More than just a theory

Mark came home from school yesterday with a particular slump to his shoulders.  He looked sad.  He said, "School was hard today."

And I knew why.

Sunday night we got an email that there had been a student at his school who committed suicide.  Mark didn't know the student.  But yesterday afternoon, he said, "School felt different today."  I asked him if lots of people were talking about it (I had already advised him the night before that if he heard any rumors, to let them die with him).  Mark said, "Not really, but everyone was sad.  It just felt sad."

He didn't know how to express it any differently than that and I guess I wouldn't either.

I hadn't had lunch yet and Mark is always up for second lunch so I took him to Costa Vida.  We talked about his day.  He told me about different teachers and what they had said.  He told me with a small smile about what his friend had said in seminary.  His friend has autism and makes seminary interesting some days.  But yesterday, referring to the student who died, he said simply, "He's in heaven now."

Mark's seminary teacher said, "Yes, he is."

And they talked about it, which made me grateful for his seminary teacher.

I talked to Mark about the Resurrection and the power of Jesus Christ that allows us strength and the Holy Ghost that gives us comfort.  I hope and pray that the family of the boy who died can feel comfort from those sources.

Yesterday morning I talked to my mom who is having her own different kinds of struggles, health struggles.  We talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the way we truly learn to access that power when we have no where else to turn.

"Otherwise, it would just be a nice theory," I said.

Life can be hard and hard to understand though.  There's nothing nice about suffering.  I'm so grateful for help that reaches for us when we can't quite reach for ourselves.

Easter part II.  That was yesterday.