Be Prepared!!!

I'd like to share an email that was forwarded by our elders quorum president.  It's funny how we don't think of what could really happen to us in dire circumstances.  We sometimes take our nice lives for granted and think that it couldn't happen to us and we are prepared if it does.... but are we???  

Just as I read this email, a few days later we realized how important our water supply was.  The City of Downey's water system had presence of the Total Coliform Bacteria.  It affected us all and required that all residents boil all tap water as precautionary measures.  While it was not as difficult as dealing with a natural disaster, it gave us a taste of what a definite inconvenience feels like.  Never knew how much water we use around the house.

I encourage you to read:

To all my family, good friends and aquatints,
     I hope this email finds everyone  happy and doing well.  My wife's aunt received the following letter from a friend of hers in Texas regarding their experiences with Hurricane Ike. I'm not trying to freak anyone out, but I just felt that I needed to share my thoughts and this letter with you all so that you might understand better what any one of us could face if there is a natural disaster or other problem.
    As far as my thoughts go, there seems to be many more strange things happening in the world than there used to be and I couldn't let this letter just slip past into the abyss of email trash.  I personally have been receiving, almost on a daily basis, weather it be through books, radio, conversations or other sources, the feeling that something big is on the horizon that will affect us all.  I can't tell you what it might be or when it is going to happen, but if you are paying attention to whats going on in the world or even with the economy in the U.S. you have to be able to see that there could be problems soon and we need to be self sufficient.  
    I read in a book the other day that in 1970 there were only about 78 major disasters in the world.  In 2005 there were over 348.  For us in Southern CA, its not a matter of if but when the next big quake will happen.  My brother-in-law is in law enforcement in LA and was in charge of planning and securing major events for the city, such as parades, presidential visits and the like.  He has said on numerous occasions that if there is a disaster in the city there will be no Police, or Fire department to help you and your family.  They will be protecting and securing City buildings and other places that will probably have more damage.  I know in LA county there are only about 9500 police officers, but there are over 12 million people. Those are bad odds for getting assistance during a major disaster.  I'm sharing this with everyone because I'd rather be safe than sorry.  If I'm all prepared and my best friend isn't and something happens, he's going to be asking me, why didn't you tell me you thought something was going to happen.  I don't what to have to say, because I thought you knew.
Well, please read the letter below.  It's pretty amazing what that family has gone through with Ike.
Thanks, and take care,
Cayer

.   Dear Friends: Just to let you know that the Rittman's are doing well. We have a 6'x6' hole in our roof, no electricity or running water, Trees down everywhere. However, because we listened to the counsel of our Prophet we are prepared. In fact it seems to me that it's only the members of the church who seem to be calm, prepared, and helping one another with trees in roofs, flooding, etc.  There is a POD or Point of Distrubution in Tomball where we live.There you get water and ice IF you have enough fuel to wait in the 3 hour lines. We don't have to do that because we have 3 full water barrels, 75 juice bottles filled with water, and our pool which is dirty but we use it to flush. It is very difficult to get gas. Police guard the stations when fuel is delivered and you might wait half a day to get up to the pump just to have them say, "Too bad, we are  out".  I am grateful that we have a generator. We run it 4 hours a day to keep our fridge and light. I am grateful that we have had fuel for it. You can't even by gas containers as they are rationed. We can only by bread once a week and limited to 2 loaves at a time. Water is rationed by the case at the grocery store. 3 cases per family.   The Atm machines do not have power. For the past 6 months I have stashed small bills away because I have had such a feeling of foreboding. We have cash because of that.LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT. Get cash in small bills because the stores can't make change and credit and debit cards often don't work. I had to pay 5 dollars more for an item because they couldn't make change for me. PHONES ONLY WORK OCCASIONALY. Believe it or not...I have not had a bath in 4 days, Today was the first day I got to wash my hair with pool water. I have n't fixed my hair in a week!!! It just doesn't matter anymore.  We can not do laundry because we don't have water. So, we wear our clothes until they are literally disgusting.When we do finally get water we will have to boil it since it is contaminated. I am grateful for my parents. When we got low on generator fuel they drove 45 minutes to help us. They filled up thier cans and brought us 10 gallons of fuel which kept us going until this morning at 6:oo am when we finally found some gas. A prepared Family and a loving extened family is the key to survival and making it through right now. I know that my parents would drive to the end of the earth to help me and it's nice knowing they are there. I know that I would do the same for my children. I want all of you to know that I have such a testimony of following the counsel of our living prophet. There really is safety and peace in your heart if you are prepared. Please get your generators, 5 gas cans full of gas, canned goods, baby items, baby wipes to bathe,  and all the water you can store...even if you have to trip on it in your home. Have your lanterns, crank flashlights, tarps, rope, etc.. ready to go because you never know when it will be your turn to endure the test. It's overwhelming, but it's going to be ok eventually. I have a home, I have food, I have water, because i listened to the counsel of the prophet. PLease make sure you do the same. It's time to have your life in order. Tomorrow may be too late. Jyl

Aftewards he received a response from his mom in Arizona

we had a storm that I have never experienced before.....anywhere.  I was on my computer & knew we were probably in for a monsoon that night & the wind was blowing & I really wasn't thinking much about it.  Then I noticed I was hearing a noise that sounded like rolling thunder that didn't stop rolling.  Kinda like a plane going overhead too.  Brian happen to go outside before I was really listening & when he came in he said there was the weirdest thing going on outside with the lightning.  He said it was like a great light show.  I really didn't think much about it, but the constant roar became more of an issue in my mind & I got to thinking that people have said that a tornado sounded like a freight train when it was coming & thought that was sort of what it sounded like, so I got up & opened the front door and Holy Crap...it was unbelievable.  There were hundreds of strikes of lightening all at the same time.  The wind was blowing really hard & the roar was unbelieveable, I had visions of windows breaking & the roof blowing off.  Then we got a downpour of huge hail.  They said in some areas it was quarter size.  It sounded like golfballs were hitting the roof. I did get scared.  I thought we were having a tornado or the sky was falling.  I turned on the tv to get the news.  The winds were approx. 85 mph & right when I turned it on they announced that we had had over 1100 lightning strikes in the past 5 minutes.   No news about a tornado, so I guess the roar was just the constant thunder from all the lightning.  It looked like a spectacular fireworks show...I have never seen anything like it & alot of people that have lived here a long time said the same thing.  Like any of our great monsoons, it only lasted about an hour here & then it was over & moved on...thank u Lord.  The storm blew down & snapped big trees in half along with power poles in some areas.