Service: Part 2

The purpose of this post is to give you resources to help you know how to be more involved in your communities and where to start. It is not in any way meant to discourage you or make you feel like you aren't doing enough to contribute to your community. There are a million ways to serve and this is in no way a complete list or the only ways to serve-although I highly recommend them.

I would love to hear what you have done to serve and be involved so I can add to the list.

Red Cross-Disaster Action Team
The opportunity that I had to go to New York as a volunteer after hurricane Sandy was due to my involvement with my local Red Cross chapter's Disaster Action Team. Local teams will respond to house fires, forest fires, mud slides, earthquakes, and other natural or man-made disasters. They will often be found passing out water, filling out paperwork with the clients, and opening and running shelters.

If you don't do well with blood, guts, and gore, this is an awesome way to go. You can choose the jobs that you are assigned to. You can go on scene to the disaster, set up cots, clean tables, do paperwork, join a security team, pass out water, drive an Emergency Response Vehicle, or pass out cookies in the shelter. There are options for anybody and everybody who would like to be involved to help.  Because it is volunteer work they will make arrangements to fit your availability. The more flexible you are the more you will get called out and be involved, but they will always accept help.

For National disasters they will first request help from their surrounding chapters or states, and then go nationwide depending on the severity of the disaster. They request that you devote at least 2 weeks if you are going to volunteer nationally. So keep that in mind. While I was out in New York there were several people there who had been deployed with friends and family members-so get people to sign up with you!

There are a couple of classes you will need to take to be on the DAT team but they are all FREE. Whether or not you want to be deployed locally or nationally, I would recommend that you take these classes to be better informed and prepared to respond to a disaster.

FYI: All medical personal and psychologists are extremely welcome. They always need a nurse and a mental health specialist at every shelter.

Find you local Red Cross Chapter and sign up to volunteer by visiting:
http://www.redcross.org/find-your-local-chapter

For those here in Utah click on this link to sign up as for volunteer

http://www.redcross.org/utah/volunteer/adult-volunteers

There is a short volunteer orientation you will need to complete online. Don't get discouraged! Dedicate the 30 minutes it takes to finish it. I promise it is worth it!

Red Cross-Certification Classes
One of the scariest experiences that I had in New York was when someone yelled across the cafeteria for help because someone was choking. Thankfully I did not have to perform the Heimlich maneuver because the guy was okay by the time I ran to him, but I can not begin to tell you how grateful I was that I had been certified by the red cross for CPR, First Aid, and AED.

The Red Cross offers several classes that you can sign up for so that you can be better prepared to assist in just about any situation you can encounter. The class that I took included, students, a nurse, a veteran, and a couple of Mom's. All of them just wanted to be aware and prepared so that they can help.

Some of the classes are free but most of the certifications are going to cost you a little bit. Check around in your area to see if there is anything cheaper, but Red Cross is always a good way to go.

Visit here to sign up for classes in your area:
http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class

Give Blood:
This is one of my favorite ways to volunteer. Partly because it is so easy, it doesn't take a lot of time, it can be competitive if you do it with friends, and they give you cookies and juice afterwards. I know that this isn't for everyone because some people don't qualify or you have a fear of needles, but if you can't donate encourage others to donate or you can volunteer to check people in or hand out cookies.

Here are a couple of facts on donating blood:

1. 4.5 million Americans will a need blood transfusion each year.
2. 43,000 pints: amount of donated blood used each day in the U.S. and Canada.
3. Someone needs blood every two seconds.
4. Only 37 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood – less than 10 percent do annually.**
5. About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood.
6. One pint of blood can save up to three lives.
7. You can donate blood every 56 days-which is every 2 months. 

For those here in Utah you can visit these two websites to find a local blood drive:

ARUP Blood Services: https://www.arupbloodservices.org/index.cfm?group=op
Red Cross: http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation

For everybody else, check out these websites to find a location to donate blood:
Red Cross: http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation
America's Blood: http://www.americasblood.org/go.cfm?do=NBDR.ShowForm

Utah County Medical Reserve Corps

This service opportunity is specifically for those with medical experience. The Medical Reserve Corps is a network of community groups and volunteers who focus on improving Public Health, emergency response and resiliency of the communities in which they live. They are called out for large scale disasters and emergencies that may overwhelm the local hospital resources and staff.

