Church News: "Oklahoma tornado, second time around"

The tornadoes that recently hit Oklahoma took the greatest toll on Woodward, Oklahoma, where six people died and many more were injured. But that was not the first time Woodward has fallen victim to a powerful tornado, as we learn from the latest issue of the Church News. In a story published Monday, we meet Bonnie Reid (pictured), a member of the church who survived the recent Woodward tornado, as well as the 1947 tornado that took the lives of 107 Woodward residents.

Sister Reid fared well in the recent tornado. A resident of the Grace Living Center, she was quickly ushered to safety by a nurse at the center. 1947 was a different story, however:

After the tornado hit Woodward about 8:40 p.m. on April 9, 1947, gas lines started blowing up. Soon, she said, "the whole west side of town was ablaze." 

Her house was spared from serious wind damage, and homeless relatives began knocking on their door. 

"I had 29 people in my house that night, part of them I didn't even know," she recalled. 

Another knock brought a request for all able-bodied men to help search the rubble for survivors. 

She recalled that her husband, who had fought in World War II, "said it was the worst thing he had ever been through."

The Church News story tells of the experiences of other members of the church in the recent tornado, none of whom was injured. The local chapel suffered only minor damage while houses across the street were destroyed.

Let's hope that's the worst of the bad weather for this year!

Tornadoes hit Oklahoma; missionaries safe

The severe storms forecasted for Oklahoma on Friday and Saturday did not materialize as expected, thankfully. But Oklahoma did not escape unscathed. A powerful tornado struck Woodward, a town of about 12,000 located in northwestern Oklahoma about three hours from Elliot, shortly after midnight on Sunday. Five people lost their lives in the Woodward tornado and ten others are reported in critical condition. There are reports of extensive property damage. NewsOk has the latest developments on Woodward (including the video below) and promises further updates.

The Woodward News has additional coverage about the tornado:

Five people are known to have died in the tornado, 2 people southwest of Woodward near the Tangier area and 2 children at the Hideaway Trailer Park. Another person died at the hospital, officials said. 

There was a late report of a missing 8-year-old girl, but officials believe she was located safely in Ellis County. 

Injuries were estimated at 20, "about half of those are critical," City Manager Alan Riffel said. Reports of injuries varied from lacerations to broken femurs to life threatening conditions.

The Woodward News also provides an online slideshow documenting the destruction left in the wake of the tornado. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by the Woodward tornado.

Other tornados touched down in various parts of western and central Oklahoma over the weekend, including Norman, Mustang, and Oklahoma City. NewsOK has extensive coverage of the weekend's storms.

We received another report (below) from the mission office, confirming that all the missionaries are safe, including the senior missionary couple assigned to Woodward. Again, we're grateful that mission leadership is watching over the missionaries and keeping us advised.

We’re happy to report that all our missionaries are safe and well.  

The storm was less severe than forecast except in Woodward, Oklahoma where a large tornado nearly quarter-mile wide caused five confirmed fatalities, massive damage and injuries early this morning. We have a Senior Missionary couple there; they are fine. 

Thank you for your faith and prayers. 

Elder David Luke
Office Staff

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

New pictures of Elliot and the Oklahoma tornadoes

President and Sister Taylor posted a bunch of new pictures on their blog Saturday, including a picture of Elliot when he first met his current companion, Elder Nield, and one of Elder Nield and the Taylors.

The Taylors also posted a few pictures on their blog about the May 24 tornadoes.  We've recounted the story of the tornadoes previously (here, here, here, and here).  What we really wanted to see was a picture of all the missionaries huddled together for safety in the women's restroom at the Moore Stake Center.  And here it is!  It doesn't look like anyone is terribly concerned, thankfully.

And here's proof that Mazzio's really does deliver pizza in the middle of tornadoes.

There are a few more pictures of the day of the tornadoes on the Taylor's blog.  We really appreciate them keeping us up-to-date on the activities of the Oklahoma City mission.

Parker Strubhar of Piedmont, OK, at the National Spelling Bee

A few weeks ago we posted about Parker Strubhar, an eighth-grader at Piedmont Middle School in Piedmont, Oklahoma.  Parker's claim to Oklahoma fame was his victory at the recent Central Oklahoma Spelling Bee, which qualified him for this week's Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. 

Parker started out the national competition in terrific fashion.  Of the 275 competitiors who qualified, Parker was one of only 41 who advanced through the first three preliminary rounds.  He performed well on the first round's written test.  Then, in the second and third rounds, he correctly spelled orfevrerie and Meiji to qualify for the semifinals, which are happening today.

Sadly, Parker was eliminated in the fourth round this morning, falling victim to the word "staffage."  But he did a great job representing his school and his home town, which was hit particularly hard in the recent tornadoes.  Congratulations, Parker!

