laundry kit

monday is laundry day at our house. it pretty much takes me all day starting with my first load around 7:15am so caleb's blanket can be done by 9am for his morning nap, and ending with doing the ironing while watching a movie after natalie is in bed. when i have more than four people in my family someday i might have to change my system. or just not let things like this happen:

yes my children are playing in a mountain of clean laundry on the floor. at least this time it hadn't been sorted and folded before they pulled it all down off the couches.
i would also have to change my system if i had to wash by hand. i think then i would have to wash everyday. thank goodness for electricity! anyway, here is the laundry kit instructions, and my laundry kit experience:
 

Laundry Kit

Suggested Materials

·         Water

·         5 gallon bucket with a lid

·         Plunger (not black)

·         Clothes line and pins

·         Detergent

·         Wash board and tub

This is the cheapest way to do laundry without electricity. Cut a hole in the lid of a 5 gallon bucket just big enough to fit the handle of a plunger through. Put clothing and detergent in the bucket. Pour water (temperature depends on the color of the clothes, hot for whites, cold for darks) over them until clothes are immersed. Put on the lid and agitate the water with the plunger by pumping vigorously at least 20 times. Dump out water and wring out clothes.  Put clothes and clean water in the bucket and rinse by agitating again. Rinse again if there are still any suds on the clothes. Then wring out the clothes as much as possible and hang them in the sunshine to dry.

If your clothes are particularly dirty, you may need to use a washboard to scrub them. Fill a tub with several inches of water to soak clothing. Add detergent and put small amounts of detergent directly onto the stains. Scrub the clothing on the washboard until clean. Be careful as this wears out clothes quickly. Rinse in a separate bucket. Wring out and hang on the line to dry. You can either store detergent or you can store materials to make your own.

Here is a recipe:

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 bar of soap

1 c washing soda

1/2 c borax

Grate soap or crumble into pieces until fine textured. Mix all ingredients. For a light load, use one tablespoon. For a heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons. Yield: 3 c detergent, (approx. 40 loads)

now lucky for me, kent and my mom got me ritzy laundry equipment: a pressure handcrank washer and a solar drying retractable line. wow, right? =o] my mom also gave me clothes pins and material to make a pouch, so guess what natalie and i did for her project in preschool this morning... 

here we are last week doing the wash (yes we did it in the bathtub. it didn't know what it was going to be like and it was night so i didn't want to go outside.):

it really wasn't that bad, it just takes a while. and it is more involved. like you can't just stick it in and forget about it until you hear the buzzer.
anyway, here is all the equipment:

notice the specified wash water storage containers in the background. =o]

good luck and have fun!

(wan'a-be) going cloth

you know that saying that 'Heavenly Father knows us better than we know ourselves"? well sometimes that is true for me and my husband. i tell him these crazy ideas that i have and he reins me in and helps me to test the waters before i jump in with both feet =o]
 last week i used cloth everything. okay, so as the title implies i cheated several times. but for the most part i did not use any paper napkins, paper towels, toilet paper or disposible diapers. instead i used cloth napkins, dish cloths, flannel toilet paper and cloth diapers. thank goodness kent talked me into testing it for a week before committing to cloth diaper caleb into potty training.
here is the sum up of my adventure: thank goodness i am a mother in the 21st century!! i guess it really it wasn't that bad once i got the hang of it, but man did it take a lot of time. maybe if i had more diapers and liners and i didn't have to wash them every night, i wouldn't have felt so over whelmed by it. and if i had made the cloth diapers myself instead of buying them i wouldn't feel so guilty right now about "wasting" $60 of our christmas money on stuff that will now be stored for emergencies =o/
(by the way, i am going to be posting my laundry kit and sanitation kit the next two weeks so you can know how to do all this in an emergency, and not have to make my mistakes!)