The Utah County MRC has not had a lot of emergencies to attend to recently, but they also have free classes and drills that you can attend to learn and practice the skills you need to respond to emergencies. I have loved attending the classes and learned a ton!

For Utah County Residents:
http://www.utahcountyonline.org/dept2/health/EmergencyPrep/MRC/index.asp

For Everyone Else:
http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/FindMRC

CERT-Community Emergency Response Team
As the name describes, this is a community team that is trained to respond to large scale disasters when local services are not able to meet the needs of all of the community members. I started my training this last week and am so excited to have a cool green vest and official looking helmet. They teach you how to triage people, use equipment, and what to look for in an emergency.

This is a little bit more of a time commitment for the training, but they get it done fairly quickly and teach you a lot. Some areas will often offer followup training as well so you can keep up on your skills.

Find your local CERT team training programs here:
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cc/searchCert.do?submitByZip

You can also take the classroom portion of the CERT Program online. Whether or not you actually become certified through your city this online class has A LOT of great information on how to respond to a disaster and what you can do to be more prepared. I definitely recommend it!

You can take the online class here:
/http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/IS317/

Community Action-Food Drives
Food Drives! This is the generic answer that is often given in Sunday School and discussion groups of how to be involved, and yet how many of us have actually hosted a food drive or gone to the food bank to volunteer?

The food bank is awesome! It is cool to see how local businesses and individuals pull together to try and help the community. Whether you donate a couple hours or a couple days this is a fun and easy way to serve.

I volunteered with Community Action here in Provo and loved the people that I met and the things I was able to do. I was there for a couple hours, got a lot of work done, and then left. Simple, easy, no elaborate forms or classes to take.

For those here in Utah County: 

www.foodandcare.org/
www.communityactionprovo.org/

For Everyone else:
Food banks and coalitions will vary from area to area. Search for one closest to you and contact them about volunteer opportunities. 

If you have any questions about any of these opportunities contact me! I am happy to answer questions, give you direction, and even go with you to classes or service opportunities. 

Service: Part 1

I have been meaning to write this post since before I left to New York, and have in fact attempted to write it on several occasions (including the time that I almost finished it and then it was accidentally deleted-sad day). But I have also hesitated to even begin because of how important the content is to me. I want to adequately express its significance, although I am well aware that I will fall short regardless of the time I put in to it.

The topic: Service. 

For many years I have known that I wanted to spend my life in the service of others. I remember where I was and the exact thought that passed through my mind when the idea stuck. 

It was my senior year of high school and I was home alone because I didn't have a class at that time of day. I remember that I had been trying to figure out what I wanted to do with life and consequently where I would go to school after I graduated. My family’s home teacher had come by to visit us a couple of weeks before and he had recounted a story about a group of kids he had taken over to Romania to do service projects. When he had initially told us about his experiences I thought they were pretty cool, but didn't really think on them much. As I was walking through the family room several weeks later, that thought crossed my mind but this time it really had an impact on me.

The thought process probably went something like this:

What am I going to do with my life?

Where am I going to go to school?
I hate making decisions.

Hmm…that is cool that our Home Teacher took those students over to Romania to help people.

I wonder if he would take me some day.
That would be sweet.
I wouldn't mind going on a lot of trips like that.

That would be awesome if I could take people on service trips like that.

Hey! I should take people on service trips!

I stopped walking and stood there for a few seconds thinking how incredible that kind of opportunity would be. I could travel the world meeting incredible people and make a difference in the lives of those that I took with me as well as those that we served. Those few seconds changed my life and I knew without a doubt that I really did want to spend the rest of my life doing service.

Once that decision was made it was easy to choose which university I would to attend. One of the unofficial mottos of Brigham Young University is "Enter to Learn. Go Forth to Serve". I began attending BYU  in the fall of 2009 and began as an International Relations major. In the fall of 2011 I changed my major to Public Health with an emphasis in Health Promotion and a minor in Management. 

Since then a lot has happened, but to make a long story short I will just say that in the last year I have decided to go in to Emergency Management which is focused on emergency preparedness and disaster response. It has been amazing to see that since that decision was made so many doors have been opened to me to learn, grow, and gain experience in this field. I have been involved with The American Red Cross, and specifically with hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. I was so blessed to be able to leave for 2 weeks during the semester to fly out to New York as a volunteer and help those affected by the storm. You can start reading about my experiences in New York by clicking here. I am working with the City of Lindon on their Emergency Action Plan and City Drill Down. I have met so many individuals who have been so kind to give me information, guidance, and instruction in regards to the Emergency Management field and the opportunities that are available to me. I have also been asked by sweet friends to speak at Relief Society meetings to share my experiences and the things that I have learned. I am so humbled at the opportunities that I have been blessed with. 

