Tornado relief

This was from an area called the Villages, a retirement community about an hour and a half north of us. In 25 minutes our stake had over 1oo volunteers ready to go north. We met at the Bishop's Storehouse in Orlando and headed to the Leesberg Stake building where we received our assignments. There were a total of 525 volunteers. We were given an assignment to go to the Villages to assist the people with clean up. We were sent out in teams of 10 with a team leader and 10 teams in each group with a group leader. I was a group leader of over 100 volunteers that had to report on where we served and for how long we served at each address. My group alone did over 5000 hours of clean up.
The state of Florida, with a new Governor, would not give our church the papers needed to enter into the ravaged areas. The new governor did not know about our abilities to help in the area, so the stake president over the assignment called the former governor Jeb Bush and he pulled the strings necessary to get the paper work needed. He was familiar with how our church responded to the hurricanes from the past. They provided us with special forms that we had to put on our dash boards so that the police would allowed us to enter. It said LDS emergency response team with a state # that was provided. The best part was that it took FEMA over 2 days to get supplies to the area but our church had supplies their in 6 hours.










A golf cart that was in the garage at the Villages . It went through the roof and fell back down.










This is the same house with the golf cart. All the windows were blown out. The back side of the roof over the master bedroom is gone.















A couple of the team members on the roof






This picture is part of a mobile home that wrapped around a utility pole.This area is called Sunrise. It was mostly mobile homes with large lots. Some as large as an acre. There were many lives lost in this section. Sunrise area is where most of the news broadcast came from. The church that was destroyed is across the field on the other side of the street.
When we arrived in this area we found total devastation. Mobile homes completely blown apart. There was a motor home on its roof it was totally destroyed(see picture). When we asked the owners of the motor home what we may be able to help with, he said that my house is gone so you might be able to help someone else in the area.










Motor home on its roof


This is the same property as the motor home. The wall behind the white van was the garage that was connected to the mobile home that was demolished.
That tall tree on the left of the picture we had to cut down as most of the back side of the tree was on top of a van and truck(see pictures)













Tree that was cut down
Van and Truck










This volunteer is standing where the front door was of this mobile home. The next picture is of the owners truck that had a trailer behind it.








Look at the front of the truck. It is laying on top of the owners car.










Up rooted tree just missed home. Roof blown off

2x6's propelled into garage roof like arrows.










This home lost it's garage and front porch.










A wonderful experience came from this tragic event. It is how Heavenly Father watches out for those that serve others. I was assigned as a captain over my group and I was to contact owners that may need assistance. Our team of 5 members were sent to the Sunrise area and proceeded to help some people cut down a tree with the 1 and only chain saw we had. Just as we were finishing up I started to comb the area for some more work to do.
As I approached this mobile home that had several trees on top and it looked like no one had offered help to this family I asked if we could be of some assistance and he asked if we had several chain saws. I told him I have 5 guys and 1 chain saw and that we would provide all the help he needed.
I then went back to the tree to get the brother that had the chain saw and asked him to come over to this home. He said I have already committed to this family over here and that he couldn't come with me. I thought now what, I have told this man that I would provide all the help he needed, but how was that going to help without a single chain saw, let alone several.
As I was walking back to the van to get water for my team another truck pulled up to me and asked if they could help in any way. As I looked at his Mormon helping hands shirt I asked him if he had a chain saw. He said I have 3 chain saws, a bobcat tractor, and 22 guys that can help, where do you need us. It took about two and a half hours and we had the roof cleared and very little damage was caused by the removal. When we removed the first tree off the top of the home I approached the owner and asked him if this was enough help and with his eyes moistening with tears said" You guys are truly a blessing."
Heavenly Father was guiding us to those in need and provided a way to accomplish it. I am deeply grateful for that inspiration and guidance. How blessed we are.

"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17).