News from Ty

Dear Family,

 

I am ok.  The first and foremost thing, I am ok.  So here's what happened. 

We were visiting a former investigator, on the fourth floor of an apartment complex.  We were doing some housing, knocking on doors, and one of the metal doors that houses electricals and stuff beside us started clanging.  We were a little bit confused and the the building started to shake.  Not just rumbling either, it was shaking.  So we ran down the stairs and outside to what seemed to be the clearest area that we could see.  It wasn't much because we were in an area with lots of apartment buildings.  But when we got out the ground was violently shaking.  Like so much that you could lose your balance just standing there.  It was really scary.  So my companion and I said a prayer and then waited.  It didn't stop right away.  It shook for another 5 minutes and then subsided.  We decided that anymore housing was not a good idea.  So as we were riding back to our apartment, it shook again.  Part of the thing about it was that it knocked out our cell phone so we had no way of contacting anyone.  Eventually we were able to, and let everyone know that we were ok, but we were feeling tremors on and off for the rest of the night.  There was also a severe tsunami warning for the entire east coast of Japan so all the coastal area missionaries were told to get as far away as possible.  We found out that the earthquake originated in the Sendai Mission area and that it measured a 7 on the Richter Scale.  That is the cause for the Tsunami that hit the northern area of Japan and the reason for the severe tsunami warning for the Eastern Coast of Japan.  We made our equipment and necessaries ready before we went to bed and placed them by the door in case we needed to make a quick escape during the night.  Thankfully we didn't.  We were told by the president however to get a weeks worth of food and water just in case.  I don't think we'll be affected this far inland but we will just to be safe.  Things have really slowed down around here right now.  The trains especially.  But besides that Life is the same.  I am grateful for your concern and your prayers.  I love you all and will write you again on Tuesday if I have the chance (I probably will but right now we have to be prepared for anything).  Take care everyone.

 

Elder Ty Keith