It Wasn't Raining When Noah Built the Ark

When I was Relief Society President about 10 years ago I researched and wrote a Noah’s Ark guide for storage that included spiritual preparedness as well as physical.  In the next month or so (after I update it) I will start posting it here monthly.  If followed completely a family will have a year’s supply of food storage at the end of the year as well as a fully equipped 72 hour emergency kit.  It can then be followed yearly to update and rotate storage. 

Yearly List

(July is missing - but we will find it)

January

“Let every head of household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing and, where possible, fuel also for at least a year ahead.”  J. Reuben Clark, 1937

Spiritual goal – Hold Family Home Evening every Monday for the month.

Provident Living Goal – Review your retirement goals.  Are you putting enough

aside to be able to support your selves and to do the things you want

to do when you retire?

Storage Goal –

24 cans of meat or fish per person

1 gallon of bleach per person

Can opener

Garbage bags

Laundry detergent

72 Hour Kit

Gather a change of clothing including underwear and shoes for each family

member.  Include warm coats and boots or have them immediately

accessible.

Ax, shovel and bucket

Utility knife

$50 cash

$5 in change for phone

ALSO – change the batteries in your smoke alarm

February

“There is a wise old saying “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do or do without’.  Thrift is a practice of not wasting anything.  Some people are able to get by because of the absence of expense.  They have their shoes resoled, they patch, they mend, they sew, and they save money.  They avoid installment buying, and make purchases only after saving enough to pay cash, thus avoiding interest charges.  Frugality means ot practice careful economy.”  James E. Faust

Spiritual goal – Schedule time each day to read with your family from the Book of

Mormon.

Provident living goal – plan and carry out a FHE on home fires.  Include planning

an escape route and meeting place.  Then practice your plan.

Storage goal

100 pounds (total) of pasta and/or flour per person

Hand grain mill

Thread, needles, buttons and zippers

72 Hour Kit

1 gallon water per person

Scriptures

Personal documents – genealogical records, wills, insurance, contracts,

passports, birth certificates, patriarchal blessings, etc.

$50 cash

March

“The Lord has warned us of famines but the righteous will have listened to the prophet and stored at least a year’s supply of survival food.”  Ezra Taft Benson

Spiritual goal – Have family prayer at least once a day.  Twice is better.

Provident Living Goal – Learn a new skill or read a book pertaining to your career.

Storage goal –

50 cans soup, stew or chili per person

5 pounds salt per person

20 pounds fat – oil or shortening per person

Aluminum foil, plastic wrap, storage bags, etc.

At least 5 gallons water per person – recommended is 14 gallons/person for 2

weeks.  Be sure to have both drinking water and water for cleaning.

72 Hour Kit

1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (can use fruit leather)

1 package soda crackers per person (4 pkg. per box)

1 package graham crackers per person (4 pkg. per box)

2 liters tomato or orange juice per person

(NOTE:  these items will be rotated every 6 months – see Sept.)

ALSO make it a habit to always have the fuel tanks on ALL vehicles at least

half full.

April

“If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.”  D&C 38”30

Spiritual goal – Attend the temple one more session than you normally would do

this month.

Provident Living Goal – If you normally do not grow a garden plan to grow at least

one vegetable this year.  If you already have a garden either 1) grow a

vegetable you haven’t grown before OR 2) try a new method or

technique this year.

Storage Goal –

2 pounds yeast per person

2 pounds baking powder per person

1 pound baking soda per person

1 gallon vinegar per person

10 cans evaporated milk per person

20 pounds peanut butter per person

Spices, condiments and vanilla

72 Hour Kit

4 granola bars per person

2 sticks beef jerky per person

1 package chewing gum per person

Hard candies or lollipops – at least 12 per person – NOTE – these items will

be rotated every 6 months – see Oct.)

May

“The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.” 

President Ezra Taft Benson

Spiritual Goal – Share a Book of Mormon with a non-member.

Provident Living Goal – Make a plan to exercise regularly. 

Storage Goal

100 pounds variety of cereal grains – rice, oatmeal, cornmeal, etc. per person

24 rolls toilet paper per person

2 rolls paper towels per person

24 packages flavored gelatin per person

Garden seeds

1 small bottle olive oil for consecrating

72 Hour Kit

Battery powered radio

Battery powered light

Batteries

June

“We will see the day when we will live on what we produce.” 

President Marion G. Romney

Spiritual goal – prepared at least one family name for Temple work.

Provident Living goal – Make a goal to have 6 moths wages in savings for

emergencies.  Write out a realistic plan to make it happen.

Storage Goal –

First Aid Kit – should include:  scissors, knife, thermometer, measuring cup,

medicine dropper, hot water bottle, triangular bandages, soap,

matches, razor blades, needles, safety pins, adhesive tape, elastic

bandage, gauze bandages, paper bags, bicarbonate of soda, Ipecas syrup (induces vomiting), ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, calamine

lotion (for insect bites and sunburn), rubbing alcohol, diarrhea

remedy, antibiotic ointment, first aid instruction book, prescription

medication and waterproof matches.

72 Hour Kit – container for holding kit.  Large garbage cans with wheels OR a

backpacks/suitcases on wheels.  Regular backpacks if they are large

and your family is old enough to carry them full.  It is recommended

that the kit be distributed into enough containers that each person in

the family be responsible for 1 or 2. 

