How we survived the Michigan Ice Storm of 2006

As we knocked, we heard lightning hitting all around us. It was fierce and terrifying. An even more terrifying sound was the crashing of limbs on roofs, cars, power lines, and the sidewalks we were walking on. We saw several branches crash down across the street or where we had knocked. Several times we thought of turning back, but our determination (or stupidity) kept us working. We were trying to get sympathy so we could come in and teach, but none came.

Then we knocked on a house where a man answered. He told us he had the Sisters over and had read the Book of Mormon! However, he said he wasn't interested in hearing our message. We left that house and walked on. We went to the sidewalk, and were almost to the neighbors driveway when I saw a large puddle in their driveway. I was watching where I was stepping (the puddles were deep and cold!) but something made me look up. As I lifted my head, I saw Elder Sheffield walking nearer to the road than me and I saw something that stopped me dead in my tracks: a power line lying in the puddle! I told Elder Sheffield, "Stop! There's a power line right in front of you." To which he responded, "Oh, that wouldn't have been good." We decided to turn around right then and walk back to the car, about three blocks away.

We took only a few steps when we heard a CRACK!!! and looked up to see a massive branch come crashing down about ten feet from us right on top of a car. It was amazing. We walked up to the gentleman's house and knocked. We told him, "Sir, I think you should tell your neighbor a huge branch just fell on top of his car and trashed it." He looked over and shook his head. He said, "Nope, that's mine."

We got back to the apartment safe enough, though the roads were so slick we almost slid off several times. At one time we had to go onto the other side of the road to get around a fallen tree that had crashed down onto our lane. Driving in the dark in unknown country roads was difficult, and we nearly became lost at an intersection if we hadn't said a prayer and waited for the Spirit to give us the "Left" whisper we needed.

It was something I have never before seen. A sea of glass, with rainbows reflecting off branches and the blue sky in the background. Everything was encased in ice. An amazing beauty you have to see with your own eyes to believe and appreciate. The ground was a sheet of ice sprinkled with snow. It looked like The March of the Penguins it was so cold.

It's good to hear from you. I'm safe. We're okay.