After the deadly and devastating fires began Aug. 8 on the Hawaiian island of Maui, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints not only found themselves needing temporal relief — like food, clothing and supplies — but also needing emotional support.
The fires killed five Church members and burned 80 homes belonging to people in the Lahaina 1st and 2nd wards. Those members have been staying in temporary housing with the support of Church members, family, the American Red Cross and others.
Representatives from the Church’s Family Services have been on Maui helping with the emotional challenges of the experience.
Family Services provides a variety of services to help families and individuals overcome specific challenges. Counselors provide social, emotional and mental health support after a disaster or crisis.
Cory Komatsu, Rick Thompson and Janine Moa with Family Services first went to Maui in August to help care for Church members affected by the fires.
Thompson, a regional manager, was dropping his son off at BYU–Hawaii after the fires broke out. He and Moa, who is the agency manager in the Concord, California office, did a lot of work to lift the Saints.
They met with youth from the Lahaina 1st and 2nd wards in early morning seminary and held youth activities to help youth process thoughts and emotions. They supported ward and stake leaders, had meetings on how to respond to a crisis emotionally and mentally, met with people individually for counseling and worked with the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
They also worked with people who lost their homes and all of their belongings — as well as those who lost loved ones and friends. And because Moa is from Tonga, she connected with Tongan Saints through speaking Tongan and understanding the culture.
Komatsu is the agency manager in the Honolulu, Hawaii Family Services office. He worked with Maui Church leaders on producing a long-term plan for helping members and leaders. He listened to victims and worked with them on finding hope in a dark time. Komatsu has continued this support by traveling from Honolulu to Maui monthly, meeting with victims of the wildfire and helping leaders work through the tragedy.
Thompson said he saw Komatsu and Moa “be instruments in the Lord’s hand, and I feel like they did what the Savior would do if He was here, which was serve and love.”
Thompson said even his wife helped those in need by receiving donations from their stake to purchase new temple clothing for members who lost theirs in the fires.
“She brought two full suitcases of new temple clothes to them and gave them haircuts so they could feel good going to the temple,” he said. “One man shared, ‘I want to look good to go into the house of the Lord, and you have made that possible. Thank you.’”
The service that Family Services provides allows families and individuals to find emotional support and relief during hard times.
For example, a team of mental health professionals was dispatched to Puerto Rico after the January 2020 earthquake and following aftershocks. Counselors led a series of emotional support online meetings for people in Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees last year. Church leaders in Europe created a guide to help people in crisis. And resources from Family Services are available to help members and leaders learn these coping skills, known as Psychological First Aid.
Thompson said he, Moa and Kamatsu bore testimony to the Maui Saints of the Savior Jesus Christ being with them and shared how turning to Him would bring light to them during a dark time.
“We let them know of the members all over the world praying for them and mourning with them during a challenging time. We cried with them, hugged them, ate with them and laughed with them,” he said.
“I now have a better understanding of Mosiah 18:8–9, ‘... and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.’”
