Hello family!!!
Mom, Thank you SOO much for sending me stuff! I was just
about to ask for some things and you already sent them!! Sister Simplicio and I
went and bought some little things but it is going to get cold fast (already
has) and the need for basement clean up is endless!
I have thought a lot about what I would write about today
because the transformation that has taken place in me and what I have
experienced is incredibly difficult to describe. Last week there was a night
that I was on my knees just crying and begging for help because I felt so weak
and was so overwhelmed with being a missionary and learning a language and
being away from home. This past week I have almost broke down crying several
times, but it is different. Last week it was because of my issues and
difficulties. This week is because of the suffering and devastation in the
lives of the people we have been serving. And even though I am exhausted, I
have been filled with joy, a joy I haven't felt before. I know it is because my
focus is beginning to turn from myself to the people I am serving. Amazing how
you really can selfishly serve someone, by thinking of yourself and how you are
performing. It’s a powerful lesson and powerful to realize that Christ served
and took no thought of himself.
Yesterday was one of the most powerful sacrament meetings I
have been apart of. All the missionaries in my zone (about 25) went to the English
ward dressed in our work clothes. We took the sacrament and then left to go
clean out more basements.
The spirit bore a powerful testimony to me that this is my religion in its purest form. Going out and doing good and helping those in desperate need as Christ would. It was neat to be apart of.
The spirit bore a powerful testimony to me that this is my religion in its purest form. Going out and doing good and helping those in desperate need as Christ would. It was neat to be apart of.
Personally, each day this week, I have been serving in the
Rockaways. It is only 20 min south from the mission office. It is on a
peninsula that runs east to west. The storm surges came up on both the north
and the southside and met in the middle. 6ft of water in some areas!! All the
streets and everything look like a beach. Everyone's basements and some 1st
floors were completely full of water! Everything was destroyed and needs to be
thrown out-including all the dry wall and insulation. A lot of people live in
the basement or do their laundry down there. Many people lost ALL of their
clothes to keep them warm. The govt has kind of showed up with water. The natl
guard and police are EVERYWHERE mostly to keep the peace. For a while it was in
marshall
The craziest day was when 3 other sisters and I helped at a
neighborhood clothes and food distribution. There were two ladies who were
seeing their neighborhood kids freeze and so wanted to do something about it.
It was insane the need. Full grown men were almost brought to tears and I was
helping them look for something to keep their families warm. Some people were
so cold that they had a hard time looking through the clothes. They were so
grateful and I wished I could have done more than just hand them a pair of
pants.
I wish I had more time to describe everything; I will have
to write it in letters. I will ask and see what they could use, you know, the
missionaries could all use some coats and boots to trash. Maybe you could ask
the mission office for ideas or if you could do that. Also a lot of supplies are
coming in now for the area, but in a couple weeks.
I miss and love you all! Thank you for your support and
prayers! This area sure needs it.
Love,
Megan
New York Times video clip about the damage in Rockaways:
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