Nice words, but where was the prophetic seership for those members who are now without homes? Is the Church going to help its members with their property losses by reimbursing part or all of the donations those members have given over the years? Will the Church pay for the building of new homes for those members? No. The Church will go no further than some nice sounding platitudes and a few photo ops.SPOKANE, Washington — Weeks after three wildfires tore through north Spokane — burning thousands of acres, displacing tens of thousands of people and destroying hundreds of homes — two Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled to the city to minister to members and help them feel the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, met with Latter-day Saints from multiple stakes on Sunday, Aug. 23 — 1,300 gathered at the Spokane Washington North Stake center, with others joining by broadcast — offering messages of hope, covenant assurance and God’s abiding presence. They also surveyed burned neighborhoods and spent time with families who lost their homes.
“My dear brothers and sisters, it’s indeed a great honor to be in your presence. We’re all friends in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re all brothers and sisters. When we heard about your suffering, your losses, your pain, your uncertainties, our hearts reached out to you,” President Uchtdorf said.
Elder Anderson cannot wait to make religious mileage out of the devstation...
The local leadership managed to reframe the evidence of their own eyes...Elder Andersen said: “We grieve with you at what you have lost, especially your personal possessions. ... But we rejoice that lives were saved. That is a miracle.”
What a shame God didn't love them enough to warn them in advance, or to protect their homes. No, God's help amounted to belatedly sending two of its hedge fund executives to try and make the Church look good. Uchtdorf even sought to bask in the halo effect of good deeds done by people not of the Mormon faith...President Ronald D. Hardy of the Spokane Washington North Stake said the Apostolic visit carried a simple message: God knows and loves His people.
“To have Him send two of His Apostles and others of His great leaders — that’s just a message that He knows about little Spokane,” he said. “So we’re very blessed.”
Yes, so when atheists help others that's Jesus Christ at work, apparently. What about "sorry we didn't see this coming folks, here, have your donations back because you need the money more than we do"?More than half the members of the Spokane Washington North Stake were displaced during the evacuations. Of the roughly 600 primary residences destroyed in the fires, 27 belonged to Latter-day Saint families; 12 other member homes sustained varying degrees of damage.
Both Apostles testified of Jesus Christ and His hand in their lives. They also honored the Spokane residents — members and neighbors alike — who stopped to help others even while fleeing the fires themselves. President Uchtdorf said such compassion reflects the deepest meaning of the two great commandments — to love God and to love one’s neighbor (see Matthew 22:37-39).
“Regardless of who they are, what language they speak, how they look, whether we know them or not,” he said. “That is the deep sense of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
