Email received April 9, 2012



So I'm am sure that y'all are wondering about the tornadoes that happened in Dallas this last Tuesday.... so let me tell y'all what I experienced.
  
   Sister Walker and I were in a lesson with a less-active member. She was getting calls on her phone like crazy, and so were we, but we just kept teaching the lesson and didn't think anything of it.  As we were leaving the house we passed a neighbor on the sidewalk. She started interrogating us where we were headed and told us that a tornado warning was out and that we probably needed to take shelter. It was then that we heard the tornado sirens.  That was a pretty crazy experience because I have never heard them before. It is kinda like a super eerie ambulance that just keeps going off. The sound is even worse when the sky outside is getting blacker by the minute.  We jumped in our car to head home even though we were the furthest away that we could possibly be from our home in our area.  While I was driving home, Sister Walker checked the phone and we had missed calls and texts from everyone including our district leader (a couple of times) and Sister Hale (the member we live with). We called Sister Hale back and she told us to hurry home as fast as we could because the weather station had 3 bad areas of the storm and our area was just between 2 of the major storms. The district leader had instructions that all missionaries needed to stay inside until the storms cleared up for the day.

   We finally made it home and talked about what we would do and where we would go if a tornado did actually start coming our way. Sister Walker and I tried to finish up our companion study from that morning, but we were just way too distracted and nervous about being upstairs in our room.  We spent the next few hours downstairs talking and watching the storm outside with Sister Hale and Grandpa Bud.  We eventually were able to leave the home again and finish up our missionary work for the day. The tornadoes never touched down in our area. Although it was storming really badly, were we lived stayed right between 2 of the bad storm areas, so we ended up being just fine. It was all a very interesting experience especially for never having been in an area with possible tornadoes before. the feeling that a tornado could be coming at any moment is kinda scary, but I know that the Lord will protect His missionaries and keep them out of harms way if that is his will. I am glad that no one was hurt too badly or killed though.


  We talked to the mission office a few days later, and Sister Penniston said so many parents had called and emailed the mission because they were worried about their children. All of the missionaries are alright with no injuries. Many of the Elders in areas closer to where the tornadoes did touch down have been helping with the clean-up efforts.  Here's a funny story about the tornadoes though... when I was in my last area of Grand Prairie with Sister Cole and Sister Heaton, Sister Cole said that she wanted to see a tornado (not super close though) and so for a couple days in a row Sister Heaton prayed that Sister cole would be able to see a tornado.  Well Grand Prairie did have a tornado touch down. It didn't ruin very much, but it did get close by to where my last companions were taking shelter in a bathroom.  I don't know if Sister Cole got to "see" the tornado, but she did get to experience one as she wished for. I guess it just goes to show that God really does answer prayers.


   I would apologize for the scare that this caused everyone that I could possibly have been in danger of a tornado, but I can't really do that since it wasn't my choice. Maybe y'all should ask for an apology from Sister Heaton since she prayed to get one here, haha.  I am safe. No tornadoes touched down near-by me. All is well!

The rest of the week has been pretty uneventful considering the tornado scare. We just keep doing a lot of tracting lately to try and increase our investigator pool. Easter was pretty good yesterday. One of the members feed us a delicious dinner for Easter. She is the best cook and although most of it was healthly, she jsut made us keep eating and eating. She even sent us home with little Easter packages of cookies after feeding us pie and ice cream for dessert.  We were SO full!!  Nothing else too excting has happened this week. Just working as a missionary and planting seeds to bring people to the gospel.
   
Thanks for the letters that everyone has been sending me. I appreciate the kind thoughts and the words of encouragement. I also love hearing about what is happening back at home. This week I got letters from Nana and Papa, Aunt Karen, Ean and Tom.  Thank y'all so, so much!!!

I know that this church is true! It is only through Christ's Atonement that we can each be saved from physical death and from spiritual death. Even though Easter has passed, don't let a day go by without thinking of what our Savior has done for you in His infinite and eternal mercy.  Christ has given us the best present that any of us could ever receive and we should continually be grateful for that.  Even though missionary work can be difficult, I know that what I am doing is right. I know that I need to share the message of Christ and His restored gospel with everyone that will listen.  This message is so important!

I love y'all! I hope and pray that everything is going okay for everyone and that you are being blessed.
Love Sister Peck  

PS- the picture is of me and Sister Walker tracting yesterday in the pouring rain on Easter. Happy Holiday!