Updates on Oklahoma wildfires

Updating yesterday's story on the blog, here are additional news reports from Sunday morning about the Oklahoma wildfires. Certain of the fires are not too far from Oklahoma City, but they are not near Elliot's area and there has been no word from the mission office.






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Wildfires raging in Oklahoma

Wildfires that began Thursday and Friday continue to rage across central and western Oklahoma, as temperatures have exceeded 100 degrees for 19 consecutive days. It reminds me of my experience in the late 1990s as I attempted to drive to Oklahoma City from Ponca City in northern Oklahoma. I had to detour nearly to Tulsa to avoid a wall of flame that stretched for many miles across the central part of the state. High temperatures and drought conditions have created ideal conditions for these fires.

Several pictures, news stories and videos are posted below. We've heard nothing from Elliot's mission office but will post again if we do. Based on the news reports we have seen, the area where Elliot is currently assigned does not appear to have been affected.

Dozens of homes destroyed in Oklahoma wildfires

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Fires destroy houses across the state Friday



Oklahoma wildfires: Homes burned, residents evacuate as more than a dozen fires burn in Oklahoma

Oklahoma 2011: Hottest. Summer. Ever.

Elliot picked a most inopportune time to go on a mission to Oklahoma. You may recall that we wrote several stories for the blog about the incredible temperatures and drought experienced last year in Oklahoma and neighboring Texas. (See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.) And now climatologists are reporting that last summer in Oklahoma (not Texas, as previously thought) was the hottest ever recorded in the United States:

In the new tally by the National Climatic Data Center, Oklahoma's average temperature last summer was 86.9 degrees, while Texas finished with 86.7 degrees. The previous record for the hottest summer was 85.2 degrees set in 1934 — in Oklahoma. 

"I'm from Oklahoma, and when you talk about the summer of 1934, there are a lot of connotations that go with that," said Deke Arndt, chief of the NCDC's climate monitoring branch in Asheville, N.C. "That whole climate episode — the Dust Bowl — that is a point in our state's history that we still look back to as transformative." 

Yet the summer of 2011, "was warmer than all those summers that they experienced during the Dust Bowl," Arndt said.

It really was remarkable to watch the weather reports from last summer. The 46 consecutive days of 100+ degrees in Wichita Falls where Elliot was assigned is hard to imagine. And it had a huge impact on local ranchers and farmers:

For Oklahoma rancher Monte Tucker, last summer was a breaking point, and it didn't make him feel any better Friday when he learned about his state's new dubious honor. 

Last summer felt like "opening an oven after cooking bread," said Tucker, who ranches in Sweetwater, in western Oklahoma. "We basically got up right about sun-up and did all we could until 11 in the morning, and we basically shut down almost 'till dark and kind of started up again. 

"I don't want to do it again, I'll say that much," he said.

The good news for Elliot is that this summer likely will not match the temperatures of last summer, and he'll be coming home in mid-August.

Tornado watch in Oklahoma

It looks like it could be a bad weather weekend in Oklahoma. Yesterday's NewsOk carried a story about a tornado that hit Norman but did not do significant damage, although this cake shop didn't fare too well. This morning, there were reports of a small tornado that touched down in Mustang. So far, we're not aware of anyone being hurt in the storms, and we're grateful for that. The weather reports (see first video below) do not bode well for the rest of the day, and the national news reports provide rather daunting news (see second video below), so we'll keep praying for the safety of everyone in the area (including Elliot!)

Last night we got a nice note from the mission assuring us that all of the missionaries have been accounted for and are safe. We appreciate how well they take care of our young men and women while they are away from us.

Dear Families,

This note is sent in behalf of President Nolan Taylor.

We are happy to report that all of the missionaries serving in the Oklahoma Oklahoma City Mission are safe and accounted for and that there have been no injuries due to the storms and tornadoes that have hit this area. 

There was a slight break in the storms, but they have regenerated and are currently passing through various parts of the mission. We will give you another update in the morning.

Tomorrow is forecast to have even stronger storms. We are continually sending texts to your sons and daughters to let them know of storms heading their way. We will keep you updated with statuses tomorrow as the storms pass through.

As always, we appreciate your faith and prayers.

