Updates during and after Hurricane Sandy

Email sent by Megan on Monday, Oct 29, 2012

Hi,
Just real quick, I got your emails. Thank you so so much for the news counsel and pics. You all are incredible! Exactly what I needed! I am regretting not sending my ballot before the storm. Well love you and miss you! Letters are coming your way! Lights are flickering!

Love

Megan

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Email sent from Mission President's office, Oct 30, 2012

　

Hi Parents, Bishops, Stake President’s,  

We just want to let you know that all missionaries are safe and accounted for, with no injuries. We have some that are without power, but they were advised to have enough food and bottled water to last for three days, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Those elders who were in Rockaway have not been able to get back into their apartments yet, so we don’t know any damage there. I have been where those apartments are and it is my guess that the apartments are fine, but the roads are probably covered with water and we don’t want to take cars down there through that. All of the Sister Missionaries are out at the Mission Home and they are without power, but they are together and all is well. President might need a vacation after this. The President has decided to leave the missionaries that were in the evacuation area away from their apartments for one more day.

Anyway, all is well, relatively, here.

Thanks for your prayers and best wishes.

Our love to you all.

Sister Shepherd, Mission Secretary
 
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Article from Deseret News about the Missionaries and their service in NYC on 10/31/2012

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865565759/500-LDS-missionaries-helping-neighbors-in-Sandys-wake.html?pg=all


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Email sent  from Megan, November 1, 2012

Hi!
I got permission to check if you could get my ballot :). Thanks for the pics and updates and article! I will send my ballot in today and it should be okay.

It is pretty nasty and heart-wrenching work, and I didn't even get sent to the hardest hit areas. Lots of buckets from flooded basements and filthy carpets and trying to salvage pictures and keepsakes. I will NEVER live by a river ha ha. We had a wonderful time at presidents. We had no power (power lines are still just lying in the streets still in some areas) and so it felt like a girls camp with the most awesome people. I even got to go running a few times in the Long Island fall :). Now we are back, our area seems to be left okay with a few less trees. Now everyone is just trying to get gas. Lines to gas stations seem to be over a half a mile long!! It is surreal to be living in a place hit in a natural disaster. As my mission president said in the article, there is SO MUCH to do. Making me realize how much I have grown to love this city in the past 2 months. This area still needs our prayers!

I love and miss you all! Now on to do my laundry I haven't done in 10 days, vote, and get ready to get back to work.

Love, Megan

Pictures of Megan helping with the clean up can be found on the New York City South Blog found at:
 
http://newyorksouthmission.blogspot.com/

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Pictures from the area and of missionaries helping

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Update from Mission Office, November 3, 2012

Hi everyone:

It’s been a few days since the brunt of the storm, but I thought I would let you know what is going on. We are slowly getting power back in most of the areas. None of the missionary apartments sustained damage. Most of them have power back. If not, they are staying at other missionary pads. They are fine. Most have been out working in the heavily damaged areas helping to remove trees, pump water out of basements, clean out debris, just do anything they can to help the people here. People have been bringing them food, and our Senior Sisters have also been working to feed them. We fed some of them last night at the Mission Office, and we will also be feeding them tonight as well. Tomorrow they will attend a short Sacrament Service and then will head back out to work. They are enjoying helping the people and they are enjoying being together working for a common cause. The Sister Missionaries stayed out at the Mission Home until last Thursday and then went home to their own apartments. However, the Mission Home has been without power since last Monday night. The lack of gasoline has been a problem, but the church FM group, headed by Vic Goepfert, a counselor to President Calderwood, was able to get some gas from Pennsylvania for us today. Hopefully that will last until the pumps are up and running here on Long Island. Our missionaries are doing great and they have become heroes in the eyes of many people. We are so proud of them.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call. We will return your call or e-mail as fast as we can.

