A Sad Sunday

Dear Blog Friends,
We have just had a wonderful and busy 36 hours with our dear daughter, Lynell and our wonder boy Olympic hopeful, Johnny. They flew in late Friday night, attended the Peter Vidmar gymnastic invitational in LA yesterday, and then flew back home this morning before church. Johnny did an outstanding job.

I had intended to tell you about it and share the many smiles we had with them on my post today..... but... it will have to wait for a bit.... life has intervened....some friends have suffered a great loss.... my heart is heavy.... and I feel it inappropriate to do my usual Sunday Smiles post today, when their world has turned upside down.

We left Lynell and Johnny off at LAX and drove the 50 miles home quickly to go to church. We arrived after the first hour meeting was over and thought we would hurry in to our Sunday School class which had already started. I could tell that something was wrong when I first walked into the door. A number of our friends had not gone into Sunday School but were gathered in the halls, somber and crying.

I learned that while we were away, having a wonderful time, one of our friend's husband committed suicide. He has been depressed because he had lost his source of income in these hard economic times. He owned a car dealership that was failing. He leaves a wife, 11 and 13 year old daughters and some older children and stepchildren. He had been getting medical treatment for his depression. We all hoped he was feeling better.

Our sweet Young Women's President cancelled our regular lesson today. She brought in dozens of the little battery operated flicker candles and put them everywhere around the classroom. She spread blankets and pillows all over the floor. She invited the 13 year old daughter who is in our Young Women's class and the rest of her family to join us. We and all the young women gathered together and surrounded the grieving family with love.

The president told Lexi and her family how much we love them and how our hearts go out to them. She said we know that this is a dark and painful time for them.... but she said that there is always a flicker of light even in the darkest of times. She reminded us that God is our light and our hope. ... That in our darkest hours we are never alone....God is always there to support and to comfort. She said that each of us can also be a little flicker of light for them during the difficult time that lies ahead. She asked the girls and the leaders to speak up as we felt fit and tell Lexi and her family of our love, of our testimony and of ways we have found light during our dark hours.

We all expressed our love. We bore testimonies of the power and comfort of prayer. We assured Lexi and her family that they are not alone..... that we are and we will be there to help them get though this. Many tears were shed. The spirit in the room was strong and beautiful. The meeting ran over about 25 minutes. No one wanted for it to end.

I am thankful that I was invited to bear my testimony and be a part of that experience today. I think our Young Women's President was inspired to handle this sad time this way. It is hard to understand depression or how a loving husband and father could choose to leave his family in such difficult circumstances. I don't have any answers that make sense, but I do know that God loves all of His children. I know that life goes on after death and families are eternal. I am thankful for this knowledge.

I love sweet Alexis so much. It breaks my heart that she and her family have to go through this tragedy. I will do all I can to help this dear family in the hard times that will follow. Please add your prayers to ours on their behalf. Thanks, Lura

p.s. I will share my smiles with you at another time..... today is a time of reflection and prayer.