It’s always a bit of a booster shot for me, testimony-wise, when I see things like this month’s Ensign message. In an article that appears to have been prepared long before Katrina was around, President Monson delivers a message that is tailored for members dealing with grief and loss. He discusses an incident, years past, in which little children died, writing:
There is one phrase which should be erased from your thinking and from the words you speak aloud. It is the phrase ‘If only.’ It is counterproductive and is not conducive to the spirit of healing and of peace. Rather, recall the words of Proverbs: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.’
He goes on to note:
There is only one source of true peace. I am certain that the Lord, who notes the fall of a sparrow, looks with compassion upon those who have been called upon to part–even temporarily–from their precious children. The gifts of healing and of peace are desperately needed, and Jesus, through His Atonement, has provided them for one and all.
He also discusses how we can draw comfort from the Atonement and from the knowledge that our families can be together forever. It’s an incredibly timely message. The media outlets and blogs are already hip-deep in the game of “what if?” President Monson’s message reminds us that we as members should avoid such harmful recrimination, and focus on healing and on trusting the Lord. And as this Apostle assures us, comfort and healing after any loss — including this tragedy — can come, through the Atonement of Christ, and through the comforting presence of the Spirit.
Thanks for your comments, Kaimi. I just read President Monson’s article earlier this evening and had many of the same thoughts you did.
Yes, the article was originally prepared as a talk for the October 1998 General Conference, which occurred less than two months after those five little girls in Utah died. I remember that tragedy quite well.
What five little girls? I can’t remember that.
To clarify, I was referring to the deaths of the same little girls mentioned in President Monson’s article:
“One hot August day some years ago, there occurred a tragedy in Salt Lake County. It was reported in the local and national press. Five beautiful little girls—so young, so vibrant, so loving—hiding away, as children often do in their games of hide-and-seek, entered the trunk of a parent’s car. The trunk lid was pulled shut, they were unable to escape, and all perished from heat exhaustion.”
Funeral held for 5 girls