http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/typhoon-haiyan-marines-bring-needed-aid-philippines-20860273
Monday, November 18, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Ten sisters on the roof
This is the link to the story about the ten sister missionaries who punched a hole through a wall to wait out the storm on the roof.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865590735/Surviving-the-typhoon-A-story-of-fear-faith-and-what-it-means-to-be-prepared.html?pg=all
Elder McGuire has been reassigned to the Cebu City Mission. They flew out earlier today. This is the island that had the earthquake there last month. He is excited because he will get to speak the first language he learned on his mission--Cebuano. There is a temple there and he is with a proselyting companion. He is very happy about that.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865590735/Surviving-the-typhoon-A-story-of-fear-faith-and-what-it-means-to-be-prepared.html?pg=all
Elder McGuire has been reassigned to the Cebu City Mission. They flew out earlier today. This is the island that had the earthquake there last month. He is excited because he will get to speak the first language he learned on his mission--Cebuano. There is a temple there and he is with a proselyting companion. He is very happy about that.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Getting to the airport
Here is a link to Sister Ralph's experience as told by her Mom. Sister Ralph was in Jessica's ward before her mission.
http://sistersarahralph.blogspot.com/?m=1
http://sistersarahralph.blogspot.com/?m=1
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
"...and they did not doubt their mothers knew it."
These are some of the stories JT (Elder McGuire) has told us over the last few days. As a mother I am grateful that the information we did have going through all of this was not exactly how things played out. Had we known what the conditions were at the time they were really happening it would have been too much to handle. Pernell and I have felt like we needed a safe place to share this with you as much as JT has needed help remembering and recording what this last week has been like. Thank you--a gazillion times over--for your kind thoughts and prayers in his behalf. The first time he Skyped home it was just me and him. I told him that hundreds and hundreds of people had been praying for him. Learning about all of you and your faith and prayers brought the first tears of relief. Thank you for caring about him and our family.
Currently, (11/13/13) he is with 204 missionaries from the Tacloban Mission at the Missionary Training Center in Manila, Philippines. They are allowed to Skype and call everyday while they rest and regroup and wait for their new assignments to come in. He has ten months left to serve. There are 7 missions in and around Manila. If he got assigned there it would mean improving on a fourth language. He is hoping, through different interviews that they will go through, to be reassigned to the Visayas area....northeast of the Tacloban area. I don't know completely what I'm talking about, but it would mean out in the country again where they speak one of the three dialects that he already knows. When they were driving into Manila he said, "This looks like Phoenix. This is not the Philippines I know." He has definitely been living in a third world country this year.
Before JT left on his mission, really before any of our kids leave home, I grill into them two things that will ease my mind the most when they are away. The first is to be obedient. JT is naturally cautious, but when it comes to following the mission rules or doing his best to keep the commandments he is absolute. There are quite a few references in the Book of Mormon about young men who were called into battle inspite of their inexperience and how they were miraculously preserved because of the things their mothers had taught them. I have reflected on this a lot over the three days that we didn't hear from him. His obedience has sustained my faith and I knew he would be alright.
The second thing that we have taught him is to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. After you are baptized into our church there is an ordinance after that which is called a confirmation or being confirmed. Sometimes it is referred to as receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that as we live worthy of this gift (keeping the commandments, having daily prayers and studying the scriptures) the Holy Ghost is able to prompt us in times of danger or give us direction when we are trying to make an important decision. It takes practice to learn how to read and feel those promptings. I think this is one of the reasons we baptize our children when they are eight years old. They are old enough to begin to know the difference between right and wrong and yet have roughly ten years before they leave home to grow up and learn what a prompting of the Holy Ghost feels like and gain confidence in themselves in their ability to ask for that help. Long story short, He knows how to use this gift.
