Bishop Mark Adkins, Stake Conference, 26 April 1998, Sunday Session
I was sitting in the bedroom watching TV and the forecast. The sirens were going off. My daughter kept saying, “I think we should go downstairs.” I kept looking out the windows and saying, “It looks quiet here.” My son came home from home teaching, “I just heard there were tornadoes that actually hit St. Peter!” So my son and I got in our car and went there. We were able to get past the roadblock. As we approached the city, I expected a few windows to be out. I was unprepared for a disaster. We parked the car and made our way to members’ homes. We’re grateful most of our members’ homes were standing. The damage was mostly minimal–roofing, glass, dents in cars. I am so grateful for the opportunity we had to serve. At 6 am, I was being called by the area disaster relief unit and regional welfare, positions I didn’t even know existed, and I was coordinating with the area and the church. I called the Red Cross and asked what we could do. I got an assignment for 2000 sack lunches the next day. That morning a truck from the Bishop’s Storehouse came. About 150 volunteers showed up and produced 2200 sack lunches and we were able to deliver them to St. Peter by 11 am. Twenty missionaries came back and were sent as caseworkers for the Red Cross. Their relief people said how appreciative they were to the church for being willing to respond to such disasters. I got calls from bishops, stake presidents, and branch presidents throughout the stake, asking what they could do to help. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to provide service, in particular to ward members who were in such need at that time. I bear testimony that this is the Church of Christ, and I see the hand of the Savior in every aspect of the gospel.