anyway, cloth napkins and dish cloths are a cinch to switch to. i really think that is a done deal in our house.
flannel TP really wasn't so bad either. kent didn't participate, but since our plan is to use paper for bowel movements and flannel TP for urine i guess it doesn't really effect him anyway. i also used a peri-bottle. so aside from having extra laundry (which kent said couldn't be put in with our regular loads =o]) it was a snap.

cloth diapers on the other hand, are a discusting hassle. seriously, unless they are absolutely necessary, like in an emergency or for financial reasons, or you are just extremely committed to lessening your contribution to the landfill by a few pounds, they are not worth the time and effort. i was constantly worrying about leaks and rashes and the bucket of them waiting to be washed each night. i started out using the cheap-o tri folds with plastic pants from walmart and by the end of the first day caleb had a horrible diaper rash (he had maybe 5 his whole life before this week) and his circumcision scar got infected after one night. so i tried a different kind of cloth diaper (the ones that cost a pretty penny) and only used disposible ones for overnight and that worked fine. side from him getting a rash with the cheap ones, he also got yelled at for the first time in his life poor guy. he already has a hard time holding still for changing time but having to do those pins was just too much! natalie came up to me while i was changing him and said "mom, are you frustrated about changing caleb's diaper?" "yes." "well just calm down and maybe next time you can make a better choice." at which point i looked up at her and saw the expression and body stance i must give to her when she is freaking out about something unnecessarily. i just had to laugh! so appearently i can't be a good mother and use cloth diapers at the same time. =o] getting the disposible liners (a single sheet you put on the diaper that can be thrown into the toilet) and the diapers that snap was the key for survival for me. i also talked to a friend so uses cloth diapers (bless her!) and she told me she made hers using this pattern called Rita's Rump Pocket  and it has worked for her. the ones i bought were GroVia but they were cheaper at the store i went to then on their website. bum genius is also good. i choose the grovia ones because you can get several uses out of the shell (unless there is a leak but caleb never did) because the liners are outside, but with the bum genius and the rump pocket the liner is inside so you have to wash everything each time you change it. anyway, caleb survived the week and so did i. i'm glad i had the experience, but i'm also grateful that we can afford disposable diapers and the landfill doesn't weigh on my conscience.

 natalie wanted her picture taken too...

i'm sure our neighbors loved seeing those diapers and wipes blowing in the breeze =o]

there you have it! tune in next week for the how-to's of this section!

also this isn't going cloth, but it is defiantely going green: a diva cup! if you want more info email me because it's kinda personal =o]

the plague of pornography

Have you ever been blindsided? I am a trusting and thus pretty gullible person, so have been duped on occasion. But there have been two times in my life when I was flat out lied to over an extended period of time and didn’t catch it. Part of my confidence comes from being prepared, and so I’m sure you can imagine how distraught I was when we recently found out that a couple very close to us has been destroyed by pornography. The only good thing I can see that has come of this is that my sweet husband and I were compelled to discuss something we had never even thought of before: how to protect our family against the plague of pornography. Sure we have heard the countless talks given in General Conference and in our ward, read articles in the Ensign and New Era, and been taught by our own parents growing up, but we were lulled into the trap that our children were young, neither of us had the problem and so we were fine. NOT SO!! It is never too early to protect your family from a known danger!  If you search for “pornography” under the General Conference filter on the church website you will find 186 references to the dangers of it and how to avoid its destructive and devastating effects. I don’t know how far back the search engine pulls the talks, but we can be sure that pornography is being discussed with more frequency and urgency than ever before.

In this past General Conference President Boyd K. Packer gave an amazing talk entitled “Cleansing the Inner Vessel”, that I would like to quote parts of here, but would also encourage you to read the entire talk.

In our day the dreadful influence of pornography is like unto a plague sweeping across the world, infecting one here and one there, relentlessly trying to invade every home, most frequently through the husband and father. The effect of this plague can be, unfortunately often is, spiritually fatal. Lucifer seeks to disrupt “the great plan of redemption,” ¹¹ “the great plan of happiness.” ¹²

Pornography will always repel the Spirit of Christ and will interrupt the communications between our Heavenly Father and His children and disrupt the tender relationship between husband and wife.