From what we understood the missionaries were waiting out the storm in Stake Centers and church buildings. Next to the mission office is his apartment. A little ways off is the chapel and across the courtyard is the mission home where the mission president and his family live. They have four children. All of these buildings are within a minute of walking distance. On the night of the typhoon there were five elders waiting out the storm in JT's apartment--two elders who came from the southern part of the city and a threesome because JT was in the process of training someone to take over his job. The AP's (assistants to the president) were staying in the mission office next door. At 3 a.m. the electricity went out. He woke up because his fan had stopped. If you don't have a fan blowing on you all night you are instantly hot and sweaty. He is in basketball shorts and t-shirt. The storm had already started. He tried to go back to sleep.
At 5a.m. the AP's came over and said they needed help because the office was starting to flood. JT put on his flip flops and went over to help...using mops and cardboard to try to keep the water out and the computers dry. JT went back to his apartment to put on better shoes because the flip flops were just too slippery. He grabbed his backpack, proselyting clothes, scriptures, favorite Expos tshirt and put his ministerial permit and temple recommend in his pocket. After a few more minutes one of the other elders yells-"We have got to go now!!" JT looks up to see a wall of black water coming over the top of the desk. All seven elders make their way out of the office and over to the chapel. By this time the wind is starting to pick up and by that I mean literally picking up JT. Elder Johnson (from Dallas who is finishing his mission in two weeks and will be tracked down by Kristin and Cameron) is holding onto the side of the building. He reaches up and grabs JT with both arms around his waist and pulls him back down to the ground. JT's papers fly out of his pocket. They get into the chapel and stay for about 30 seconds before they determine that this is not going to be a safe place either. The men take one step out of the church. The water is up to their ankles. By the fourth step the water is up to their thighs. They make their way through the water over to the mission home, which gratefully, is a two-story home. They are all banging on the windows and trying to yell above the storm to be let in. JT said it was probably only about 30 seconds but it felt like an eternity before they got someone's attention.
President Andaya heard them and came down to let them in. The bottom story has already started to flood so they all make their way upstairs. He couldn't remember how many people waited out the storm there. They also helped to keep what food they had off the ground and dry while they waited out the storm. In a lot of the homes there, on the second floor is a window which has a padlock on it. They open it if the flood waters have risen so high that they can't escape through the doors to the home. The problem today was that the key to the padlock was downstairs. Pres. Andaya said, "Elders, break that lock." Elder Johnson, rockstar of the day, found a hand barbell with weights on it. He took the weights off and used that to start banging against the padlock. At the same time the rest of the elders stood in a circle and listened while Elder Parsons offered the prayer. Elder Parsons kept praying and Elder Johnson kept hitting that lock. In the middle of that prayer the lock broke free and Elder Johnson let out a yell. They didn't have to use that window in the end, but a great story nonetheless. After the storm the mission office was reported to be under 12-18 feet of water. Also, after the storm someone found his temple recommend.
JT estimated that the storm lasted until the early evening. News reports have described the duration of Typhoon Haiyan to be a Class 5 typhoon that lasted for two days. His apartment is two-storied so after the storm they slept there for the next few nights amidst gunshots and looting and the smell of death that he said was "...just unbearable." Also, coming to learn that no planes were coming in or out of the airport, no road had access to them and no communication was able to go out was very hard. The missionaries spent the next few days helping to pass out food for the city down at city hall.
At home, we knew that it would take several days for help to arrive and communications to get re-established. (see story below) The scripture that sustained me during that time was Doctrine and Covenants 115:6--
"And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth."
That probably sounds a little naive knowing what we know now, but I don't see it that way. The organization of the church is an amazing force. From the chain of priesthood leadership that watches over us at every level to the nameless people who provided clean clothes and shoes and food and shelter and blankets and computers and cell phones and hugs. We are organized from the First Presidency to the individual and to see it all in action is a testimony to me that the Lord's way is powerful.
The details of that story took three times to put together. It has been sobering for me to listen to Pernell gently phrase the questions and give JT time to process his answers. I am so grateful for this time and resources (computers to skype with) to help these missionaries get a handle on what they have survived and endured. Clean clothes, sleep, and good food bring a sense of normalcy and structure to the schedules they are used to keeping.
