Latter-day Saint youth in Omaha, Nebraska, switched their plans from three days of fun, workshops, and activities to putting the yellow Mormon Helping Hands vests on to clean up around the storm-ravaged city of Blair, Nebraska, 25 miles away.
Hail, some the size of baseballs, hit Blair on 3 June 2014, damaging homes, vehicles, buildings, trees and other structures. Fierce wind accompanied the hail, along with heavy rain.
Randall Bartlett, president of the Omaha Nebraska Stake (a stake is similar in size to a diocese) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his counselors decided the annual youth conference (the annual conferences provide youth with fun activities, food, service opportunities and instruction of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to apply it in their lives) should shift to 100 percent service to help the residents of Blair.
“We quickly concluded that the needs in Blair outweighed previously planned youth conference activities in neighboring Fremont,” said President Bartlett. “Armed with rakes, brooms and shovels, the youth went to work with a spirit of unity and love.”
The group included 130 youth, 14 to 18 years old; 20 adult leaders; and 20 missionaries serving in the Nebraska Omaha Mission. The Church also worked with Blair’s city and community leaders.
President Bartlett said the consensus of the youth was that this was the best youth conference ever. The Blair Chamber of Commerce also sent a big thank you: “We have truly been blessed by you and your church.” As the youth were working, a 90-year old Blair resident said, “I’ve never heard of the Mormons, but I will never forget them.”
There were so many youth helping and not enough rakes to go around that the local Walmart store donated more rakes to the cause.
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Church group skips conference to help with cleanup effort (Pilot-Tribune & Enterprise)