Tornado Time in Alabama and Mississippi

Tornado Time in Alabama and Mississippi – and yes, some people really do choose to live here! 

 By this time you’ve all had the opportunity to read President Hanks’ letter indicating that all missionaries were safe, notwithstanding the widespread damage that was sustained in cities, both large and small, throughout the Mission. 

Certainly, the story is about safety; certainly it’s about the wonderful protection for which we are all so very grateful. Yet, the other part of the story is still unfolding. 

Both ABM missionaries as well as members throughout the region and beyond have been engaged in the clean up and repairs – extending more and more service on behalf of others irrespective of religious traditions or affiliations. Of the thousands of hours of assistance rendered, the photography that follows is the merest sampling of the work. Naturally, the ubiquitous yellow Mormon Helping Hands shirts are recognized more and more widely, especially when such service work is offered without any charge or expectation. 

 This is in direct contrast to disaster conditions in years past when so many of the “relief workers” have sought compensation for their efforts, making recipients suspicious of help offered. Many times, grateful recipients have spoken not only about the help they’ve received, but how their faith in good people, doing good things for good reasons, has been restored. 

 Your missionaries, laboring among these people, continue to make significant contributions to the communities they live in; they continue to demonstrate that the Latter-day Saints among them are people who are ready to pitch in and work long and hard on behalf of others of Our Heavenly Father’s children.

BREAKING NEWS: MISSIONARIES ARE SAFE!!!

From Pres. Hanks:

All missionaries are safe and accounted for as of Tuesday at 7:45am

The entire mission feels blessed with the safety and protection of the Lord.  After returning from a Mission President’s conference late Saturday, President and Sister Hanks drove to Tupelo, MS where they and the missionaries of the two Tupelo Zones met together with the saints for Stake Conference.  It was wonderful.  Immediately afterward, about a third of the missionaries began meeting one-on-one with President Hanks in interviews, until about 7:30.  Many of the missionaries stayed over in Tupelo for the remainder of interviews with President Hanks on Monday, and for a two-zone joint activity of athletics and food and fun.

On Monday about 2:00 the sirens and alarms and phone alerts started pouring in.  

President Hanks asked all the missionaries (48) to gather in the chapel, where for the next 4-5 hours the missionaries sang hymns while Tornados surrounded us.  For much of the time, the electricity was out.  The missionaries were brave and courageous.  President Hanks was in constant contact with the brethren and with a member of the church who is well connected with the weather agencies.  As areas to the west of Tupelo became clear, Missionaries were released to go home.  About 7:30 the worst had passed, and President Hanks asked everyone remaining (42 missionaries) to go straight home and remain on alert.  Some missionaries were instructed to remain with other missionaries until we were sure that it was safe to travel to their apartments (power lines and trees etc.)

All Tupelo North and south zone missionaries were safe by 9:00.

All other missionaries throughout the mission were instructed to stay in their apartments and listen to their emergency radios throughout the late afternoon and evening. 

Multiple tornados touched down in Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Bessemer, and Birmingham areas.  There was some substantial damage, but the extent is not completely known yet.

REPEAT:  ALL missionaries are safe and accounted for.

Further weather alerts are in effect for today, Tuesday, and all missionaries have been instructed to listen to emergency radios and take precautions.  Pres Hanks will be having a mission-wide conference call later this morning.

President Hanks sent an email to all contacts that the mission has listed, and will continue to keep parents and contacts informed as there is new information to report.  

Join with us in thanking Heavenly Father for the safety He has afforded the missionaries this past day.

Beginning of Huntsville Zone Conference

Beginning of Birmingham Zone Conference

A chilly start to the Bessemer Zone Conference!

UPDATE: A Simple Hundred-Year-Snow-and-Ice Storm can’t stop The Work!

For those of you watching the news at home, you can’t help but be concerned over the well-being of the Missionaries of the AlabamaBirmingham Mission.  Never fear.  

They are all well and continuing to work hard, even though it might not be a normal Alabama winter.  

If you’re familiar with the geography of the Mission, this will make some sense to you:  most of the snow and ice bound areas were from Birmingham south, and somewhat to the west; for those missionaries serving in most of Mississippi and Alabama north of Birmingham, it was definitely cold, but mostly clear except for an odd snow flurry here and there. (Map of the Mission)

The view from the Mission Home this morning...

This is a picture President Hanks took from the Mission Home this morning- just so you can get an idea of what kind of snow constitutes a "State of Emergency" in Alabama :)

It's not much, but it caused enough chaos for us!  Luckily, everyone seems to be doing okay.  The Zone Leaders have been in training today, so if the work is still going on you know everything's good!

We're currently working on getting some anecdotes and possibly photos from the missionaries on how they spent their days.  They weren't allowed to drive anywhere in the mission vehicles, but they were encourage to walk around and help in any way that they could!

More coming soon.

Missionaries are SAFE in the Birmingham Alabama Mission

Thanks to the  forewarning, preparations, and directions from President Hanks in advance of the storms yesterday, the Missionaries of the Birmingham Alabama Mission were prepared and safe during the snow storms that hit most of the Southeast U.S. yesterday.  Waiting for an official statement from the Mission Presidency and will post as soon as possible!

Keeping Missionaries Safe (What Moms and Dads REALLY want to know!)

The Life of a Missionary is tough enough without the added potential for injury or death on the roads; the Life of a Missionary Parent is filled with emotions that include concern for the well-being of their Missionary.  Ask any Mission President about his most pressing and on-going concern and he’ll certainly tell you it’s the safety of his missionaries.  

In this, the first of a series of blog articles designed to inform parents about what’s being done to enhance the safety and well-being of their sons and daughters, we’ll focus on how technology is being used to enhance Missionary safety in the Alabama Birmingham Mission.