Here are some bits and pieces of the other stories we are working on. After the storm the missionaries were put to work passing out food at City Hall. Somewhere in there JT went out to look for water. He was digging through rubble and found a sealed case of Coke. He found it and was carrying that and a large bottle of water over his shoulder. He stepped on a nail. A sister missionary removed it and later, Sis. Andaya bandaged him up. One of the mission rules is to avoid standing water or being in the water at all. The danger is in the snails that live in the water. They can get into your system through an open wound or if you were to drink it, lay their eggs and then the snails party on your insides....nasty. JT was able to get a tetanus shot at City Hall somehow.
This is from a news article that Kristin found:
"It's overwhelming," Air Force Capt. Antonio Tamayo told the AP. "We need more medicine. We cannot give anti-tetanus vaccine shots because we have none."
On Sunday they had a short sacrament meeting at 6:15a.m. JT said he would never forget it because of the meager little crackers they found to use for the bread and the beautiful spirit that was there. They then went out to help distribute food again. He got heat exhaustion and passed out from being dehydrated. Pres. Andaya helped him away and Sis. Andaya took care of him by pouring some cold water on his head and finding him something to drink. There are no words to describe the energy and tenderness with which they have fought to protect these men and women.
JT has a cell phone with him. Not every missionary does, but he does because he needs to communicate with all of the elders in the mission to coordinate the supplies they need. As the Office Supply Manager he has traveled all over the islands of Leyte and Samar. He is not allowed to use this to communicate with us or friends back home. Occassionally on the days he writes home he will send a text to say hello, or I'm thinking of you. About three days after the typhoon had passed a crude cell phone tower was put back up. Sometimes he could get a signal but it wouldn't last long enough for him to send a text message. So he prepared the text and continued to try to send it over the next two days.
Meanwhile, back at home, we had received one phonecall from the Area Presidency's secretary on Saturday night saying he was alive and accounted for and another phonecall from the missionary department in Salt Lake on Sunday afternoon confirming that. We were fairly confident that that was true but by then the reports had started that 80 missionaries from the Tacloban mission were still missing. Jessica and James (Pernell's brother) were working tirelessly on social media to track down any bit of information they could. We had been in Denver that weekend for our granddaughter's blessing and drove to Albequerque. Both of our phones continued to go off with the buzz of notifications. At one point, after we had just settled into bed I told Pernell, "Please turn that off. I can't handle anymore today." He rolled over and checked his phone. "IT'S JT!!!" The text said---Dad I'm alive JT--. Receiving this news at midnight on Sunday was earthshattering. We tried calling back and texting back, but there was no response.
Our family is very sports oriented. No offense against cheerleaders, but I was one in High School for a few years and my kids think this is hilarious. I always take it in stride and tell them that's why I am such a good mom...because I am very good at cheering them on when life or sports or relationships or finding themselves gets hard. As a means of lightening the mood of this staggering text I posted a screenshot of JT's text to Facebook with the caption....."and then he takes an outside shot from the other side of the planet.......nothin but net.....the fans go wild!!!!" When I was trying to explain this to JT he was worried that he would be in trouble for sending a text. I quickly explained how worried we were and how grateful we were to know that he was alive. He has been through some very serious trauma.
The scripture I found to describe our feelings at this point is Mormon 9:15-16 from the Book of Mormon.
"And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. Behold are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?"
On Sunday night they stayed in the mission home. Early the next morning they walked about 3 km to the airport. Some of the missionaries had to walk upwards of 50km (30 miles) to get to the airport. If you have seen any of the news reports you can only imagine what they saw along the way. I don't know if JT was not privy to the information of the arrangements that had been made or if they had simply put themselves in the right place at the right time and the Lord took it from there. He said the church was trying to purchase several airplanes to transport the missionaries out. Pres. Ardern (1st counselor in the Area Presidency) was with them. Each time it fell through because the authorities didn't or wouldn't believe they had the resources to really do that. Pres. Ardern also had with him a mini-ipad that had boarding passes for all of the missionaries to get on that C130 that you saw in the ABC newsclip. However, because they were not paper boarding passes they were not accepted by those who were loading the planes.