When one of my teachers asked earlier this year "What is Happiness" I immediately thought of service. There are few things that give me more joy than to "be in the service of my fellow men" (Mosiah 2:17)

I have seen the light that it brings in to the lives of others and I have also seen how it relights the flame inside of my own soul. I realize better now who I am because of who I have served. 

President Kimball once said that “The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to “find” ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!”

I know that this is true. I know that it is easy to get lost in this world and to not know where to turn or what to do. But I also know that service can fill emptiness, bring joy, give purpose and meaning to a life that seems worthless, and that you can truly find yourself when you get lost in the service of those around you. 

There are two things that I hope you will take from this message on Service. 

1. There are blessings that come from service that you cannot find anywhere else in this world and it is absolutely worth every minute that you put into it.
2. Don't sell yourself short. You can do better. Smiling at strangers is good, but you are capable of more than that. I don't believe that is the best you can do, because we were created with the capacity to perform miracles and change lives. YOU can make a BIG difference. Don't ever believe otherwise. 

Part 2 of the Service Posts will be up next and includes information on how to get involved in your community and make a difference! 

Post Disaster Response Thoughts

This is super delayed....but while unpacking all of my stuff when I got home, I was reminded of some of the things that I packed that really came in handy, as well as the things that I didn't pack and severely missed while I was away. I figured I would share some of those things so that if you do ever respond to a disaster then you can have an idea of what to pack. You can also use some of these ideas for a 72 hour kits, Bug Out Bag (BOB), or a Go Bag. It is nowhere near a complete list, but will hopefully be a good start or reminder.

To start with, I have to say that as a Red Cross volunteer, or any disaster response volunteer, you need to plan on packing heavy. Like, really heavy. Pack anything and everything that you might even think about needing while away from home. If you use it regularly, or might use it in the next couple of weeks, take it. You need to always keep in mind that if you can't take care of yourself and function on your own, there is no way that you will be able to help the people that need you. Your first priority will always be your own well being and then the well being of those around you. Point being, pack heavy.

Important things that I did pack that I would absolutely pack again:

