March 2020 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here for a complete copy of March 2020 Back to Basics Newsletter.

It is said if March comes in like a lamb it will go out like a lion. Some years that works – but most years we just see that March is unpredictable. Today can be a cold-wintery-bundle-up kind of day, and tomorrow a balmy-shirt-sleeve-weather day. Life is often just like March: unpredictable. It can remind us of the importance of being prepared for the calm or storm. When we go out in March we take a light jacket and a warmer coat – just in case. The same goes with our preparedness – just in case, we can be ready for any “storm” that comes along. The month of March boasts tales of shamrocks, leprechauns and pots of gold. Stories tell of the happiness in finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Rainbows come with storms. For us – our Preparedness can be our pot of gold!  As we are prepared for life’s storms, we will find the happiness that comes with that preparedness. When the storm comes, the rainbow will follow, and our preparedness “pot of gold” will help us survive all the “lion” or “lamb” days of life!

Included in this month's newsletter:

The 72 hour to 120 hour kit (3-5 days) - a list of items to include in your portable kit.

Provident Living - Using Food Storage Daily - a list of ways that will help you incorporate food storage into your daily diet.

In the Southern Utah Garden - things to plant and activities for the month of March.

Cooking with Food Storage - from scratch! - Recipes for Mac and Cheese and Baking Powder Biscuits.

The Coronavirus! Being prepared for any disaster is being prepared for this! A list of things to remember to prepare.

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February 2020 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here for a complete copy of the February 2020 Back to Basics Newsletter.

February is known as the month of LOVE. We send valentines, bake cookies for neighbors, or “heart attack” the door of a loved friend. It is fun for the giver, and touching for the receiver when these acts of kindness and love are engaged in. Isn’t this then a wonderful month for us to show love to our families by the way we are prepared to care for them, no matter what happens in our lives? One of the final things the Savior said to his disciples before his crucifixion, was “As I have loved you, love one another.” Surely we are following the Savior as we show love to our families with good deeds and kind acts. But we also show our love when their temporal and spiritual needs are addressed. Let us love our family a little more this month. Let us be sure our cupboards are full, a 72 hour pack is ready, the scriptures are read, and prayers have been said. Let us love by Being Prepared!

Included in this month's newsletter:
Preparation Evaluation- A list of questions to check your preparedness, with ideas to help you answer the questions.
Preparing for the Future - A Quote by Elder L Tom Perry on the urgency of personal and family preparedness.
Earthquake Disaster Prep - A list of ideas to be ready for an earthquake.
In the Southern Utah Garden -  Things to do for February in your garden.
Provident Living & Preparedness Skills - Skills you can learn to help your self-sufficiency.
Cooking with Food Storage: Using Cornmeal - recipes for basic cornbread and variations, and Cornmeal Mush.
Fire it Up - Tips for fires and items to store.
Seeing the Light - Homemade Candles and Wicks - Recipes for 2 kinds of emergency candles, and homemade wicks.

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January 2020 Back to Basics Newsletter

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Happy New Year! As the song says: “Ring out the old, ring in the new! Ring happy bells across the snow. The year is going; let him go. Ring out the false, ring in the true.” A new year brings so many opportunities for us. It starts in “the bleak midwinter” – and looks to the blossom of the spring we know will come. It seems the perfect analogy of life. No matter what “winter day” we face, the warmth and growth of spring, and eventually summer, will follow. So it can be with our preparedness. If you have only begun your preparedness program – with the right efforts and planning – your storage and emergency system will blossom and grow too! As we make “New Year’s Resolutions,” let our preparedness status be at the top of the list! If we are prepared – we will not need to worry about the winter that we know will come again.  We will “sleep when the wind blows” and the storms arrive, and will be able to say, as Elder Joseph B Worthlin once said – “Come what may and love it.” Let this “new year” be the year we set in place a life of provident living that will bring us peace, confidence, and blessings. We will be prepared, and not fear!

Included in this issue:
Ring in the New - Preparedness Review: A list of items to review that you can include in a family preparedness program.
Time: using time wisely thought/poem.
Spiritual Preparedness: a quote from President Spencer W Kimball.
In the Southern UTah Garden: the 5 P's for your garden - Plan, Prune, Plant, Prevent, and Prepare.
Cooking with Food Storage: recipes to use food storage items for breakfast.
Thought for the day: on setting goals.
Companion Planting: a list of vegetables and the companions, allies and enemies.

Click here for a complete copy of the January 2020 Back to Basics Newsletter.