JT saw an American Marine. He came up to them and asked them how they were doin and what they were doin in Tacloban...just small talk. JT said, "You know, just building a relationship of trust." JT said that they were missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. "Oh yeah, I used to be a member of that church." "Well, if there's anything I can do to help you out...."I'm a marine. I've been all over lately, Afghanistan.....I'm not really sure why I'm here today." To which Pres. Ardern spoke up and said, "You're here to get God's missionaries out of here." "Great, I'll see what I can do." Next thing he knew he heard the man say, "Let's get these Mormons out of here." JT's group of 71 missionaries was divided up between two osprey (helicopter/plane--awesomely cool but unless you're a marine you don't ride on these) and the C130 plane. He likes the idea of having the bragging rights to that. It took two and a half hours to get to Manila. About 20 rode on the one he was on.
I cannot begin to imagine the level of stress Pres. and Sis. Andaya have been under through all of this. Not only are they worried about their own family, but the lives and safety of 204 missionaries and their extremely worried families. JT said at one point Pres. Andaya had a phone on each ear with Apostles (leaders higher up in the church) on the other end expressing their concern and frustration as to how they were going to get these kids out. I assume multiple plans were tried to figure out the quickest way to get them out of Tacloban.
When the missionaries landed in Manila a bus was waiting to take them to the MTC. JT called us at 3a.m. Tuesday morning. We woke up the kids and talked for two hours. Alyssa asked JT what he did to wait out the storm after he got to a safe and secure place. JT replied, "Once we were inside the mission home we sang hymns and prayed but I haven't felt safe until about half an hour ago.
___________________________________________
First phone call from the Area Presidency's secretary....(from a letter to JT)
I knew from the church's website that it would take a few days to establish even minimum communications so I was at peace going into Saturday (your Sunday). I thought I was doing just fine until I got the call from the Area Presidency secretary. We had gone to the movies as a diversion from all of the news reports that just seemed to be getting worse by the hour. I had turned my phone to vibrate. It went off with 4% battery ....augh! ...from "unknown". As I scrambled to get out of the theatre I cut her off. Gratefully, she called back. She told me that you were safe, had food and water and that you were helping with the cleanup. I countered, "You mean to tell me exactly, that you know Elder McGuire is alive?" "Yes, Sis. McGuire, he is." [I gathered myself somewhat and asked, "Do they have food?" She said, "they have some and are working to get more in.] I choked out a "thank you" and began to sob. ....my eyeballs hurt...After we got it back together and got to Lindsay's we had a chocolate milk toast, hugs all around and promises to Rick that he would be called to serve in Kanab, UT. We posted that on Facebook, to which Aunt Doris said, "I'm sure the people of Kanab, UT will be grateful for his service." I love her.
[At home, away from the public eye, we knelt in family prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for preserving your life and the many, many people involved who had helped to get you to Manila.] (sleep would come tonight)
Linda sent me this sweet passage, again from the Book of Mormon..."that we may rejoice in the great privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God. Behold, I have sent a few provisions unto them, that they may not perish until ye can come unto me." ....tell them to fear not, for God will deliver them..."
Jessica found Psalms 91
Elder McGuire told me that the scripture that got him through was Alma 44:4--
"Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith."
I don't think it is ironic at all to recognize that this is the Neavitt's (Cameron's family) family motto. Shout out to the families from Queen Creek and their amazing faith. Kristin is already planning to send JT one of their t-shirts.
And to whoever chose the song for the Relief Society meeting in Denver on Sunday....Keep the Commandments.....thank you. That was a tender mercy for me that day.
"Keep the commandments, keep the commandments. In this there is safety, in this there is peace.
He will send blessings, he will send blessings. Words of the prophet. Keep the commandments. In this there is safety and peace."
