Mission President Update 6/1/13 11:05am

Dear Parents: 

Your sons and daughters are safe.   Thursday and again yesterday we experienced severe storms and additional tornados in our mission area.  Yesterday’s storms were more dangerous and destructive than Thursday’s storms.  Our missionaries were never in any danger on Thursday but yesterday caused us more concern because we had missionary relief crews out working in the morning.  As is my practice, I sent the work crews home well in advance of the approaching storms so they could be near their local weather contacts and shelters.  My practice is to personally monitor the storms and alert missionaries directly and through our mission leadership.  Local weather contacts are also very helpful to us. 

Based on preliminary reports, yesterday’s storms caused substantial new damage and sadly, additional lives were lost.  103,000 homes in the City (including the mission home) are without power.  The damage, downed power lines and traffic have prevented me from communicating with you earlier this morning.   We also had all our missionaries in South Oklahoma City this morning for a meeting with Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy.  Now all of our missionaries are out working on tornado cleanup projects for the day. 

I will generally not communicate with you after every storm.  I will reserve these communications for storms that strike near where we have missionaries stationed.  If power is out and I am prevented from emailing you I will call the Church operators and let them know the missionaries are safe.  I will also inform the Missionary Department of the safety of our missionaries.  As you can imagine, we have a lot going on out here right now.  The safety of our missionaries (your daughters and sons) is our paramount concern and priority.  We will tend to them first and inform you once I have verified their safety and tended to other priorities related to the missionaries.  Thank you for your patience and prayers.

We are grateful for the Lord’s protection and your prayers.  Many miracles are occurring through these events.  The Lord truly does make all things work together for the good of those who believe. 

Warm Regards, President Taylor

Missionaries are Safe

I just spoke with the missionary department, and all missionaries in Oklahoma are safe and accounted for. I have not received an email from President Taylor, but power is out in many parts of Oklahoma City.

Mission President Update 05/23/13 2:17pm

Dear Parents:

I know you are following closely the news from Oklahoma so I thought you would appreciate a quick update. First, your sons and daughters are safe. They are wonderfully capable young people who are expanding their capacities through their mission experiences here in Oklahoma and Texas. They are learning to rely on the Lord and apply His teachings as they face the challenges and opportunities of their missions. They are all eager to assist the people of Oklahoma who are affected by the recent tornadoes and help them rebuild their lives. All things are spiritual to the Lord. Your sons and daughters represent Jesus Christ and they minister powerfully to everyone they meet. They will continue to be a great blessing here as they lift, encourage, inspire and bless the people who are put in their path.

Access to the affected areas has been restricted up to this point so we have been limited in what we could do to provide assistance to those in need. We have used this time to make sure our missionaries are prepared with the proper gear to assist when called upon. They have been instructed to purchase thick-soled work boots as well as leather gloves, filtering masks and safety glasses. Those who cannot afford these items will be able to obtain them through Mission funds or from donors. We have advised our missionaries to wear jeans, long sleeve shirts , hats and sunscreen when they are working in the affected areas. We advise them on safety issues before they can participate in the cleanup. Those with health restrictions will be given the opportunity to assist in appropriate ways.

Many of you have asked how you can help with the relief effort. We are grateful for the outpouring of support and concern and especially for your prayers. Other than prayer, the best way to help is to donate to the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Church using a tithing slip available from your bishopric. Donated goods, while appreciated, create more work on this end because we have to obtain a warehouse to house the goods and staff the warehouse with volunteers to sort through the goods and distribute them. Cash contributed to the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Church is the most helpful and direct way to assist. Please do not send cash or gift cards for the relief effort to the Mission or your missionaries.

Please be aware that your missionaries will be emailing you next Tuesday morning because of the Memorial Day Holiday on Monday (libraries will be closed).

We are grateful for your prayers and for the character and faith you have developed in your children. It is an honor to serve with them.

Warm regards,

President Taylor

Clean Up Begins

The storms have passed, and the clean up begins. I read this article in the paper that includes comments from President Taylor, Sister Record's mission president. It sounds like he plans to rotate missionaries throughout the mission in and out of the work area so they have a chance to serve in the clean up efforts and to continue their missionary labors.

Tornado relief spurs LDS Church, Layton's Christian Life Center to action

By Joseph Walker, Deseret News

Published: Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:35 p.m. MDT

Severe Weather Update 5/20 7:30pm

Dear Parents:  All of our missionaries serving in the Moore, Oklahoma area are safe. The City of Moore, Oklahoma located just south of OKC sustained heavy damage and loss of life today as a very powerful tornado cut its way across the city during  about 3:15 pm CT.  Our hearts and prayers go out to the people who have lost so much today.  Again, all of the missionaries serving in the affected area are safe.  The rest of our missionaries checked in safe earlier today.  We were blessed again today.

In the coming days our missionaries will be called upon to help with the cleanup from this devastating storm.  We are asking the missionaries who do not have leather gloves to buy some in the next couple of days.  We are also asking those who can afford to buy work boots to do so.  These boots will help prevent foot injuries (from nails) that could be sustained during the cleanup.  There will be some ability in the future to reimburse missionaries for the boot purchases.   As future storms occur, I will keep you updated (provided we have power).  If you do not hear from me by email after the storms clear following a tornado outbreak, call the Missionary Department.  I will have notified the Missionary Department by phone and confirmed the safety of our missionaries.  Thank you for your prayers and for your wonderful sons and daughters

President Taylor

[NOTE: Sister Record is serving about 60 miles away from Shawnee, OK, and 75 miles from Moore, OK.]

View Tornadoes in a larger map

Current tornado reports at http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/

Severe Weather Update 5/20 7:30am

Dear Parents:  As you may know, yesterday we experienced severe storms including several large tornadoes in our mission area.  All of the missionaries are safe.  Damage occurred in localized areas.  While two of the larger tornadoes caused substantial damage in the Carney and North Shawnee communities, we are grateful that most of the tornadoes touched down in more remote, unpopulated areas.  

While severe storms can occur in any month of the year in Oklahoma and Texas, May is the month when the most tornadoes have occurred historically.  We have a system of alerting the missionaries of approaching storms.  This system includes text and telephone warnings well in advance of the storms and updates as the storms continue.  Each companionship is to have a local weather contact with whom they communicate about local weather conditions in the event of severe storms.  Our missionaries have been given written materials and periodic zone conference instruction informing them of what to do in the event of severe weather.  We also have a communication system which we use to confirm the safety and location of our missionaries in the event of severe weather. 

We are grateful for the Lord’s protection of His missionaries.  We are also grateful for your prayers.  You have wonderful sons and daughters and you should be very proud of them.  We love them and are privileged to serve with them.

When we experience tornado outbreaks in the future (and we expect more today) we will keep you updated once the storms pass and we confirm the safety of all our missionaries.

Warm Regards,

President Taylor

[NOTE: I will continue to post mission office updates to Sister Record's blog as I receive them.]