a witness

When I first heard about the shootings in Connecticut, I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to deal with it. Honestly, I tried to ignore it.

But it's real, and it happened, in an elementary school. This is so awful. In a kindergarten class. What kind of awful person shoots children in a kindergarten class? It's terrible. So terrible and scary, and every time I found myself becoming impatient with my kids today, I quickly changed my tone and gave them a hug.

When these things happen, the only comfort I get is from the Book of Mormon. Alma and Amulek were preaching the gospel, and the people were so wicked they made a huge fire and burned the wives and children of the believers in the fire. Read particularly the last line of these verses from Alma 14:

10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.

11 But Alma said unto him: 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.

This is the only comfort I get, that I believe the Book of Mormon is true and it teaches me this. If nothing else, those innocent children will stand one by one and witness against the awful person that ended their lives. It's not fair.