I also don't know how to begin to thank God for the multitude of blessings that have been given to us other than to bear you my testimony that God is real. He lives. He knows each of us personally and answers prayers. He is anxious to teach us the things we need to know to return to live with Him again. Life is so good and beautiful amidst the chaos when you come to know these simple truths. The Jesus Christ I know provided a way for me to repent when I need to change so that I can continue to grow to be like Him. I love the simpleness of knowing that I can talk directly to Him through my personal prayers. He will always answer me if I put myself in a position spiritually to keep that channel clear. These are the things that ground me as the world around us becomes increasingly wicked. I am privileged with the great blessing of being a mother in these latter days. I can build my children's confidence and give them opportunities to develop themselves, but the one thing that will bring them the most happiness is coming to know for themselves these things that I have described. The man I married cherishes and protects this role of mine and I love him beyond measure for it.
Keep the faith, stay strong and hold on!
Pernell and Nancy McGuire
Currently, (11/13/13) he is with 204 missionaries from the Tacloban Mission at the Missionary Training Center in Manila, Philippines. They are allowed to Skype and call everyday while they rest and regroup and wait for their new assignments to come in. He has ten months left to serve. There are 7 missions in and around Manila. If he got assigned there it would mean improving on a fourth language. He is hoping, through different interviews that they will go through, to be reassigned to the Visayas area....northeast of the Tacloban area. I don't know completely what I'm talking about, but it would mean out in the country again where they speak one of the three dialects that he already knows. When they were driving into Manila he said, "This looks like Phoenix. This is not the Philippines I know." He has definitely been living in a third world country this year.
Before JT left on his mission, really before any of our kids leave home, I grill into them two things that will ease my mind the most when they are away. The first is to be obedient. JT is naturally cautious, but when it comes to following the mission rules or doing his best to keep the commandments he is absolute. There are quite a few references in the Book of Mormon about young men who were called into battle inspite of their inexperience and how they were miraculously preserved because of the things their mothers had taught them. I have reflected on this a lot over the three days that we didn't hear from him. His obedience has sustained my faith and I knew he would be alright.
The second thing that we have taught him is to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. After you are baptized into our church there is an ordinance after that which is called a confirmation or being confirmed. Sometimes it is referred to as receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that as we live worthy of this gift (keeping the commandments, having daily prayers and studying the scriptures) the Holy Ghost is able to prompt us in times of danger or give us direction when we are trying to make an important decision. It takes practice to learn how to read and feel those promptings. I think this is one of the reasons we baptize our children when they are eight years old. They are old enough to begin to know the difference between right and wrong and yet have roughly ten years before they leave home to grow up and learn what a prompting of the Holy Ghost feels like and gain confidence in themselves in their ability to ask for that help. Long story short, He knows how to use this gift.
From what we understood the missionaries were waiting out the storm in Stake Centers and church buildings. Next to the mission office is his apartment. A little ways off is the chapel and across the courtyard is the mission home where the mission president and his family live. They have four children. All of these buildings are within a minute of walking distance. On the night of the typhoon there were five elders waiting out the storm in JT's apartment--two elders who came from the southern part of the city and a threesome because JT was in the process of training someone to take over his job. The AP's (assistants to the president) were staying in the mission office next door. At 3 a.m. the electricity went out. He woke up because his fan had stopped. If you don't have a fan blowing on you all night you are instantly hot and sweaty. He is in basketball shorts and t-shirt. The storm had already started. He tried to go back to sleep.
