Things on the eastern part of our mission have been rather interesting the past 24 hours. Three companionships from Beaumont were moved several days ago to a member's home in Sour Lake, Tx. As the reservoirs rose and officials needed to release water from those reservoirs, it created additional flooding around the Beaumont, Sour Lake and Orange areas. This flooding also made it difficult to get from one city to another because of impassible roads. Then the Beaumont water treatment plant went down. In Sour Lake the power was lost, and cell towers went down and because of the flooding, there was no way for anyone to get out or into the Sour Lake area.
President Johnny Ross, 2nd Counselor in T.H.E. Mission Presidency, lives in Vidor. He has 4 missionaries that live next to him in apartments. Because of the Hurricane threat, he also was housing 4 additional missionaries who were displaced at the beginning of the week. President Ross got resourceful and through a miracle came upon a group from Bountiful, Utah who had helicopters providing rescue missions. He told these men our concerns for these missionaries being stranded with no direct communication. They immediately flew over to Sour Lake and were able to helicopter these 6 missionaries back to Vidor. President Ross ended up with 14 missionaries in his home. He is unbelievably giving person and we couldn't function without him.
The power was out in Vidor and neighboring Beaumont was without any running water or power so President Ross and President Hewlett were able to get the 14 missionaries over to Lake Charles, LA where things were much better (Things are fine in North Lake Charles, north of I-10).
In addition, the Orange Elders were also evacuated a few days ago and are safe and living with the missionaries in Welsh, just outside of Jennings LA.
Here is a list of those missionaries.
Sour Lake Elders evacuated by Helicopter and now safe in Lake Charles: Elders Bott, Dowdle, Mickelson, Remund, Penrod, Kent.
Additional missionaries moved from Vidor to Lake Charles: Sisters Adams and Wilcock. Elders Anderson, Storey, Archibald, Lyle, Stevens, Barlow.
Orange Elders moved to Welsh, LA with Jennings Elders: Elders Mooney, Post and Theobald.
The Lord continues to watch over our missionaries and take care of them. These truly are miracles which have taken place and we are grateful the Lord has provided for them.