“After 9/11, it was not clear to me what my purpose was,” said Elizabeth Howell, 35. “There were many nights when I was on my knees.”

This led her to a recognition: “People can take away your loved ones. But they can’t take away the way you respond to things.”

Elizabeth decided to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After her mission, she got a job working with the Humanitarian Service department of the Church. She’s found healing in serving others.

She said: “One thing I’ve learned is that it’s all about service. That’s what has healed my heart. Everyone has their own course. I don’t want it to seem — look at what I’ve done. This has just been my path.”

In this video, Liz Howell shares a little about turning her own loss and tragedy into a way to reach out to others through humanitarian service.

You can read more about Liz’s journey in links found in this post: Healing from 9/11: Faith in the Face of Tragedy

Liz’s husband, Brady, was one of the people killed in the attack on the Pentagon. You can read the New York Times tribute to Brady here.

The post Turning 9/11 Loss into Love appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

If you didn’t have the chance to watch the special 9/11 Mormon Tabernacle Choir Music and the Spoken Word with Tom Brokaw (“Rising Above”), you can find an archived video of the performance at byutv.org:

Music and the Spoken Word 9/11/2011

The post 9/11 Mormon Tabernacle Broadcast — Video Archive appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

9/11: Rising Above” captures in music and word the courage and optimism that will ring in the heart of every American listener and viewer. Special guest narrator, Tom Brokaw is one of the most trusted and respected figures in broadcast journalism. For 21 years, Brokaw was the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News. He has received numerous honors, including the Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Emmy Award.

Also, enjoy this video called “Finding Hope” where a 9/11 survivor share his experiences — including the struggles with survivor’s guilt — and how his life changed because of 9/11.

And a woman whose husband died on 9/11 shares her story of how the gospel of Jesus Christ changed her life.

Lastly, if you haven’t had a chance to read President Monson’s thoughts about 9/11, you can read them here at the Washington Post: 9/11 Destruction Allowed Us to Rebuild.

The post Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 — Messages of Hope and Remembrance appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

~ by Dianne Billstrom

As I watched the planes plow into the twin towers in New York City on September 11th, 2001, and viewed the news and the aftermath of that day, these images seemed to pour out of my heart. I observed their reactions to the terrible event, yet knew that in the end freedom would rise triumphant.

Some conspired, for glory, power, or hate,
A shallow reward,
Filled with nothing,
As the towers crumbled
And the dust exploded.

Some danced, reveling in victory and destruction,
No respecter of the
Fragility of life,
As the towers crumbled
And the dust billowed.

Some Samaritans bound up wounds,
Physical and spiritual,
Comforting the afflicted,
As the towers crumbled
And the dust dispersed.

Some prayed, fortifying the spirit
Of God’s children,
Calling for supreme intervention,
When the towers crumbled
And the dust stirred.

Some gathered buckets, clearing debris,
Tirelessly sifting the rubble for signs of life,
One pail at a time,
When the towers crumbled
And the dust settled.

Some raised a banner, red, white and blue,
Symbol of freedom,
Proudly erected,
On the crumbled towers
And the solidified dust.

Some united with hope for peace,
Courageous, despite fear,
Prepared for ultimate sacrifice,
After the towers crumbled
Leaving nothing but dust.

From despair and grief rose unity of spirit,
A kinship of free men,
Resolved with conviction to succeed,
Building towers of strength
Out of the dust.

———

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