A Day of Rememberance

July 2001: My mom, my bro, and I were in NYC trying to catch a glimpse of Lady Liberty (albeit her backside from Battery Park) on our way home from our New England trip when Matt wanted to see the twin towers and get a photo for some strange reason. So we drove by and I tried snapping a photo for him from the back window of the car. Sadly, all I could think about as we drove by was "isn't this the building that had a bomb attack a while back?"

Sept 11, 2001: I was in the Bellamy building when we were all told to leave our classes which were less than a mile from the 22 story capitol building (of a state with a governor who was the brother of the president). My seat was right at the door and the message to leave gave me goosebumps. Walking outside, you had a perfect glipse downtown and the capitol (this was before they allowed all the new highrises to be built). It was a day of uncertainty and disbelief.

So much has changed in my life since then. I've been engaged twice, graduated 3 times, was taught to gospel and became a mormon, met my eternal companion and was married, got 2 new kidneys, finally got my driver's license, learned to live on my own (but also learned that I don't like being on my own), learned to live with others (and try to love them), and most importantly learned that Heavenly Father has a plan for me even if it isn't what I think it should be.

Seveal months ago I met a man who was a first responder at the twin towers. He told me he shouldn't be alive. He had fallen 2 or 3 stories into the basement of one of the towers and somehow survived. He had been treated for injuries and evenually because of some antibiotics, his kidneys were damaged. He was at Shands as a potential transplant recipent and asked me a bunch of questions about the process. It was definitely a hubbling experience.

In the days after 9-11, I was on an astrology message board late one evening and one of the posts that struck me was one from someone who had a dream about the thousands of angels rising from ground zero. One of the replies was the interpretation of the souls who were lost that day being taken to a higher place.

Bryan and I just read Alma 14 where innocent people are burned for there beliefs and Alma is restrained by the spirit to be able to save them. In verse 11 he says to Amelek, "...The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day." I think about that and hope that both the souls of those we lost and their families and friends can find closure.

Bryan and I have been watching the Science Channels special "Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero." It's been really amazing what they have been working on. It will be awesome when they finally finish it all. And maybe in the next few years, we will get a chance to go visit and honor those we lost as well as those that have and are fighting for our freedom. And maybe I can once again see Lady Liberty, but this time up closer.

Charity and the Atonement (Knowledge VE3)

During State Conference, my thoughts were led to the Atonement. My testimony of the atonement has always been a more logical one rather than an emotional one. Knowing that the plan was set from the foundation of the world and that the atonement was necessary for us to return to our Heavenly Father, it is difficult for me to get upset about it. It is, however, humbling to know that no one else was strong enough or perfect enough to be able to take on that burden except Jesus Christ.

Teaching Sunday School and Family History helped me understand that all concepts in the gospel lead back to the Atonement. Without it, the blessings of the temple, exaltation and eternal life would not be possible. The priesthood and the purpose of the Earth would be in vain.

Today in Sunday School, another thought came to me. We were discussing the Epistles of Paul and I began to think about how Charity is the basis of all the laws and commandments, for Christ taught, “...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt 22:37-40) We are asked to be like Christ and love each other as Christ and our Heavenly Father love us. John 3:16 comes to mind: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

After some scripture searches, I was reminded of Moroni 7: 33-48 when he talks about faith and how faith comes from the hope “through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal” but “he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing...”

It reminds me that charity is ultimately behind the atonement. Moroni defines charity as “the pure love of Christ.” This to me is a love that is so perfect that it could only be defined by an action such as the atonement and brings an even deeper meaning to being charitable and Christ-like. Moroni implores us to “cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail...” but charity "endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.”