Hey everyone,
Here is what happened BEFORE Irma. I have not wanted to post anything, say anything, or do anything, including go to sleep at night or wake up in the mornings. - Penny
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission - President Garns
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We want to reassure you that every precaution is being taken to protect the Elders, Sisters, and Senior Couples in the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission in anticipation of Hurricane Irma.
The Church is led by inspired counsels. Last evening our Area Seventy, Elder Stephen Thompson, Emergency leaders in Salt Lake City, and General Authorities met to discuss all the options available.
Following that counsel, President Garns, met with the President of the Tampa Florida Mission, Elder Thompson, and local Stake Presidents. They counseled together to determine the best course of action.
Under inspiration, they collectively agreed the missionaries would be best protected gathering in selected church buildings, based on location and construction. Each church building will have supervision by an adult couple.
The missionaries are well prepared with supplies and are ready to evacuate as soon as instructed. Rest assured they will be moved to these selected chapels well before the storm hits.
As new information on the timing of these evacuations becomes available, it will be posted on a new FaceBook page for this purpose which you can access here:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/FFLMGarns/posts/
Please know that we love your sons and daughters as our own.
President and Sister Garns
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission - President Garns
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Throughout the rest of the FFLM, missionary work continued as normal. Everyone is trying to conserve gasoline, since it may not be readily available for the next few days, so there was more bike riding than usual.
In spite of the weather reports, the Elders and Sisters are anxious to carry on the work of the Lord.
The forecasts predict the hurricane will reach Florida Saturday or Sunday. By that time, they will be safely within the walls of the church buildings. These newer inland church buildings either have shutters or hurricane resistant windows and doors.
Thank you for your continued faith and prayers.
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission - President Garns
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The FFLM is prepared for the weekend.
In our noon mission-wide conference call today, President Garns was
filled with confidence and optimism, “If we go as directed, where and
when we should, we will be safe. We are not taking any chances.
Obedience is critical for safety and will bring the Spirit to direct
us.”
The Assistants to the President outlined the very
well-organized evacuation plan, with detailed instructions for the next
few days:
Today and always: Pray for safety and guidance.
Today: Contact landlords on how to prepare their homes and apartments
before they leave for the chapels. Each missionary has a “Hurricane
Action Plan” checklist which tells them exactly what to do. For example,
they should turn their fridge to the coldest possible setting, bring in
any movable objects from outdoors, move valuable items off the ground,
etc.
Today: When an entire zone has completed the checklist, the Zone Leaders report to the Mission Assistants, who will report to President Garns.
Today: After homes and apartments are attended to, the missionaries were encouraged to talk to everyone they can, to help and serve. As they do so, safety should be foremost in their minds.
Friday: Continue preparing, helping, serving, and sharing the light of the Gospel.
Friday noon: Mission-wide conference call with updated information.
Friday evening: Pack cars with emergency kits, clothing, bedding, food,
phones and chargers, scriptures, medications, and anything else that may need for the next few days.
Friday by 8:00 pm: Report to the Evacuation Church Building assigned to their zone.
Friday 9:00 pm: Mission-wide conference call.
Saturday: Stay inside the Church Buildings.
Sunday: Stay inside the Church Buildings.
To conclude our conference call, Sister Garns bore her testimony with this comforting scripture, “I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (D&C 84:88) She asked the Elders and Sisters to pray continually that all will be well.
In locations throughout Southern Florida, all the missionaries knelt as Sister Healy prayed. The powerful faith of these young servants of the Lord is truly amazing.
This is one of the Elder's 72 hour kits. I hope Sophie's is healthier than this.
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission - President Garns
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Here are a few wonderful excerpts:
"Tonight at our ward pizza party, you were all remembered in the opening prayer, and there was an email sent to all ward members asking them to pray for Sister Brown and her mission."
"We are very grateful for my daughter and all missionaries being
carried, protected and guided by your advice. We are praying and fasting
that Irma will pass."
"Thank you. We are keeping all of you in our prayers."
"Our prayers are constant and fervent for all of you."
"Thank you so much. I know my son is in good hands."
"I hope you all know how much we love and appreciate all you do to care for our kids, and I hope that you will all be comforted to know that there are ALOT of prayers being said in your behalf."
These comments warm our hearts and buoy our spirits.