1. Clothing for the Climate. Obviously you need to pack clothes for any trip, but it is so important as a volunteer to be prepared for any and all weather conditions. If there is any chance of snow, freezing temperatures, or just cold weather, plan accordingly. I didn't know when I left that I would spend two 12 hour days out in the cold cleaning cots. When I was given that assignment, I was so grateful for the 3 jackets, beanie, gloves, and long sleeved shirts that I had packed. Don't assume that you will be inside all day every day. Be prepared with clothing for any assignment in the area.
2. Clothing for Events. Not everyone is a church goer like me, but I packed a skirt and shirt that I could wear to church, the temple, and any other event that may come up which required nicer clothing. Whether you are going to church or out on the town, pack some nicer clothes that you will look and feel good in. You never know when you will need them. 
3. Chap-stick. We all know that in all reality you shouldn't ever, like never ever, leave anywhere without Chap-stick  but it is especially important for moments after a disaster. Nothing is more miserable than chapped lips when you are busy trying to get things done and help others. You also don't know how often you will be able to stop somewhere to get chap-stick. The same thing applies to lotion.
4. Cash. This is absolutely necessary. The amount that you should have will vary depending on where you are going, what disaster occurred, and what your assignment is. The recommendation that is consistent with this is to carry small bills. Absolutely nothing bigger than a 20, but preferably 5's and 1's. I found it super helpful to have $1 coins because they were easy to grab out of a pocket in my jeans or bag. Also, store your cash in at least 2 different places but always have a last some of it on your person at all times. 
5. Camera/Journal. You will have experiences and meet people that you would not anywhere else. Be your own Public Information Officer and record all the information that you can for your own records and to share with people back home. They will appreciate it. Because my phone has the ability to take pictures and post them to my blog it became my primary picture taking and journaling device and literally saved my life sometimes. I was so glad that I had it as proof of my adventures when I finally made it home and realized how much those 2 weeks felt like a dream.
6. Something to Help You De-stress at the End of the Day. Bring something that you can make in to a routine that will give you a sense of control over your life and that will help you de-stress. The more of a routine that you are able to develop, the better. I brought scriptures and music. I didn't usually have a ton of time to read or listen to music, but even a few minutes before bed each night helped me bring everything in to focus, sleep better, and continue to function. Another example: one Jackie brought a yoga mat and she would do yoga in the room below us each morning. 
7. The IV Line. Just about everyone, if not everyone, has some kind of food or drink that they need in order to get through the day. Many drink Coke, others choose Pepsi, and some need to down an energy drink or coffee to survive. I chew gum and spit sunflower seeds. It isn't a NEED, but it was nice to have when I am driving or working night shifts. If you can pack it, bring it. If you can't pack it, but you know you will need it, plan ahead of time so you know when and where to get it while deployed.
8. Phone/GPS. If you don't have a phone, it is worth getting one at least for the trip. If you don't have a phone with a GPS, find a map of the area to take with you. Almost every time that I left my hotel in Manhattan I pulled out my GPS to find my way somewhere, or to find my way back. Without it I would have been in a lot of trouble and horribly lost. 
9. Important Documents
1. Personal Documents. Whenever I leave on a cross country trip I have made a copy of my drivers license and any debit/credit/insurance/other cards that I took with me. If I lost any of them, there was always a backup at home that I could have sent over to me. Always leave a copy at home, but it might be a good idea to bring a copy with you and pack it somewhere super random so nobody accidentally finds them.
2. Reference Information It was recommended to me that I take a condensed folder with me on all Red Cross assignments that had reference information that I had received in training for shelters, client casework, First Aid/AED/CPR, and the orientation for the disaster response. This is something that I didn't use a lot while I was out there, but I did refer to it now and again and I definitely see the importance of having it available. I also kept the documents that they gave me at orientation when I got there, which included information on how to take the subway and how to hail a cab. 
10. An Awesome Bag. My burton bag held everything that I needed and then some. It was super convenient to be able to grab it and go and had pockets for just about everything.

Important things that I did not pack, that I would not leave home without next time:

1. Sleeping Bag. It was a sad sad moment when I found out that I would be sleeping on a cot and all that I brought was one fleece blanket. I can not tell you what I would have given to have a sleeping bag to stay warm and to cushion the cot a little bit. Actually, I can tell you. I probably would have given my left hand at the time. That is how important it is to pack a sleeping bag. It is worth the space that it would take in your suitcase to be able to sleep at night so you can function during the day. 
2. Pillow. This was the other half of the sad sad moment when I found out that I would be sleeping on a cot. I didn't think it would be a huge deal to not have a pillow because I could just use my hoodie or an extra blanket from the Red Cross. But the difference that it made when I finally got a pillow was huge! I will never forget a pillow again, and neither will you.
3. Cold Prevention and Treatment. Do not ever leave on a disaster response assignment without taking some kind of Vitamin C booster. Whether it is airborne, emergen-C, or some other supplement, it is worth the investment to keep your immune system up and running. This goes back to the "you can't help others if you can't help yourself" idea. It is also important to bring medicine just in case you do catch something while you are deployed. When I started to feel sick I went to the Walgreens (in Time Square!) and loaded up on medicine, cold-eeze, 2 bottles of naked fruit juice, and a big container of mixed fruit. I downed all of it in 1 night and I definitely believe it helped me avoid getting more sick, which I am extremely grateful for. But we all know that an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Tylenol and tissues will also come in handy on any disaster response. 
4. A Really Good Flashlight. The flashlight that I meant to pack ended up falling off of my bag and under my dresser. I searched for it frantically for it while I was deployed but didn't find it until I got home. Thankfully I had a flashlight on my phone, but boy did I miss the one that was sitting under my dresser for two weeks.
5. Toiletries Bag. I ended up sleeping in the staff shelter where all of the girls shared one bathroom with 2 bathroom stalls, 2 showers, 2 sinks and no outlets. Because of the lack of space we were sometimes leaning over one another to get to the sinks or share the mirror, and there was often a line for the shower. (nothing that I wasn't used to already being the 10th of 16 children) Your life will be easier if you have EVERYTHING that you take to the bathroom to get ready for the day or for bed in one bag that you can just grab and go.

