HEB Mormons #LightTheWorld with Christmas Service Project for Beaumont Texas Stake

(Pictured: Elder Hafoka from Kahului, Hawaii and Elder Dayley from Queen Creak, Arizona, full-time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, load a truck with Christmas decorations and gifts for the Beaumont Texas Stake. The Beaumont area sustained significant damage during Hurricane Harvey earlier this year.)

Glittering lights and festive trimmings are practically synonymous with Christmas. But in Beaumont, Texas, an area still recovering from Hurricane Harvey – a devastating Category 4 storm that destroyed countless homes– this year’s Christmas decorations meant an extra expense for many families.

When Meredith Jeppson, who has strong ties to the Beaumont area, considered how to help those still living in temporary housing due to the storm, she knew immediately that she and other members of her Mormon congregation could help. It didn’t take long for members of the Hurst Texas Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to start collecting Christmas items to donate to Beaumont.

“We started asking for four types of donations: small Christmas trees, lights, ornaments and stockings,” said Kiera Elledge, a member of the Hurst Texas Stake. “Then something amazing happened – people found their own way to contribute and our simple service project really took off.”

Members of the Hurst Texas Stake found new ways to give to the “adopted” Beaumont area. Youth groups tied and donated quilts, children decorated Christmas cards and small groups hand-knitted baby items. One member crocheted 80 pairs of slippers, another baked 60 cakes and another donated new soap and lotion sets.

Together, church leaders from Hurst and Beaumont felt strongly that they should also provide spiritual and meaningful gifts for the women in the area.

“We prayed about what we could do to help the women feel better,” said Iva Hall, a member of the Beaumont Texas Stake, who facilitated receiving the donations. “We wanted to be able to provide small items to comfort them.”

In response to this feeling, the Hurst Texas Stake Relief Society, the women’s organization of the church, donated approximately 100 new Christian books. The women also gathered together to make or buy scarves to give as gifts.

Telolini Kioa, who helped organize the project, said the process of making the gifts was such a “win-win” for everyone involved. “Being together with our sisters created a great atmosphere…not only did we give [to Beaumont] but we also learned from each other,” she said.

This is not the first time that the group has served the Beaumont, Texas area. This fall, over 250 volunteers from the Hurst Texas Stake travelled to Houston, Port Arthur, Beaumont and other South Texas neighborhoods to assist with the hurricane clean-up efforts.

Over the course of two weekends in September, volunteers worked side-by-side with homeowners to tackle the large task of clearing out flood-soaked homes. From knocking down walls and pulling up floors to hauling away damaged furnishings, no job was too big for a strong team of willing volunteers. The group joined Mormon Helping Hands – the priesthood-directed Church program that provides community service and disaster relief to those in need.

Kioa said it was “easy” to continue to help the Beaumont area this Christmas season because it was a “continuation of our service earlier this year.”

The Christmas decorations – along with the additional gifts and donations – were delivered to a Mormon church in Beaumont on December 13. Local families most in need were invited to come and choose items that would bless their families and make their season brighter.

Hall said that it was wonderful to see how the donations were received and meant for specific people in the area.

When the donations first arrived in Beaumont, Hall said she couldn’t believe someone had gifted a bright orange Christmas tree. But then, a family came in and immediately wanted it because their school colors are orange and black.

Hall shared another example. She said that one woman, who lost her home and all of her belongings in the storm, came to look through the donated items. The woman had just found out that she was pregnant with a baby boy and was thrilled to find a blue, hand-knitted baby outfit. Hall said that she was so happy and couldn’t believe that she had found something “so perfect.”

Meredith Jeppson said that she has been overwhelmed with the stories of people giving and continuing to help Beaumont.

“We couldn’t help everyone, but we could do this,” Jeppson said.

Matthew 7:12 says “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them”. Visit Mormon.org to find ways that you can help those in need this Christmas season. #LightTheWorld