REMEMBERING

December 7th, 1941 was the beginning of many sufferings.

Generations later, we still commemorate it

on Pearl Harbor day.

On September 11th of 2001, I was in southern Connecticut.

Almost everyone in Connecticut knew someone who usually commuted to work in or near the World Trade center.

It was only about 40 minutes away.

We could see the smoke in the red sunset that night.

It was shocking.

And these few years later,

the dust having settled, many have forgotten.

The Twin Towers is, for my generation, our equivalent to the Pearl Harbor attack. With the help of Heaven, and largely based on the choices of each of us and our fellow countrymen, there will not be something worse forthcoming.

Some wish to hide from the necessity of defending our country from those who would be very pleased to kill us all, if given the chance.

Some do not even care to vote.

I have pain and I have no voice to speak, when I think of their forgetfulness.

I know some people who are opposed to war because they don't like to think about people killing each other, and willfully forget about those who have died in the cause of war. They forget the soldiers who served and laid down their lives for our freedoms. When someone dies for a good cause, it's worth remembering, as God asks us to always remember Jesus Christ who served us and died for the greatest cause of all.

A scripture in The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, teaches us that the voice of the people is the indicator of whether the people are ripe for destruction. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/29/#27 When each of us uses our voice, in voting, in prayer, or in any other way, supporting good or supporting evil, we fulfill that scripture for ourselves.

In grade school, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance was just something we were expected to do. I knew the flag was special, and that we were not supposed to desecrate it, but I didn't really realize why.

In recent years, I have had few but precious opportunities to recite the pledge of allegiance at various functions. As an adult, knowing what the words mean, it is completely different, and very moving for me. If it's been a while for you, since you've said the Pledge of Allegiance, I would highly recommend the experience.

May we cry unto God always for His support!

Iwo Jima memorial photo by Lisa Aul