Elder Micah Baird is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and was called to serve in the Philippines Tacloban Mission.   He entered the Missionary Training Center in August, 2012, and arrived in the Philippines in October 2012.    His first assignment was in Albuera, Leyte, where he was hospitalized with Dengue Fever in November 2012.  His next assignments were in Gandara, Samar, and then San Roque (Tolosa), Leyte.

While in San Roque, he and his missionary companion (Elder Kyle Oakes from Olympia, Washington) encountered Super Typhoon Haiyan (or Yolanda as it was known in the Philippines) on Friday morning, November 8, 2013.  The eye of the storm passed directly over them.   While they made it through the typhoon uninjured, the winds and storm surge destroyed their home and most of their possessions.  After assisting some of those around them in the clean-up efforts, they made their way to Tacloban City–a journey of about 20 miles–arriving on Sunday evening, November 10.  Two days later, they were evacuated to Manila, arriving with little more than the clothes they were wearing.

Elder Baird returned home to Minnesota to recuperate from the experience.  (His return was delayed a few weeks when the service bureau tasked with obtaining his exit visa lost his passport.)  In January 2014, he was temporarily reassigned to the Philippines Bacolod Mission.  On January 27, 2014, he journeyed back to the Philippines to complete the remaining nine months of his missionary service.  On March 21, 2014, Elder Baird returned to the Philippines Tacloban Mission.

Elder Baird after he returned to the Philippines