Swimmin and Swayin' in Jersey

Well, the Jeppsons came to Jersey and the state fell apart!  Thank goodness the missionary work is up and going full speed.  After the earthquake, Hurricane Irene was a mean machine!  The weather was so calm and beautiful and the people were hustling to get provisions at the stores.  I saw first hand the bread isle- gone!  Water was getting scare.  Boards up against windows and buisnesses and generators were ready!  I wondered just how bad it was going to be.  Of course Gov. Christie told everyone to "Get the H...of the beach and evacuate"  and it is a good thing they did.  We got all our missionaries to ward houses and members' homes.  We had 6 sister missionaries come to our home.  That night was really creepy!  The rain came down in torrents!  I have never seen anything like it and the trees were bending and swaying.  I kept looking out the windows because of course I am one of those people who if they could would stand by a tornedo to watch!!!   It rained all the next day and the rivers were way over flood stage as in 22 feet!  The damage was so tragic!  So many homes were flooded, roads washed away, mud everywhere and the smell, well, its wierd because it smells like formaldahyde!  My anatomy classes came to mind when we were out to witness the devastation.  Today was a memorable one.  Everyone met in their sacrament meetings at 8:30 am.  All were dressed in levis, boots, yellow morman helping hands t-shirts, masks and gloves.  We had the sacrament and then all were assigned to go out and help communities that has been hit so hard.  One subdivision had 700 people from the stake helping!  It was inspiring!  Jon and I were assigned to a home where we went down in the basement and spent hours pulling bikes, suitcases, boxes of files, books, toys, or there was so much stuff that had been ruined by the flood water.  The water had filled to the top of the basements and the base of the first floor was wet.  Some of the homes had been condemmed. Streets and streets have all that they own out in the gutter waiting for trucks to come and pick it up.  Two of our sister missionaries cut apart a beautiful leather couch to get it out of the home they were helping in.  It was too heavily filled with water to try and lift it.  The stories can go on and on.  We will be doing the same thing tomorrow for labor day.  Obama came to see the damage.  Jon and I could not get out of the city we were in because of all the streets closed off for him.  Finally we made it back to our home so we could get ready for a baptism.  We went to a great baptism of two young black men.  We were so proud of our Elders.  We were able to get 15 people baptized today that should have been in the water last week.  At the baptism one of the elders came up to me and showed me his so-called mosquito bite on his ankle!  I about died when I saw it.  That was no mosquito bite.  His ankle was BLACK!  I took him immediately to the ER at a hospital down the road.  I walked in by myself and I was in a waiting room of at least 50 black people all staring at me!  I was the only white person in the room!  Alex Boye' said well now you know what it feels like.  It was a little intimidating.  I mentioned this to one of the  4 white elders when they got there and he said, "Hmmm, I didn't even notice".  Well there you go.  Now mind you he has been here a lot longer than I have and it is becomming more common to me, but it was great that he just thought it was normal and I should too!  Still learning alot as you can see.  Well, the elder did get bitten by a spider who had emitted a toxic to make his ankle bleed more so he could feed off him! Yes, sick isn't it?  He will live thank goodness.  Jon and I thought his leg was dying from the looks of it.  Back to the baptism...one of the baptismal canidates came up to us and shook our hands and said, "I Believe!"  He had struggled for some time about Joseph Smith, but read the Book of Mormon, prayed and prayed and found it for himself.  AFterall it is hard to believe if you don't believe in Joseph and the Book of Mormon.  We are getting ready for a very busy month with ALOT of meetings coming up.  I was grateful to get some help finally with meals and cleaning.  There are alot of great people here who are so willing to help! This is too long and I am going to bed. Loved skyping with our children and grandchildren tonight.  Miss them! Love to all, Dad and Mom, Jon and Bonnie, Pres. and Sister Jeppson