Monday Message

"Today, I emphasize a most basic principle: home production and storage. Have you ever paused to realize what would happen to your community or nation if transportation were paralyzed or if we had a war or depression? How would you and your neighbors obtain food? How long would the corner grocery store—or supermarket—sustain the needs of the community?” (President Ezra Taft Benson)

"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)

"Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through the home production and storage, but others as well.” (President Ezra Taft Benson)

"In Argentina, Relief Society leaders are trying to teach the importance of food storage. They wrote: “Unfortunately, most of the sisters [here] cannot afford to buy an extra kilo of sugar, or flour, or an extra liter of oil. However, they have been encouraged to save, even just a spoonful at a time.” (Elaine L. Jack)

If they can do that surely we can too.

I was in a Walmart the other day walking through. I always note prices since I don’t go very often but the prices were so high it makes me think of struggling people having to come up with these higher prices and how hard it is.  

I have not seen the prices ever come down but they continue to get higher. We have so many things going on all around us. Everything competing for your time and money. It is easy to listen to the voices on tv say you have dirty dishes so go out to eat. I find myself thinking, but you will still have dirty dishes after that. They make everyone look happy when they eat out or get these boxed items at the grocery store.  

Just this morning about five I smelled one of my neighbors making pancakes. I love pancakes. I found my thoughts going to what kind then I wondered was it a mix? Hmmmm, that made me think there are pancake mixes that are complete and you just add water. I think if you store mixes those would be a good item to store then. I thought they don’t last as long as storing flour and all the ingredients to make pancakes from scratch. Just my thoughts this morning early. I wonder if many know how to make pancakes from scratch? Then my thoughts drifted to how many harmful chemicals could be in the boxed things, yikes that’s a thought.

http://pocketchangegourmet.com/old-fashioned-homemade-pancakes/ - I know people are busy but this idea of mixing ahead is great with that.

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2015/10/homemade-shake-and-pour-pancake-mix.html - this second idea I use with my canning jars, it is fantastic however as busy as you are you have to make the jars up but having them on hand is such a helpful thing.

Did you know you could add a little water to your almost empty jam jar, heat it and you can have a syrup for your pancakes - yum!

I know it is easy to get in ruts or just have cold cereal but we have pancakes a lot for supper too.

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/05/make-your-own-ridiculously-easy-and-inexpensive-homemade-maple-syrup.html - this is good to make and very frugal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLs5nDiGa1M&feature=em-lbcastemail - some ideas on how to live on one income.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsrQo-Cg0sE - part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ude4DLSJ5qs&feature=em-uploademail build your skills

I love this next quote...

"I have on occasion cited the need for many reservoirs in our lives to provide for our needs. I have said, “Some reservoirs are to store water. Some are to store food, as we do in our family welfare program and as Joseph did in the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty. There should also be reservoirs of knowledge to meet the future needs; reservoirs of courage to overcome the floods of fear that put uncertainty in our lives; reservoirs of physical strength to help us meet the frequent burdens of work and illness; reservoirs of goodness; reservoirs of stamina; reservoirs of faith."

 “Yes, especially reservoirs of faith, so that when the world presses in upon us, we stand firm and strong; when the temptations of a decaying world about us draw on our energies, sap our spiritual vitality, and seek to pull us down, we need a storage of faith that can carry youth, and later adults, over the dull, the difficult, the terrifying moments; disappointments; disillusionments; and years of adversity, want, confusion, and frustration.
. . .Parents. .are expected to lay foundations for their children and to build the barns and tanks and bins and reservoirs.” (President Spencer W. Kimball)