Love to you all, Sister Shepherd, Mission Secretary


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News Story — 31 October 2012

Mormon Missionaries Help With Hurricane Sandy Cleanup Effort

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/hurricane-sandy-cleanup



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News Release — 2 November 2012

Mormon Helping Hands Cleanup After Sandy

 

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-helping-hands-clean-up-after-sandy

 

 

 

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Dear  Parents,

A friend alerted us to a CNN video showing many of our missionaries at work in Staten Island. Their picture appears about 3 minutes into the segment and again at about 5 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOQWix3J92Y&feature=plcp

-- Dr. Steven R. Goates, Professor
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602-5700

We have been evacuated! Plus recent pictures :)

Hello family! So I know you usually write later, but I am writing a little earlier this week because of this hurricane.

It is kind of strange. We just heard about this hurricane 2 days ago. We were told to get our grocery shopping done early and to get ready to be home bound for a few days. But it turns out this storm is getting bigger and bigger and we got a text about an hour before church that all of us Sister missionaries were being evacuated to the Mission home today, and the elders in the lower areas all evacuated into other elders apartments who live. We hurried and packed and ran to church. I am now the ward pianist.....man do I wish I played more piano before my mission (its kind of rough ha-ha but I am all they got). The Bishop cancelled the rest of church after sacrament meeting and the rest of the meetings for the week. We are now all at the mission home (there are 27 sisters!). It should be fun :) We are being told we might now be here for 7-10 days. It is interesting. NYC apparently never gets hurricanes. There was Irene last year that everyone prepared for, there was some damage for some areas but for the most part it just rained. I guess they are having a hard time evacuating areas of Brooklyn because people don't believe it this time (which is silly because this storm is supposed to be HUGE). There are sisters from HI who are saying that their families have been evacuated for tsunamis that are being caused by an earth quake....CRAZY!!! Also all of NYC trains, subways and buses closed down at 7pm tonight...entonces, the whole NYC area is hunkering down...maybe this city will actually sleep!

However crazy, we are safe and praying :). We are emailing tonight because we don't know how much longer we will have power. Kind of funny, today in sacrament we sang "Paz Camlmense" or in English "Master the tempest is raging"....how appropriate. I am more worried about being in a house with 30 women ha-ha. It is strange not having anything to do. I will enjoy it while I can, and the sisters here are incredible!!! I also feel very blessed. As I was sitting on the stand (in the back) I looked out on my Rego Park Barrio II. Wow, how do I love these people. They are so pure, so good and so strong. I feel humbled that the Lord has called me to serve amongst these specific people. It is painful to think of everyone in harms way. You can tell people were worried today, about their homes and for a lot of them, what little they had. Sacrament Meeting was so full of faith. It was neat. Anita came by herself and stayed a while to talk to people :) sad not to see Saul with her, but good she had the drive to come. Goya, one of our investigators and our "mama dominiacana" also came. It is interesting I am a missionary, I have no home to worry about and a safe place to go, our food storage was taken care of. I am just bringing prayers and smiles. Amazing how I do feel in some ways that I do have family to worry about, for these people really are feeling as such, especially as I am so far from home.

Thank you for your prayers and support! Please as you are praying for me, also remember the people here in Rego Park and NYC. Who knows it might just be a rain storm.

Dad, I thought of you today as you were sustained Bishop of our ward! I would love to hear about how it went. I have been praying for all of you especially hard this week! Also thanks for your early email this week, it was nice to have something to read even when I am so early :) Oh and I got the ballot! Thanks! As soon as you can, will you send me some help in voting for the judges? I know that affects your work and I want to do the right thing and need to send my ballot soon. Just if you can of course!

Mom, I love and miss you as always and am thinking of you too!

Steve and Allie...love and miss you of course thinking of you! Thanks for being awesome! I hope you got your package Stephen :)

Te Amo mucho!!!
Megan

Well at least they couldn't steal the tire!

Corona neighborhood

Train station

Ward party

My district and the Statue of Liberty

Just like the movie "Hitch" with two jet skis and Ellis Island.