I hope that this will be helpful for someone sometime! I know that I will definitely follow my own advice next time I am deployed with the Red Cross. 

Keep an eye out for my next post about how to get involved!

Day 16: Coming Home

I got up with all of the other staff this morning and started to take down my bed and pack up my stuff. I received a couple of blankets and a pillow from the Red Cross while I was there and had to play a fairly intense game of suitcase Tetris in order to fit everything in. I got ready and ate breakfast. I had several people come up and wish me well before they left to go over to the client shelter. It was, yet again, hard to say goodbye to so many people that I have been able to get to know over the last couple of weeks. It all passes by so fast!

Before everyone left, I had a minute to talk with Alisa. She asked for my email address and I told her I would write down all my information and leave it on her bed. She gave me two hugs and then headed out the door. It is incredible the influence that she has had on my life over the last week or so. I have really appreciated her positive attitude and the fact that we can talk about God and life and really understand one another. She is making a huge difference in the lives of both the staff and the clients and can't wait to see what she does with the rest of her life. Unfortunately she doesn't have a phone or Facebook, so it will be harder to keep in touch, but I hope that we still will.

After Alisa and the rest of the staff left, I immediately grabbed a piece of paper and the copy of The Book of Mormon that I had packed with the intention to not bring it home with me and wrote a quick note. I also highlighted 1 Nephi 8:10-12 and 11:21-23 which refer to topics that we had discussed the night before about family and the love of God. I marked the 1st with a Mormon.Org card and wrote in a reference to the 2nd. I also wrote a quick note thanking her for everything and letting her know that I had been praying about who to give this copy of The Book of Mormon to and that I felt like it was for her. I also wrote that this book had changed my life and I hoped that she would take the chance, read it, and allow it to change her life as well. I haven't heard anything from her yet, but I keep praying that her heart will be open to it.

I was picked up by the Nassau county shuttle "NICE" (Nassau Inter County Express) and the driver was a very pleasant old guy who took about 3 minutes just to buckle his seat belt. I thought I was supposed to be picked up by a Taxi service and be charged $46 just to get to the airport. "NICE" is a free service and I didn't have to pay anything for my ride to the airport. Awesome! We made it in good time and I was early enough to get to the terminal on time and grab something small to eat.

When I arrived at the airport I headed to the counter to print out my tickets and check my luggage. When I put my information in to the computer it kept saying that I didn't have a reservation. I tried my name twice, the confirmation code twice, and my name once more. Then I talked to one of the workers and even she couldn't find it. I panicked a little bit, and then asked if she could look once more. She did and was able to find a reservation for me for the 12th at 9:49am, which is correct. However, the date of the flight was in June instead of December! Wow! I immediately called the Red Cross and told them what had happened. The lady apologized a few time for the error and worked to find me another flight. I was able to get one of the last seats on the flight that was leaving at 9:59am and taking the same route as the one that had already been scheduled. I was really relieved and headed over to print my ticket and check my luggage. For reals this time.

I headed over to the terminal, but all of the seats were full so I sat a couple of terminals away. When it got closer to the time that I could board the plane I headed back over to the terminal and stood just out of the way. While I was waiting I looked down the hall and saw a younger guy in a suite and tie. He also had a cool looking name tag. Missionary. Sweet. I waited for a few minutes and debated if he would be weirded out that a girl was talking to him and then I turned and said "Hey Elder! Where are you headed?". He laughed and told me that he was returning to Salt Lake City to go visit his Dad in Lindon. We talked until the plane boarded and agreed to meet up in Phoenix during the layover.

I sat down in my seat between an older white lady and a younger black guy. I talked with the lady before our flight took off and found out that she was retuning home to flagstaff after visiting her Mom in New York. Her mother had been displaced by the hurricane but had now returned to her home after her power was restored. She found out that I was a volunteer for the Red Cross and had spent the last 2 weeks in a shelter. After we talked a little bit longer she told me that she really appreciated what I had done and what I wanted to do with me life and that she wanted to buy me lunch on the flight. I was surprised but very thankful for her generosity. She did end up buying me lunch and then pulled out the sandwich she had packed for herself. I thanked her multiple times for her kindness. We talked throughout the flight between our short naps. She had done a lot in her life and now teaches at Northern Arizona University. It was cool to get to know her and share some of my own experiences as well.

