EP NOTEBOOK

I want to share about my EP notebook but first I want to comment on my list of 5 things I cannot do without. I thought to myself- How shallow it seems that scriptures are not on my list. They are a given that I cannot do without them (like food and water) - I have a set in my 72 hour kit and several sets all over the house.

What I really cannot do without and shall go thru major withdrawal, if i ever lose it, is my ipod. (lose as in there is no way to charge it back up) I have scriptures on there both audio and visual. I listen to the Mormon Channel every nite and would miss it if it were gone. The Mormon Channel is the most awesome thing in the world!!! Scriptures, conference talks, series such as Enduring It Well, All Things Creative, interviews of people by Sheri Dew - just tons of interesting stuff!!!!

"I love technology; but not as much as you, you see. I love technology...."

Now, about my EP notebook. I got a 3 ring binder so that I could collect information. Here is the cover of my notebook: (If you can't have fun with something, it's not worth doing)

It's a reminder that I can't put this off forever!- and the ARK reference is obvious.

I put dividers in it for each section. This is how I keep track of information. and there is soooo much information out there! It can be confusing wading thru all the information! But I know it's important to know how to do stuff - to know how to prepare, what to prepare, and how to survive. Some things are important to know now, and some things will be important to know if the need arises - so I want a notebook that will tell me everything I need to know. one geared just for me and my family and our needs, etc.

here are the divided sections:

72 Hour Bug Out Kits

Water

Food Storage Short Term
Food Storage Long Term

Recipes (gee- why is this one still empty? - maybe because I don't like to cook?)

First Aid

Disasters

Stress Survival

Prophesies of the Last Days

This notebook is not only for me, it is for my children and grandchildren. If they are left to survive on their own, they will have a greater chance of surviving, with the help of the information I have collected. Knowledge is power. I want them to have that power to survive.

Our church had a meeting recently where all the youth and adults were meeting together and the subject was emergency preparedness. One of the youth said (as he rolled his eyes) "I don't know why we have to learn this all this stuff!"

The instructor replied "Because all us old people will be dead, and you guys are going to have to know how to survive."

We all laughed, but I thought about it - it may be true that my kids have to "go it alone"

Pre-teens and teens are capable of carrying out what they need to to survive, but the survival skills we are trying to teach them seem so boring and useless to them.

I was talking to two teens before the meeting and they both did not see the value of attending the meeting. I said "How are you going to know what to do in case of emergency? Do you know what to do?"

One said "No, but I have a plan in case of a zombie attack!" and he proceeded to tell me, then the other joined in. They both got very animated as they told me their plan against a zombie attack. They had thought this thru. It involved guns from Walmart and supplies from Costco. Of course we all know guns are useless against zombies, and the Costcos will be wiped clean in 5 minutes. I think they need a back-up plan.

The point is, most teens are not going to be receptive to emergency plans for the future, until/unless they need the information right then. Of course, right then, it is too late to Google how to survive the__________ (fill in the blank) - because most likely there will be no Google to google. (no amount of "I should have listened to mom" is going to help them, either)

If there is a "how to" guide that I have created, then my kids will be able to survive.

Maybe the best scenario is to teach our kids when they are young and receptive. Doing it without scaring them is tricky. But kids listen to us better and have better attitudes before they hit puberty.

I don't know - I only have teen boys left, and they cover their ears whenever we bring it up at the dinner table. "Do you guys have to talk about the end of the world, again??!!!" they moan.

yes - I do, because I love you!