"...the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ"

I've been not wanting to write about this, but I just can't NOT. When we got back from Romania, we had some very sad news waiting for us from several Uruguayan friends. A friend from church, who was also one of our home teachers, was killed over that weekend. Santiago was a pilot in the Uruguayan Air Force, and the plane he was on (a UN mission flight) crashed into a mountain in Haiti. He wasn't quite 31.

Our hearts are breaking for his family. He left behind his sweet wife and their two little boys. Guillermo will be 3 in February, and Facundo will be 2 in May. Guille and Bran and Nuala were little buddies in nursery, and we love their family. It's not even just that we "knew" them and that's it's general bad news. We love Santiago and Carla and Guille and Facu. They're such a fun, sweet, friendly family. Both Carla and Santiago...always smiling... Santi was a great dad. Loved those little fellows and was always carting one or both around. Bran especially really liked him, too. Always would wander over to see him at church, and loved to have his attention when he'd come home teaching.

(At Facu's 1st birthday party)

And Carla. Wonderful Carla. What devastating news, but how strong she is. I'm not sure how long he'd been in Haiti, but long enough that there were several cute, teasing messages going back and forth on their Facebook pages, almost right up to the day of the accident. They were so in love... Another friend from church told us about the memorial service and funeral for the six Uruguayans who died. Carla was comforting the others. She wore cream. Contrasted deeply with the dark, somber colors everyone else was wearing. She did that because she knows that this is not the end. That she will be with Santiago again. Their family will be whole once more. I can't imagine how terrible this trial is, but I do know that the hope that the restored gospel brings to lives is real. I know that, and I know she knows that. Families are forever. We can be together after death. Death is not the end. We will be reunited with our loved ones and be resurrected. That won't make her miss him any less, wishing he were there to hold his boys and to make memories that those little children will treasure over photographs...but it will ease the bitter sting that such separations inevitably bring. See, now I'm crying again. I keep thinking of my little ones, and how much they would miss their daddy, and how much I would, too, of course.

(Guille and Nuala, watching something very interesting, at Facu's party)

In the words of Elder Wirthlin, an apostle in our church:

"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.

I testify to you that the Resurrection is not a fable. We have the personal testimonies of those who saw Him. Thousands in the Old and New Worlds witnessed the risen Savior. They felt the wounds in His hands, feet, and side. They shed tears of unrestrained joy as they embraced Him...

We will all rise from the grave. And on that day my father will embrace my mother. On that day I will once again hold in my arms my beloved Elisa.

Because of the life and eternal sacrifice of the Savior of the world, we will be reunited with those we have cherished.

On that day we will know the love of our Heavenly Father. On that day we will rejoice that the Messiah overcame all that we could live forever." (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Sunday Will Come,” Ensign, Nov 2006)

Oh, the blessing of the gospel. I'm very grateful for it in my life. More than I can say. But, my heart still breaks for Carla and her little boys, and the long separation they are facing now. Please keep them in your prayers.

Here's a little video honoring the Uruguayans on the flight.

"Los aviadores no mueren, solo vuelan más alto."