On Friday, Aug. 18, Elder Mark A. Bragg, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and president of the Church’s North America West Area, visited Maui to give comfort to the members of the Church and see the devastation from the deadly wildfires that struck the island the week before.
Five Latter-day Saints died in the fire and 80 lost their homes.
As he met with Latter-day Saints, Elder Bragg told them that he brought the love of President Russell M. Nelson with him. He expressed that the members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were praying for them constantly.
“Our hearts go out to you and the members around the world are praying for you,” he said.
“I would hope that everyone, Church members and those who are not members of our faith, that they feel hope. That there’s a purpose in this.”
Unaloto Taukeiaho and his family evacuated during the fires and later found out their home was destroyed. He and others gathered together on a beach near Lahaina to hear from Elder Bragg and to draw comfort from each other.
“I know that my Savior lives. I know that through all these trials will help us to be stronger than ever. I’m grateful that I grew up in a community like this, that it doesn’t matter who you are and what you do in life, you are all brothers and sisters in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then through His Atonement we can overcome all of this,” Taukeiaho said.
Read the full story, including the Hawaii lieutenant governor’s expression of gratitude for the Church’s support, on Church Newsroom.
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