Elder David Luke
Office Staff

Claremore, Oklahoma: Home of Will Rogers and other fun stuff

A recent NewsOK story highlights the town of Claremore, Oklahoma. About 150 miles from where Elliot is currently assigned in Moore, and about 25 miles from Adair, Oklahoma, Claremore is the home of Will Rogers, Patti Page, and Lynn Riggs. Let's see what makes Claremore stand out among Oklahoma towns.

Will Rogers Memorial Museum

Claremore's main claim to fame is as the birthplace of Will Rogers. According to his website, Will was born in 1879 on the Dog Iron Ranch in the Cherokee Nation near what later would become Oologah, Oklahoma, just a few miles from Claremore. Today, you can visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, where you can watch movies, shop in the museum store, see a collection of western art featuring Will, and check out a series of movie posters. And if you can't get to Claremore, you can always take a virtual tour of the museum, which is really well done and allows you to see virtually all of the museum and its grounds. And here are a few memorable Will Rogers quotes:

• Remember, write to your Congressman. Even if he can’t read, write to him.
• Democrats take the whole thing as a joke. Republicans take it serious but run it like a joke.
• You could keep politics clean if you could figure out some way so your government never hired anyone.
• What this country needs is more working men and fewer politicians.
• I don't tell jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
• I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat.

Finally, enjoy this video tour of the museum.



J.M. Davis & Arms Historical Museum

Another great place to visit while in Claremore is the J.M. Davis & Arms Historical Museum, the self-described largest private gun collection in the world. Named for a gun collector who settled in Claremore in 1917, the museum houses a truly amazing collection of firearms, artifacts, steins and statuaries, and outlaws. Here is a video tour of the museum:



A few other Claremore highlights

Don't miss the Route 66 Nut House while you're in Claremore. No, it's not the state mental institution. It's a great place on old Route 66 to buy all kinds of goodies, including nuts, candy, fudge, salsas, and other tasty treats.





Then there's the Shepherd's Cross working farm and Christian mission in Claremore. As the following video shows, the purpose of the farm and mission is to teach about agriculture and how it relates to the Bible.



Something I'd love to see in Claremore is the Belvidere Mansion, a three-story mansion built by John Bayless starting in 1902 and completed by his family six months after his death in 1907. According to one source, the mansion is noteworthy not merely for its historic significance and famous tea room, but also because it's supposed to be haunted:

Over the years, numerous people have reported that John Bayless and other members of his family, however, still continue to "reside” in the beautiful old home. These allegations tell of unexplained noises, actual sightings of hazy figures, toilets that flush by themselves, hot and cold spots, and feelings of being touched by someone when no one is there. On several occasions paranormal groups have investigated the old mansion, seeming to find the most paranormal activity on the second floor. There, psychics have "seen” children playing, as well as "meeting” a distressed John Bayless, and a distraught young woman who  allegedly committed suicide when she lived in the building as a tenant in the 1940’s.

The Lynn Riggs Memorial in the old library building honors the great Claremore playwright who in 1931 penned "Green Grow the Lilacs," a play about settlers in Oklahoma's Indian Territory just outside Claremore. You may think you've never heard of it, but it was the play on which Richard Rodgers and Aaron Hammerstein based their 1943 huge musical Broadway success, "Oklahoma!" And here's the well-beloved title song from the 1955 film adaptation:



All in all, there's a lot of great reasons to visit Claremore!

Oklahoma's rockin' again!

Elliot is getting his share of earthquakes in Oklahoma! Early on Saturday, a 4.7 shaker hit in central Oklahoma, along with a series of smaller aftershocks. Then, less than an hour ago, a 5.2 quake hit about 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, near the town of Sparks, Oklahoma, and was felt across a wide area. Another report puts it at a 5.6. It will be interesting to read Elliot's email on Monday to find out how strongly he felt it in Moore.

Update: USGS just upgraded the quake officially to a 5.6. A Twitter comment says that's the biggest in OK history. And now there are reports of significant damage in Lincoln County, where Sparks is located.

Update: Here's a video report from msnbc about the earthquakes in Oklahoma.

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msnbc: "Texas drought worsens from 'abysmal'"

A recent msnbc story, Texas drought worsens from 'abysmal', reminds us how bad the drought conditions are in Texas and surrounding areas, including Oklahoma.

