Tornado Season

When it rains it pours! Well, living in Missouri is literally living in between two tornado alleys. The two main tornado alleys in the United States are Tornado Alley and Dixie Alley. Tornado Alley is the more widely known region, characterized by high tornado frequency in the central plains. Dixie Alley, on the other hand, refers to the region of the lower Mississippi Valley, including states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

Tornado Alley:

• Location:Traditionally, Tornado Alley extends from Texas northward through Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, often including neighboring states like Missouri. 
• Characteristics:This region is known for its unique combination of geographic and meteorological factors that make it prone to tornadoes. 
• Recent Trends:While traditionally associated with the central plains, research suggests that tornado activity may be shifting eastward and that the “danger zone” is growing, impacting more states to the east (like Missouri)

Dixie Alley:

Recent Trends:Dixie Alley has seen increased tornado activity, with some experts suggesting a shift in tornado activity away from the traditional Tornado Alley towards the southeast and Midwest, towards Missouri. 

Location:Dixie Alley encompasses the lower Mississippi Valley, stretching from eastern Texas and Arkansas to Alabama, Georgia, and portions of Tennessee, Kentucky, and South Carolina. 

Characteristics:Tornadoes in Dixie Alley can be powerful and long-tracked, sometimes occurring in densely populated areas. 

Well, when we prayed about coming on a mission we prayed to have the FULL mission experience! Needless to say our prayers have been answered! Gratefully we are no longer living in Mound City,Kansas in the mobile home. or our second floor Shawnee apartment. We are as snug as a bug in a rug in our ground floor Liberty apartment. minus all the water!

Our happiest news this week was that our granddaughter Phoebe came to visit for a couple of days. We visited every park close by and had a wild time.

Phoebe loves watermelon! So Sister Sheffield and Phoebe ate a whole small sized watermelon between the two of them.

On her list of things to do was to make mini muffins, AKA tiny Cupcakes, underneath the frosting and sprinkles are tiny chocolate chips. Phoebe wanted to make sure that we made enough for her to take home to her brother and sister! Rhys is too little for mini muffins.

We went shopping, and found these princess high heels that Phoebe just couldn’t live without. When Nonna (Sister Sheffield) asked her what she thought her mom would say when she saw the shoes we bought…she paused thoughtfully and then said “Put those back”!

We got the first Phoebe snuggles of the day! and when Nonna said “We have plenty of time, you don’t need to hurry.” Phoebe said, “That’s exactly what my mom says!”

We did prepare, cook and feed lunch and dinner to the new incoming missionaries. And prepare cook and feed lunch and dinner to the Missionaries returning home.

We survived another transfer saying good bye to Harmana Nacey, Elder Spicer, and Èlder Romney! We got Elder Purcell back and Elder Sturgis who will be serving in the Liberty YSA for one transfer before he returns home. this transfer he will be speaking English instead of Spanish.

On Sunday, Bishop Ritchie told us the YSA ward was getting 2 Sister Missionaries along with the 2 Elders, and of course us. Funny that we spent 2 whole days with President and Sister Sommerfeldt and they never mentioned a thing. So now serving in the Liberty YSA are Elder and Sister Sheffield, Elder Sturgis, Elder Tanner, Sister Priddis, and Sister FLetcher.

Hermana Bowlby and Hermana Seegmiller had a baptism on Sunday. Denis was baptized. We were able to help by producing the programs.

We have only 3 more transfer before the transfer that we return home! We miss you all and hope you haven’t forgotten us! When you picture us, imagine us pedaling as fast as we can on a bicycle build for 2 with our little dog Toto in the front basket. While the winds howl and blow. Someday we will be able to say “We are not in Kansas, (or Missiouri) any longer.”