Ryan is in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is in the path of Hurricane Florence. They say it is to be a a very strong hurricane. It is a scary situation for them, but also for me. It's heartbreaking to be so far away when your child is in danger.
They have moved him though. All missionaries have been moved to the North east. He is staying with a family in Raleigh. We have received several letters form President Holland. They are taking care of all the missionaries, and it calms my heart. I know Ryan is where he needs to be, so I know he'll be protected.
9-13-18
Dear Parents,
As of 11:00 am (EST) this
morning, every companionship in the North Carolina Raleigh Mission is
settled into their Safe Houses, all of which are located in geographies
and on elevations well equipped to avoid flooding and damage from severe
wind.
The operation yesterday to move most of three zones
north to Raleigh in less than five hours was a work of gospel charity
and miracles in action. Your missionaries were so dutiful and cheerful
in following instructions that were not always convenient. Church
leaders and members moved instantly and warmly to step forward to take
them into their homes. The Mission Office staff worked tirelessly and
creatively to assist with this unexpected, urgent and fairly sweeping
task. I wish the whole world could witness what I did. Like me, they
could not help but be inspired by such a capable, caring and faithful
community.
Hurricane Florence has been downgraded to a
level 2 storm, and there is even more convergence in the computer models
showing that while the storm will likely hit land in North Carolina,
its path will move down into South Carolina. Keep in mind that a
category 2 hurricane is still a very serious storm and the path could
still change directions from the current predictions, but these are very
good signs for this mission. (We do wince and pray for our
counterparts in South Carolina.)
At this point, I should stress
that part of the challenge here is not just surviving the storm but
dealing with its aftermath. While I now have a high degree of
confidence that all of the missionaries will be spared the brunt of this
storm and its worst effects, we do not know exactly what we will be
facing after it is over. This starts with the issue of electrical
power. Please do not be alarmed if you do not hear from me or this
mission immediately after the storm has passed. The chances of
widespread power outages are high. Now, rest assured: between the
mission and the wards/stakes, we have dual systems in place to take a
physical accounting of all missionaries if needs be. But, even if we
collect information that way, we cannot guarantee that we will be able
to communicate it back to you in the most timely fashion if power is out
or communications systems are otherwise compromised. Just know,
getting a post storm report to you will be a top priority.
We
will also have to wait and see how power operates all over the state,
where flooding occurs, and how destructive the storm is to roads, to
determine how long missionaries will need to stay in their Safe Houses.
The biggest question of all might be, how long will it take to put
missionaries back in the Wilmington area given what is likely very
significant damage to the coast? Just know, we will ensure that every
relocated missionary will live comfortably and securely as we sort
through the full effects of this storm for the whole state, and thus the
mission. As always, we will keep you informed.
Again, I bear my
witness to you that the Lord is watching over this mission and these
missionaries. Despite the commotion of the world, we are prepared, and
the miracles are already appearing.
Faithfully,
President Holland
North Carolina Raleigh Mission
Florence hit land on September 14, 2018. Ryan was safe. All missionaries are! IT actually ended up only being a category 1. Still reeked havoc, but it could've been mush worse. Ryan is afe in his afe house watching movies and having treats!