Brooklyn Bridge

 

My Spanish is really coming along

Hola Family!!

Wow it was great to read about everything happening and wow is everything changing and really exciting. I will write more about it in my letters to you this week :). But I will say this, Allison! You are SOO fast!

Also Stephen Happy Birthday!! I am sending you a birthday package to home, because you are going to state right? :) Be excited!!

Oh and of course a shout out to my MVHS cross country team, GO GET EM!!! I expect a detailed report on how it all went down :)

Well here in NYC, the cars are still whizzing, the people are still yelling and honking and we are still walking everywhere and preaching the gospel. Today marks an important date, I finished my first transfer!! (6 weeks). And the new missionaries are flying in today (so I am no longer the newbie :) ). I am still a trainee and will be staying here in Rego for at least another transfer and probably more, we shall see.

Also something crazy, with the new missionaries coming in we will reach 200 missionaries in our mission. With in the next 2 transfers we will reach 250!!!!! (we are getting 80 new missionaries in the next 3 months!!!) And this has nothing to do with the announcement. We are all really excited to see our force growing at such a rapid pace. You are right; I haven't mentioned yet what we all think of the new announcement. We are all really excited because it will definitely spike our numbers (especially as sister missionaries, there are only 28 of us in the mission, and that should soon change!!! It is really funny, a lot of the elders are "lamenting" the fact that they will have no one to date when they get home because all the 19 and 20 year old girls will be on missions ha-ha. I have to admit, I had to fight being envious of the girls who get to go at 19 because I wanted to go so bad! But I was gently reminded by a loving Heavenly Father that He needs me here now :).

My Spanish is coming at a miraculous pace. I often find myself talking to someone in Spanish, and then not realizing that I am just learning and till we are into the conversation and I ask them to repeat something. Definitely not me, I worked my tail off in High School trying to learn Spanish and I got A's but could never speak it. It is all about having the spirit. There was one particular day this week when I didn't have the spirit with me as I should. Every time I tried to speak Spanish, I felt like I had rocks in my mouth. I couldn't get ANYTHING to come out, and I hardly could understand anything. That night, I went home and repented of what I knew was in the way and made things right. The next morning, I strived extra hard to be exactly obedient in my studies and I could feel the spirit with me again. I could speak Spanish with more ease than I had ever before. The gift of tongues is real and is inseparable to the spirit. I know also that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and I am so grateful for the power and ability to change, improve and enjoy the blessings of the spirit in my life.

Well this week has been REALLY tough. 2 of our favorite families dropped us because the Dad's said no more. This taught me the importance of teaching FAMILIES together, because that way they can feel and enjoy the spirit together.

I know that what I am doing is real. I testify that Jesus Christ lives. I never imagined that standing for and living for such a testimony would be so hard and attract SO much opposition. A mission is not for the weak in heart or mind. It is not for those who seek to gain or even want just something to do. A mission is for those who are willing to give and to give it all. I am grateful for all of you and for growing up in a family who lives for their testimonies and gives all to stand by these truths.

Love you all and have a great week!!

Megan

 

It was so sweet to see Manhattan!

Hola Todos!                                                   

1st off, thank you SO much for the letters and package this week. Thank you for reminding me that I am loved and missed :)