December 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

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December brings with it long winter nights perfect for caroling, service projects, gift making, secret Santas, and lots of good cheer! No wonder Christmas - the celebration of the birth of our Savior – has been dubbed “The most wonderful time of the year!” Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season, be sure to fit in some preparedness. We can give preparedness gifts, and provide service that helps someone else be prepared. Preparedness giving will include a second gift – peace of mind. Knowing our families are prepared, both temporally and spiritually, will provide our own peace as well as give peace to those who we help. And isn’t that just what the angels sang of – “Peace on earth, good will to men.” This year – give preparedness. This year – give Peace!

Included in this month's newsletter:
"If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" - excerpts from a talk by Elder L Tom Perry which include four requirements in preparing for that which is to come.
Disaster Prep - Learning from other's experience: poll results on how prepared people were for a disaster and what we can add to our own supplies so we are better prepared than they were.
Spiritual and Temporal Preparedness - A quote by James E Talmage about the warnings the Lord gives us.
In the Southern Utah Garden - tips for December garden activities.
Christmas Cooking - with Food Storage: recipes (that include food storage ingredients) for Molasses Candy, Easy Caramel Corn, Pecan Brittle, and Bran Refrigerator Muffins.
Christmas Gifts: A Preparedness Christmas - A list of gift ideas to help others with their preparedness.
Winter Ready Chickens: ideas to help your chickens be productive through the winter.

Click here for a complete copy of the December 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

November 2019 Back To Basics Newsletter

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“Come, ye thankful people, come; Raise the song of harvest home. All is safely gathered in - Ere the winter storms begin.” This well-loved Thanksgiving hymn draws our thoughts to gratitude and preparedness. If we are thankful – we have a harvest – we have gathered in every needful thing, and we are ready for whatever storms of trials and adversity may come our way. Does your home reflect an attitude of gratitude? As we embark on a month devoted to gratitude, will the lord see our thankfulness with our food storage shelves and 72 hour kits filled? Are we ready for the storms, be they temporal or spiritual? Paul taught “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) Let us show our gratitude, let us be thankful, let us provide for our families with some to spare for the needy. Let us truly Raise the Song of Harvest Home and have All Safely Gathered In. Let us Be Prepared!

Included in this month's newsletter:
Ere the Winter Storms Begin - a list of items to include in a car kit so you are ready for winter driving challenges.
Preparation with Purpose - a list of possible events where you will need to "Be Prepared," and what kinds of preparedness items to address it with.
Spiritual Preparedness - small and simple - a quote from Elder M Russel Ballard on the small and simple things we can do to fill our lives with peace and joy.
In the Southern Utah Garden - November things we can do to finish up the fall garden and prepare for the spring garden.
Thanksgiving Recipes - recipes for No Fail Pie Crust, Leftover Turkey Roll-ups, and Basic Dixie Salad.
Disaster Prep: Consequences! - what will happen if I don't prepare? A few thoughts on consequences pertaining to disasters.
A Food Storage Thanksgiving - a list of items you can store for Thanksgiving dinner, and a challenge to be ready for next year off the shelves.
Disaster/Emergency Prep - a list of tools and equipment that can help in your quest to be prepared.

Click here for a complete copy of the November 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

October 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

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Hello October…and goodbye summer. This is the month of no more hot days, when frosty nights appear, and leaves put on their best show. Fall is a season loved by many. The harvest is over or wrapping up, and the fruits of our labors are on show with pantry shelves full and gardens being put to bed for winter. It is a great time to take stock of where your family stands with provident living. If all is safely gathered in, we can truly let the winter storms begin. Are your shelves full? Is there a 72 hour kit close at hand? Can you care for your family and keep them happy and healthy “come what may?”  As the shadows of daylight slip into longer nights with cozy fires, let us be sure that we can sit at the fireside with a warm meal and a peaceful heart, knowing we are prepared. That peace and satisfaction is one of the greatest gifts of the harvest.

Included in this month's newsletter:
A House of Order: Prepare every needful thing- making preparedness a house or order with the D&C 88:119 reference.
Provident Living: Winter and Disaster Prep - ideas to prepare us for winter that also prepare us for disasters.
A Quote by Elder Victor L Brown about preparedness.
In the Southern Utah Garden - tips for October gardens.
Cooking With Food Storage: Fall Favorites - recipes for Pear Sauce, Hot Chocolate from scratch, and Applet Candy.
Why Have Food Storage - a list of reasons having a food storage is beneficial, beyond just having food!
Holiday Provident Living: Make your own - recipes for Halloween makeup, fake blood and a tip for costumes.
Slick Facts about Fats and Oils - info about oil, why to store it, how much to store, a what to store.

Click here for a complete copy of October 2019 Back to Basics.

