Where were you on that dreadful morning?
Well for me, it started early in the morning in my early
morning seminary class in Vista, California. My friend David showed up late and
said that he and his dad had just heard on the radio that a plane had crashed
into the World Trade Center. Being a sophomore in high school, age 14, I had no
idea what the World Trade Center was. I assumed it was a smaller building and
done by accident. We carried on with our lesson in seminary, we were just
beginning to learn about the Book of Mormon for the school year. The Book of
Mormon is a companion volume to the Bible for the Latter-day Saints. A book
full of prophets, just like the Bible, but in America. It tells of the ups and
downs of people following God.
At the end of seminary, I walked down to my high school just
a quarter mile away. It didn't faze me about the plane crash again until I got
in front of the band room door. All of us who normally hung out inside the band
room before school were stuck outside because the person with the band room
door key had not unlocked it yet. Everyone was chatty, even more than usual.
They were all talking about this plane and then a second plane. If it were today,
all those kids would have been crying in tears because of our smart phones,
giving us instant access. I went to my first class, Chemistry.
I never was good in Chemistry, I got a D+ in it that
semester. I was grateful to have been in it that morning because that wing of
classrooms at the high school had cable and I got to watch the news. When it
was turned on there was nothing but what appeared to be smoke only later to
realize it was a combination of dust, smoke, and the remains of the two Twin
Towers that have already fallen. They replayed the fall of each over and over
again.
That whole week following seemed to last forever. 9/11 was
what we talked about. I cried on my own for all those lives that were lost as
hope to find them faded day by day. That following Sunday at church was open
for anyone to speak, much like a normal Fast Sunday in the LDS church. I recall
many were sad and scared. One brother was so angry he was shaking his fists and
pounded the pulpit. But I do remember at the end of the meeting feeling better
about the situation, uplifted and able to move on with great faith.
All of us can remember the unity that we showed as a nation!
It was glorious. With a few exceptions like people judging any Muslim, hate
crimes, and false allegation, the United States of America was unified as I
have ever seen to this point. Politicians seemed to have got along, people
supported others in their communities, and we were united in a purpose. At this
time I helped out at a family friend’s print shop. An older colleague of mine,
an older gentleman and Vietnam veteran, and I were sitting next to each other.
I told him how amazing it was to see all of the American flags waving and the pride
we had as Americans. I didn’t want it to end and felt strongly that this could
be a way to help our country in the long run. Turning his head towards me, his
head down, looking atop of his classes he said, “It won’t last long. It sad how
quickly it will dissolve and we won’t remember.” I knew the moment he said that
that he was right.
So here’s where the Book of Mormon comes in. The average
Latter-day Saint (Mormon) knows about the “pride cycle” in the Book of Mormon. People
in the Book of Mormon will be following God’s commandments, prospering and
living in a happy way of life. Then they will become wicked, prideful with
their riches and lifestyles. They then are humbled in several different ways,
one way being war or some form of deathly devastation. After solving the issues
of this devastation, like a war, the people are God-fearing again and
prospering. But not too long after this cycle do they forget and fall into
wicked ways all over again with the cycle to repeat itself. I’m not saying we
are just like the Book of Mormon in every way but rather the principle is the
same. One great example are Nephites during the great war in the book of Alma!
Wicked, humbled, led by righteous men such as Captain Moroni, and shortly after
the war, they fall into pride because of their prosperity. Look at WWI and
WWII. Before both wars there was a lot of humbling inside and outside of the
battle and for a while afterwards, there was great prosperity. The cycle
continues to this day.
It wasn’t too long that we began to bicker with each other
again. Fellowship, support, and trust were again lost. Even to this day have we
come farther and farther away from the unity we had as a country. I am still
fairly young, so I don’t know what it has been once before but I fear that the
few months after 9/11 is one of the best examples of a unified and helpful
nation I will see. But I won’t be the cause of the further downfall. When the next great
humbling experience comes, I won’t be the reason for it. I will be the one to
help others whenever I can. I will be the believers that sustain the prophet
and ready to act when called upon. We are battling Satan each and every day, a
personal pride cycle, we each battle. Let us not fail to remember what lessons
we can learn from times of old and our time at hand.