"Texas conditions continue to deteriorate what little they can from abysmal," the U.S. Drought Monitor stated. That was due to drought expanding into "the southeast, central, south-central, Big Bend region, and extreme south around Brownsville."

The drought conditions have combined with extreme, record-breaking heat in Texas, to create conditions that resulted in the extraordinary wildfires that ravaged the state.

From June through August, Texas suffered the hottest three months ever recorded in the United States, according to the National Weather Service. And the 12 months ending on Aug. 31 were the driest 12 months in Texas history, with most of the state receiving just 21 percent of its annual average rainfall.

This link depicts the progression of the drought over the past twelve months.  Elliot's mission, which encompasses the western half of Texas and northern Oklahoma, is right in the heart of the hardest hit areas.

After the jump, see how some Texans are dealing with the drought conditions.

The Frederick News Post: "Mormon departs for 18-month mission to 'share the Gospel'"

Today's top story in the art/life section of the Frederick News Post is all about 22-year-old Vita Jeudy, a member of the Church from Walkersville, Maryland.  Sister Jeudy, a convert to the Church of some eleven years, just left on her mission to Oklahoma.  No, she did not go to Oklahoma City, but instead to Tulsa, which is close enough to warrant a mention on Elliot's blog, right?  It is great to see the local media cover a young woman's decision to serve a mission as a newsworthy story. 

The story does a great job of telling of the conversion of Sister Jeudy and her family, and goes on to describe what mission life is all about.  Sister Jeudy, a recent graduate of BYU-Idaho, describes her feelings about going on a mission:

"I feel the love and the truthfulness of the Gospel in the people around us," she said. "They teach us to serve and to have love for those around us, but I never truly felt it until now."

Jeudy said she's not serving a mission to persuade people to be baptized; she's in it to share the Gospel.

"If you join, you join. If you don't, I've tried to share a message that I think should be heard," she said.

We wish Sister Jeudy all the best on her mission (even though she doesn't get to go to Oklahoma City!).

Oklahoma Tornadoes

We knew there would be days like this when we sent Elliot off to Oklahoma.  Days of worry about his safety, frantically hitting the refresh button to get the latest updates on the internet, listening to the local emergency weather radio channel, watching for news on CNN/Fox/msnbc.  It has definitely not been a happy day.  But as of late Tuesday evening, the storm systems have moved to the east and Elliot's immediate area does not appear to have been impacted by the worst of the weather, although there was one tornado near Washington that was too close for comfort.  Sadly, there were many parts of Oklahoma that were greatly impacted by tornadoes and other severe weather.  The news reports are frightening.  According to the most recent update from The Oklahoman:

At least five people were killed and dozens more injured after multiple tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma on Tuesday, including a massive twister that left a trail of damage 50 miles long.

Four of the deaths were in Canadian County, said Cherokee Ballard, a spokeswoman for the state medical examiner. A fifth person died in Chickasha when a tornado hit a mobile home park, fire Capt. Chris Calhoun said. An Edmond woman also died in a car wreck as she rushed home to seek shelter from the storms, authorities said.

Motorists seem to have borne the worst of the impacts:

At least three of the fatalities in Canadian County were on Interstate 40 near mile marker 113 where cars were blown off the highway, authorities said.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. Chris West said troopers still were working to identify the victims late Tuesday. He said some of the victims were found 300 to 400 yards from abandoned vehicles.

Four cars on I-40 were torn apart by the twister, and the highway was littered with car parts. A tractor-trailer also was severely damaged, but the driver survived.

The most destructive tornado struck in the vicinity of El Reno, Oklahoma:

Much of the damage Tuesday came from one large tornado that touched down north of Lookeba in Caddo County and moved northeast into Canadian County, where it killed people on I-40 and destroyed homes and businesses west and north of El Reno.

The twister destroyed more homes in the Piedmont area and caused serious injuries before it moved into southeastern Kingfisher County, damaging homes south of Cashion, and continued into Logan County, causing more damage. The storm continued to cause damage into Payne County near Stillwater.

The video footage is powerful:





The Oklahoman has posted a series of photos, some of which you can see after the jump.

We'll look forward to hearing from Elliot next Monday but we're confident he's fine.