September 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here for a complete copy of the September 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

September has long been the traditional month when all the schools were finally in session. Learning has officially begun! Although there is a specified age for attending public schools, we know that the acquisition of knowledge is a lifelong pursuit. D&C 130:18-19 tells us “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.” Have you ever considered that gaining knowledge can be a preparedness activity? We can gain skills and knowledge that will help us in our quest for provident living. The more we know, the more we can better care for our families. The world around us is full of daily disasters. Preparedness gives us peace of mind in the face of unknown storms. Let us use the time we have to improve our knowledge in areas that will assist us in following the commandment to Be Prepared.

Included in this month's newsletter:

Making Preparedness a Way of Life:  It is easy to be prepared if it is a way of life. Included here is a list of ideas to help you be prepared by making certain things a part of your regular living.

Life and Disaster Insurance:  We buy all kinds of insurance policies. Preparedness is a tangible life and disaster insurance. A list of"insurances" that we need to include.

Spiritual Preparedness:  a quote from President David O McKay on how our temporal preparedness obedience brings blessings, and temporal obedience becomes an element of spirituality.

In the Southern Utah Garden:  A list of things we can do in September. Everything from what to plant, weeding and fertilizing.

The Fall Harvest: Apples, Pears and Peppers: recipes to can and use apples (Apple Crisp and Cobbler) and ways to store pears and peppers.

Becoming a Provident Provider:  A great quote from Elder Robert D Hales to provide suggestions on principles of provident living.

Food Storage Made Simple:  A list of things to do to help simplify your food storage program.

Click here for a complete copy of the September 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

August 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

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“Today while the sun shines work with a will,” is the first line of a well-loved hymn that is a great motto for our lives. August is certainly a “sun-shining” month; a great time to use those “today” moments to prepare for whatever tomorrow may bring. We can “prepare for tomorrow by working today.” We can “work with a will” as we prepare both temporally and spiritually. “Today while the sun shines” we can put together that 72 hour kit, bottle fruit to enjoy in the winter, plan how to respond to any disaster, and live so that we can draw on the spirit to guide us. We can “work with a will” and “our duties fulfill” as we take the responsibility to be prepared to care for our families in any situation. While this summer sun shines - while we have the resources available – we can take advantage of the bounty that surrounds us . We live in times of plenty where the sunshine abounds. Let us prepare for the leaner times when the winter storms arrive and the sun is not so bright. Instead of complaining about the heat and summer sun – bottle it up for the future. Remember – as Ralph Waldo Emerson said “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”

Included in this months newsletter:
Disaster Prep: Be the One - 1 in 10 people keep it together in a disaster. Is that you? Ideas for how you can "be the one!"
Got Milk? Ideas for storing and using powdered milk.
In the Southern Utah Garden - Things to do in August. Planting, weeding, watering and more.
Using Summer's Bounty -  recipes for tomato soup, fresh peach cobbler and dried tomatoes, peppers and onions.
Powdered Milk - Now you stored it, how to use it -Recipes for sweetened condensed milk, buttermilk, cheese and pudding.
End of Life Preparation - a list of 25 things you should gather before you die!
Need Some Incentive? A visual of how much food you can have if you store a years supply of basics.

Click here for a complete copy of August 2019 Back to Basics newsletter.

July 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here for a complete copy of the July 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

July is the month Americans celebrate the freedoms fought and died for over decades and centuries of wars and conflicts. Blood was spilt so we could all enjoy the life we live today. Are we grateful for our freedom? This is a “choice land” that was set aside as God’s promised land centuries ago. Do we live a life that shows God our gratitude? Part of showing gratitude to God is by keeping his commandments. Jesus said “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” One of those commandments is to be prepared, both spiritually and temporally. This summer is a great time to use our rich resources to set aside for a rainy day. “Today while the sun shines” let us harvest the fruits and vegetables and fill our bottles and freezers. Let us fill the water jugs and get that 72 hour kit ready. Let us fill some buckets and cans with beans and grains. Let us search the scriptures, pray, keep the sabbath holy, and attend church and the temple so that our spiritual lamps are also filled. Let us use our freedom to Be Prepared. Freedom is not “free”, but neither is the satisfaction preparedness brings. Let us pay the price for the peace of preparedness.

