We are thrilled with the addition of the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” to the new hymnbook. We sing:

Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Here by Thy great help I’ve come,
And I hope by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

An Ebenezer is a stone of help. A stone was originally set up by Samuel as a token of gratitude for deliverance from the Philistines. An Ebenezer is a sign to Heavenly Father to express our gratitude for all He has blessed us with.

One of the questions I am asked most often when teaching Emergency Preparedness and on Facebook is: “I’m spending all this time, effort, and money to prepare and I have friends and family who tell me they will just come to our house when disaster strike. I don’t really want to share when they had money, time and space to do it themselves. Am I wrong?”

We were recently watching a show interviewing survivors of the Lahaina fire and telling their story. At one point we commented that there were a lot of homeless and wondered how many people opened their homes to survivors. There are only so many rentals and hotel rooms available following a disaster.

Imagine a fire storm such as in southern California or a hurricane such as in North Carolina this past year. The stores are gone, as is everything you owned. There are only so many things you can purchase on your credit card and financial help from agencies is extremely small. What do you do? Hopefully, there will be people around to fill in the gaps. That can be us!

 “And behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken. And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor ye will do it unto me…..” D&C 42: 30-13

Who are the poor? Joseph Smith reminds us. Poor does not refer just to those who are having trouble paying their bills but also those who are poor in spirit. Those who have lost hope. Those who have lost faith.

Bishop H. David Burton, Presiding Bishop: “The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that it is our responsibility ‘to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church or in any other, or in no church at all, wherever he finds them’ (Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 732). May we be generous with our time and liberal in our contributions for the care of those who suffer” (“Go, and Do Thou Likewise,” Ensign, May 1997, 77).

Matthew 25:37–40: “Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 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.”

“Thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties….”  What is consecration if we are asked to consecrate?

“But consecration is more than the act of giving. It is the sanctification that comes of giving willingly, for the right reasons, which section 82 describes as “every man seeking the interest of his neighbor and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God” (v. 19). To consecrate is not to give away; it is to sanctify or make sacred or holy. Possessions, time, and spiritual gifts can be made sacred by offering them

Consecration is setting something apart as holy for the Lord’s work. Latter-day Saints voluntarily dedicate their time, talents, and means to establishing the kingdom of God. As Elder David A. Bednar taught, consecration “is motivated by charity and produces an increased desire to serve.” In the temple, Church members covenant to live the law of consecration. The highest form of consecration is giving all we are and all we can become to building the kingdom of God.” (Gospel study guide)

When considering disasters and our preparedness, we have been told to refer to this as Emergency Preparedness and Response. Are we prepared to respond?

Would you be prepared to provide toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap, food, cleaning supplies when the Stake president asks for them for a shelter being set up at the church? Would you be prepared to provide housing for a family when the Bishop calls to ask?

Years ago, I interviewed a man, we’ll call him John, who lived 50 miles from a devastating hurricane. A friend called and asked if they could bring their motor home and live on their property until power was restored and people were let back into the area. The man said of course and when the friends showed up, they had two other families with their motor homes who they brought with them. They had nothing. They needed everything from toothpaste to toilet paper to food. John shared all the supplies he had and since the power was out even 50 miles away from landfall, stores were only accepting cash. Guess what…those families didn’t have cash, but John did, so there went his stash. He was committed to being more stocked up on supplies just in case he was called on again to provide help without it affecting his savings.

Many of the items needed following a disaster are inexpensive and easy to store for years. Consider the dollar store.

Toothbrushes with cap, family size toothpaste and of course dental floss. Dental floss has many uses during an emergency when supplies may be limited.

Hygiene items: Deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, 6 combs, or 3 large bars of soap

Medical needs: antibacterial cream, cortisone cream, bandages, and 2 pack hand sanitizers. Teething gel is available and a great addition to kits even if you don’t have a child; adults get toothaches too and a dentist may not be an option for a day or two.

Five glow bracelets or 2 glow sticks: Glow bracelets are the perfect way to keep track of kids in a crowd. Glow sticks can provide light without running down precious batteries.

Baby wipes: Great for cleaning up after working or eating as well as for use with a baby.

My favorite cleaner is just $1.25 at the dollar store.

Start there. Start small but start now. You may have food storage, but do you have those things that may be needed by someone else?

I enjoyed the movie Horton Hears a Who. I still think about the reaction of Whoville’s city council, “Nothing ever happens here and nothing ever will”. These days we need more people like Horton, who recognize that even when others are oblivious to wise counsel, we must not doubt ourselves when it is time to be smart – time to be educated about world conditions and prioritize our preparedness.

No matter where you live, things are happening, and they will affect you and your family. Your home may not be destroyed by an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, wildfire or terrorism, but your current way of life could be permanently altered. Certainly, those who believe in the Lord’s return, trust that some big changes will accompany those events and will want to be prepared in every way for themselves and anyone who may need them.

As you sing “Here I raise my Ebenezer” ask yourself “what is my Ebenezer?”. Our emergency preparations can be our Ebenezer. It can be our way of showing gratitude for all we have been blessed with as we follow the prophets and prepare to respond.

To ask a question or get help please contact Carolyn through the comment section or by sending a message through the Totally Ready Facebook page.