WOW. What A Response!

Once in awhile you discover that in some tiny way you may have helped someone. Once in a blue moon you get a letter that sends you dancing and bouncing in the streets. Did you hear the echoing "YAAAHOO" in your neighborhood? It wasn't the elves celebrating that the sleigh had returned and they got two more days off. The blue moon rose in my neighborhood and I am still bouncing down the streets.

I thought I would share this letter with you, not so that you would bounce in the streets, but so that you would be enocuraged to do something positive about your preparedness.


December 19, 2008

Barbara:

I love the new site. It is crisp and inviting.

I had just finished reading Preparedness Principles before I moved to Hawaii. One thing that caught my eye was storing seeds. After I recovered from my accident and was able to use my right arm, I started a square foot garden...and started to take seeds and store them. As my lettuce and greens were coming out, the spinach scare hit the nation. I had my seeds and I was fine. Women in my R.S. laughed because I killed the rosemary plant 5 times, before it was good. They were shocked that I would save 700-800 dollars a year in veggie, herb department as I get those from my garden. Yes, I did use the pantry principle as I became aware of Hawaii's food prices and cost of eating.

For a year I have done my Noah's Ark, and every week I have gathered things for my storage using the principles from your book. On Thursday, December 11th, it started raining and it rained hard and fast. Soon roads were flooded and closed. The BYU Hawaii was closed because all the roads were flooded. It continued to rain and faculty housing was flooded. I live on the beach and have a foundation, but the people on the other side of the road had little houses swimming in brown water. Banana fields were rushing mud rivers and the bright blue ocean turned brown. People did not have food and lost everything that was on the lower levels and floor, including cars, washers, etc.

Friday night I was ready to leave for a graduation celebration when I heard loud noise, as if an explosion followed by another explosion and blue lights flashing around us. A lamp pole with lots of electrical wiring broke and came crashing down. That meant that we could not leave our home and drive anywhere. Live wires were across to road and traffic came to a halting stop.

My neighbors were returning home when all this took place and left their car to the park parking lot. We all hiked there and went to the celebration. We returned later and lighting and rain was heavy. We hiked back home while people were still working on getting electricity back. Of course, I have my radio, lantern, candles, etc. and we were fine. I went to bed and could not sleep thinking of people stuck in their cars. I went to my storage, loaded a bag full of water and fruit and Markus and his MTC companion went off to the night to offer it to stranded motorists. They came home with beautiful stories.

It has been 25 years since I was first introduced to your books. There have been lost of snickering about my garden in a pot, storing supplies and food in the most innovative places, and living on pantry principles. I always learn something new from your books, websites, talks, and newsletters. I have used them and saved a lot of money just in my day-to-day living over the 25 years. I was prepared for the California earthquake in 1989. Who would have thought that this could happen in paradise, but it did.

Living the principle you teach gives knowledge, which is power, and peace of mind, which is comfort during challenging times and good times. Today, the sun came out for a few minutes.... I looked up, said THANK YOU...and went to my papaya tree (yes, I planted 2 of them a year ago) and picked a nice big yellow papaya for desert.

Thank you for all you do. It makes a difference.

Love,

Helena

(Published with permission.)

You can check out Preparedness Principles at www.solutionsforprepapredness.com

By the way, check out Your LDS Neighborhood Newsletter Featured Business for the week of December 29th. It is a very good article, and I am not prejudiced in any way :)


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