Service

More than 100 missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in a Christmas service project to help clean the grounds of the Choeung Ek Memorial in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The missionaries from six countries donated 2,000 service hours scrubbing the park’s central monument, parking lots and park entry roads, as well as removing unwanted vegetation from the park’s protective walls.

On Thanksgiving Day, elders and sisters at missionary training centers around the world feasted spiritually on words of counsel from an Apostle and his wife. Later that day, at the Provo MTC, missionaries helped nourish others physically as they packed ingredients for 350,000 meals to be distributed to the needy through the Utah Food Bank. “Teaching and baptizing lead to thanksgiving that never ends,” declared Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the live broadcast emanating from the missionary training center in Provo. His talk followed one given by his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, who counseled the missionaries to put away childish things.

Many members who have seen the devastation caused by the recent earthquake and typhoon in the Philippines have contacted the Church wanting to know how they can help. Some have inquired about whether the Church could ship goods that they have collected or purchased. Others want to travel to the affected areas and offer their services to help those affected. While these desires are commendable and demonstrate the willingness of people to sacrifice to help others, the Church has learned that the best way to respond to disasters is to work locally, purchasing needed supplies in country as near to the disaster as possible. This not only ensures that the goods are appropriate for the area but it helps build up impaired, local economies. By working with and supporting local, reliable relief agencies, the Church can build bridges, create friendships and establish relationships that can extend far beyond the immediate crisis.

Mormon volunteers on the Philippine islands of Bohol and Cebu are working alongside their neighbors to rebuild damaged communities two weeks after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck. The 15 October quake is the strongest to hit the central Philippines in 23 years.More than 1,000 Mormon Helping Hands volunteers are assisting with cleanup and relief efforts. Volunteers have been working with local government agencies to assemble 10,000 food kits and 8,200 hygiene kits. Three Mormon meetinghouses have been used as shelters. To date, the Church has provided 100,000 pounds of supplies — including food, water, blankets, hygiene kits and tools — to the relief effort.

The Missionary Department is currently accepting applications for the 2014 Young Performing Missionary program. Those selected will receive a call to serve as young performing missionaries (YPMs) for the 2014 summer season, May 2 through August 12, 2014, in Nauvoo, Illinois.

“Where were you on 9/11?”