August 30,2015
LDS Missionaries and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints help Washington Fire Fighters and fire victims
Press Release written by Randy Beehler
Since the City of Yakima launched a donation campaign on Monday to gather items to assist crews battling the Okanogan Complex wildfires, the generosity of the Yakima community has been on full display. Donations from local residents and businesses have been pouring in to the two Yakima fire stations where they are being accepted. Members of Yakima-area Mormon churches have volunteered to sort the donated items and get them ready to be shipped. Haney Truck Line, a Yakima-based hauler, has offered to haul the donations, which may fill multiple semi trailers, to the Firefighter Relief Center in Tonasket for free.
The campaign has also caught the attention of people from outside of Yakima who have learned about the supply drive through social media and have joined the effort.
“I’ve talked to people from as far away as Chicago and North Dakota who are sending donations our way,” said Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler. “Federal detention workers from Sea-Tac, a business owner from Sunnyside, a group from Clark County (in southwest Washington state), a group from Burlington (in northwest Washington state) are all pitching in. It’s truly an extraordinary response and speaks volumes about the willingness of people to go above and beyond in times of crisis,” said Beehler.
They organized and packaged clothing, hygiene, food kits and water. The items were donated by local businesses, corporations and 100s of individuals. Local stores have been stripped clean of most of these items! Apple growers in the area donated 100s of apple boxes. Trucking companies have volunteered to transport the relief to the areas where they are needed.
Members from Yakima and Selah Valley Stakes gathered at the Yakima Convention Center to help pack kits for our fire fighters along with 25 LDS missionaries. This week city officials put out a call for donations and local fire stations have been collecting them by the bin-full. Forklifts and trucks brought these donations to the Convention Center, where several assembly lines were organized to pack kits with relief for our fire fighters.
Zone Leader Conference with Elder Packer and his wife
Lunch with President Lewis at his home
Hello!
This week was a crazy week. The Ceja Family were not able to get baptized this week they want to wait a little bit longer so we are still working with them. The rest of the week was very good! We had an amazing experience last night. We were going out finding and felt the need to pray for a family. As we got done praying we found this family that was so awesome. In our prayer we prayed for specifics of how many kids and the Lord led us to find them!
One thing I really learned this last week from Elder Packer was the importance of slowing down and step back and look at how much growth you have made and what blessings the Lord has given you. It was sweet having Elder Packer come here to the mission. He taught a lot about the importance of the Spirit. It was so awesome to feel someone so powerful to know that he is called of God.
Out here on my mission you really get put into situations where you have to have God's perspective in order to see success and not your own. We get to go to the only twice a year now since it isn't in our mission anymore. I will go again in November. I get to go with Anaid when she goes through, that will be awesome to see!
Love you!!!
Elder Woodward
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