Jennie Larsen is a Houston resident and volunteer with Mormon Helping Hands, and has been on the front lines of the cleanup efforts after Hurricane Harvey.
For the past few weeks, she and her family have been involved in the muck work as thousands of residents have been ripping out carpet, floorboard, sheetrock and soaked furniture.
As she approached a home she found the homeowner huddled with other members of their Mormon Helping Hands cleanup crew as they were in the middle of prayer before they began mucking the house.
“I loved walking up to this house and finding the homeowner leading all our group in prayer before we began mucking!”, said Jennie.
When Jennie approached the homeowner and was able to ask her how she was doing, she said:
I’m doing alright! My father was a preacher, so I know where to turn to when things go wrong. I go straight to God!
The resiliency of those impacted by these horrible storms is awe-inspiring. And those who go straight to God when things have gone wrong are finding that He has made their burdens light and given them the hope and help to carry on.
Not only has Jennie provided manual labor to help the victims get their lives restored, she is also an amazing pianist and has used her musical talents to restore hope to many a wounded soul. She posted the following song on her SoundCloud account recently, with this beautiful message:
“This is a piano medley I arranged today. I live in Houston, and when the storm was rolling through here, I had some music playing to keep my family (or mostly me) calm. “How Firm a Foundation” came on, and the 3rd and 4th verse really spoke to me.
This arrangement includes “Be Still My Soul,” because that’s a plea we have all made during this crazy storm. Amidst all the chaos, I’ve loved seeing how people have reached out and helped each other. We have a long road ahead, but I know that with God and each other, we can make it through!
Here are the lyrics for verse 3 & 4: (from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Hymnbook, number 85)
3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
You can listen to Jennie’s arrangement here > Jennie Larsen Piano How Firm a Foundation