Latter-day Saint volunteers are now working in earthquake and tsunami devastated communities in northern Japan, helping victims sort through rubble and shovel mud from their homes, said Elder Conan Grames, the Church's Asia North Area director of public affairs.

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Elder Choi, Elder Aoyagi, and Sendai Japan Mission President Reid Tateoka visit members affected by the earthquake.

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Church members assemble some of 30,000 hygiene kits in one of 9 separate stake centers across Japan with well over 1,000 volunteers. The kits were shipped out to various locations throughout the disaster area to government agencies, evacuation centers, and relief organizations, as well as Church locations for distribution.

In the wake of 9.0 magnitude earthquake and powerful tsunami in Japan, more than 7,000 Church members have given more than 60,000 hours of service, according to a Church welfare report.

The March 11 quake — the largest earthquake to ever hit Japan — displaced thousands, destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings and damaged the cooling functions at key nuclear plants in northern Japan, triggering fires and radiation leaks.

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Church leaders in the area have established an emergency response committee, which meets daily to identify and respond to member and community needs.

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Elder Yoon H. Choi and Elder Koichi Aoyagi, both of the Seventy, visit a member in the hospital. The large majority of members in the affected areas have now been accounted for.

President Thomas S. Monson told Latter-day Saints gathered for the 181st Annual General Conference April 2 that the Church continues to provide humanitarian aid to victims in Japan.

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People in Sendai wait in long lines for heating fuel. The Church has procured 10,000 liters of fuel as of March 29 to assist with distribution efforts.

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Many stores in the Sendai area are closed. Stores that are open have mostly empty shelves and little food. Member volunteers have been distributing food, water, blankets, bedding, and clothing.

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Approximately two dozen Church buildings sustained damages from the earthquake and ensuing tsunami. At the Tagajo building, the water line from the tsunami is several feet up the wall from the floor.

"Our hearts and our help have gone out to Japan," he said.

To date, the Church has distributed 150 tons of supplies in Japan, including food, water, blankets, bedding, hygiene supplies, clothing and fuel. During recent service projects, 1,800 members assembled 30,000 hygiene kits in Tokyo and Nagoya.

In addition, Elder Grames said Church members from all over the country have now been able to serve in the devastated areas. "They are going into homes that have been pretty devastated," he said.

Many members lost everything, according to Church public affairs. "We haven't been able to get our house in order yet," said Mitsuko Onuma, a Church member. "We're all pretty tired, but everyone is staying cheerful and our hearts are happy."

Still, before seeing to their own needs, the Onuma family joined with other Church members, delivering tons of humanitarian supplies provided by the Church.

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Young single adults are volunteering their time to find missing members using the Internet, social media, and other modern means of communication. Many members are found each day with their help.

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Members from the Sendai area load scooters, food, and other supplies into a truck. The scooters are used to access areas difficult to reach by cars. These supplies will be delivered to members in remote locations.

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A member sister from the Ishinomaki Branch shares her experience of being separated from her children and husband during the tsunami and how they were able to find each other afterwards. She said she felt the hand of God protecting her family.

"The relief shelter was really cold and people didn't have anything to keep them warm, so blankets would really help keep them warm," Sister Onuma said.

Elder Grames said the nuclear power plants in Japan are still a huge concern in the country. A few Church members live in the areas impacted by the radiation leaks. The Church is helping them relocate, he said.

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Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Seventy visits with bishopric members and a sister from the Kamisuga Ward. The sister rode her bike an hour to Church since normal means of transportation were not available.

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A member sister from the Ishinomaki Branch shares her experience of being separated from her children and husband during the tsunami and how they were able to find each other afterwards. She said she felt the hand of God protecting her family.

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Elder Stevenson visits with the bishopric of the Tagajo Ward, which is located close to the epicenter of the earthquake.

Since the disaster, more than 12,750 deaths are confirmed and more than 14,700 people are still missing. In addition, 217,000 homes were destroyed in the disaster, which affected 68 million people. Approximately 155,000 evacuees are still residing in 2,300 evacuation centers. No deaths have been reported among Church members.

sarah@desnews.com