The Refiner's Fire

Dahl fire
Location: Bull Mountains South of Roundup
Cause: Lightning
Acreage burned: +22,045 acres
Residences destroyed: +72
Casualties: 0

The past few weeks, my companion and I have been very busy as the Dahl fire threatened the residents of Roundup.  So many things have happened and so many people have been involved in efforts of relief for those affected by this fire.  This is my account.  Many people of the community are involved in this account, but all names will remain anonimous.

Tuesday, June 26.
Slow morning.  My companion and I were not having very good luck finding anybody home.  The appointments fell through and nobody was behind the doors we knocked on.  We sweated out in the Roundup sun until 3 in the afternoon when we ate lunch / dinner. 

Tuesday, driving twoards the fire: 15 miles away

It is usually mellow in the little cafe we went to.  Not today; the owner / cook had a phone on each ear and we found out that he was looking for a horse trailer to evacuate some animals.  He told us there was a fire growing like crazy, south of Roundup.  After we ate, we looked outside and sure enough, I was the biggest pillar of smoke covering the sun.  "Oh boy, " was my fist response.
About an hour later, the phone rang.  One of our frineds who we have been teaching called and in tears said "it's gone.  It's all gone.  Why would God let this happen?"
A question that a lot of people had.
We were calling everybody and anybody to find out more information.  We were supposed to help a family in the branch move, but learned that they were evacuating too.  We tried calling everybody, but nobody would answer the phone; Mission President, his Assistants, our Zone Leaders, were all busy.  After looking at my companion and sharing a look of "what do we do now?" we got tired of waiting.

LDS Church serving as a donation center

He went and put his work clothes on.  I put gatorades and a first-aid kit in my backpack, we said a prayer and got in the truck.  We headed out twoards the fire.  From 5 until 10 at night, we charged up and down the roads close to the burn, offering help to anybody that needed it.  After we had checked on members of the branch and helped as many people as we could find, we heard that another area had been put on stand-by evacuation order.  We headed up to that area and halped a member in the branch bring his horses down off the mountain.  We then helped his neighors do the same. 
After all that excitment, we went to the church building to see if any branch members had lost their homes.  There were no members there whoi had been displaced by the fire.  A member in the branch presidency spent the night at the church.

That was the first day.  For the next few weeks, my companion and I have been everywhere.  We have cooked meals at the Catholic church for fire victims and the National Guard, we have worked at our church which is serving as a donation center, we have worked with the fire and sheriff's departments and have helped anybody that needs it. 
During this entire event, I have been able to meet so many people and make so many new friends.  I have been able to work beside members of all faiths and shared beliefs while talking with them.  The entire community of Roundup has joined together during this disaster as opposed to pulling apart.  It is sad that a disaster has to be the cause of bringing people together, but at least it is doing that. 

Us and Pat Perrella at the St. Benedicts Catholic Church

I have been blessed to make many new friends while working and dispel rumors such as "Mormons have horns." I have met many firefighters, red-cross workers, Law Enforcement personnel, dozens of volunteers that worked for more than 50 hours a week, stayed awake for more than 36 hours without sleep; the heroic acts of the Roundup people and volunteers from outside continues on farther than I have room to write.
I have seen miracles and God's hand in protecting and preserving. 
I have seen amazing, even heroic, efforts by people everywhere.  Whether they were working in the kitchen at the Catholic church, overseeing donations at the LDS church, working on the fire department or for the sheriff, or the National Guard protecting homes.  It is especially amazing to see how generous the people of Roundup, Billings, and all over Montana have been as there are more donations than the LDS church has the capacity to store. 
I was touched by how generous people were.  People from Lewistown, Laurel, Billings and even fire victims were donating what they had to those who were affected.  One person spent $2,000 on clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc.  That was only one example among many.  
I saw God's hand everywhere I turned.
And everywhere I turned, I could imagine Jesus Christ himself working beside people, as they move donations, cook meals, deliver supplies or just give a hug.

And today, almost four weeks later, though the fire has been contained the acts of compassion haven't stopped.  God's hand is still visible.

"Why would God let this happen?"
It is easy for any of us to ask this question, most especially when one's home has been burnt to the foundation. 
I pose to you a similar question;
"How is coal refined into diamonds?"
In the Old Testament, Job understands how this works.  He was a man that demonstrated how pain brings growth, how stones in the river are tossed and turned until they become smooth.
This is the same concept of how pruning branches off of a tree brings about more productive growth.
Just as the Lord tells Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 122, adversity will give us experience and be for our good.  Not for our pleasure.  
We can rebuild homes, but we cannot replace lives. 
It sure hasn't been fun, but this experience is more valuable than we often care to see.
It may not be our homes burning down, it may be our hope or faith. 
Just like the pioneers, we must keep going, relying on God to help us.
I am sure that our Savior Jesus Christ did not enjoy the pains He went through, but He kept on going. 
And look at the good that came from it.
Whether it be a forest fire or a hurtful situation, keep going.  It will be for the better.

You'll make it.  He knows you can.
To all who were affected, sorry for your losses, thank you for your heroics, and may God bless you as you rely on Him during your life.  Though it may be rough right now, you will come forth as gold.