Tornado in Joplin, Missouri

Oklahoma is the hotbed of tornado activity in the United States.  But this tornado season -- the deadliest in over 50 years -- has extended far beyond Oklahoma.  Most recently, a tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, just 10 miles from the northeastern corner of Oklahoma and about 250 miles from Purcell, Oklahoma, where Elliot is currently assigned.  By now, we've all seen the reports of the devastation caused by the Joplin tornado, killing over 100 people, injuring many hundreds more, and causing extensive property damage throughout the city.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by this disaster.  I have added a pair video news reports of the tornado's impact, one before the jump and one after.

This evening, western Oklahoma was under a tornado watch.  Earlier, a pair of tornadoes was sighted in the northern part of the state, with no reports of injury or damage.  In Elliot's email today, he reported some severe storms last week but, thankfully, he has managed to avoid tornadoes.  We'll keep our fingers crossed that his luck continues.

More pictures of Elliot

I recently discovered that Elliot's mission president and his wife, Nolan and Rhonda Taylor (pictured at right), maintain a blog about their mission experience in Oklahoma.  It's great to see what's going on in Elliot's mission, beyond what we learn from his weekly emails.  And best of all, there are some pictures of Elliot that we hadn't seen before.  I've copied them below, after the jump.  We'll follow the mission blog and post any new pictures we find.

Rain in Oklahoma

Oklahoma has been suffering from severe drought conditions for many months, as we reported a few weeks ago.  Thankfully, recent rain storms have eased the drought somewhat, including in the area where Elliot is currently assigned.  We'll see if he has anything to say about the rain in his upcoming email.  According to a recent news story,

The recent storms brought 2 to 4 inches of rain in general, with locally heavier amounts in southwestern Oklahoma. That was also the case up through Oklahoma County, [Gary] McManus [of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey] said. However, there were areas of western and northwestern Oklahoma, as well as the Panhandle, where rainfall totals were a half-inch or less.

The drought is not over but the heavy rain certainly helps.

"For those areas that had received good rains previously to this one, such as in central Oklahoma, [the recent rains] will go a long way toward lessening the drought conditions,” McManus said.

“For other areas, like extreme southwestern Oklahoma, it's a good start. As of midday Friday, much of western and northwestern Oklahoma still needed a good drink to even start thinking about drought relief. For most of western Oklahoma, it's a county-by-county process.”

The rain caused some flooding and property damage, as you can see in the pictures and a video after the jump.  Farmers and ranchers are undoubtedly thrilled to get some rain, despite the damage, although it may have come too late in the growing season to help everyone.

On the bad news side for wheat production in Oklahoma, it was too little too late, [Mark] Hodges [of Plains Grains Inc.] said. In many areas the drought led to little or no crops. And there's a risk that weeds may germinate in crops that are out there, he said.

“While the moisture is too little too late and there are potential problems, I don't think you will find the industry complaining, with the exception it came two months too late,” he said.

Check out the video and pictures after the jump.

Oklahoma sports report

It's been over a month since our last Oklahoma sports report.  Not that there hasn't been news to report, especially now that the Oklahoma City Thunder have advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs, where they are facing the Memphis Grizzlies.  Last night the Thunder won game 2 of their series by a final score of 111-102, led by All-Stars Kevin Durant with 26 and Russell Westbrook with 24.  The series is tied 1-1.

But that wasn't the biggest Oklahoma sports story of last night.  No, the biggest story involves Roman Owen, coach of the women's basketball team at Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City.  Coach Owen attended the Thunder game last night and walked away $20,000 richer after nailing a half-court shot between the third and fourth quarters.  Even Kevin Durant took notice, posting a picture of himself with Coach Owen on his Facebook page.  Enjoy the video.

Missionary service: The story of Sid Going

Elliot went on his mission to Oklahoma after completing his freshman year at BYU.  When he returns home in August 2012, we expect that he will resume his studies at BYU, where his brother and sister will be students.  But what about those two "lost" years?  Does taking two years out of the middle of his education set him back?  Will he fall behind his peers?  I remember my high school guidance counselor raising these questions.  He spoke favorably about young Mormon men who chose to serve missions, but at the same time, he questioned the wisdom of interrupting an education or other pursuits for a full two years at such a critical time in a young man's life.  I was ill-equipped to respond to his question at that time.  If I had a chance to speak with him today, I might suggest that he watch the video posted below.  It is an address by Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve at the April 2011 General Conference.  Beginning at about 2:15 of the video, Elder Andersen tells the story of Sid Going, who interrupted an extremely promising career as a professional rugby player to serve a mission to Canada.  The story illustrates one example of a young man whose mission certainly did not set him back or limit his options when he returned.  Enjoy the video (the text is posted after the jump). 