Find a place in your home that is easily accessible for storing the kit. 

You need to be able to grab it at a moment’s notice to leave your

home.  NOTE:  Your first aide kit is also part of your 72 hour kit.

August

“For the moment we live in a day of peace and prosperity, but it shall not ever be thus.  Great trials lie ahead…and we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually….”  Bruce R. McConkie

Spiritual goal – Have Family Home Evenings with your family every Monday.  Make sure at least one Monday each moth is set aside for doing something really fun for the whole family.

Provident Living Goal – learn to preserve food in a way you haven’t tried before.

Storage Goal

100 quarts fruit and/or vegetables per person

24 pints jam or jelly per person

Feminine needs

School/office supplies

Pet supplies

72 Hour Kit

1 can tuna or other canned meat per person

1 can pork and beans per person

½ pound dried milk per person

2 packets hot chocolate mix per person (or 1 large can per family)

2 instant soup packets per person (rotate each year)

Disposable plates, cups, bowls and utensils

Pet supplies – be sure to include dishes, leash and extra water

September

“There is no person who knows the real purpose for which this welfare program is being instituted but hardly before sufficient preparation has been made the real purpose will be revealed and when that time comes it will challenge every resource of the church to meet it.”  Harold B. Lee

Spiritual Goal – Have family scripture study together every day.

Provident Living Goal – Review your will if you have one.  Make any needed

changes.  If you do not have a wil, make arrangements to get one. 

EVERY adult should have a will.

ALSO Plan and carry out a FHE on the importance of preparedness.

Storage Goal –

10 - #10 cans (35 pounds total) powdered milk per person

25 pounds canned or dried potatoes per person

50 quarts fruit or tomato juice per person

72 Hour kit –

1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (can use fruit leather)

1 package crackers per person (4 pkgs per box)

1 package graham crackers per person (4 pkgs. Per box)

2 liters tomato or orange juice per person

(NOTE:  these items to be rotated every 6 months – see March)

October

“When people are able but unwilling to take care of themselves we are responsible to employ the dictum of the Lord that the idler shall not eat the bread of the laborer”  Elder Boyd K. Packer

Spiritual goal – Attend one or more sessions of General Conference than you normally

would do.

Provident Living goal – Make a goal to read 30 minutes each day to your children or grandchildren.  If you have no children to read to, make a goal to read at least 30 minutes each day just for pleasure.

Storage goal:

50 cans of soup, stew or chili per person

10 pounds of cheese – dried or bottled per person (package cheese will also keep

for several months in the frig if it is unopened)

shaving supplies

dish soap

72 Hour Kit:

4 granola bars per person

2 sticks beef jerky per person

1 package chewing gum per person

Hard candy or lollipops – at least 12 per person

The above items will be rotated every 6 months – see April)

Check batteries for light and radio.  Replace if needed.

Word to the wise:  Now is the time to start Christmas shopping (if you haven’t already).  Consider food storage or emergency survival kits for gifts this year.  Emergency kits to be kept in vehicles as well as 72 hour kits can be easily put together for any size family and are especially great for single students since they tend to be ‘poor’ and an emergency is the last thing they’re worried about!

If you’d like a list of what to put in a survival kit e-mail me at ficiur @shaw.ca. 

November

“The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat.”  President Brigham Young

Spiritual goal – Have personal prayers and scripture study every day.

Provident Living Goal – Make a goal or reduce your family garbage by recycling

more.

Storage Goal –

100 pounds wheat per person

1 - #10 can of juice mix with Vitamin C per person

Hand/shower soap

Light bulbs

At least 1 month supply of all prescription medication

71 Hour kit –

Soap

Toothbrushes & toothpaste

Shaving supplies

Infant needs

Feminine needs

Disinfectant

Aluminum foil

December

“No man is truly free who is in financial bondage.  ‘Think what you do when you run in debt,’ said Benjamin Franklin, ‘you give another power over your liberty.’” 

Ezra Taft Benson

Spiritual Goal – Decide as a family how you can better remember and celebrate the

true meaning of Christmas.

Provident Living Goal – Review your insurance coverage – life, household, vehicle.

Do you have enough?  Could you replace your vehicle or household

goods with the coverage you have?  If not, work out a plan to improve

your coverage.

Storage Goal –

40 pounds dried beans per person

Matches

Candles

Batteries

72 Hour Kit –

Garbage bags

Candles

Matches

Can Opener

$50 cash

This Month's Storage Suggestions:

February

“There is a wise old saying “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do or do without’.  Thrift is a practice of not wasting anything.  Some people are able to get by because of the absence of expense.  They have their shoes resoled, they patch, they mend, they sew, and they save money.  They avoid installment buying, and make purchases only after saving enough to pay cash, thus avoiding interest charges.  Frugality means ot practice careful economy.”  James E. Faust

Spiritual goal –

Schedule time each day to read with your family from the Book of Mormon.

Provident living goal –

Plan and carry out a FHE on home fires.  Include planning an escape route and meeting place.  Then practice your plan.

Storage goal

100 pounds (total) of pasta and/or flour per person

Hand grain mill

Thread, needles, buttons and zippers

72 Hour Kit

1 gallon water per person

Scriptures

Personal documents – genealogical records, wills, insurance, contracts,

passports, birth certificates, patriarchal blessings, etc.

$50 cash