Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Be Not Afraid

Whenever Sept. 11 rolls around I always reflect and remember what that day was like for me in 2001. Will and I were still newly married and living in our cozy apartment. We were both in school and working. I remember when the radio alarm went off that morning the stations were all buzzing with what was going on in New York. I turned on the TV in time to see the tower fall.

I just remember feeling so confused and a little scared because it seemed so unclear as to what was going on. I spent that morning in a first-grade classroom (many of the children had been kept home) and then I headed over to the university for more classes. One of my classes that day happened to be my Book of Mormon religion class at institute.

As I was sitting there waiting for class to start and still kind of in shock mode, I opened my scriptures and found the notes I had taken on a talk given by President Hinckley the Sunday before. I scanned my notes and one phrase I had written jumped out at me...the words of the prophet, "Be not afraid, only believe." This was just the comfort I needed at that time. Almost instantly my fears were calmed and I knew that I did not need to be afraid.

We flew our flag and half mass today and I watched the Oprah special with the children that lost parents in 9/11, but whenever I think of that sad day I always remember the experience I had and the peace I was able to feel in such a crazy time.

1 comment:

Grandma Nelson said...

How fortunate we are to live on the earth while there is a prophet! We also watched, and enjoyed, the Oprah show. Our mutual went to a memorial held at one of the firestations. I hope we stay humble and never forget-9/11 and the words of a living prophet.