Sad Day

I know I need to write this post but I really don't know where to begin as my mind and heart feels so empty.   A few weeks ago, actually a week before Christmas on Tuesday December 11th, there was a shooting at Clackamas Town Mall, just a few miles from where we live.  The same mall that I went to many times growing up and the same mall that I would take my kids there often to play in the inside playland. I was just there a few days prior buying a few things.  There were three deaths (one being the shooter) and one seriously injured.  My heart aches for those families that lost their love ones and all those who were in harms way that had to experience that terrible tragedy.  I went to the mall a few weeks after the shooting and there was a memorial set up for the victims.  People have also written notes to the families and were placed throughout the mall.  Daisy and I stopped for a moment and wrote a note to be place with the other notes. 

Then a few days after that shooting on Friday December 14th there was another shooting at an elementary school.  About 6 adults were killed and 20 children of which was mostly kindergarten and first grader children.  When I first saw the news on the internet, I immediately fell to my knees and sobbed. I cried for those parents who wouldn't be able to put their sweet children to bed that night, I cried for the children and other staff members who survived and witness that horrible tragedy.  I cried because anything can happen at any time to my children.  When I picked up Clark from school later that day, I cried and cried and wouldn't let him go.  I cried because I had MY child in MY arms and he was safe.  This sad story really hit home to me because Clark is in kindergarten.  He was the same age as those children.  Full of life, anxious to learn and so innocent. 

The media has moved on and is now covering other events but I still pray for those families because even if the media has moved on the families are still hurting and suffering and haven't moved on.  I am amazed of the out pouring of love all around the country and world.  Even as sad as this tragedy was, the gospel of Jesus Christ rings truer and louder than ever.  God lives and because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can and will be with our families again.  I am grateful for this knowledge and the peace it brings to me.  I pray that those families will come in contact with missionaries and come to know of this too.