Not Cheating....Just Calling Home

Vacaville recently had a few tragedies.  There was a young man hit by a car, and two others were shot and killed.  I never met any of them, but from what I have heard from those that did, they are all amazing people. 

As I walk around talking to everyone I see, almost everyone knew one of them, or has heard about these unexpected deaths.  It is amazing to see how a community joins together, after an event like this.  Why does it take an event like these to unite people?  To often in our lives, myself included, we find ourselves so wrapped up in ourselves that it takes a tragedy to snap us back to reality.  To open our eyes seeing life is bigger than just "us".  " ...blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble..."

A few years before I came out on my mission my cousin Kailey passed away.  The young men who passed reminded me a lot of her.  My cousin alike these guys, were young, full of life, all around awesome people!  As I reflected on this, I thought about how I coped with my cousin's death.  I remember, it seemed like life flipped upside down.  The idea of how unfair was this crossed my mine.  There was a point where I was mad at God.  In an act of helplessness, I blamed Him.  Why did He do this?  Why would He let bad things happen to my cousin?

I found comfort when I found a story of a man with similar questions.  His name is Amulek, he is a prophet from ancient America. He and Alma were focused to watch many innocent and helpless women and children be burned.  Amulek pleads out " How can we witness this awful scene? "  Or in modern terms, how could this happen?  Alma replies to his question, "The Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory....be it according to the will of the Lord..."

I know God does not like to see His children suffer.  I know God loves each one of us.  For one reason or another some of our lives are shorter then others, then God brings us home.  Life at times can seem so unfair.  Things will happen that can't be explained.  There is no clear answer for it.  But I we can trust in God.  I know He is mindful of us, and has a plan.  I know He calls us home when it is our time.  I find peace in knowing that when bad things happen to good people, God is not cheating them; He is calling them home with open arms!