11-25-13

clean up everywhere

talk about amazing!!  There is destruction EVERYWHERE.  On Tuesday we went to Washington to help clean up from the destruction. It was incredible. we went to a neighborhood and you could just see for ever just piles and piles of debris and house and stuff. everywhere.  and you think that is all there is. and then you go 5 blocks and another neighborhood is the same. and you go another 5 blocks and is is the same. it is just heart breaking.

And then all of the big harvesting fields are completely covered with debris. and any open space. it is just amazing what a tornado can really do. I never thought it was this bad.

So for the last 5 days (tuesday - saturday) we have been out in washington helping people. the first couple of days we were working with people at their houses to find their memorabilia and stuff.  It would be so hard to loose your house. It was a great testimony building experience to be there as these people expressed their concern and desire to just have pictures of their loved ones and gifts from their children.  just shows you what is really important in our lives and that when things like this happen we are grateful for the lives that we have. and the people we have to love and share this life with. 

Then one day we passed out papers to every car at all of the police check points. it was info about the scheduling and all the details that people have questions about. so we were helping people to have an idea of what was going on. and then on Saturday we spent the WHOLE DAY with our district and zone cleaning a golf course.  It was amazing how much debris was on that course.  We helped to pile it all up and load it into trucks so that it could all get cleaned up.  I think the most impressive thing i saw was a full piece of plywood that had been thrown into the grass and the wind was so strong that only a small part of it was sticking out of the grass.  - i dont know if you can understand that but the wind was so strong. just amazing the things we saw.  - a car upside down in a basement.

this one ladys house half of it was completely ripped off and the other was totally fine. we were helping to pack up her kitchen and she said that only one things moved in that room. and it was this light weight paper star thing. and then you walked 3 steps and the house was torn to bits.  crazy!!

so from being outside on the golf course and just outside all week. i have an extremely wind chapped face. and I am sick.  I have a really bad head cold.  So ive been better but it was all worth it."when ye are in the service of your fellow being ye are only in the service of your God."  Being on the golf course was probably the coldest i have EVER been.  I didnt realize just how cold i was until i went to the bath room and i couldnt feel my legs.  - a strange phenomena. hahahaha!!

On Friday we got our iPad minis! what an honor. similar feelings came again that i already told you about.  We watched  a video from Elder Perry - him talking at the world wide broadcast <which i was there for:) > but he said that this time in history is equally as important as the first vision and the restoration of the priesthood.  WHAT AN HONOR to be a missionary.  I kid you not, never in a million years did i think i would have an iPad as a missionary. or be on facebook or anything!! this is amazing!  makes me wonder - What is missionary work going to be like 10 years from now?  or 20 years when my kids go on missions?! crazy! #privileged!

I am very grateful to be a missionary. I am grateful for all of the wonderful things our heavenly father has given us.  I am grateful for all of you and the love and support you give me. I love you.

may we each express thankfulness to the Lord for all of the wonderful things he has given us.

I LOVE thanksgiving!! I hope all of you have a wonderful turkey day! and eat lots of food! - because that is what we do! :) hahaha

The church is true! Endure to the End!!

love love love!

Sister O'Neil