At 5a.m. the AP's came over and said they needed help because the office was starting to flood. JT put on his flip flops and went over to help...using mops and cardboard to try to keep the water out and the computers dry. JT went back to his apartment to put on better shoes because the flip flops were just too slippery. He grabbed his backpack, proselyting clothes, scriptures, favorite Expos tshirt and put his ministerial permit and temple recommend in his pocket. After a few more minutes one of the other elders yells-"We have got to go now!!" JT looks up to see a wall of black water coming over the top of the desk. All seven elders make their way out of the office and over to the chapel. By this time the wind is starting to pick up and by that I mean literally picking up JT. Elder Johnson (from Dallas who is finishing his mission in two weeks and will be tracked down by Kristin and Cameron) is holding onto the side of the building. He reaches up and grabs JT with both arms around his waist and pulls him back down to the ground. JT's papers fly out of his pocket. They get into the chapel and stay for about 30 seconds before they determine that this is not going to be a safe place either. The men take one step out of the church. The water is up to their ankles. By the fourth step the water is up to their thighs. They make their way through the water over to the mission home, which gratefully, is a two-story home. They are all banging on the windows and trying to yell above the storm to be let in. JT said it was probably only about 30 seconds but it felt like an eternity before they got someone's attention.
President Andaya heard them and came down to let them in. The bottom story has already started to flood so they all make their way upstairs. He couldn't remember how many people waited out the storm there. They also helped to keep what food they had off the ground and dry while they waited out the storm. In a lot of the homes there, on the second floor is a window which has a padlock on it. They open it if the flood waters have risen so high that they can't escape through the doors to the home. The problem today was that the key to the padlock was downstairs. Pres. Andaya said, "Elders, break that lock." Elder Johnson, rockstar of the day, found a hand barbell with weights on it. He took the weights off and used that to start banging against the padlock. At the same time the rest of the elders stood in a circle and listened while Elder Parsons offered the prayer. Elder Parsons kept praying and Elder Johnson kept hitting that lock. In the middle of that prayer the lock broke free and Elder Johnson let out a yell. They didn't have to use that window in the end, but a great story nonetheless. After the storm the mission office was reported to be under 12-18 feet of water. Also, after the storm someone found his temple recommend.
JT estimated that the storm lasted until the early evening. News reports have described the duration of Typhoon Haiyan to be a Class 5 typhoon that lasted for two days. His apartment is two-storied so after the storm they slept there for the next few nights amidst gunshots and looting and the smell of death that he said was "...just unbearable." Also, coming to learn that no planes were coming in or out of the airport, no road had access to them and no communication was able to go out was very hard. The missionaries spent the next few days helping to pass out food for the city down at city hall.
At home, we knew that it would take several days for help to arrive and communications to get re-established. (see story below) The scripture that sustained me during that time was Doctrine and Covenants 115:6--
"And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth."
That probably sounds a little naive knowing what we know now, but I don't see it that way. The organization of the church is an amazing force. From the chain of priesthood leadership that watches over us at every level to the nameless people who provided clean clothes and shoes and food and shelter and blankets and computers and cell phones and hugs. We are organized from the First Presidency to the individual and to see it all in action is a testimony to me that the Lord's way is powerful.
The details of that story took three times to put together. It has been sobering for me to listen to Pernell gently phrase the questions and give JT time to process his answers. I am so grateful for this time and resources (computers to skype with) to help these missionaries get a handle on what they have survived and endured. Clean clothes, sleep, and good food bring a sense of normalcy and structure to the schedules they are used to keeping.
Here are some bits and pieces of the other stories we are working on. After the storm the missionaries were put to work passing out food at City Hall. Somewhere in there JT went out to look for water. He was digging through rubble and found a sealed case of Coke. He found it and was carrying that and a large bottle of water over his shoulder. He stepped on a nail. A sister missionary removed it and later, Sis. Andaya bandaged him up. One of the mission rules is to avoid standing water or being in the water at all. The danger is in the snails that live in the water. They can get into your system through an open wound or if you were to drink it, lay their eggs and then the snails party on your insides....nasty. JT was able to get a tetanus shot at City Hall somehow.
This is from a news article that Kristin found:
"It's overwhelming," Air Force Capt. Antonio Tamayo told the AP. "We need more medicine. We cannot give anti-tetanus vaccine shots because we have none."
