In the Paths of Righteousness

Yesterday my teenage daughter remarked what a crazy few weeks it has been here. First we had the shooting of Charlie Kirk in Utah and then a good brother in our ward went missing (and we still do not know what happened to him). Then this past weekend we had the passing of President Nelson and the terrible tragedy of Church members in Michigan. President Oaks recently commented that President Nelson’s teachings will “continue to guide us and help us find comfort amid suffering, especially in the wake of the recent violence aimed at members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan this past Sunday.” He added, “May we all remember the truth that each of us is a beloved child of God. Our Savior Jesus Christ, through His infinite Atonement, overcame death and gives us the joyful assurance that each of us will be gloriously resurrected.” Elder Bednar visited Michigan yesterday, likely asked to go by President Oaks, and mourned with the Saints there affected by this terrible tragedy. He said, “I don’t think words are enough. The brethren wanted to have one of us come because if we show up, I think that says more about our love for these people and our support then all of the sermons we could ever preach.” He shared a message about the Savior and taught that the purpose of the gospel is to strengthen us: “He gives us the strength from heaven to be able to deal with these kinds of hard situations and learn the lessons that can be learned.” Of those impacted by this event he said, “They have loved ones who may have died, but they’re not dead. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, every human being that now lives, ever has lived, ever will live, will be resurrected, and there is hope in that eternal truth. So that’s part of the message that I hope they will understand.” He sought to bring comfort to these faithful Saints who are mourning and summarized, “I don’t know if I’ve done any good coming here to be with them, but (in) my coming here, they have blessed me richly."

                President Oaks and Elder Bendar’s words encourage us to turn to Savior in these difficult times, seeking to move forward in a positive way. I think we can learn from a similar experience of members of the church in Nephite society in the early days of Alma the Younger. They had two similar events in close proximity: King (and prophet) Mosiah passed away about 91 BC. Their government system changed as he had set up, and then in that same year a terrible act of violence took place. Nehor came preaching against the teachings of the Savior, and “Gideon withstood him with the words of God.” This angered Nehor, and “he was wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite him. Now Gideon being stricken with many years, therefore he was not able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword” (Alma 1:9). This was the same Gideon who had done so much to serve his people when they were in bondage to the Lamanites, and he must have been well known among the people. His death was surely a shock to the Nephites as they wondered how such a thing could happen. I think we see, though, one way that they responded to this tragedy in a very positive way. About eight years later, Mormon recorded that Alma left Zarahemla to go preach at a place called Gideon: “Alma had made these regulations he departed from them, yea, from the church which was in the city of Zarahemla, and went over upon the east of the river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon, there having been a city built, which was called the city of Gideon, which was in the valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword. And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the church which was established in the valley of Gideon” (Alma 6:7-8). Though it doesn’t say exactly when the city was built, I’m guessing that they started it after Gideon’s death as a tribute to him. It was a way for them to build on his memory and create a positive thing from a terrible loss. What’s even more important than the fact that they built a city is that they were righteous in that city. Alma told them, “For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his paths straight” (Alma 7:19). Their example teaches us that the best way to respond to tragedy is to build from it and to commit even further to walk in the paths of righteousness, remembering and honoring those who have been lost. Surely the people in Gideon thought often on the name of their city and who Gideon was as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Like them, we too can remember the good of those who have died and build on their legacy of faith and devotion to the Savior.