'There to help' in disaster's wake
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In the hours after a massive mudslide claimed the lives of three people and devastated a Logan, Utah, neighborhood on July 11, Church members rallied to provide help and support.
"It is touching to watch how the Church works when there is a disaster," said Elder Thomas M. Cherrington, an Area Seventy. "Wherever there was a need [members] went. They followed the flood and tried to help those who would accept help."
A canal break triggered a massive mudslide that crushed a home and damaged more than 20 others in an area located just south of Utah State University, according to a Church Welfare report. No Church members or missionaries were injured in the disaster, which impacted three wards in the Logan Utah Mount Logan Stake.
When President Bryan R. Larsen, the stake's president, arrived on the scene hours after the disaster, he knew a serious thing had happened. The streets and yards were filled with mud and water.
However, immediately "individuals began to call." Local Church leaders set to work "supporting the city with what they were trying to do."
"The response was tremendous," President Larsen said.
The American Red Cross set up a shelter at the LDS meetinghouse on 600 E. Center St. in Logan. Food was prepared by members of the Relief Society, and an estimated 400 Church members began cleaning up mud. "They worked tirelessly throughout the night to help their neighbors and friends," President Larsen said.
The following day, Sunday Church meetings for three wards in the stake were canceled. In their place a joint sacrament meeting was held, followed by members dispersing to clean up areas assigned by city officials.
President Larsen said the impact by members that Sunday was incredible to see. "Every hour and a half there were 100 to 120 people that would just show up with shovels and rakes."
In all, 700 people volunteered with the clean-up effort that day. For every two people that volunteered, another was turned away.
Elder Cherrington said members from other stakes also wanted to help, but the local stake was able to handle all the needs.
President Larsen said the three people — Jacqueline Leavey, her 12-year-old daughter Abbey Alanis, and her 14-year-old son Victor Alanis — who were killed in the disaster were Catholics. Because it took three days to recover the bodies of the victims, Church leaders opened up a local LDS meetinghouse so extending family members would have a place to congregate. Latter-day Saint volunteers brought in food and provided translation to the family, who mostly speak Spanish. And with the help of the Red Cross, they "located a Catholic priest to help them and comfort them."
"It was a fascinating thing to watch as you saw people who wanted to help so much give of themselves," President Larsen said.
The family of the deceased had lived in the area only a month. Still, ward members who "didn't know them but just wanted to help out" stepped forward. The Church donated clothes, hygiene kits and other supplies. President Larsen said there was a response to every need.
"It definitely created a warmth between our neighbors and the Church. They were extremely appreciative of the response."
President Larsen said just two weeks earlier youth in the stake participated in humanitarian projects on 33 homes in the same neighborhood.
After the mudslide, many of the same youth returned to the neighborhood, this time to help in a more practical sense. "It was a time to practice what you believe and what you have been taught."
Overall, President Larsen said, the response to the disaster from Church members was an incredible thing to watch. "It didn't matter what their calling was or what their profession was, they were there to help."