The priesthood holds consummate power. It can protect you from the plague of pornography—and it is a plague—if you are succumbing to its influence. If one is obedient, the priesthood can show how to break a habit and even erase an addiction. Holders of the priesthood have that authority and should employ it to combat evil influences.

We raise an alarm and warn members of the Church to wake up and understand what is going on. Parents, be alert, ever watchful that this wickedness might threaten your family circle. …

Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn temptations toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Remember, God is our Heavenly Father.

Paul promised that “God … will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” ¹⁴ You can, if you will, break the habits and conquer an addiction and come away from that which is not worthy of any member of the Church. As Alma cautioned, we must “watch and pray continually.” ¹⁵

… If we do not protect and foster the family, civilization and our liberties must needs perish. …

Every soul confined in a prison of sin, guilt, or perversion has a key to the gate. The key is labeled “repentance.” If you know how to use this key, the adversary cannot hold you. The twin principles of repentance and forgiveness exceed in strength the awesome power of the tempter. If you are bound by a habit or an addiction that is unworthy, you must stop conduct that is harmful. Angels will coach you, ¹⁹ and priesthood leaders will guide you through those difficult times. …

Priesthood holders carry with them the antidote to remove the terrible images of pornography and to wash away guilt. The priesthood has the power to unlock the influence of our habits, even to unchain from addiction, however tight the grip. It can heal over the scars of past mistakes. …

President Joseph Fielding Smith told me of a repentant woman struggling to find her way out of a very immoral life. She asked him what she should do now.

In turn, he asked her to read to him from the Old Testament the account of Lot’s wife, who was turned to a pillar of salt. ²³ Then he asked her, “What lesson do you gain from those verses?”

She answered, “The Lord will destroy the wicked.”

“Not so!” President Smith said that the lesson for this repentant woman and for you is “Don’t look back!” ²⁴

Strangely enough, it may be that the simplest and most powerful prevention and cure for pornography, or any unclean act, is to ignore and avoid it. Delete from the mind any unworthy thought that tries to take root. Once you have decided to remain clean, you are asserting your God-given agency. And then, as President Smith counseled, “Don’t look back.”

I promise that ahead of you is peace and happiness for you and your family. The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children can be happy at home. And I invoke the blessings of the Lord upon you who are struggling against this terrible plague, to find the healing that is available to us in the priesthood of the Lord. I bear witness of that power in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

If you or someone you love is struggling with pornography, there is a wealth of knowledge and resources at http://combatingpornography.org/cp/eng/  ,  https://wsr.byu.edu/content/national-pornography-statistics , http://providentliving.org/content/list/0,11664,6629-1,00.html  and, http://lds.org/topics/pdf/LetVirtueGarnishThyThoughts.pdf .

Even if you don’t think you have a problem now, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Experts agree that it is much easier to avoid addiction than overcome it. And like President Packer said, this plague is at our doors. Sort through the above material yourself if you have the time, but here are some basic helpful suggestions to protect yourself and your family if you don’t:

-          Avoid even the appearance of evil in your home. Be extra careful about the media you allow into your home and onto your screens.  

-          Have the best filters installed onto your computer and even your DVD player to avoid accidental exposure to obscene material. Don’t allow electronics behind closed doors.

-          Teach your family about the dangers of pornography and immoral behavior, and what to do if they encounter it at home, at school, at the park, etc.

-          Be selective about who babysits your kids, where you allow your children to go play, and avoid sleepovers even with relatives (most sexual abuse cases occur with a known family member) if you will not be with them.

-          There is a difference between being gracious and forgiving, and being stupid. If you know that someone has a history of pornography addiction, NEVER leave them alone with your children. 100% of sex offenders admit to having sought out pornographic material and the majority started with a pornography addiction that lead to acting on what they witnessed.