Included in this month's newsletter:
Disaster Prep- Simple ways to be prepared for emergencies: a list of easy do to things that will help us handle disasters.
Honoring Pioneers - Preparedness Style: a list of things we can follow the example of our forefathers to help us be better prepared and enjoy provident living.
In the Southern Utah Garden: items to plant, tips on watering, other garden ideas.
Using Food Storage - in the Good Ol' Summertime: a list of storage items to use and make frozen treats to cool off this summer.
Spiritual Preparedness: a quote from Elder Henry B Eyring about faith and obedience.
Provident Living - Edible Backyard Weeds: a list of common weeds found in and around your yard that are edible and provide great nutrients.


Click here for a complete copy of the July 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

June 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

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Summer time is here at last… at least that is what the calendar says! The weather all across the country has been full of surprises.  It is said that one of the signs of the times is that you would not know the season except for the leaves on the tree. No one seems to be able to verify this, but it is one of those “Last Days Legends.” Even still – it seems to be true. All around the world are other signs of the times: wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and the love of men waxing cold. (Matthew 24) The purpose of the signs of the times is to warn us of the events that are about to occur, and to turn our hearts to the lord. They can be a reassurance that the second coming is getting close! As we watch the storms of these last days, we do not need to fear! We have been told “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” Let us then Be Prepared!

Included in this month's newsletter:
A "Rainy Day" Plan - things to have for a rainy day disaster or emergency.
Disaster Prep: Helping Children Cope: a list of problems you may see in your children after a disaster, and ways to help them.
Emergency Prep - Labeling for Kids: Ideas of labels and contact cards for kids to be reunited with parents after emergencies.
Quote: from Pres. Ezra Taft Benson on food storage and boarding the ark.
In the Southern Utah Garden: tips for June  on weeds, planting, fertilizing and treating pests.
Home Canning - Extended Food Storage: tips to get you going on some summer canning.
Provident Living - What do YOU do in the summertime?  20 things to do for inexpensive old fashioned summer fun.

Click here for a complete copy of the June 2019 Back to Basics newsletter.

May 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

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“April showers bring May flowers” – and they sure did this year. The beautiful blooms around town and on the surrounding hillsides are so pretty and bright. The flowers always bring such a feeling of gratitude for the beauty of God’s earth, and a happy heart to have such wonders to enjoy. So it is with our preparedness… the planning and work that goes into the “prep” stage (those metaphorical April Showers) will provide us with the “May Flowers” of peace and joy in knowing you are prepared. You can say, as Elder Joseph B Worthlin – “Come what may, and love it.” A storm is easier to weather when the preparation is in place. We can be like the story of a farmer who hired new help. The hired hand’s qualification was that he could “sleep when the wind blows.” One night a big storm was blowing in. The farmer called for his new man, but he could not wake him, so he ran out alone  to make things safe for the night. When he got there he found the animals were safely in the barn, the tractor was under the shed, hay tarped, things tied down, and all was well. His hired hand could sleep when the wind blows because he did what was necessary beforehand. So it can be with all of us. As we put in the work – those “April Showers” – we can enjoy the “May Flowers” – and sleep when the wind blows!

Included in this newsletter:
Disaster Prep: Dutch Oven Cooking - tips to cook, get the right heat, and care for oven
Shelf Pantry Storage: The 3 Month Supply - ideas for your 3 month supply
In the Southern Utah Garden - planting, weeding and other tips
Cooking Without Power - indoor and outdoor ideas to cook without power.
Quotes from General Authorities.

Click here for a complete copy of the May 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

April 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here for a complete copy of the April 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.

The month of April brings many things. Of course, we know that April showers bring May flowers! But there are many opportunities and traditions that come with this wonderful month.  April is a great time to check fire alarms, rotate 72 hour kits, and refresh water storage. April is a month we can finish planting just about everything in the garden.  April is a month we can work in the yard and garden without getting too hot! April is the month of General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which makes it a great time for individuals and families to get personal inspiration as we listen to the wonderful messages prepared for us. April is the perfect month! May each of us find the thing that we need to accomplish in April, and let the efforts we make “blossom” with “May flowers” in the form of preparedness, peace, and happiness! If we are prepared we shall not fear!

Included in this month's newsletter:
Preparedness - a Family Affair - ideas to involve your family as you seek to Be Prepared.
Water Storage: Tips from Homeland Security - how much, where and how to store.
In the Southern Utah Garden - tips for April planting, fertilizing, weed killer and spraying fruit trees.
Cooking with Food Storage - recipes for Scripture Cake and Old Bottled Fruit Cake.
Disaster Prep: When to turn the gas meter off. - Instructions for when and how to turn off your gas meter in an emergency.
Easter Egg Provident Living - tips for inexpensive egg coloring this Easter.
Spiritual Preparedness - The Blessings - quotes on blessings we get as we get a food storage.

Click here for a complete copy of the April 2019 Back to Basics Newsletter.