THM Recovery Update Tuesday 9/5 10:00 pm CT

Many missionaries had their P-day today so hopefully you received word from your missionaries and heard their reports.  I interviewed about 20 missionaries today so they will have their P-day tomorrow.

Missionaries continue to do some work this week but many members have returned to their normal routine so work crews are slowing down until the weekend.  On Saturday and Sunday, there will be many crews out, including thousands of volunteers coming from other Texas stakes outside the Houston area.  The missionaries will continue to help during the weekdays with things like canvasing affected areas with fliers to let residents know about Helping Hands resources, unloading supplies, etc.  We have also released a modified schedule that get missionaries back to the work of salvation during the weeks.

The missionaries who were displaced from their apartments due to the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs have now returned to their apartments as it appears that the risk of high water has subsided, mainly due to controlled release of water from the dams.  Here is an interesting article that explains in some detail the issue with the reservoirs for those who might like to understand the situation with these reservoirs.  The flood control system in Houston was designed in the 1940s and did not anticipate water of this magnitude.  The apartments where the missionaries live are not close to these flooded neighborhoods.  We evacuated them in the event of the reservoir dams being breached.  That risk seems to have passed.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/harvey/2017/09/02/flood-waters-recede-houston-homeowners-find-nature-blame

A silver lining of this storm is summed up in what one man named 'Tex' told some sister missionaries today.  Tex was out helping people on his own and he worked side by side with missionaries.  After a few hours he said to the sisters, "I've had Mormon missionaries knock on my door many times and I've always turned them away, but from now on my door is always open to the missionaries."  They set an appointment to teach Tex and his family next week.  Similar opportunities to share the message of hope and peace the restored gospel brings will be abundant going forward.

Missionaries helped unload a Chinook helicopter

THM Recovery Update Monday 9/4 10:30 pm CT

Many have probably seen by now that President Uchtdorf of the First Presidency of the Church, along with Bishop Causse, Presiding Bishop, and several other Church authorities, flew down to be with the saints in Houston yesterday.  They visited the Cypress Stake sacrament meeting and then went to visit volunteers working in the Klein Stake where some neighborhoods had been hit particularly bad.  We had several pictures of our missionaries speaking with President Uchtdorf (see photos below).  

Tomorrow and Wednesday, the missionaries will be resting on their P-days.  Many have asked me if they can give up P-day to help serve.  I am asking them to take one day off.  In my letter to them this evening I have shared with them the following:

Two impressions came to me as I ponder upon the state of affairs in the THM.  The first is that the damage from this storm is metaphorical with the storms of life and the temptations of the adversary that beset the human race.  Helaman teaches his sons, Nephi and Lehi, about these storms.  He tells them that “the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea,…all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you.”  (Helaman 5:12)  He goes on to say, however, that if they build upon the rock, they shall not fall.  The rock is our Redeemer.  As I read Helaman 5 again, I noted that the verses prior to verse 12 set up this metaphor.  Helaman explains that the Redeemer will redeem us not in our sins, but from our sins and that he will redeem us from our sins on conditions of repentance.  Redemption is a gift if we choose to accept it.  How will people know this great gift exists?  In verse 11, the answer is given: “he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.”  You are angels sent to declare the Doctrine of Christ and help people prepare for the storms of life.

The other impression I had was to read the words of the hymn, “Scatter Sunshine.”  In this great, well-known hymn it says: 

In a world where sorrow

Ever will be known,
Where are found the needy

And the sad and lone,

How much joy and comfort

You can all bestow,

If you scatter sunshine

Ev’rywhere you go.

Scatter sunshine all along your way.

Cheer and bless and brighten

Ev’ry passing day.

Slightest actions often

Meet the sorest needs,

For the world wants daily

Little kindly deeds.

Oh, what care and sorrow

You may help remove,

With your songs and courage,

Sympathy and love.

Scatter sunshine all along your way.

Cheer and bless and brighten

Ev’ry passing day.

Scatter sunshine all along your way.

Cheer and bless and brighten

Ev’ry passing day.

We can cheer, bless and brighten others lives every day through our love, smiles, friendliness, teaching, service and kindness.  Lives are being changed as you scatter sunshine.  Thank you for your wonderful effort.

President Uchtdorf speaks to volunteers, including THM missionaries

Missionaries in the Cypress Stake attend sacrament meeting with

President Uchtdorf, Bishop Causse, and other General and Area Authorities

President Uchtodorf speaks to two sister missionary companionships

From the THM Mission

 

THM Recovery Update Sunday 9/3 10:00 pm CT

I apologize, I thought I clicked "publish" on the blog last night but looks like it never published.    

Today, missionaries attended sacrament meeting with their ward members.  We needed to take the sacrament to remember Him whom we serve and gather strength for another week.  Testimonies were born with sweet gratitude.  Many of us wore our work clothes so that we could immediately get out cleaning up again.  We are getting proficient at this although it is heartbreaking to see the plight of so many people and it can be rigorous work.  We saw President and Sister Hewlett of the Texas Houston East Mission today.  They sadly lost their mission home, many personal possessions, their office and their car in the flood.   Please keep them in your prayers. 

