ketchup bottles upside down to top off others, a good money saving thing. Do you just toss it? Did you know when you have just a little left in you can put a homemade dressing in and shake to get every drop? This is what being frugal is all about...
http://www.organizinglifewithless.com/2013/12/use-it-up-wear-it-out-make-do-or-do.html

http://frugal2free.typepad.com/the-iconic-frugal-guru/2012/01/use-it-up-wear-it-out-make-it-do-or-do-without.html - it is good reads.

I think we should do some taking notes on how you do things.

Don’t throw out a way big dress, refashion it to fit like I did. It wanted to fight me at every turn but now it works.

Please work on storage items. Don’t forget pads for the girls and toilet paper and other things.

I think doing things like cutting you child's hair and that would save twenty dollars. Use it to get that big bag of wheat from Walmart. Fix your lunch instead of eating out even though you really wanted to and stock up on peanutbutter. Hit your needs first and fill in the gaps.

You all can do this and knowing you are following the Prophet and you will be blessed to be able to continue to find ways and opportunities to gather your storage.