This is a plague of biblical proportions. Jesus taught that in the last days iniquity would abound, and the love of many would wax cold (JSM 1:10). We must protect our families from this disease so that they may grow up in love and righteousness. I know the Lord will help us if we ask for Him to be with us. Even if people lie to their families and themselves and become enslaved by pornography, we can all be healed through the Atonement of Christ and enjoy the peace and love that comes with righteous living if we will only choose it. Act now!

Mental Preparedness

This will be the last of the holiday type posts that don't require projects to accomplish and document =o] i just needed one more week to get organized!

The final link in our preparation chain is mental preparedness. The sisters in our story both had testimonies of the Savior and both wanted to please the Lord. But the lesson we can learn from this story is that we have to be in tune with the Spirit to know the mind and will of the Lord, not just do what we think He wants us to be doing. If we want to find out what is needful for us, and choose the good part, our minds and hearts have to be prepared.

President Harold B. Lee gave the following counsel: "There are among us many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which there cannot be unquestioned reliance. Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?

"Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which you should rely for your guide instead of these strange sources which may have great political implications. Read the 24th chapter of Matthew-particularly that inspired version as contained in the Pearl of Great Price. (Joseph Smith Matthew 1) Then read the 45th section of the Doctrine and Covenants where the Lord, not man, has documented the signs of the times. Now turn to section 101 and 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants 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 when these judgments descend upon the wicked, as set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 38.

"Brethren, these are some of the warnings with which you should concern yourselves, rather than commentaries that may come from those whose information may not be the most reliable and whose motives may be subject to question." -Conference Report, Oct 1972, p. 128.

So we see that the scriptures are the place to start when it comes to mental preparation. If we prepare for the calamities preceding the Second Coming we will be ready for anything because the list found in the scriptures is lengthy and varied. Study these suggestions and the scriptures cited in the Topical Guide under "Jesus Christ, Second Coming". You can also go online to lds.org and read talks by modern day prophets about the last days and the Savior's Second Coming.

There are also countless books about the Second Coming, and Emergency Preparedness for that matter, written by faithful church members who are honestly trying to help; but again the scriptures and the Spirit should be your main source.

Going to the temple with specific questions in mind would also be a great way to mentally prepare.

Living in tune with the Spirit so you can receive inspiration on how your family specifically should prepare is essential. With so much to do in such a limited time, we need all the help we can get! Take time to ponder and pray as you study these scriptures and I promise you that practical tasks will come to your mind.

One of the major problems in any emergency is that people go into shock. They panic. They shut down. They make matters worse. Most people just think that "that would never happen to me" and so when they are in a crisis they can't handle it emotionally or psychologically. Mental preparedness includes reading up on potential disasters and necessary responses.

The bottom line is to get all the education you can, and not just in subjects relating to emergency preparedness. How many times have we been counseled by prophets to get as much formal education as possible? There is value in public and private schooling and getting degrees from nationally accredited institutions. But continue learning no matter your stage of life. As mentioned before, any knowledge you obtain in this life goes with you to the next so it's not like any of your studying will go to waste!

Especially since it is the new year, now is a great time to set some goals and get to work!

Physical Preparedness

Now that we have covered spiritual and temporal preparations, it is time to move on to physical preparedness. This concerns the literal preparation of your body and the church as a whole for the Second Coming and the events that will precede it. Remember that in our story, Mary was physically at the feet of the Savior while Martha hurried around the house. Part of physical preparation is knowing that there is a time to be busy and a time to be still, or a time to be up and doing and a time to watch and wait- and to know which is which.

There are certain things you must do with and to your body to prepare for the Second Coming. Some of these are spiritually driven actions, but they are in this section because there are things that physically have to happen before Jesus can come, and we have to work to bring them to pass. Let's get to it!