On Sunday they had a short sacrament meeting at 6:15a.m. JT said he would never forget it because of the meager little crackers they found to use for the bread and the beautiful spirit that was there. They then went out to help distribute food again. He got heat exhaustion and passed out from being dehydrated. Pres. Andaya helped him away and Sis. Andaya took care of him by pouring some cold water on his head and finding him something to drink. There are no words to describe the energy and tenderness with which they have fought to protect these men and women.
JT has a cell phone with him. Not every missionary does, but he does because he needs to communicate with all of the elders in the mission to coordinate the supplies they need. As the Office Supply Manager he has traveled all over the islands of Leyte and Samar. He is not allowed to use this to communicate with us or friends back home. Occassionally on the days he writes home he will send a text to say hello, or I'm thinking of you. About three days after the typhoon had passed a crude cell phone tower was put back up. Sometimes he could get a signal but it wouldn't last long enough for him to send a text message. So he prepared the text and continued to try to send it over the next two days.
Meanwhile, back at home, we had received one phonecall from the Area Presidency's secretary on Saturday night saying he was alive and accounted for and another phonecall from the missionary department in Salt Lake on Sunday afternoon confirming that. We were fairly confident that that was true but by then the reports had started that 80 missionaries from the Tacloban mission were still missing. Jessica and James (Pernell's brother) were working tirelessly on social media to track down any bit of information they could. We had been in Denver that weekend for our granddaughter's blessing and drove to Albequerque. Both of our phones continued to go off with the buzz of notifications. At one point, after we had just settled into bed I told Pernell, "Please turn that off. I can't handle anymore today." He rolled over and checked his phone. "IT'S JT!!!" The text said---Dad I'm alive JT--. Receiving this news at midnight on Sunday was earthshattering. We tried calling back and texting back, but there was no response.
Our family is very sports oriented. No offense against cheerleaders, but I was one in High School for a few years and my kids think this is hilarious. I always take it in stride and tell them that's why I am such a good mom...because I am very good at cheering them on when life or sports or relationships or finding themselves gets hard. As a means of lightening the mood of this staggering text I posted a screenshot of JT's text to Facebook with the caption....."and then he takes an outside shot from the other side of the planet.......nothin but net.....the fans go wild!!!!" When I was trying to explain this to JT he was worried that he would be in trouble for sending a text. I quickly explained how worried we were and how grateful we were to know that he was alive. He has been through some very serious trauma.
The scripture I found to describe our feelings at this point is Mormon 9:15-16 from the Book of Mormon.
"And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. Behold are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?"
On Sunday night they stayed in the mission home. Early the next morning they walked about 3 km to the airport. Some of the missionaries had to walk upwards of 50km (30 miles) to get to the airport. If you have seen any of the news reports you can only imagine what they saw along the way. I don't know if JT was not privy to the information of the arrangements that had been made or if they had simply put themselves in the right place at the right time and the Lord took it from there. He said the church was trying to purchase several airplanes to transport the missionaries out. Pres. Ardern (1st counselor in the Area Presidency) was with them. Each time it fell through because the authorities didn't or wouldn't believe they had the resources to really do that. Pres. Ardern also had with him a mini-ipad that had boarding passes for all of the missionaries to get on that C130 that you saw in the ABC newsclip. However, because they were not paper boarding passes they were not accepted by those who were loading the planes.
JT saw an American Marine. He came up to them and asked them how they were doin and what they were doin in Tacloban...just small talk. JT said, "You know, just building a relationship of trust." JT said that they were missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. "Oh yeah, I used to be a member of that church." "Well, if there's anything I can do to help you out...."I'm a marine. I've been all over lately, Afghanistan.....I'm not really sure why I'm here today." To which Pres. Ardern spoke up and said, "You're here to get God's missionaries out of here." "Great, I'll see what I can do." Next thing he knew he heard the man say, "Let's get these Mormons out of here." JT's group of 71 missionaries was divided up between two osprey (helicopter/plane--awesomely cool but unless you're a marine you don't ride on these) and the C130 plane. He likes the idea of having the bragging rights to that. It took two and a half hours to get to Manila. About 20 rode on the one he was on.
