Blog
Everything I've written about getting prepared, newest first.
Spiritual Preparation
I almost threw away a case of thirty-year-old beans. Here's why my book on Bible prophecy has a whole chapter on food storage, water, and getting out of debt.
Read “The Thirty-Year-Old Beans I Almost Threw Away”Spiritual Preparation
People are often curious why members of my church keep food storage. The answer goes back nearly a hundred years, and the idea itself goes back to Joseph of Egypt.
Read “A Century of Counsel: Why Latter-day Saints Store Food”Fuel, Heat, Cooking & Light
Food storage doesn't do you much good if you can't cook it. Here's how I think about boiling, frying, and baking when the power is out.
Read “Cooking Off-Grid: Rocket Stoves, Camp Stoves, and Stovetop Ovens”Fuel, Heat, Cooking & Light
You can't live without light. Here's why I keep many different kinds, from candles to wind-up lanterns, and how to use each one safely.
Read “Emergency Lighting: Build Layers of Light”Fuel, Heat, Cooking & Light
Heat is the hardest thing to keep going when the power is out, and it burns through fuel faster than anything else. Here's how I think about staying warm safely.
Read “Heating Your Home Safely When the Power Is Out”Food Storage
Figuring out how much wheat, rice, and beans your family needs can feel overwhelming. I built a free calculator that does the math for you, down to the cost.
Read “How Much Food Storage Do I Need? Let the Calculator Do the Math”Water Storage
Of everything in food storage and preparation, water is the hardest. It's heavy, it's bulky, and it goes bad if you store it wrong. Here's what I've learned.
Read “How to Store Water for Emergencies: The Hardest Part of Preparing”Fuel, Heat, Cooking & Light
Every emergency fuel has strengths and weaknesses. Here's how propane, butane, white gas, wood, and gasoline compare, and why you should never count on just one.
Read “Propane, Butane, White Gas, and Wood: Comparing Emergency Fuels”Fuel, Heat, Cooking & Light
Gasoline is the hardest fuel to store. Most people say it won't keep long, and for most people that's true. Here's what I did that kept mine good for three years.
Read “Storing Gasoline Long-Term: What Actually Worked for Me”Spiritual Preparation
Most people picture the Savior appearing right after the great destruction in the Book of Mormon. A closer reading suggests the survivors waited close to a year.
Read “The Year Between the Destruction and the Savior's Coming”Food Storage
There are two kinds of food storage, and they do different jobs. One you eat every week. The other can last thirty years. Neither one should just sit there.
Read “Three-Month Supply vs. Long-Term Storage: What's the Difference?”Food Storage
I've heard prepper groups say all they want is a million calories. Calories help, but you can't survive on wheat alone. Here's what a real food supply needs.
Read “Why "A Million Calories" Is a Prepper Mistake”Spiritual Preparation
You can have a year's supply of food, thousands of gallons of water, and every tool in the catalog. Without a spiritual foundation, they're just objects.
Read “Why Spiritual Preparation Comes First”