Missionary work- The gospel has to be preached to all the earth before His coming. President Monson recently asked church members to pray for the leaders of countries who will not allow the missionaries in, that their hearts will be softened and that missionary efforts in those areas of the world can move forward. So we need to pray.

Ordinances of the Gospel- Be baptized and renew your baptismal covenants each Sunday by partaking of the sacrament. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and live in tune with the Spirit. Receive your endowments in the temple; keep and use a current temple recommend. Be sealed to your spouse, children, parents and ancestors through temple work.

Fasting- Going without food for 24 hours once a month not only provides for the needs of others through fast offerings, but it provides us with an opportunity to teach our bodies that our spirit is in charge. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. We need to learn to function while all of our physical needs aren't being met. We need to learn to be patient and cheerful while hungry and thirsty. We need to learn to put others above ourselves.

Make your home a holy place- In Doctrine & Covenants section 45 the Lord tells us that when all these horrific events foretold in the scriptures are happening, that His "disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved" (v. 32). Since we cannot be at the temple all day every day, we need to make our homes a safe haven and a refuge from the literal storms of life. We are told in the Bible dictionary that "Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness." (pg. 781) and if we want to abide the day, we need a place to stay! Each family prayer said, each Family Home Evening held, each scripture read and each song sung invites the Spirit of the Lord into our home. If the Lord can create the world by speaking the right words, the words we sing and say in our homes can build a holy place if we so choose.

Eat Right- I say "right" instead of just "healthy" because physical preparation for an emergency is different from a good diet. It takes time for our bodies to learn to digest whole grains if we're not already used to them. Oatmeal and beans and rice every day is a bleak prospect for pop-tart and pizza type people. You don't need to cut those things out entirely, just add the right things in! In most cases (including in our family) sweets are a part of our daily lives; we need to learn self restraint in that area too. Try going without any sugar for a week, and you'll be surprised how your body reacts (I was!). And if you are a caffeine junkie, you might consider kicking the habit now. It's not just that soda is bad for you, but that the last thing you want in an emergency is to have to deal with a crisis while also feeling the physical effects of needing an addiction fix! The current recommendations for caloric intake and food sources specific to your body type and stage in life can be calculated at http://www.mypyramid.gov/ .

Exercise- Our bodies are temples. We need to keep them in order. The Word of Wisdom promises us that we can run and not be weary and walk and not faint (D&C 89:20). But did you ever stop to think that maybe that is the result of the healthy lifestyle choice we commit to, not an over-the-counter-blessing? We need to give the Lord something to work with, and if we don't put forth the effort by being healthy He can't bless us with the effects of strong physical abilities. Be fit and condition your body to know how to work hard. The current exercise recommendations for the average healthy adult under 65 years of age is 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise daily (except the Sabbath for us of course!), and weight bearing exercise twice a week. For weight loss programs and other physical activity information see http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/. 

Sleep Right- We are counseled in the Doctrine and Covenants to "cease to sleep longer than is needful" and also to "retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." (D&C 88:124) Brigham Young is also attributed with the idea that the day should be divided into thirds: eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. Our bodies need rest to perform optimally so make this a priority. The current recommendation for the average adult is seven to nine hours a night. For more information and recommendations for infants, children, and teens see http://www.cdc.gov/features/sleep/ .

Practice makes perfect; get experience! - We need to not only have the equipment to survive any emergency, but we need to know how to use it. Having first aid supplies and having first aid experience are worlds apart in value. Find recipes and try them out. Buy patterns and make clothes for gifts. Plant a garden and learn from trial and error how to produce the best food while you can still mosey over to the market and get whatever your heart desires. And remember, any intelligence we gain in this life will be retained for the eternities so gain experience now and no matter what it won't go to waste.

Have plans and practice them. - Research shows that it is not enough to have read information about disaster response--we need to physically go through the motions. Especially where children are involved, we need to practice what to do in an emergency. Experts also say that you need to update information and rehearse your plans twice a year.