Elliot's April 25 email

We got Elliot's latest email today.  He got his package from home and it sounds like everything is going great.  We're keeping an eye on the weather in Oklahoma, as it looks like some storms are on their way.  As Oklahomans continue to pray for rain, they received some much-needed rain yesterday, although nowhere near enough to end the long drought.  Much of Oklahoma was placed under tornado watch today, and a possible tornado was reported in the southeastern part of the state, far from Elliot.  Here's his email.

Hey!

I got everything mom thank you so much! Sorry you couldn't find my camelbak though. But it's awesome and my companion and I both love the Men of the Mo-Tab CD!

I also have a package I've been meaning to send to dad for his birthday! But I haven't yet and now it's way late. Oops. But it'll come! I'll try to send it off this week. And next week I'll let you know when I'll be able to call and everything!

We had a pretty good week. I'm particularly excited about one family that we're teaching. We actually couldn't see them this past week, but they did tell the member of the church that referred them to us that they're excited about becoming Mormons. So needless to say that's going super well. We also had this awesome lesson with another member referral family we're teaching. They really didn't seem too interested in listening to us the first time we came by, and then cancelled the next appointment, and left us with kind of a don't call us, we'll call you type of deal. But we were gonna be in the neighborhood, so we just decided to drop by. They let us come in, and then she came out and told us about all of her life problems, which is quite common as a missionary, but then suddenly just realized that we were there for a reason. That God had sent us there. That we were more than just strange 20 year old guys in white shirts and ties. Her apathy really made a complete turn and we were able to teach her and help her she what she needs to do in turning to Christ to help her out. The Spirit really made her realize that we had something she needs.

One of my new favorite quotes from President Monson is; "I firmly believe that the sweetest experience in mortality is to know that our Heavenly Father has worked through us to accomplish an objective in the life of another person." [To the Rescue, at 4.] It's just awesome to be able to have those kinds of experiences so often as a missionary. I really wouldn't trade it for anything right now.

I love you! Hope everything is going good.

Love,

Elder Elliot Adair

Oh I would’ve attached a picture of me and the bracelet but I forgot my camera today! Next time!

"Parched" -- Drought in Oklahoma

For those of us who live in California, we have been blessed with a great deal of rain this year.  Our reservoirs are full or nearly so.  Our rivers are flowing and the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is well above average.  Governor Brown recently declared an official end to California's three-year drought. 

Unfortunately, the same is not true in Oklahoma.  A recent feature story in the Purcell Register, where Elliot is currently assigned, tells the story of the terrible drought affecting Oklahoma:

Storm clouds usually darken the skies in the spring dropping inch after inch of rain on fertile farmland.

For the spring of 2011, those clouds have not been storm clouds, but clouds of smoke from wildfires blazing across the countryside.

McClain County and a huge section of central, south central and western Oklahoma are in a severe drought.

Another report confirms that virtually the entire state is affected:

The situation is most dire in southwestern Oklahoma, where Tillman and portions of Cotton and Jackson counties were classified as being in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday. All but the northeastern corner of the state is experiencing some degree of drought.

The last good rain was in November, and the snow that fell in February was too dry to amount to much moisture.

Reservoir levels are low, crops are drying up, and the state has suffered the driest four months since the Dust Bowl.  Prayer has become one of the most used tools of Oklahoma farmers:

Zac [Harris, of Hobart, Oklahoma], a fourth-generation farmer and rancher said, “Rain is mentioned more toward the first in our prayers and again at the last.”

In neighboring Texas, Governor Perry has declared a weekend of prayer:

"I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal and robust way of life."

Oklahomans and Texans would undoubtedly invite all of us to join them in prayer in an effort to find relief from this drought.

Lots of April festivals in Oklahoma

It must be festival season in Oklahoma.  As a recent news report put it, "April is festi-full" (clever, right?).  I don't know if Elliot can get to any of these events on his preparation day.  But if you're planning to be in Oklahoma in April, there are some great events you have to look forward to.

Check out the details after the jump.