Sister Peterson and I had great work crew with us today consisting of my assistants, two sisters, our two daughters, a young member, and a senior missionaries couple who have only been here two weeks from St. George, UT.  We helped a couple in their 80s to clean up, including tearing out subflooring and bathrooms cabinets.  They were so appreciative.  The missionaries and  members are definitely creating goodwill among the people of Houston.  They all recognize us as “The Mormons” in yellow shirts and they are very grateful.  A friend of the 80-year-old couple commented to me, “I feel the power of the Lord with you (all the missionaries on the crew).”  Miracles are happening and impacted individuals are being blessed.  I will start having missionaries send me their experiences so I can share them with you on this blog.  

IMPORTANT: Given tomorrow is a national holiday, many members are on vacation and will take missionaries out on work crews.  Therefore, P-day has been moved to Tues. or Wed., depending on their interview schedule with me.  The missionaries will write their families on their re-scheduled P-day.  If any parents have any questions or concerns, please let me know.  

President and Sister Peterson's Work Crew Attended

Fast and Testimony Meeting Then Went to Work

(Note How Clean We Look)

After 5 Hours of Work, The Crew Was Very Dirty and Tired

Elders Tear Out Several Layers of Sub-Floor

Sisters Tear Out Wet Sheetrock Before It Molds

The City Is Littered With Mounds of Destroyed Possessions and

Materials. In This Pile Is a Baby Grand Piano

THM Recovery Update 9/2 11:30 pm CT

Today, all missionaries were out serving, most cleaning out homes.  We received a request to help today at a food bank, the Northwest Assistance Ministries, or NAM.  The missionaries showed up with smiles on their faces to help people load food in their cars, stock shelves and take impacted families through the supply of clothes, diapers, shoes and other necessities.

Tomorrow, throughout the mission, wards are holding joint sacrament meetings in the morning with members and missionaries attending in work clothes so that right after we can get out and help those in need.

In the midst of all the destruction and sadness in Houston, the light of the gospel shone through as tonight a family of 7 was baptized in the Spring Stake.  Two great missionaries found the family a couple of months ago, taught them over many weeks and had set a baptismal date of September 2.  Although the family had been displaced from their home due to leaking, they wanted to keep their baptismal date.  It was a beautiful reminder that despite the rain that comes in our lives, the gospel of Jesus Christ brings hope, peace and can unite us together forever.  We hope everyone has a wonderful Sabbath day tomorrow.  We know there will be fasting and prayers offered on behalf of Houston.  We are feeling the love.  Thank you for your faith.

Wonderful Night Saturday As A Family In Spring, TX Is Baptized

Needy Families Are Provided Necessities at NAM

Missionaries Are Visible In Their Yellow Shirts

Sisters Help Fill Orders For Food At NAM

Sisters Enjoy Some BBQ Provided For Volunteers by Good Samaritans

Senior Missionaries Get In On the Clean Up Action

THM Storm Recovery Friday 9/1 10:30 pm CT

Another busy day for missionaries to be out helping others.  I was at a stake center in Klein this morning where 20 missionaries were ready to go out and clean up for stake members impacted by the storm.  We are very grateful for modern communications.  I received several requests for help yesterday and today and was able to quickly text all missionaries in certain geographic areas to see if they could assist.  For example, the Church is opening a new Deseret Industries in Houston but it was far from ready when the storm hit.  The members scrambled to get lights, running water and repairs made today to open doors quickly.  With little notice, a semi-truck full of supplies arrived from Salt Lake City late in the day and they needed people to unload.  I put out a text to missionaries in two zones and within 20 minutes there were 20 missionaries there to help.  I received a call from the organizers profoundly grateful for the missionaries' help.  This happened, incidentally, at 7:30 pm after missionaries had been out working all day, but they gladly went to assist.  These young people are amazing.

The reservoirs continue to spill out and remain at high levels.  For this reason we are keeping displaced missionaries out of their apartments for a few more days.  They have been able to go to their apartments to retrieve their possessions but not stay overnight.  Members are gladly taking good care of them.  Today, as I ate my PB&J sandwich I smelled a delicious soup being eaten across the desk by my assistant.  I asked where he got something so good and he replied the Relief Society president in the ward he serves in brought it by their apartment.  The missionaries are being watched over.

This experience is something these missionaries will never forget.  Seeing the basic needs of human beings stripped away, and then having the opportunity to restore some of that which was lost to those in need will mold their characters and shape their views of God's children, His love for them, and how we are His hands here on earth.  They young missionaries are becoming men and women who truly consecrate their lives to the Lord and they will receive the blessings associated with keeping that sacred covenant in ways that will carry into future generations.

Tomorrow there are many big projects taking place.  We'll send more updates and photos tomorrow.

-  President Peterson