When we finally arrived in Arizona we parted ways and I waited for the Elder to get off of the plane. We walked to our terminal and then split up to use the restroom and get food. I got juice and a cup with fruit in it. It was so nice to eat something fresh after eating a lot of junk the last couple of weeks.

While waiting in the airport I texted Bryant who is in my Injury and Violence Prevention class to ask what I needed to know for our final. He called me to tell me that the final had been cancelled. I was so relieved! I wasn't super worried about the final, but it was so nice to know that I didn't have to spend all night and the next morning studying for it. This means that I only have 1 final to take on Friday. It is for my Disaster Response and Emergency Preparedness class. I have basically been studying for the class for the last 2 weeks and I'm not so worried about that one.

I talked with the Elder at the terminal until we boarded the plane. I sat between an older man and another woman. They were both really nice and the older man and I swapped some stories from our travels. He mentioned that he had served a mission back East and we talked about that a little bit. It was nice to talked about the church with someone after the last two weeks where the only time I saw a member of the church was when I was in the temple and at church. It was a good flight and we all slept for most of it.

As we were arriving we flew over snow capped mountains and I couldn't help but smile. I was coming home! We flew over the copper mine, which is huge and incredible to see from the air. When the plane landed I said goodbye to my seat buddies and headed out. The closer I got to the security gate, the bigger the smile was on my face. When I caught a glimpse of Mara and Maria and couldn't help but laugh out loud. I was so excited to see them! They each gave me a huge hug and we all laughed together. We headed over to pick up my luggage and then left the airport.

On the way home I stopped by my friend Chelsey's house to say hello and visit for a few minutes. It was so weird to be back again and it made the last 2 weeks seem like a dream. I told stories to Mara and Maria and showed them pictures that I had taken. It was cool to have so many experiences to share.

When I arrived home I was greeted my some of my siblings when I walked in. Gaby told me that things had been so quiet without me there and they were happy for me to be home. I was excited to be home. It was so fun to laugh and joke with them. I was also super excited to see my parents and to be able to share experiences with them as well.

I headed to bed pretty late and was so excited to sleep in a real bed with lots of blankets and soft pillows. I love my family and I have missed them dearly. Tomorrow is temple Thursday, so I will go there first thing in the morning and then head to work in the afternoon. It should be a good day, but so incredibly different than the last 2 weeks. It was an experience that I will not soon if ever forget. I am grateful for how blessed I am and for the mercy of God in allowing me to go. God is great and gratitude sets you up for a life of happiness.

Day 15: The Final Working Day

I got up early this morning to shower and it was marvelous. The fact that I am showering in 1 of 2 showers in a high school locker room is quickly forgotten when the water that comes out is perfectly hot and stays hot the entire time. I got ready and ate breakfast and then debated for about 10 minutes whether of not I should wake up Holly, Jenna, Dani, and Crystal. It was coming closer and closer to the time that the van would leave to go over to the client shelter. Finally at the last moment I went over and just said, "Hey Ladies, Im leaving. Travel safe today!" Dani and Crystal half woke up, smiled and said goodbye. I turned and went to grab my backpack before leaving. It was hard to walk out of that room not knowing for the 3rd time in the last 2 weeks if I would ever see them again. I really hope that I do. I was telling Jenna last night that even though it has only been 2 weeks, I feel like I have know them for a lifetime. We have shared an experience that you can't find anywhere else and it has definitely shaped our relationships with one another.

Seeing the Americorps girls last night and knowing that today was my last day was a very surreal experience. All morning I felt a little bit out of it as I worked in the dorms, talked to staff, and to the clients as well. We have been sending so many people home in the last few days and it was weird to be the one who would be leaving the next day instead of one of the clients.

I spent time yesterday and today talking with a man named Stefano. He is an older guy who has to be pushed around in his wheel chair. He smokes, so he goes out in front of the building quite often. He has cancer, but I don't think that he has the money for any kind of treatment, or if any is even available for him. While I was talking with him he said that he felt like he was better off dead because he has nobody, nowhere to go, and he really can't do anything. It was hard to hear him say that. I told him that if nothing else he needed to be here to make a difference for the people here in the shelter. Everyone, both the staff and the clients, know him and have talked to him. The gratitude that he shows for everything that we do is incredible and has meant so much to so many people. He began to tear up as I told him how grateful everyone had been to him. He always called the girls "doll" or "sweetheart" and shook our hand and thanked us individually whenever we took him outside, opened a door, or brought him food. He is an incredible guy who has really lived life and it was an absolute pleasure to talk with him.

