{"id":575,"date":"2021-01-05T23:13:50","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T23:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/?p=575"},"modified":"2025-11-24T14:18:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T14:18:51","slug":"the-hope-of-easter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/?p=575","title":{"rendered":"“Where Can I Turn for Peace”"},"content":{"rendered":"

On September 11, 2001, when terrorists killed almost 3,000 innocent people and caused over $50 billion of property damage, my wife and I were on a business trip to Washington DC.\u00a0 When the plane crashed into the Pentagon building, we were in our hotel, about 2 miles away.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

My meetings were cancelled but we\u00a0<\/span>couldn’t<\/span>\u00a0get\u00a0a return flight to the West Coast because all planes were grounded for the next 6 days.\u00a0 We watched the terrible replays on TV of the planes hitting the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, and saw people jump to their deaths.\u00a0 We watched the broadcast of the touching memorial service at the National Cathedral.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

It was very eerie to wander the deserted city of Washington DC and see armed soldiers with Humvees at all the major intersections.\u00a0\u00a0 The nation was grieving, somber and unsure of the future.\u00a0 People did not know where to turn for peace. \u00a0If you are old enough, you remember the feeling.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

So it is when we face the death of someone who is dear to us.\u00a0 We grieve, we are somber, we are unsure of the future of loved ones and we yearn for peace.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

As a parent, I want my children and grandchildren to understand what I consider to be of utmost importance when they have to deal with my death or the death of anyone else that is dear to them.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

These are the 5 things I consider to be the most important facts about death:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. When Peter rushed to the Garden Tomb after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, he discovered something very important\u2026it was empty. It was empty because Jesus Christ had resurrected; the first person on this earth to do so.\u00a0 More importantly, we all will resurrect because of Christ.\u00a0 Death is a just a temporary separation from our family and friends.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Neal A. Maxwell was the former Executive Vice-President of the University of Utah and died of leukemia. He said this, \u201cDeath is a mere comma, not an exclamation point!\u201d\u00a0 Since death is something that not even the most powerful and intelligent people on earth can control or adequately explain, death takes on a very sinister and mysterious aura.\u00a0 With greater understanding that life is eternal, we realize that death is just a door to another, better life.\u00a0 Death is not the most important event in our existence.\u00a0 It is inconsequential compared to how we lived our life.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. There is no doubt that death brings sorrow and pain for those who are left. Russell M Nelson (Former director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and one of a team of doctors which created the first heart-lung machine) explains that, \u201cThe only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.\u201d\u00a0 If we look at the death of a loved one from this aspect, we mourn because we l<\/span><\/strong>oved; and love is the most important thing of all.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. It is our solemn obligation to show our support for those who are left to mourn. Of course, we weep for the loss of them that die, we mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.\u00a0 We follow the example of Christ when he asked John to care for his mother, Mary, as he was being crucified.\u00a0 We must care for those who are unable to care for themselves upon the death of their support.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. When faced with death, there is no comfort without a belief in a benevolent creator. The separation is complete and permanent if there is no God.\u00a0 The song, \u201cWhere Can I Turn For Peace, by Emma Lou Thayne, explains the truth so well.\u00a0 These are a few very meaningful stanzas:<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
            Where, when my aching grows,<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
            Where, when I languish,<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
            Where, in my need to know, where can I run?<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
            Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
            Who, who can understand?<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
            He, only One.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

            Only in Jesus Christ can we find \u201cthe peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.\u201d (Phil 4:7)\u00a0 I also know from my own personal experience, as I was at death\u2019s door, that God visits his people in their afflictions.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

            In conclusion, I end with my favorite poem on the subject:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

            What is this thing that men call death,<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            This quiet passing in the night.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            \u2019Tis not the end, but genesis<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            Of better worlds and greater light.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            O God, touch Thou my aching heart,<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            And calm my troubled, haunting fears.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            Give strength and peace beyond my tears.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            There is no death, but only change.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            With recompense for victory won;<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            The gift of Him who loved all men,<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            The Son of God, the Holy One.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 – Gordon B. Hinckley<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
            \u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

            I am grateful for my understanding of the Lord\u2019s plan of salvation, which is a plan of happiness.\u00a0 Death is not a mysterious monster.\u00a0 It is the doorway to greater happiness.\u00a0 It gives me peace that, in the end, all will be right and I can enjoy the company of my family and friends for eternity \u2013 all because of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            On September 11, 2001, when terrorists killed almost 3,000 innocent people and caused over $50 billion of property damage, my wife and I were on a business trip to Washington DC.\u00a0 When the plane crashed into the Pentagon building, we were in our hotel, about 2 miles away.\u00a0 My meetings were cancelled but we\u00a0couldn’t\u00a0get\u00a0a return […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=575"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1723,"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575\/revisions\/1723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}