Week 55 - "Pray for the wonderful people of Alabama..." Hurricane Irma's on it's way!

HI!

Thank you so much for the Birthday emails!! ❤😁💙💚😄

I love you guys so much, and am sorry I'm responding with a group email *
for now*.
I hope each of you know how much you mean to me individually.
It meant the world to me to hear from you!

Unfortunately, everything in town in closed because of the hurricanes, so
we're having a hard time finding a place to email. There's about 10 of us
that are trying to use the 2 church computers available. Hopefully we'll
figure something out, but for now I just wanted to let you know I'm having
a great p-day/26th birthday!! TWENTY SIX. What the crap.

Sister Begay got me the cutest bike charm necklace.. because we've earned
it! I'll wear that thing like a medallion once we've out peddle Irma and
Jose. Tonight we'll be watching the Elder Bednar YSA broadcast at the
branch president's house with all our YSA homies, so that'll be fun!

We have been told to get a case of water and stay in doors until the storm
passes. Tornadoes are our biggest threat. We'll be on exchanges in Bessemer
tomorrow thru Wednesday, but we will play it super safe. Thank you so much
for your prayers for all of the South! We are praying with you for Florida
and everyone in the storms path.

Ok I gotta jet, just know we are safe, healthy, happy, and sending my love
to each of you!
:)
Love Sister T Smith
aka Granny Smith

Hi again, 😉

We finally found some public computers on campus, but just got a text from
the AP's saying everyone is to return to their apartments within the hour,
and stay there for the rest of the evening.

Here's all the information we have so far from President:

As hurricane Irma approaches, the current forecast is that its path will
continue upward through Georgia and Alabama. The storm has been downgraded
from a Category 5 Hurricane to a Category 1 Hurricane. By the time it
reaches our mission, it won't be a hurricane but it will be a tropical
storm with possible high winds and heavy rains. It is expected to reach our
mission sometime Monday night. We are asking all of our missionaries to be
sure and have a case of bottled water both in their car and in their
apartment. We are also asking all of the missionaries to keep their gas
tanks above half full. As the storm approaches, the biggest problem will
probably be electrical outages as trees fall on power lines and it may be a
few days for power to be restored. Be prepared to live without electricity
for a few days. Also, we need to watch for flooding, debris on the roads,
and downed electrical lines. Depending on the severity, it may be best as
the storm strikes that we stay at home in our apartments until the storm
has passed and it is safe to be back on the roads. Different parts of the
mission will be affected differently. When the storm is over, we will
assess the situation and determine the best course of action.

If there are any problems, keep in contact with your District Leaders and
Zone Leaders and let them know that you are doing fine. If there are any
serious problems, please call me.

We hope and pray that all will be safe and secure. We may have
opportunities, once the storm is over, to give service to many in need. But
we are not to leave our apartments until we have been given permission to
do so.
Tuesday/Wednesday interviews may be affected but we will let you know.

As long as we missionaries are wise and follow the counsel given, we will
be in the Lord's protection.

Pray for the wonderful people of Alabama that they will be safe, as well as
all of those caught up in the storm. Pray that the elements will be
tempered and that lives will be spared.

In conclusion, I don't want any of you to be overly worried. This will
probably just be a bad rain storm. But we want to do our part and be
prepared. We want to be examples of self reliance and independence.

Thanks for all you do! Keep smiling and keep inviting!

Love President Sainsbury

Not sure if he's sent info out to our families, just thought I'd let you
know what we know for now!☺

We're about to head home. I love you guys with ma whole heart! Thanks again
for making my birthday bright, despite the craziness.

Love Teirs