Coming to aid flood-stricken area
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
Nearly 170 years ago, citizens in Quincy, Ill., sheltered oppressed Latter-day Saints who crossed the Mississippi River as they fled oppression in Missouri.
Today, Latter-day Saint missionaries are, in some measure, returning the favor, coming to the aid of the city threatened by massive flooding that has devastated the Midwestern United States.
Responding to a call for help, LDS missionaries from the Missouri St. Louis, the Illinois Peoria and the Illinois Nauvoo missions began work in Quincy on June 18. They also participated in sandbagging efforts in Keokuk, Iowa, and on the Hunts Levee, which is located between the two cities and protects Keokuk.
The service was just one of many by Latter-day Saints in the areas, located not far from historic Nauvoo, Ill.
Church members, including BYU Folk Dancers, young performing missionaries and young sister missionaries assigned to Nauvoo, worked the second week of June in Nauvoo and surrounding areas. Employees and missionaries working for Nauvoo Restoration Incorporated — which handles LDS historic preservation and restoration projects in Nauvoo — and senior missionaries from the Illinois Nauvoo Mission also pitched in.
Together the groups filled sandbags that were set to protect the
historic Nauvoo House, a "hotel" built as a sort of public works project
under direction of Joseph Smith who, in 1841, placed in one of its
cornerstones a Book of Mormon manuscript composed of 144 pages. After the
martyrdom, Joseph's body was removed from the Mansion House to the Nauvoo
House prior to burial. The Nauvoo House is now owned by the Community of
Christ, formerly the RLDS church.
The volunteers also provided service in Niota, a small neighboring community, said Donna Whisenant, who is serving as a public affairs missionary with her husband, Vern, in Nauvoo.
Lachlan Mackay, historic sites director for the Community of Christ, said he woke up knowing that the historic Nauvoo House was going to be threatened by the rising Mississippi. Worse was the fact that he didn't have a plan of action to protect it.
Working with government agencies, the community and Latter-day Saints, Mr. Mackay said they were able to shore up the levee behind the Nauvoo House. The Church hauled 150 cubic yards of sand to the historic structure, where members of BYU's Folk Dancers filled the bags.
"It was an amazing opportunity to work together with friends to help preserve Nauvoo," said Brian Watson of Montana. "Though it was a hot, dirty and somewhat rainy day our little group bagged hundreds of sandbags with nothing but smiles on our faces and energy bursting from everywhere. We even saved enough energy for a full performance in the evening."
Kelsie Wagstaff of Holladay, Utah, echoed his sentiments: "I felt so lucky to be able to help the community prepare for the floods and protect the Community of Christ properties of Joseph Smith."
In the meantime, at the request of Nauvoo Mayor John McCarty, the Young Performing Missionaries, including the Nauvoo Brass Band that performs in the city during the summer, some senior missionaries, and NRI went to help in Niota.
That sand-bagging project is continuing.
"I've developed such a deep love for the people of Niota and the surrounding areas. They are hard working people with beautiful homes and farms.
"It has been a wonderful opportunity to show our love for them by
helping to bag dirt and sand for the floods," said Sister Mandi Jensen, a
missionary from St. Ignatius, Mont.
Full-time missionaries also worked alongside Church members and citizens sandbagging communities in Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana.
E-mail to: sarah@desnews.com
