Monday, March 14, 2011

Pres. & Sis. Baird

I've had quite a few loving phone calls wondering if my parents are okay.
They are doing well. You are all so kind to think of them, the missionaries and all of us at this time. Your phone calls have ment a lot and I thought I would share the emails (starting with the first one) since the earthquake.

Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 11:14 PM



Just had to tell you all, we just had my first good earthquake. I was at the kitchen sink, and Urano shimai was in the laundry room getting ready to go. I started to feel so dizzy I thought I needed to kneel down, it kept getting worse. then i heard the doors shaking. I looked at the curtains and they were swaying so was the light and the pictures on the wall. I guess the epicenter was near Tokyo. Wow it must have been big there. It lasted for a few minutes. Weird.
Love you all
Your shakin' momma

Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 2:15 AM
earthquake


Hello,
Just wanted to tell you we're all okay. We had a really good shaking that lasted a long time, they said ours was around a 5. Nothing like Tokyo and Sendei missions where it was a 8.4.
The church is so good and protective. They have had us call all our coastal area missionaries inland immediately. We do have many of our Japanese missionaries who have families in the areas that were hit hard.
We love you all.
Sister Baird

dateSun, Mar 13, 2011 at 6:33 PM
subjectearthquake


Hello everyone,
We are all fine in the Japan, Nagoya Mission. We don't have any damage here that I'm aware of. The missionaries families are safe and now the search is on for the members in those areas.
As I watch the BBC's news and they talk about Japan, they speak of a people who aren't being rude or looting. How everything is orderly. How the people are not out of control. People are still showing up to work this morning, even if there is no building to go to. They are trying to resume their routine. Digging out. Amid all this turmoil, they are still polite and orderly. This is so how the people of Japan are. It's an incredible country, we love it. Our missionaries love it too. They want to go and help. For now, they are helping here by teaching people of the peace that comes from having the gospel. We all love these people. Our hearts break when we see their faces and hear their stories.
Thank you for your continued prayers for the missionaries, members and people of Japan.
We love you all.
Sister Baird, Bonnie, Mom or GrandmaRecently emailed

dateSun, Mar 13, 2011 at 6:04 PM
subjectRE:



McKenzie,
...We have been traveling up to Nagano which is only about 3 hours from Sendai, we just got back late last night. The aftershocks up there were much worse than here in Meito. We were on the 11th floor of the hotel and we swayed a few times. The cell phones earthquake alarms would go off, it was a little unnerving. All of our missionaries families are good in that area. They were all so worried, we let them call and talk to them, it helped them feel a lot better. We had a houseful that night and it was crazy to get everyone inland, the trains had stopped running. We did it though and had everyone in safe places by about midnight. It's a bit frightening to see how fast those things hit and to see the total devastation it causes. I feel bad for President and Sister Tateoka, they are leaving in July. I'm sure they will feel they are leaving so many things that aren't fixed by then. They used to be in our ward in South Provo.
It looks like the nuclear plants are something we might all need to worry about. Radiation checks are being done in those areas but more plants seem to be having problems which will inevitably mean we may have power problems later. We're suppose to be feeling aftershocks for months they said.
Thank you for thinking about us. There's no damage here, but as I rode over those massive bridges and went through the tunnels to Nagano, I thought a lot about being shaken around on those. The Japanese make things very safe here. It's that an earthquake that is about 9 on the scale, does it's own thing. I guess the tunnels would be a pretty safe place to be.
I hope you're all doing well. We love you all and think of you everyday.
Jamata ne.
Mom

Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers. I will contine to post progress and changes.
We love you all.

3 comments:

The Alleman Family said...

Mckenzie, I am so glad they are safe, as well as all of the other missionaries. As I watch the news and they show the devastation I feel so much sorrow for the people, and then as I read your moms letters, they sound like they are such strong people! I am keeping all of them in my prayers, and please thank your parents for everything they are doing!

Natalie said...

We are so grateful they are okay. Thanks for the update. Love you.

The Swifts said...

So glad to hear your parents are okay, we have been thinking of them.