One Year Food Storage Calendar

By: Sister Soobee

This program included appropriate graphics and calendars. (You get to figure those out!) There apparently was also a yellow section that had miscellaneous information about storage and preparedness items. I don’t have it. On the back of each monthly page was a chart for the sisters to complete that was something like:

My choice of goals for this month are: Completion Date:

72 Hour Kit

Home Food Storage

Temporal Goals

Spiritual Goals

Pursuit Of Preparedness

Dear Sisters of the _____________ Stake,

We, as Latter-Day-Saints, have been counseled to prepare to care for ourselves in times of need. The scriptures and prophets have given repeated warnings that destructive events may occur in our lifetimes. Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone said, "The season of the world before us will be like no other in the history of mankind. Just as this is the dispensation of the fullness of times, so it is also the dispensation of the fullness of evil. There is no safety in the world: wealth cannot provide it, enforcement agencies cannot assure it, membership in this church alone cannot bring it." Only preparing both spiritually and temporally can dispel fear and protect us in these times. Each individual should prepare to be as self-reliant as possible in an emergency.

That is why we have chosen this Pursuit of Preparedness program as our Pursuit of Excellence program this year. Our program is three-fold:

1. We ask you to prepare at least one 72 hour emergency kit. Ideally, each family member should have one.

2. Improve your home storage program. This could be completing your one-year supply of food, growing a garden, living within your means, getting out of debt, etc.

3. Improve the spiritual and temporal aspects of your life.

We encourage each of your to choose goals from each of the categories each month that are needed to better prepare yourself in these areas. Choose goals that will make you reach, but be realistic… "Don’t run before you can walk!" Do not go into debt reaching these goals.

Although this program is part of learning to use goal setting in our lives, we encourage you to move ahead with the 72 hours emergency kit and general preparedness if you are able. We will continue our Pursuit of Preparedness for at least two years. There are many areas of emergency preparedness so we hope you will begin with us now and we will accomplish much.

We bear testimony to you that faith in the Lord and obedience to His council are the only things that will give us safety and peace of mind and ask you to sincerely and prayerfully participate with us in this program.

With Love,

Your Relief Society Presidency

Suggested Goals for January

Purchase or make an appropriate bag or container for your 72 hour Emergency Kit. Add at least two items to your kit. (Example: blanket and toilet tissue.)

Take an inventory of your home storage and add additional items.

Increase your physical workout or exercise by 10% this month.

Read Matthew 24, compare to the inspired version as contained in the Pearl of Great Price. Read D&C 45 where the Lord, not man, has documented the signs of the times. Then turn to D&C 101 and 133 and hear the step-by-step recounting of events leading up to the coming of the Savior. Finally turn to the promises the Lord makes to those who keep the commandments as set forth in D&C 38.

"But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." 1 Timothy 5:8

Suggested Goals for February

Add at least three more items to your 72-hour emergency kit. (Example: money-dollar bills in a zip-lock bag and a roll of quarters; pen, tablet, reading material-first-aid booklet and/or scriptures; valuable documents-see yellow section.

Use a Family Home Evening and have a "refresher" First-aid course. Make it fun!!

Give yourselves a "day off". Do what you want to do and never seem to find time for. Example: Visit the Church Museum, go to a concert, work on a scrapbook, do genealogy, visit a nursing home, read, sleep.

Be aware of how you serve your neighbors. Take a surprise to someone that you haven’t ever done anything for.

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Suggested Goals for March

Add three more items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example: Clear plastic tarp-used to obtain water (see Boy Scout Field book); any personal items you feel you can’t do without; small handsaw and any other good ideas of your own. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your kit is ready to go!

Use your stored wheat at least four times this month. Use a different recipe each time. Get your family used to whole wheat.

Make an honest effort to lose/gain three pounds-whichever is best for your body. Be aware this month that your body is a Temple.

Study the steps of true repentance and sincerely repent of one of your shortcomings.