We are gearing up to relocate to chapels tomorrow evening. We could not do this without the help of the Stake Presidents who are opening their buildings for our use and providing supervision. Our wonderful Senior Missionaries will also be positioned throughout the mission during the evacuation.
Considerable thought, evaluation, re-evaluation, and prayer has gone into the selection of these buildings to provide maximum protection from the storm.
There will be another mission-wide conference call at noon tomorrow.
We are very blessed with good leaders, both old and young, here in the FFLM.
"Thank you. We are keeping all of you in our prayers."
"Our prayers are constant and fervent for all of you."
"Thank you so much. I know my son is in good hands."
"I hope you all know how much we love and appreciate all you do to care for our kids, and I hope that you will all be comforted to know that there are ALOT of prayers being said in your behalf."
These comments warm our hearts and buoy our spirits.
We are gearing up to relocate to chapels tomorrow evening. We could not do this without the help of the Stake Presidents who are opening their buildings for our use and providing supervision. Our wonderful Senior Missionaries will also be positioned throughout the mission during the evacuation.
Considerable thought, evaluation, re-evaluation, and prayer has gone into the selection of these buildings to provide maximum protection from the storm.
There will be another mission-wide conference call at noon tomorrow.
We are very blessed with good leaders, both old and young, here in the FFLM.
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission - President Garns
Late last night, dozens and dozens and dozens of returned missionaries who served in the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission joined together from all over the country in a conference call.
They united their faith as our prior Mission President, President Richardson offered a beautiful heart-felt mighty prayer in behalf of the missionaries, members, and all of Southern Florida.
What a moving experience it was to know of their love for this mission and the people here, and to feel of their trust in the Lord.
Serving in the FFLM changes lives forever!
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission - President Garns
The mission home windows and doors are fortified against the storm, as are the windows of the Church buildings we will occupy during evacuation.
In our noon mission-wide conference call, President Garns encouraged the Elders and Sisters to have confidence in their leaders during the next few days. “The Lord knew that Hurricane Irma was coming. He put in place the right leaders for this moment.”
As we prepare for tonight’s evacuation and the weekend within the shelter of Church buildings, the mission is in the good hands of inspired District Leaders, Zone Leaders, AP’s, Senior Missionaries, and President and Sister Garns.
After securing homes and apartments, every missionary is expected to eat a good dinner and arrive at their assigned Church building by 7:00 p.m.
They will bring with them 72-hour kits, wallets, ID’s, cell phones with chargers, journals, scriptures, pillows, blankets, jackets, clothing for 4 days, their emergency cash, their bicycles, consecrated oil, and plenty of food.
Upon arrival at the buildings they will immediately fill the baptismal font and all available containers with water. They will turn the refrigerator to the coldest setting and maximize the AC, anticipating possible power outages.
The missionaries were reminded that throughout the time in the shelter, they are still full-time missionaries. They should obey all Missionary Handbook rules. They should stay on schedule, and dress appropriately in proselyting clothing during their study time.
Each day during evacuation will begin and end with family prayer together. “Don’t hesitate to ask for a priesthood blessing if you feel you need one,” Sister Garns advised.
President Garns reassured the Elders and Sisters that we are about the Lord’s work and He will be with us. He shared a very powerful and applicable scripture:
“And now, my sons (and daughters), remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” Helaman 5:12
We thank you again for all your prayers, faith, and kind words.
The next conference call will be tonight at 9 p.m.
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission - President Garns .
All the Elders and Sisters are safely in carefully selected and secure church buildings like the one shone below.
The Senior Missionaries supplemented the food the missionaries brought from their apartments. Church headquarters arrived with truckloads of food and supplies.
The
missionaries brought everything they were supposed to bring, their bikes
are safely corralled, everyone is being obedient and is smiling.
We had a conference call again tonight and as the roll call was made, each zone cheered with enthusiasm.
President Garns is so grateful for such faithful missionaries. Because of preparation, we need not fear. "Don't be fearful, but be respectful. Respect the storm."
All the Elders and Sisters knelt as Elder Krieger closed with prayer.
We had a conference call again tonight and as the roll call was made, each zone cheered with enthusiasm.
President Garns is so grateful for such faithful missionaries. Because of preparation, we need not fear. "Don't be fearful, but be respectful. Respect the storm."
All the Elders and Sisters knelt as Elder Krieger closed with prayer.
I hope they like Green beans, Salsa and Chicken Rotini Soup!
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