WOLFGRAMM FAMILY: September 2008

My mom and dad are into town for a baptism on my dad's side. Mom talked to me while we were cleaning the kitchen and reminded me about Grandpa and Grandma's wise counsel that they had given us for years.
To prepare ourselves. We are so blessed to have come from the most wonderful Grandparents who have loved, taught and nurtured us in so many ways. I have been thinking about what they have told us time and time again, to prepare ourselves, to repent, to have food storage for our families and to live righteously.
I have to admit if anything were to happen to our little family and there was some type of disaster we would not be fully prepared for an emergency. I have set in my heart and mind goals for our family in many different aspects, but mostly spiritually and with food storage. I am sure that grandpa and grandma know what lies ahead for us and now the time is drawing nearer to our Saviors return, and we see it all around us just watching the news and all of the crazy things that happen in the world. At times I get distracted by my life and I don't see clearly what is most important for my families future. And that is- preparing ourselves with spiritual and temporal nourishment and provisions
to protect and preserve our families lives. I hope that we will take time to ponder
the many things we have all been taught by our Grandparents and our church leaders so that we will be prepared to withstand all that we might face in the years to come.

Excerpts from Elder L. Tom Perry
“ ‘If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear’,”
Ensign, Nov 1995, 35

....On a daily basis we witness widely fluctuating inflation; wars; interpersonal conflicts; national disasters; variances in weather conditions; innumerable forces of immorality, crime, and violence; attacks and pressures on the family and individuals; technological advances that make occupations obsolete; and so on. The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants:

“If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).

Just as it is important to prepare ourselves spiritually, we must also prepare ourselves for our temporal needs. Each of us needs to take the time to ask ourselves, What preparation should I make to care for my needs and the needs of my family?

First, gain an adequate education.

Second, live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day.

Third, avoid excessive debt.

“Live within your means. Get out of debt. Keep out of debt. Lay by for a rainy day which has always come and will come again. Practice and increase your habits of thrift, industry, economy, and frugality” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1937, p. 107). We should have displayed in a prominent place President Clark’s description of interest:

Fourth, acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. Obtain clothing and build a savings account on a sensible, well-planned basis that can serve well in times of emergency. As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness.

.....Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future.

President Lee, in commenting on Lehi’s great vision, said this:

“If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are desperately seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an ‘iron rod’ as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life, amidst the strange and devious roadways that would eventually lead to destruction and to the ruin of all that is ‘virtuous, lovely, or of good report’ ” (Ensign, June 1971, p. 7).

Unfortunately there are too many of us that are like the scoffers in Lehi’s vision. They stand aloof and are inclined to hold in derision the faithful who have chosen to accept Church authorities as God’s special witnesses of the gospel and his agents in directing the affairs of the Church. My sincere counsel to you today is to remember the good basic principles we have been taught from the very beginning—principles of thrift, industry, and integrity that have served mankind in every period of time. Avoid the great and spacious building that is the pride of the world, for it will fall, and great will be the fall thereof.

May God bless us with the wisdom to follow the counsel we have received as we prepare spiritually and temporally for the strength and security of our family units, is my humble prayer, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

(Grandma and Grandpa returning home from LDS mission 1980's)

Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day blasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.
D&C- 6:3

Our Family Missionaries

Welcome Home!!
Vanessa Tauteoli-
Chris and David Tauteoli's daughter(Tisina and Roy Gerber's granddaughter)
recently returned home from her mission to Spain.
Thank you Vanessa for your wonderful example of service, missionary work
and dedication to the Lord! Ofa Atu!

Please remember our current missionaries in your prayers!