Elisha, the shelter manager for our staff shelter arranged for the staff who were interested to go on a "tour" of some of the disaster sites. As shelter workers we don't usually if ever get to see the damage that was done and have more of a glimpse into what these people that we are caring for have been through and seen.  One group left this morning and the second group, which I was in left this afternoon. We headed down to Breezy Point, which was hit harder than almost any other area. In addition to the hurricane that came through, flooded basements and main floors, knocked down power lines and trees, and even moved homes off of their foundations, there was also a fire that burnt to the ground around one hundred homes. Seeing the damage that had been done was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. These people lost everything. There were houses that literally had nothing but their foundations left. Other had bikes, cars, wagons, books, stoves, chairs, tables, and clothes that were almost unrecognizable. As we walked through the area there were very few items that hadn't been burned completely, including a stack of photos, a few movies, and some old records.

We were able to talk with one woman who had lived in the same house here her entire life. They had evacuated for the hurricane, but had left many of their belongings in their house. Her son was the last one to leave and be grabbed rosary beads and placed them on the back door of their house. When they returned they found that the back of their house had some fire damage, but that was where the fire had stopped. They considered it an incredible blessing and she was extremely grateful. She told us that during the first part of the day she cries and then for the rest of it she gets to work and tries to repair the damage. Before she left to get back to work she thanked us for what we were doing. She told us that even if we just picked up one thing or only gave out one meal, she was still so grateful for us and all that we do. I was so humbled by her gratitude and have her hug and said "God bless you" before she left. There are some incredible people there.

Just before we left a group of firemen came up and we talked with them for a few minutes. Sada, one of the drivers told me to get a picture with them, so I did. And then Carlos from security convinced one of the firemen to let me take a picture in the truck, so I did. It was pretty cool and they were all super nice. I was grateful for good friends like Sada and Carlos who look out for me like that. Such good guys. I also got a picture of Carlos and Alex next to the firetruck. They ended up holding hands because someone teased them about looking cute.

I also had a performance evaluation today with Leila who was my supervisor while I was in logistics and Frank who was basically my supervisor the last couple of days while I didn't have a specific position. They both said nice things about me, which I appreciated. I also received recommendations from them of what to do next and where to go from here. It was a good experience and I was really glad that I could receive support and guidance from them.

We said goodbye to several more people this evening, and I took down a lot of cots. I was able to talk with Stafano and others more, and then started to clean things up and get ready to leave. I was able to get a picture with Stefano and just before I left I told him that the Red Cross is not affiliated with any political party or religious organization, but I could not leave without giving him something. I pulled out a Mormon.org card that had the phone number to call to talk to a missionary. I also wrote my name and phone number on the back of the card and told him to call at any time. I explained that he could call the phone number for the missionaries if he wanted to learn more about the church, or even if he just wanted a spiritual thought for the day. He thanked me multiple times, I gave him a hug and then left. I probably won't see him again, but I have been praying so hard that something good will work out for him so he can really enjoy the time that he has left.

After our shift ended I went with a group of staff to Famous Dave's for dinner. I had the Georgia Pork with a side of mash potatoes, fries, and a corn muffin. It was delicious and was such a nice change from the shredded ball park franks flavored chicken (Ya. Weird) that we have been eating for lunch and dinner the last 2 days. Alisa and Gerry came late and weren't able to order dinner, so when we got back I offered to take her somewhere so she could find something to eat. We drove around for a while but everything was closed except for a CVS pharmacy so we went in there and she found something to eat and drink. 

While Alisa and I were out we had a chance to talk about life, family, and church. She was amazed that I was the 10th of 16 children and had a lot of questions about the LDS Church. We stayed up until 2:30am talking about our beliefs and sharing experiences with one another. I have never had an opportunity to share the gospel like that and I was amazed at how much I learned in return. She is a really good person and will do great things in her life time. We closed our conversation with a prayer which was really cool. She said multiple times that she wishes we had started having talks like that earlier so that we could have had more time. I wished that we had too because it was an incredible experience.

I finally went to bed and that was marvelous. In the morning, I leave to the airport.