"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing;; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."
D&C 88:119

Suggested Goals for April

Make a mini survival kit for the trunk of your car.

Become familiar with the Civil Defense disaster plans for your area and learn your community’s audible warning signals-what they sound like, what they mean, and what action should be taken. Add to your food storage and add fresh water to your water storage.

Organize a drawer a week this month. Have four storage boxes nearby labeled "give away/sell", "throw away", "put away", and "storage".

Re-memorize the thirteen Articles of Faith and memorize D&C 4. GOOD LUCK!! You’re almost perfect!

"Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day." D&C 4

Suggested Goals for May

Add at least three more items to your 72-hour emergency kit. Example: Water purification tablets, road flares, mace, etc.

Become informed on proper communication during a disaster. See communication sheet in yellow section.

Use a Family Home Evening and have each member of your family make a small personal emergency phone book. Instructions and suggested agencies or people to be included are in the communication sheet, yellow section.

Share some of your time and give undivided attention to a son, grandson, nephew, brother, father, or neighbor on a regular basis.

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27

Suggested Goals for June

Add at least three more items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example: rope, water, canteen (filled), flashlight and batteries.

Improve and add to your water storage. (See water storage in yellow section)

Overcome the chocolate chip cookie blues: and cut down on fat and sugar.

Improve the quality of your prayers. Read the definition of prayer in the Bible Dictionary.

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13

Suggested Goals for July

Add three more items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example: A complete first aid kit.

Add dried fruits and vegetables to your food storage. Remember to "store what you use & use what you store." Add basic food storage items such as wheat, dry milk, sugar or honey, salt, vegetable oil, grains, and beans.

Work at improving your nails and making your hands soft and beautiful. Experiment with a new hair style.

Be a better visiting teacher this month. Look up compassion in the topical guide of the Bible and read all of the scriptures listed.

"And He said unto them: Behold my bowels are filled with compassion towards you." II Nephi 17:6

Suggested Goals for August

Add at least three more items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example:

Portable army shovel, hatchet in a case, Swiss knife.

Decide what is needed to bring your present reserve level of storage to a year’s supply. Make a list and pr4epare a plan to obtain the items. Use a family home evening to do this.

Practice financial discipline for twenty-one days. Make it a habit!

As a family, pick a favorite Book of Mormon prophet and do an in-depth study and learn all you can about this prophet. Make him your friend!

"Use boldness but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness." Alma 38:12

Suggested Goals for September

Add at least three more items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example: warm shirt, gloves, wool socks.

Study about and prepare your family for an earthquake hazard. l (See earthquake in yellow section)

Wash and wax your car and follow the simple inspection guidelines in the yellow section.

Share some of your precious time and give undivided attention to a daughter, granddaughter, niece, sister or mother on a regular basis. Example: visit temple grounds, take a tour, attend a free concert on a Friday or Saturday evening.

"And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you." Helaman 14:30-31

Suggested Goals for October

Add at least three items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example: three heavy duty trash bags, compass, whistle

Have a predetermined action plan and an alternate plan to re-unite your family at a central location or meeting point in the event of family separation in an emergency. Use a family home evening to practice home fire drills.

In addition to your regular scripture reading, read a good book this month.

Memorize four church hymns.

"Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail." D&C 6:34

Suggested Goals for November

Add three more items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example: Collapsible aluminum cup, can opener, candle, water-proof matches.

Make sure that you and each member of your immediate family know how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity in your home.

Clean a closet. Organize your time. Write a letter to a missionary. If budget allows, enclose a booklet of stamps.

"Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh." D&C 1:12

Suggested Goals for December

Add at least three more items to your 72 hour emergency kit. Example: Food, nuts, energy bars, sucrose candy, salt tablets, honey, beef jerky, raisins, backpacking freeze-dried foods.

Give your home food storage a Christmas present - a case of tuna fish, case of soup, case of juice, etc.

Take time to listen, share a treasure, write a love letter, keep a promise, and laugh a little more.

Read, ponder, and study one of the Gospels- Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:16-17

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