Grieving President Nelson And Finding Light After Michigan Tragedy
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(OPINION) I went to sleep this past Saturday night with a heavy heart. Just before saying goodnight to my family, I had picked up my phone and saw an Instagram post stating that Russell M. Nelson, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had passed away just hours before. He had recently turned 101, so his passing was not wholly unexpected, but I felt a wash of grief hit me nonetheless.
President Nelson spent four decades of his life as a heart surgeon, and four more as an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which I am a member. Since 2018, he had served as the leader of the Church, a man whom I and other believers revere as a prophet of the Lord. He led with energy, optimism and a faith so strong it was almost tangible. And when he spoke, it was usually with a joyful twinkle in his eye.
If there’s one word that comes to my mind when I think of President Nelson, it’s “peacemaker.” He spoke often of the need to make peace, especially in this increasingly divided and vitriolic world.
In an op-ed published just a few weeks ago in TIME magazine, President Nelson wrote, “A century of experience has taught me this with certainty: anger never persuades, hostility never heals, and contention never leads to lasting solutions … Imagine how different our world could be if more of us were peacemakers — building bridges of understanding rather than walls of prejudice — especially with those who may see the world differently than we do.”
When I heard the news of President Nelson’s passing, I mourned the loss of that wise, grandfatherly, prophetic voice that I had come to know, love and trust.
A world still plagued by violence
Contrast President Nelson’s focus on peace to the shocking news I learned as I woke up the following morning, about an attack on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they attended their worship service in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
Any violence against innocent people is horrific, and because these were members of my faith community, it hit home even harder. Many of our chapels are built similarly, so it’s almost like I could see the carnage unfold in my mind’s eye.
I could picture where families might have been sitting, where adults would have rushed the children to safety, where elderly widows could have been huddled next to each other in terrified confusion. It’s a scene very real and very raw in my imagination, made even more so because — we all know it — it could happen anywhere. This world is that terrifying.
It wasn’t until the following day, when I was reading updates to the tragedy in Michigan, that I came across a tidbit of information — just a couple sentences — that cut through the dark weight of fear in my heart and helped me see a sliver of light.
A glimpse of light among the darkness
Nearby the church where the shooting and fire took place, there was a group of nurses on strike, picketing outside their hospital. As soon as they heard of the carnage unfolding, many of them ran from the picket line to help first responders.
“Human lives matter more than our labor dispute,” Teamsters Local 332 President Dan Glass told CNN.
And there it is: the triumph of light over darkness. The nurses, along with all the other first responders, instantly put aside their needs to help others. These modern-day Samaritans ministering to their brothers and sisters who had fallen by the way are a testament to me of the goodness that lies within the human spirit.
When push comes to shove, more people are good, more people are generous and more people are selfless than otherwise. There are more peacemaking people in this world than all the evil it can produce. Truly, “they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)
Choosing peace in a divided world
President Nelson once proclaimed, “The increasing darkness that accompanies tribulation makes the Light of Jesus Christ shine ever brighter.”
Those are words I’m hanging onto now, in the wake of heaviness and grief. Darkness can never overcome light. We can choose to be peacemakers. We can choose to follow the light within each of us.
As Jesus Christ, the very Prince of Peace, said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
This piece was originally published at FaVs News.
Julia Ditto has lived in Spokane Valley most of her life. A mom of six, Julia has a degree in journalism and has written for numerous publications over the years, including a column in The Spokesman-Review called “The Full Suburban.” When she’s not managing her small farm of cows, goats, alpacas and the occasional barn cat, Julia loves to bake and eat sweet treats, go on long walks, watch movies and spend time with her family. She is a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loves to discuss and share her faith.