I cannot begin to imagine the level of stress Pres. and Sis. Andaya have been under through all of this. Not only are they worried about their own family, but the lives and safety of 204 missionaries and their extremely worried families. JT said at one point Pres. Andaya had a phone on each ear with Apostles (leaders higher up in the church) on the other end expressing their concern and frustration as to how they were going to get these kids out. I assume multiple plans were tried to figure out the quickest way to get them out of Tacloban.
When the missionaries landed in Manila a bus was waiting to take them to the MTC. JT called us at 3a.m. Tuesday morning. We woke up the kids and talked for two hours. Alyssa asked JT what he did to wait out the storm after he got to a safe and secure place. JT replied, "Once we were inside the mission home we sang hymns and prayed but I haven't felt safe until about half an hour ago.
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First phone call from the Area Presidency's secretary....(from a letter to JT)
I knew from the church's website that it would take a few days to establish even minimum communications so I was at peace going into Saturday (your Sunday). I thought I was doing just fine until I got the call from the Area Presidency secretary. We had gone to the movies as a diversion from all of the news reports that just seemed to be getting worse by the hour. I had turned my phone to vibrate. It went off with 4% battery ....augh! ...from "unknown". As I scrambled to get out of the theatre I cut her off. Gratefully, she called back. She told me that you were safe, had food and water and that you were helping with the cleanup. I countered, "You mean to tell me exactly, that you know Elder McGuire is alive?" "Yes, Sis. McGuire, he is." [I gathered myself somewhat and asked, "Do they have food?" She said, "they have some and are working to get more in.] I choked out a "thank you" and began to sob. ....my eyeballs hurt...After we got it back together and got to Lindsay's we had a chocolate milk toast, hugs all around and promises to Rick that he would be called to serve in Kanab, UT. We posted that on Facebook, to which Aunt Doris said, "I'm sure the people of Kanab, UT will be grateful for his service." I love her.
[At home, away from the public eye, we knelt in family prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for preserving your life and the many, many people involved who had helped to get you to Manila.] (sleep would come tonight)
Linda sent me this sweet passage, again from the Book of Mormon..."that we may rejoice in the great privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God. Behold, I have sent a few provisions unto them, that they may not perish until ye can come unto me." ....tell them to fear not, for God will deliver them..."
Jessica found Psalms 91
Elder McGuire told me that the scripture that got him through was Alma 44:4--
"Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith."
I don't think it is ironic at all to recognize that this is the Neavitt's (Cameron's family) family motto. Shout out to the families from Queen Creek and their amazing faith. Kristin is already planning to send JT one of their t-shirts.
And to whoever chose the song for the Relief Society meeting in Denver on Sunday....Keep the Commandments.....thank you. That was a tender mercy for me that day.
"Keep the commandments, keep the commandments. In this there is safety, in this there is peace.
He will send blessings, he will send blessings. Words of the prophet. Keep the commandments. In this there is safety and peace."
I also don't know how to begin to thank God for the multitude of blessings that have been given to us other than to bear you my testimony that God is real. He lives. He knows each of us personally and answers prayers. He is anxious to teach us the things we need to know to return to live with Him again. Life is so good and beautiful amidst the chaos when you come to know these simple truths. The Jesus Christ I know provided a way for me to repent when I need to change so that I can continue to grow to be like Him. I love the simpleness of knowing that I can talk directly to Him through my personal prayers. He will always answer me if I put myself in a position spiritually to keep that channel clear. These are the things that ground me as the world around us becomes increasingly wicked. I am privileged with the great blessing of being a mother in these latter days. I can build my children's confidence and give them opportunities to develop themselves, but the one thing that will bring them the most happiness is coming to know for themselves these things that I have described. The man I married cherishes and protects this role of mine and I love him beyond measure for it.
Keep the faith, stay strong and hold on!
Pernell and Nancy McGuire
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