Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Full-time missionaries from the Florida Tallahassee Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined other church members from the area in recent hurricane relief efforts in Madison and Perry, Florida. The Church’s response to the hurricane-ravaged areas has been comprehensive in areas affected by both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
Relief volunteers reported to the Church’s command center at the Madison meetinghouse to receive work assignments. Most worked both Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 5-6) with additional weekends scheduled.
The work involved cutting fallen trees, clearing debris and putting tarps on roofs in the hard-hit Madison and Perry areas.
Missionaries—both men and women—labored in the heat. But they were glad to do it.
“It’s been so awesome to be able to help with this cleanup, to see how we are working together and can accomplish things so quickly,” said Sister Taylor of the Florida Tallahassee Mission (hometown Syracuse, Utah). “The joy that we can bring … comes from serving.”
Echoing her thoughts, Elder Tanner (hometown Spanish Fork, Utah) said he, too, was happy to be there serving.
“That’s why I came on a mission,” he said, “to bring joy to other people. So, in whatever way I can do that, I love to. And working hard is one good way.”
Work hard they did. And they were joined by President and Sister Trusty, president of the Florida Tallahassee Mission and his wife—who hauled brush and branches right alongside their missionaries.
At one point, President Trusty held up a bunch of mistletoe that came from a fallen tree.
“We have a work crew here that is taking care of this big tree,” he said, “and I’m interested because I have this mistletoe in my hand. It just reminds me of the love that we have to come and serve Heavenly Father’s children after the terrible hurricane. We are mindful of those whose situation is much worse than what we have here. We know our Heavenly Father will comfort them, but we want to do our part to help comfort those in need of help here.”
Then, not to waste that mistletoe, he held it above his head, leaned toward his wife, and did what mistletoe prompts a loving husband to do.