Today was an exciting day. We got permission from our mission president to go to the Statue of Liberty and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Wow, it was amazing. 1st off, it was really nice to get on a boat and get away from the city, get some fresh air and relax a little. It also was really neat to enjoy and remember how amazing it is to be an American. You know, I have always seen myself as a patriotic person. I have always felt strongly about the principles of freedom, goodness, justice and liberty. I also feel very strongly about God's hand in the history of this country. Since being on my mission, I have thought a lot about where I come from. Where we are from, almost everyone is an American and their families have been American for a long time. Also, many members of the church have ancestors that crossed the plains. Here, I often find myself being the only American. People ask all of the time how long my family has been in the United States or how long my family has been in the church. It is neat to be able to say that my family was some of the first Europeans to settle here, and some of the first people to join the church. It also is neat to see people's reactions and how they think it is really cool. 1st they think it’s cool that I know so much about my pedigree (it’s a great missionary opportunity :) ), and second, it’s cool that other people think it's cool. Of course it isn't about what other people think, but it has helped me gain a greater appreciation for my ancestors. For how they lived and what they built for me. Makes me to want to contribute to that lineage. It also makes me so grateful for this country. For it's religious freedom, and opportunity. I know that this country has a lot of problems, and a lot of differences, but there still is a lot of Good. I believe firmly in that and it was a powerful and in some ways a sacred opportunity to take a second today and remember what this country is all about and what our family, and countless other families have lived and died for.

It was also SWEET to see Manhattan. WOW! Such an awesome place, I now see why so many people travel here. We just got to walk around just a little bit from the Battery Park to the subways and to the Brooklyn Bridge. I am glad to report that I am finally getting my train and bus legs under me (not challenging the thought). When I first got here, I felt like I was flailing and sliding all over the place every time the train stopped ha-ha. Last night I got on a bus, swiped my card, carried my bag, walked and found my seat on the bus, while talking on the phone with an investigator and writing down some info....all successfully and while the bus was moving (I was the last to get on at the stop)...call me a New Yorker ha-ha.

I also was told this week by an Elder from Mexico City I have a Portuguese accent when I speak Spanish, when he pointed it out, we were both really confused and wondered why that would be the case, I then remembered that I have a Brazilian trainer. It was funny, and I guess that is a good sign right? Better than a "gringa" accent I guess ha-ha.

I don't know if I can emphasize how many different people are here. One day, my companion and I taught 3 lessons, in 3 different languages. English, Spanish and Portuguese (it was a family from Mozambique). Also this week I have shared the gospel with people from Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, India, Mexico, Guiana, Egypt, a place in SE Asia that I never heard of before, Morocco, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, New York, Denver :), China....and other places that I can't think of off of the top of my head. And these are just people I have met on the streets, in the subways or trains or through referrals. It's humbling to remember and think that God has called me to be here now and to witness and be apart of the gospel spreading to the 4 corners of the earth.

The work with our investigators is.....coming. Wow does Satan work hard to keep people from going to church on Sunday (Hermano Galvez, if you are reading this, I believed you when you said this in the MTC and I now know what you are talking about.) We had Anita y Saul committed to come with both their kids. They even worked extra hard on Sat. so they could close down their business on Sunday, and they did, and when we went to pick them up, they weren't there. Only their son was there and said they were all on their way. My companion went with a member to pick up another investigator (Mirian). Mirian had slept in but said that they were on their way. We also had an inactive family committed to come who had been working and planning all week to make it happen. When church started....nada. None of them came. Boy, it just breaks your heart because you see, feel and realize how much they need this. Makes me just want to take their hands and drag them to church, but that would take away agency. Somehow, we need to help them feel the urgency of this work and of the gospel.

I know this church is true. I know it with all my heart. It is a bold assertion to state, especially as I am surrounded by so many religions, but I make it and stand by this testimony. There are miracles that occur each and everyday here, and I wish I had more time to write them to you, or even write them all down. The work here is hard, but I feel honored, humbled and privileged to be apart of it.

Love and miss you! I hope grandpa starts feeling better!