The best part about all these things is that there is no cost directly linked to any of them, so don't delay!

Merry Christmas!!

Temporal Preparedness

Once the patterns of spiritual preparation are set in motion, we are ready to also begin to prepare temporally. Remember, Martha couldn't make dinner and listen to the Savior at the same time, so we have to be prepared before He is supposed to arrive.

In the foregoing posts, we have read admonishments and statements from our current prophet, other church leaders, and the scriptures urging us to prepare ourselves now- for when disaster strikes, for when the unknown comes, or for when we are faced with difficulty and challenge. The scripture in Doctrine & Covenants 88 perhaps sums it up best as it simply states: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing” (v. 119).

As much as we hate to admit it, the world is on a slippery slope that will continue to decline until the end. From devastating natural disasters to corrupted political systems at home and abroad, we are experiencing many prophecies of the Second Coming being fulfilled. As the world continues to erode we must do all that we can now in order to prepare ourselves temporally to be able to survive the calamities that will come our way. However, not everything is just about storing wheat and water, but truly being temporally prepared to face the world today.

We have a basic understanding that the most important area of preparation is spiritual, but we also understand why we need to be temporally prepared. Temporal preparation is action-based and thus requires lots to do and learn, not necessarily parables and quotes to inspire internal transformation. It will take time and should be treated as a process. There are few of us lucky enough to simply be able to go out and buy our preparedness. And even then, many lessons are lost in doing so, for there is wisdom to be gained and lessons to be learned in the actual doing and process of preparing. Half of preparedness itself is the knowledge and learning of what to do with everything once you have it. With that said, roll up your sleeves; it’s time to go to work!

Give you family the best gift you can give this year: peace of mind through preparation!

At the Feet of the Prophet

I love this man! Here are some quotes from President Thomas Monson about preparedness:

“We encourage members world-wide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings.”

“We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve.”

“Preparation is hard work but absolutely essential for our progress.”

“Have discipline in your preparations. Have checkpoints where you can determine if you’re on course.”

“Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year's supply of food…and were debt free. Today we find that many have this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food free.”

“Make certain as you prepare that you do not procrastinate.”

Have a great week everyone and Merry Christmas!

Spiritual Preparedness

Last night i got online to post and i saw that the senate passed SB 510- the "farm bill", so i spent the rest of the time until i went to bed reading about what people are saying that will mean for America. Family and friends, the time to act is NOW. I almost switched and posted about food storage today, but i know that our spiritual preparation has a more far reaching affect than buckets of rice and wheat. Plus last week i posted about terrorism and i don't want to be reactionary two weeks in a row. =o]

Spiritual Preparedness

We know that the Savior walked on this earth 2,000 years ago, and just as surely we know that He is coming back. A lot has to happen in the world before He returns, but many of the prophecies in the scriptures have already come to pass or are happening right now. We need the guidance of the Spirit to know how to best use our limited time and resources so that we can be prepared at His coming. Fortunately, the most important preparation we can do is our spiritual preparation, which is free. We need to be faithful or it won't matter how much rice and wheat we have stored.

The scriptures state the Lord will not do anything without first revealing it to His servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7) The prophets have spoken clearly and repeatedly that now is the time to prepare and that we are in the latter-days. Although their messages are urgent and powerful, none of them are alarming or imposing; they highlight our need to be prudent in our preparations. 

