Take a Moment To Reflect...

Back at home, in Lovell, our little community has been hit by tragedy. I know a lot of you know about this but I just feel the need to post about it. I was talking to my Dad on the phone last night and he said he felt like he was in a movie because he had two funerals and two weddings to go to. The happiest and saddest day for someone is all happening at the same time. Since our community is so small, everyone knows each other so well and it seems like everyone is effected by these events. Of course it's a joyous event for the two weddings that occurred this weekend. However, the two members of our community that have passed were not joyous events. One of our neighbors, Marilyn Tippetts, passed away from cancer. She lived a good and happy life and what a sweet lady she was. She battled with the cancer for years and was doing great, but sometimes our Father in Heaven has a different plan for us. The other member who passed was a boy of 19 years old. He was killed by a shooting accident on the mountain last weekend. His name is Brad Mickelson. Brad was a pretty fun kid with such a cute personality. My younger sister knew him very well and what a loss for all his friends and espically his family. Our Heavenly Father also had a different plan for him. It's the accidents like these that take us humans off guard. These are the ones that make us stop and think about our life's. It makes you more grateful for the blessing you have in life. It makes your heart ache for the family that has to go through it all. But there's the one thing that brings us peace and brings just that little ounce of hope that keeps us strong enough to hold on to life and to make it through our trials. The Atonement. I believe that Christ made it possible for us to be able to see our loved ones again in the life after this. It is more than hard to watch these families go through all the pain and heart ache, but knowing that little bit of information can pull people through the hardest of things. Christ knows what each and every one of us is going through and He is there to help us. The First Presidency message, "May We So Live," in the Ensign this month really hit home for Nick and I this week. For those who haven't, you should read it. It's almost like it was meant for our little community to have as a reminder for this month. Like I said, this event has made me SO grateful for the blessings in my life. I'm so grateful for such a wonderful husband who loves me and also for such an amazing family. I hope that each of you can take a moment today to reflect upon your life and the blessings you have in your life and be SOO grateful for them.