Megan

 

I'm told my dance moves will get me a husband ;)

Hi guys! :)                                                                       

Hello! I am still alive, but because Columbus isn't, I couldn't email you yesterday--the library was closed. Interesting thing about this place is that the libraries here are CRAZY busy. It's because everyone needs to use the computers and no one has them. When we walked up today there was a huge line to get in. I was standing next to a lady with a nice fleece jacket with elk and trees on it that looked straight from the west (our part of the woods in CO :) ), I told her that I liked her jacket. She then got very cold and rude and started pretty much yelling at me to not try to convert her or anyone else and asked what business we had here at the library. I smiled and kindly explained to her that we were her to write our families that we only can email once a week......and that I just wanted to compliment her on the jacket cause I was from CO and it looked like it was from out west. You could tell my response took her aback, she then sweetened up a little and told me about where she got it, and we had a nice conversation. New Yorkers, very stern upfront but with soft big hearts :)

It's incredible. As we travel around our area there is a dramatic difference in the cleanliness and wealth of different areas, BUT no matter the area, the types of cars and the number of TV dishes don't change ha-ha. I can't tell you how many times we have walked into tiny Latino apts with HUGE TVs. And no matter the area, people don't really have computers. I guess it is because everyone here is struggling to pay rent cause it is SO expensive. People are slaves to their rent (and the buying of big screen TVs doesn't help.

It is amazing the burdens people carry around here. One of our investigators tearfully explained to us how she is barely able to pay for here rent. As she was telling me this and my heart became really heavy. I looked around the room in which she lived with her 3 children (ages 13, 6 and 2); the room is the size of one of our bathrooms at home with one bunk bed. She rents this room from another family that lives in the rest of the apartment, and I am pretty sure there is a 3rd family living in the apt too. She tearfully told us about how hard it is to be doing it all by herself (There is no father in the picture, which sadly, around here, is usually the case). We have another investigator who was explaining that he didn't want to get baptized cause he wants to go back to Mexico, leave his family, the struggling business and everything to find some tranquility and he might be leaving anytime....He was telling us this all while his wife and son were right there. As we hear the struggles of these people I often find myself with a heavy heart wondering why in the world was I sent here? What can I do? All I have been given in my life is opportunity and love! How grateful I am for it (more than ever) but I often think what do I have to give? I then am reminded of what I discovered as I was giving my farewell talk. Yes, I am a 21 year old gringa (white girl) from Highlands Ranch CO who barely speaks Spanish. I haven't seen much of the world, I have never been married, never had kids, and have never even had to struggle to pay rent or feed myself. BUT I do have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives; I know that this is His church; I know the Book of Mormon is true and I am continually striving to deepen this testimony. I do have the power and authority of a missionary to invite people to come unto Christ and to partake in the joyous fruits of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I so know that the Gospel is real and that it heals and strengthen families for it has healed and strengthened mine. I know families are forever and I know that God loves the people I come in contact with and teach. And on more than one occasion I have felt the spirit work through me to touch one of His children. I do not know how to solve these problems, but I know that He does and that He has called me to be His emissary to reach His children. He has called me to be a "window to heaven" for His children, I can be worthy of His spirit and magnify this calling...and that is what I am trying to do.

I realize this is a pretty heavy letter, on a lighter note we had the "Dia de Espanidad" this week in the ward. It was INCREDIBLE. Each of the countries in the ward get together and prepare food and a dance to represent their nation. I have never seen so much food in my life!! They asked us missionaries to do a dance representing America. It was a pretty awesome dance that we through together right before. The bishop’s daughter is tagging us in it on facebook, so you will get to see it :) anyway there is a part that I have a "solo" and I do the sprinkler. It was a last minute decision but a hit! They LOVED it. I am learning the way to a Latinos heart is dancing. For the first time, members were actually talking to me (they usually just talked to Sis Simplicio because I am new and know little Spanish). One older sister told me that I will be able to find myself a spouse when I get home because I can dance. Phew! At least I know that if all else fails, at least my sprinkler move can get me a husband ;) ha-ha.

Love you and miss you and take care!!

Megan

The area is exploding with people to teach :)

 

Hi Family!

It is always so great to hear about everything going on at home. It seriously is so weird to think that there are still track meets, engagements, and everything else still going on. It seems like a long way away from here ha-ha. That is super exciting about Amber!

Discovery of the week, Dear Elder is great in the MTC, but takes over a week to get out here. It looks like it is great for writing friends, but not family. Looks like Email is the way to go. Or a letter or package those are always so nice too :).