Doctrine and Covenants 38:30 tells us that if we are prepared we shall not fear. "Shall not" is the same language used in the Ten Commandments. This suggests that preparation and being at peace go hand in hand because they are things we choose to be, not necessarily because they are consequences of each other. In other words, it is not an if-then statement. It does not say if ye are prepared, then ye shall not fear, but rather, "if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." Our worries and fears drown out the whisperings of the Spirit, and since we can't afford to miss His help, we need to choose to follow the commandment to be prepared and to not fear once we have done all we can do. Fear is the opposite of faith, so in reality, we could interpret the scripture as saying, if ye are prepared, ye shall have faith. As we prepare, our faith in the Lord will grow. We will be able to trust in His promises because preparation is an enabler of faith. We must believe that our preparations have a purpose and are more than just the means to an end. We will be blessed both now as we prepare, and then if we have done our part to be ready to listen to Him. Both Mary and Martha knew Jesus was coming, but Martha wasn't able to be with Him because she was stuck still preparing (Alma 34:32-33). Meanwhile Mary's choices enabled peace of mind and readiness of heart while at the feet of the Savior, and thus, she was able to receive her part of the spiritual blessings He had to offer.

We have been instructed to put on the "whole armour of God." Part of that armor is preparation (Ephesians 6:15, D&C 27:16): "And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace." Feet represent movement, direction, and purpose. If we are not prepared with the Gospel, we will not know the direction we should go, or whom to follow. Our spiritual preparation has a direct correlation with our temporal lives. We are promised that as we strive to be spiritually worthy --keeping the commandments and pointing our feet in the correct direction --we are blessed in all things, including temporal blessings.

Perhaps the best preparedness story we have in all of scripture is the parable of the ten virgins found in Matthew 25. This is a story about "the kingdom of heaven at that day, before the Son of Man comes". Everyone is waiting for the bridegroom to walk by so they can follow him to the wedding party. It is midnight before he arrives, and by that time not only has everyone fallen asleep and has to be roused, but some people's lamps have burnt out so they can't light the way for him. They go run to buy oil, but by the time they catch up to the group, the door has shut and the bridegroom says he doesn't know them when they ask to be let in. Verse two states that five of the virgins were wise and five were foolish. The parable ends by saying "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." 

Elder Dallin H Oaks likened this parable to our day in this way: "The arithmetic of this parable is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came…. Brothers and sisters… Are we preparing? We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value."

We as members of the church are all looking forward with faith to the day the Savior returns, but to only watch and wait is not wise. This parable is as much or more about spiritual preparation than temporal preparation because when the time came the people with oil couldn't share with the people who didn't have any. Spiritual readiness takes time and effort and no one else can do it for us. Since we know He is coming we have to prepare ourselves to meet Him so He will know us when we knock at the door. We can have our year's supply of food and still miss the feast if we are not spiritually prepared.

President Henry B Eyring once said, “The greatest test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands in the midst of the storms of life. What we will need in this day of testing is a spiritual preparation. It is to have developed faith in Jesus Christ so powerful that we can pass the test of life upon which everything for us in eternity depends. That test is part of the purpose God had for us in the Creation.” So, the great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home. The storms will rage, trials will come, and temptations will besiege us. We must choose to have faith, to be strong and of a good courage, for truly the Lord God is with us. He has promised us that as we go and do those things He requires of us, that He will prepare a way for us to do them. That through faith we can do all things. Preparedness is a commandment, and as such, part of our spiritual worthiness is to do just that- prepare. We read in Doctrine & Covenants 78:13-14, “Behold, this is the preparation wherewith I prepare you, and the foundation, and the ensample which I give unto you, whereby you may accomplish the commandments which are given you; That through my providence, notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, that the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world.” As the Lord commands, so must we obey. He has prepared the tools necessary for us to accomplish this commandment. We have been reminded time and time again by church leaders the things we can do to prepare ourselves spiritually:

Read the scriptures daily

Have daily personal and family prayer

Attend church and partake of the sacrament weekly

Hold regular Family Home Evenings

Attend the temple as often as possible

Pay an honest tithing and fast offering

Keep the commandments

Follow the counsel of the prophets, apostles, and other church leaders

Follow the standards set forth in For the Strength of Youth

As we do these things we will find ourselves clothed in the “whole armour of God” and our feet prepared with the Gospel of Peace. We will find ourselves ready to meet our Savior when He comes again on that great day.