Yesterday I had an "ah-ha" moment and I want to write it down before it slips out of my pregnant brain. The recent tragedies in Japan have been sad to watch on television. People are with out homes or even towns. Families are separated and people are dying. To top it off there is a threat of an even more amount of people dying with the nuclear plant problems going on. This truly is a tragedy that will be remembered as I grow older. We have made a special effort to pray for the people of Japan.

However, with these tragedies, the blessings of the Lord are more aparent in my life. Most importantly I have my family. I have the family Kyle and I have created and I also have the family I grew up in. This is not the case for many people in the world. In fact, the deterioration of the family does not seem to be as big a concern to the world. I do feel a majority of people want the family to succeed but there are some who are too concerned about open minded that they refuse to see how the family is falling apart. What was once considered bad is now considered good and what was once looked upon as good is now seen as bad. This is distressing to me as we raise our children in a world of conflict and turmoil.

There is a lot of injustice in the world. People are suffering all around us and I don't take this lightly. This causes some people to questions God's intentions. While pondering this last night I realized something new. These problems around the world are only temporary. OF COURSE they are tragic and sad and we should be doing everything we can to help our brothers and sisters but these things are of the world. Doctrine and Covenants 1: 38-39 says "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true,

and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen."

I cannot imagine losing Jack or Kyle and I don't know how I would deal with it. But, I am thankful for the understanding I have of eternal families. While the idea of living through tragedies does scare me, I know that it is only temporary. One day I will join my family again, death is just a temporary separation. The Lord sees this most clearly.

Isaiah 55:8 says "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways..."So even though we may experience great loss and tragedy in our lives, the Lord knows us. He knows what we feel. At times life may seem unjust and unfair. Innocent people suffer all the time, but we cannot see the full picture. The tragedies of this world are only temporary. All things will be made equal through the atonement of Christ. So while I pray for those in Japan and other areas of the world, I hope to always keep in focus what is most important-my family. While I understand that we will be separated for a short time, it will be for just a short time. I know families are eternal, they continue on after death, and I want to do everything in my power to make sure that happens for my family.

I hope I got my point across. Even though this life is a short stop through eternity, it is still our responsibility to help those in need.