Charlotte Louise x 2

I have a cousin named Charlotte Louise. My baby's name also happens to be Charlotte Louise (I honestly didn't know my cousin's middle name was Louise). This very same cousin Charlotte, her husband Chris, and their baby Charlie were in an extremely serious accident last week in Texas. Charlotte and the baby are bruised and sore, but Chris has yet to regain consciousness. He also fractured his neck, back, and pelvis. He is in the ICU in Houston. My prayers and [obsessive] thoughts are with this little family. We love you Larsons.

Many of you have also asked what has become of my cousin Liz's brother, Christian Nielson, and his wife, Stephanie {NieNie}, after they were in that horrific plane crash last August. They are now living in Utah recovering slowly. Both Charlotte and Stephanie have remarkable faith and unshakable hope that is inspiring to me.

I have sympathy my fellow women and I read about their struggles with a heavy heart. Nothing like this has ever happened to anyone in my immediate circle. I often wonder how I would handle such situations. Would bitterness occupy my heart because I felt a little crispy fried by the "Refiner's Fire?" Would I have the same positive outlook as these women? Would trials cement my faith in the Plan of Happiness? Or would I question the existence of a such a higher power and start to rely on the wisdom of man alone? Bleak thought.

All religions (Buddism, Islam, Christianity, whatever) are predicated on FAITH, which is hope of things unseen. Even atheism/agnogsticism holds "faith" in the vicissitudes of worldly whims and the finite wisdom of man. I'd like to think that I would cling to my faith in God, as my cousin Charlotte has. Charlotte found solace in this by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who lost his battle with cancer a few years ago and was an amazing example of enduring WELL until the end.

Oh the irony.