The Power of Helping Hands

As we all know, hurricane Sandy was devastating to the east coast, especially in New york and New Jersey.  It is heartbreaking to see the pictures and hear the stories of those who have lost everything they own.  Those affected really are in many ways lost in darkness.  They don't know how to keep going or how they will ever be whole again.

The scriptures say that Jesus Christ is "The light and the life of the world, a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not;"  D&C 34:2 Listen and watch the true stories of how the light of Christ is shinning forth into the darkness of this tragedy through the efforts of those who seek to follow him.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been organizing crews to go into all the affected areas since before Sandy even hit.  On Veterans day, Nov. 11, 2012.  Members of the congregation where I am currently serving as a missionary were part of a crew that went to Manahawkin, New Jersey to offer relief with the Mormon Helping Hands program established by the church. 

This is just one true story related to me that very evening by a member, Brenden Wikle, who helped serve that day.

After a morning of working the crew returned to the volunteer headquarters for lunch and to receive a new assignment.  While  there Brenden started talking to an 82 year old man who lives in Manahawkin.  This man  told of how he had lost everything in the storm.  His house was destroyed and the quote for how much it would cost just to remove all the damage was far beyond what he could afford.  To add to this heartbreaking loss, his wife had recently broken her hip while hanging laundry on the wet deck and was in the hospital.  He was left by himself to deal with everything the storm had dumped upon him.  He said he had put his name on the list to receive help and now just had to wait and hope.

Brenden told how his heart t broke for this man and he wished he could take the crew he had been working with and go help him right then, but they were already receiving another assignment.  So he departed with them to the next home they were sent to help.

When they arrived, he was overjoyed to learn that it was this old man's home.  There was another group from a different organization already there trying to help clean out the house.  When the leader saw the crew coming, he broke down into tears. 

When asked why he was crying he told them that they had been working for a long time and had gotten very little done and knew they could not do it on their own. He said that he had knelt down ten minutes earlier and prayed to God that he would send someone to help them.  He said I told God to please send the "little yellow army" (referring to the yellow mormon helping hands vests volunteers wear).  He wanted this little yellow army because he knew an army was what they needed to get this house emptied. 

The crew was able to clean out the whole house in only an hour.  Gratitude ran very high and prayers were answered all around.

In Mosiah 2:17 it says-

 "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

When we are in the service of God we are entitled to his help no matter what nationality, religion, race, gender, political or economic status etc. God hears and answers every heart felt prayer, and he often answers them through the helping hands of another person.

To find out how you can be a part of the relief, visit mormon.org and request to talk to the nearest missionaries or contact any local LDS member or location.