My friend posted this on Facebook the other day and it touched me deeply as I thought of the tragic events that happened in Aurora, Colorado on Friday. Ever since I heard about it I had gone back and forth about whether or not to let Braxton know about it.
Until seeing this I had felt like I needed to keep him in his peaceful sheltered bubble, but after reading this I realized that he is growing up in a scary world and by not educating him about what is going on around him I am missing the opportunity to prepare him fully to live in this world. So I pulled up a video and we talked.
After watching the video and hearing the governor speak of the medical community I had a profound and even spiritual experience. I shared with Braxton that there were many doctors and nurses who were in bed asleep resting for the next day who received calls asking them to come back to work and assist those who were wounded. There were police officers who responded quickly to the calls about the shooter. There was an entire community of policemen, firemen, medical staff, dispatchers, etc. who sprung into action to stop more chaos from happening and to help those in need to heal from the terror that had been caused by a man who is (for lack of a better word) deeply troubled.
Even in a terrible tragedy there was beauty and goodness and hope and light brought into this troubled world. It was such an important lesson not only for Braxton, but also myself. It's human nature to focus on the bad and allow it to cloud our vision, but when we seek after anything "virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy" we discover the tender mercies of the Lord. It is true that all things point to God.
There is a scripture in Moses 1:39 that says, "For behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." I believe that through this difficult time there will be many who will look to God for comfort. I believe that through this tragedy God will collect many of his children and help them to find the truth just as he has done with calamities before. I want to be clear. I do not believe that God in ANY way caused this young man to commit this horrific crime, but I do know that God has a goal to bring His children home and He will use this incient to do that. I am so thankful for a God who loves us enough to allow us to have struggles that will help us grow closer to Him.
At times such as this I am SO very thankful for the scriptures. I have heard it said that the man who committed this act should have been shot and killed in that very moment when the police arrived. Perhaps I would have felt the same way with out the influence of the scriptures. In Mosiah 28:1-4 it says,
"1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites -
2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.
3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
4 And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be cast off forever. "
After hearing this young man should have died this scripture came into my mind. Yes, this man did do a horrific crime. He will absolutely have to pay for his crimes against humanity. Although, after reading these scriptures I pray for the Lord to help this young man's soul. If we truly believe in Christ and His atonement then we will believe that this man can repent of his sins and I pray for that. For that reason alone I believe it was better that he was not killed. Perhaps God spared this young mans life for a purpose that we, His children, can not comprehend.
I pray for the families who have been affected by this crime to have peace brought to their hearts and minds. I pray that God will be with them and help them through this trial now and even in the years to come. I pray that the lessons I have learned about looking for the good even in these tragedies will stick with me through out my life. It is my desire to pass these ideas along to my children so that as they grow up and deal with an ever changing world that they will have the skills to overcome the challenges that will be theirs in the years to come.
I testify that God does know us and He is aware of our nation as we struggle. He is also aware of us individually. I know that if we are going to heal from this tragedy it will only be through His atonement. I am thankful for this knowledge and share these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
