Sad

I don’t know if I’m up to writing this sad post today, but this is weighing so heavily on my mind. This sad story involves the family of our daughter-in-law. Her brother and sister-in-law live in the small community of Sweet, Idaho. Just over a year ago, their three teenage children and two of their friends slid off the road and into a reservoir on their way to school. All five of the teenagers drowned. This tragic accident rocked their little community to the core. As if losing three of their children that day were not enough, the Walker family was still grieving the loss of a younger sibling who was run over by a construction vehicle just a few years before. This little community of about 1,000 residents has rallied around these two families in a way that is hard to imagine. On Saturday, another tragedy rocked their world. They were having a “clean-up” day at the cemetery where these children are buried. A man and his three children who were on their way to the work project were hit by a runaway pipe trailer and their truck was thrown into the river. The father and two little girls drowned. Within a few days, three more beloved friends in that community will lie in that very cemetery.

I’m so grateful for a church that provides answers to the really big “Why’s” of life. I’m grateful for the knowledge we have of the purpose of life and Heavenly Father’s plan for us. I’m grateful for the comfort and understanding that sustain us through the difficult times of our lives. Our daughter-in-law shared this email from her sister-in-law. I felt comforted just reading it.

“It took me several times to gather my emotions
together enough to walk into that hospital emergency
room last night.  There in the same room that my three
children lay just over a year ago,I saw a mother with
her arms around two little girls.  The look was also
all too familiar.  Faces once so full of life and fun
now stilled.  Their little bodies broken.  It was a
reminder again that these bodies are not who we are. 
They are oh so very temporary and fragile.  


Emily and her family have shown such strength and it is always
amazing to see that the Lord gives us what we need to
handle anything that comes to us...even tragedy.  We
had a wonderful testimony meeting today in our ward. 
Lots of tears.  The reality of the atonement and the
assurance of a resurrection and life with our
families is something that I do not think that our
little ward takes for granted.  We are all comforted
in the knowledge that HE is over all and that HE could
have easily stopped this accident just as he could
have stopped my own children from leaving us that day
last year.  

Please keep Emily Coburn's family and friends in your
thoughts and prayers....that is what helps the very
most.  I know....I have been there.  I will miss
seeing those beautiful little faces in my primary
every week and knowing that there are some things that
do not make sense....but we must have faith that there
is purpose in all things.”

Hug your kids today!