Wow what a week. Sister Simplicio and I are working hard and learning a lot (at least I am learning a lot from her ;) ). Thank you for all your prayers! This past week our area has seemed to explode with people to teach. What a blessing and miracle. I am learning the virtue of patience. I have control over very little out here but my own personal worthiness and preparation. It is a lot like your story Mom in trying out for the track team (and mine too). We are given the white handbook, preach my gospel and the scriptures as missionaries. When we stick to the program, we allow miracles to occur.

This week we had a ward talent show and the ward asked the missionaries to do an act for it. We did a skit for Lehi's vision of the tree of life including the tree from the foyer, towels and rope costumes, black curtains for the mists of darkness, and a rope tied b/w 2 chairs. We also had light effects.....pretty awesome for a bunch of missionaries with only an hour to figure it out. At the end, I had to tie it into our purpose as missionaries... in Spanish. The skit was awesome, the ward loved it, and I successfully testified of the power of the fruit and the importance to invite all to partake of it. Best part of it was that we didn't know what we were going to do when they made the program and so they entitled it, "The Book of Mormon" and announced us as the Broadway play (trying to be fun and make it cool)....I don't think they knew about the play selling out on the other side of the river ha-ha! Oh well.

The Relief Society broadcast was AMAZING. I am sorry it wasn't working in your chapel mom, but I am glad you went to watch it because I thought of you and how it was kind of neat to think we were watching the same thing, and singing at the same time :) it will be like that for conference too. Here, conference is all in the afternoon and evening, I am SO excited for conference. At the broadcast was also quite special to watch. There are women from literally ALL over the world in the Queens stake and each was listening to the words of a prophet in their own tongue. Really was a testimony to me that this church is for the world, and Jesus Christ is literally the Savior of us all.

Anita and Saul came to church!!!! I might of mentioned this in a letter to you mom, but Anita is a less-active member from Mexico and her husband isn't a member, neither is her son. They all own and work tirelessly at the Dry Cleaners right by the chapel and where we live. After we found them, we have been dropping by almost every other day. It was pretty cool, we had one lesson in the back of their store, sitting on buckets and eating Mole. We are growing to love them so much and they both have a lot of faith, just not the motivation to act on it.....yet :). We committed them to come to church last week, but they didn't come. I guess Anita said that she didn't feel ready to go back and that they couldn't afford to leave work. I guess for the whole 3 hours during church, not one customer came by. Both Anita and Saul took as a sign they needed to go. This week, Hermana Simplicio and I went to their store to pick them up and take them to church. Again, Anita said they couldn't go because they needed to work, she didn't feel ready and her husband was fixing something at home. We testified of the power of the atonement and that all she needed to do was take that 1st step and come to church, also right then, her husband Saul rode his bike up to the store, just in time to go to church :). They were still concerned about leaving the store for an hour ( we are taking baby steps). We promised them that it would all get done and that church is what they needed to do. They dropped the piles of shirts they were sorting, quickly changed (they brought church clothes that morning planning to come :) ) and came to church. Boy did that feel good!!! They came and people immediately remembered them and invited them to sit with them. It was an amazing testimony meeting, all about the gospel of Jesus Christ and a couple were specifically about the power of coming to church. They loved it and you could tell they really felt the spirit and enjoyed it.

This week was really tough. I am learning for every 5 "jukes" (when people aren't there for our appt with them or they cancel) there is a miracle. (It isn't that exact of course, but I hope it makes a point.) There is truly opposition in all things, we cannot have success without failure. Our hearts can't be full unless they break. We can't have joy without stress and strain. The people here are amazing. How lucky and blessed I am to be here :)

Well I can't figure out how to extend my time on the computer today so that's all for email today folks! I love you and miss you and am praying hard for you too :). I know the work I am engaged in is real and it amazes me each and everyday.

Hermana Chipman