KSL Video: "Group rides out Joplin tornado inside LDS church building"

There are many remarkable stories of survival from the recent tornado in Joplin, Missouri, including this story about eight members of the church who rode out the F5 tornado in a local stake center.  The video (below) that accompanies the story shows how amazing it is that anyone survived.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

News from Purcell, Oklahoma

We didn't receive an email from Elliot today, likely because of the Memorial Day holiday.  Maybe tomorrow.  So in lieu of news from Elliot, it might be fun to take a look at the headlines from the Purcell Register, the local newspaper where Elliot is currently assigned.

The top story today is a reminder that the Purcell Public Library will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to a resurfacing project at the Human Resources Center facility.  Due dates to return items will be extended and fines will not be imposed while the library is closed.

The next story, "Devastating," describes the local damage caused by last week's tornadoes.  The nearby communities of Washington and Goldsby were struck by two tornadoes, and homes were damaged in Dibble.  Thankfully, no lives were lost in McClain County, although there are reports of as many as 25 people injured, with two in critical condition (as of last Thursday).  The story describes what happened in Purcell:

Sirens wailed in Purcell starting about 5:26 [p.m.] with public shelters quickly filling to capacity. There was no damage or hail in Purcell and no measurable precipitation in Purcell or Lexington. Purcell’s unofficial rainfall out of the storm was .05.

Devastation statewide was immense after one of the biggest tornado outbreaks in state history.

Purcell City Manager Dale Bunn reported city crews were assisting personnel in the Dibble, Goldsby and Washington areas after multiple funnels moved through the area.

Bunn said as soon as Purcell Public Safety officials were sure Purcell was out of danger they starting lending assistance to neighbors.

I wonder if Elliot was in a shelter when all this was going on.

Next is a story on "Helping Joplin Victims," which tells local folks how they can help those suffering from the effects of the tornado that killed so many and caused massive destruction in Joplin.   The local chapter of the National Mission Disaster Response Team and the Lighthouse Worship Center are both providing assistance.

There is also a story listing all the tornado shelters available in Purcell.  I hope all the missionaries knew where to go!

There are a few other stories and editorials typical of a local, weekly newspaper.  It's fun to read to get a flavor of Elliot's experience in the area.

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.

Tornado tales: An update

I recently posted a story about tornadoes that struck Tushka and Atoka, Oklahoma, in mid-April.  Since that time, far more severe tornadoes and storm systems have wreaked havoc all across the southern United States, with Alabama taking the most direct hit.  The pictures of devastation in Tuscaloosa are unimaginable.  Recent reports put the death toll in Alabama at 236, with over 2,200 injured.  Nationwide, 362 tornadoes occurred during last week's storms, including a record-setting 312 in a 24-hour period.  April 27 was the most deadly day in the United States for tornadoes since 1925.  This video (below) shows the awesome power of the tornado that tore through Tuscaloosa.

Meanwhile, back in Oklahoma, recovery efforts in Tushka and Atoka continue.  A disaster recovery center operated by FEMA, the Oklahoma Emergency Management Department, and the Small Business Administration has opened in Tushka for those affected by the April 14 tornado.  The Red Cross is also offering aid to local residents.  Governor Mary Fallin has requested federal financial aid to help local towns, the county and utilities with infrastructure repairs and other storm-related costs.  And finally, country music is helping to raise funds.  Reba McEntire, who was raised in Atoka County, and Blake Shelton, a native of Ada and a current resident of neighboring Johnston County, will host the “Tornado Relief Concert” on May 26 in partnership with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Choctaw Casino Resort at the Choctaw Event Center in Durant.

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!

Tornado tales

Elliot survived the recent round of Oklahoma tornadoes unscathed, as far as we know.  Severe storms and at least five tornadoes hit Oklahoma Thursday night but none in the immediate area where Elliot is currently.  Among the hardest hit areas were the towns of Tushka and Atoka, Oklahoma, about 100 miles southeast of Elliot, where two sisters living in a mobile home were killed and dozens more were injured.  According to one news report,

[Gilbert] Wilson [emergency management director and county commissioner for Atoka County] said the tornado started four or five miles west of Tushka and traveled east, destroying homes and the school in the town about 120 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

As many as 100 homes and businesses, including the Tushka public school, were destroyed by the storm that hit about 7:30 p.m., Wilson said.  Authorities still are trying to determine the extent of the damage.

While we're glad Elliot appears to have been unaffected by this round of tornadoes, our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to those in Oklahoma and beyond who were not as lucky.

I did a little checking and found some good advice about what to do in a tornado from the University of Oklahoma Police Department tornado safety information page.  I also discovered an online weather radio station that we can monitor the next time storms are predicted in the Oklahoma City area.  As the charts below show, Oklahoma is the hot spot of tornadoes in the U.S., and highest number of tornadoes happens in May, so we'll keep watching.