Tragedy and Triumph

There have been a lot of events recently throughout the world that have caused me to reflect on the nature of mankind, the choices that people make, and the effects of tragic events in general. From the Boston Marathon attack to the tornado that tore apart Moore, Oklahoma to the sickening murder of a British soldier in the streets of London, many things have given us all cause to mourn.

Although I mourn for the lives that have been lost and torn apart by tragedy, yet I have hope for mankind. I know that both God and Satan are real, and I see every day the influence of both of them in my life and the lives of those around me. Some people lose faith in God when they see the suffering that they have to experience. This doesn't need to happen. When we understand God's plan more completely, we can draw nearer to Him when tragedy strikes instead of pushing Him away.

I know that God's plan for us is dependent on the principle of agency. God will not force us to choose His ways, and so He allows us to make bad choices. However, He prepared a way for us to repent of the bad choices that we make through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ.

As time goes on, we will see a continuing polarization in the society of the world. There are going to be frequent causes to mourn. However, it is essential that we also see the reasons to rejoice. Look for the courage and strength of those who are helping and those who are standing up to the sources of evil and tragedy. Recognize the first responders, honor the victims who show the strength of the human soul, praise the people who sacrifice time, sweat, blood, and money to give to those who have lost so much. Choose to be among those who help. You never know when you might be the one suffering and feeling eternally grateful for someone giving to help you.

God loves you. He always has, He always will. The worth of every human soul is greater than the combined wealth of the entire world. Let us treat each other with that knowledge in mind.

Dealing with Tragedy in Boston

I absolutely love living here in Boston. The people I have met here and the experiences that I have had are treasured blessings in my life. Yesterday, there was a shadow of grief that was cast over our city alongside the joys and triumphs of the Boston Marathon, one of the greatest annual sporting events. If you are suffering right now, please reach out to me. I would love to provide comfort for you in any way that I can, even if that just means a listening ear for you to talk to.

My biggest hope and prayer in this time of tragedy in Boston is that each of us can soften our hearts and become closer to God through these experiences that we have. As more details are revealed and we discover who is responsible for these acts of violence, may we all find the courage and strength to forgive them.

I do not mean for mercy to rob justice, for that is not how God works. There are consequences that come as a result of committing such acts, and it should be so. However, I also know that filling ourselves with hatred, anger, and bitterness will not help anyone. Those emotions are like poison filling our souls, and they will only serve to create sadness in our lives. God has given us our agency, and we are free to choose. Although we do not choose to be struck by tragic events, we can choose how we respond to them.

The Savior taught us during the Sermon on the Mount how we should treat our enemies, found in Matthew 5:43-45:

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

God has also spoken to us about forgiveness through His modern Apostles. James E. Faust, an Apostle who passed away on August 10, 2007, gave a marvelous talk about forgiveness. President Faust described what happened after the incident of the milkman who murdered five of the daughters of the Amish community, injured five others, and then took his own life. We can all learn a powerful lesson from the miraculous power of forgiveness that the Amish people had in their hearts because of their faith in Christ.

President Faust described another story that is particularly poignant, given the events that happened yesterday here in Boston (emphasis added).

Here in Salt Lake City in 1985, Bishop Steven Christensen, through no fault of his own, was cruelly and senselessly killed by a bomb intended to take his life. He was the son of Mac and Joan Christensen, the husband of Terri, and the father of four children. With his parents’ consent, I share what they learned from this experience. After this terrible deed, the news media followed members of the Christensen family around relentlessly. On one occasion this media intrusion offended one of the family members to the point that Steven’s father, Mac, had to restrain him. Mac then thought, “This thing will destroy my family if we don’t forgive. Venom and hatred will never end if we do not get it out of our system.” Healing and peace came as the family cleansed their hearts from anger and were able to forgive the man who took their son’s life.

Forgiveness, not anger or hatred, is the answer that will bring the peace that we are all seeking in this time of suffering. I hope that each person who reads this will turn to the Lord and ask for His help in being able to find forgiveness. Peace and comfort will surely come through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace.