Although the fires have died out from recent riots in Los Angeles, Calif., the flame of service among members of the Church and others continues to burn brightly.

Elder Jack H Goaslind of the Seventy, who visited riot-torn areas May 8, praised Latter-day Saints from stakes in the Los Angeles area who joined other volunteers in helping to provide relief efforts and clean up after the tragic civil unrest."Because of their interest in their neighbors, Church members responded immediately," continued Elder Goaslind, a member of the North America West area presidency. "Members have helped because of the love and compassion they have for people."

Many of the people the members are helping had their businesses or homes looted and burned during three days of civil unrest in south-central Los Angeles and in surrounding communities. The unrest was sparked April 29 after a jury acquitted four Los Angeles policemen of beating Rodney King, a black motorist. About 55 people died and more than 2,300 were injured. Damage estimates reached $717 million.

At least eight Church members had their businesses looted and/or burned. Three members suffered injuries. (Please see Church News, May 9, 1992.)

Elder Goaslind and his wife, Gwen, were escorted through affected areas by Elder James B. Jacobson, regional representative for the Foothill and Glendale California regions; Pres. Soo Young Kim of the Los Angeles 2nd (Korean) Branch; and Keith Atkinson, the Church's director of public affairs in California.

Brother Atkinson said the areas that Elder Goaslind visited included Koreatown, where two LDS Korean branches are located; south-central Los Angeles, the area where the riots began; parts of nearby Hollywood, which was affected by the strife; and the area surrounding the University of Southern California. He also visited the Oriental Mission, a Christian center in Koreatown where supplies are being distributed to victims of the riots.

"We drove through most of the areas," Elder Goaslind told the Church News. "I went to assess the damage, to see firsthand what happened, and to assure that Church members were being taken care of. I also went to see what the Church could do to help those in the devastated areas."

He said he was shocked at what he saw. "It's hard to believe when you see building after building burned to the ground, to feel the tensions I felt there, and to see armed guards, military and police, on the streets. It was a shock to see the expressions on the faces of people who had lost businesses."

Elder John H. Groberg of the Seventy, president of the North America West Area, said the Church has established a committee of regional representatives and stake presidents from the Los Angeles area to assess the needs of the people - LDS and non-LDS - in the strife-torn areas. He said this committee will work in consultation with representatives of Church Welfare Services.

In the meantime, members in the Los Angeles area have not let up in helping their neighbors. Truckloads of food and other supplies donated by LDS stakes continue to roll into distribution centers. Members helping to collect and donate supplies are mainly from the Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Glendora, Hacienda Heights, Chino, Palos Verdes North Hollywood, Torrance North, Huntington Park, and Newbury Park stakes.

Brother Atkinson added that members of the Glendora and Hacienda Heights stakes also donated $2,500 and $2,800, respectively, to relief efforts.

In other activities, members of the nearby Corona Stake have been helping a local church feed victims of the riots, while Latter-day Saints of the Los Angeles 1st Ward and USC wards are helping clean up graffiti and are sorting and distributing food at a church in south-central Los Angeles.

Missionaries also took part in relief efforts. Elder Dennis S. Mehr, assistant to the president of the California Los Angeles Mission, explained that six Korean-speaking missionaries, two from the Los Angeles mission and four from the nearby California Arcadia Mission are helping people in Koreatown fill out insurance forms and other documentation. They also helped unload food delivered from the Santa Monica stake to a distribution center for riot victims in the Korean area.

Elder Mehr added that 10 missionaries helped paint over graffiti on a wall surrounding a local high school.

The week after the riots, water was contaminated in many areas with too much chlorine. Elder Mehr said that eight to 10 missionaries, including sister missionaries from the Los Angeles Temple Visitors Center, helped the Red Cross pass out bottles of water in downtown Los Angeles.

It doesn't seem relief efforts in areas affected by the riots will let up in the near future. Church leaders in Los Angeles indicate that members will continue to take advantage of opportunities to be of service. - Julie A. Dockstader