Self-Reliant Saturday -- Learning From History

Today is July 4th, Independence Day here in America, and with this holiday comes quite a bit of history.  There is a lot to learn from those whom have passed on before us and hopefully we take the time to learn these life lessons from our ancestors.  

 "Church history teaches many lessons about personal preparedness"  

"Lessons From Crossing The Plains"

• When we ignore preparedness counsel, we can expect unhappy consequences
• Protect against nature (sun, cold, snow, wild animals, sickness)
• Be accident cautious (falls, burns, children wandering off, carelessness, knife injuries)
• Protect against discouragement (maintain good health, don't be afraid to ask for help, make friends with like-minded people)
• Be creative and adaptive in difficult times (let the wagon bumps turn cream into butter)

"Lessons From the Pioneer Famine of 1868"

• In times of dire food shortages, we should be willing to share our personal food storage with others
• During times of famine we might choose to fast more often to provide for the needy
• When the course of our normal life is disrupted, it helps to fill free time with constructive activities 

"Lessons From the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake"

There were 120 Church members, missionaries, etc in the city at the time and they wrote about  how they survived the quake.

• Have sturdy shoes and durable clothing nearby in case of a sudden nighttime emergency
• Have fire extinguishers in our homes
• Have emergency water on hand in sturdy, non-glass containers
• Have minimal cleaning items, such as moist towelettes, toothpaste, deodorant, face towels, and even small bags of detergent
• Have emergency food as we have been taught
• It is important to have 2-3 meeting places where family members can find each other in case disaster strikes and family is scattered
• Be prepared to leave cherished belongings
• Ignore wild rumors that spread in panics and don't pass them on

All of these ideas, and more, are from an article written by William G. Hartley in the October 2001 Ensign, "Sturdy Shoes and a Waterproof Tent". Click HERE to read the entire article.