Finding a 'higher source of strength'
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Washington, D.C. — More than the landscape changed in Washington, D.C., with the tragic September 11 terrorist attacks. Washington, D.C., a city preoccupied with "Inside the Beltway" minutiae, irrelevant to most of the rest of the country, sold out all available American flags in a day. Strangers spoke to each other on the metro; many hands held a cell phone and rather than the usual urgent conversations, professions of love were heard. The city filled blood banks, shed tears in the open, held candlelight vigils, buried its dead with dignity, and turned shock, disbelief and grief into service.
The obituaries were filled with long lists of slain Pentagon employees and those who died on board American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon that tragic morning. The Mount Vernon Virginia Stake, which includes Arlington and Pentagon City, lost two members in the attacks. Brady Howell, 26, and Rhonda Sue Ridge Rasmussen, 44, were both employees of the Pentagon; Brother Howell was a Presidential Management Intern for the Chief of Naval Intelligence, and Sister Rasmussen was a civilian Army employee.
In the days after the attack, the Mount Vernon stake, like the entire nation, sought ways to soothe the victims and those who labored to rescue and rebuild. The desire to serve nationwide seemed almost greater than outlets to provide service. Members of the stake flooded the bishops storehouse in record-breaking numbers, assembling 4,000 comfort kits for children in New York City. Grant Lattin, president of the Mount Vernon stake, said that the storehouse was in the unusual position of having to turn away volunteers, the response was so great. In four weekends, 200 members of the stake along with the local chapter of the philanthropic Mercy Corps, put together the kits of comfort and toys to be delivered to the children of rescue workers and the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Church auxiliaries provided food and clothing for the firefighters and rescue workers laboring around the clock in a hastily constructed "tent city" in the parking lot of the wounded Pentagon. The stake Relief Society learned that the rescue workers' greatest needs were underwear and socks, and quickly collected almost a hundred pair to take to the Pentagon. The stake institute of religion provided dog food for the rescue K-9's, Single Adult groups canceled pool parties and dances and organized blood drives and fund-raisers, and the local Primaries wrote letters of thanks to the firefighters in the area and New York City. The stake, as well as the city, lost any preoccupation with trivial matters and sought to share comfort and love.
Mount Vernon stake members rallied around the families of the slain members. The Relief Society consistently provided both families with meals and made quilts to symbolize their love and concern; the various Young Women and Primaries sent letters and food while the whole stake, those who knew and did not know the victims, prayed for their families' comfort.
"Those who couldn't do something with their hands could do something with their hearts," said President Lattin, who presides over the stake of 3,800. "We've been touched directly by the tragic event. We've had an urge to reach out; the members have hungered for ways to serve and to do something. This is going to give us the privilege and blessing of serving people directly affected." President Lattin said that some felt their efforts were trivial in the face of so much pain and loss, but members found comfort in whatever they could do, even if it was to simply offer prayers for those who suffered. Those suffering felt the thousands, perhaps millions, of prayers offered on their behalf. Liz Howell, widow of Brady Howell, told President Lattin that she had a great feeling of peace and comfort as the world and all the Church members prayed for her, and that the prayers of so many for her peace were indeed answered.
In turn, the families of the victims looked for ways to serve. The outpouring of love and support was so great that Sister Howell, a college student herself, opened a scholarship fund in her husband's name for those who wanted to help. (Sister Howell carried the Olympic torch, and gave it to President Bush. See page 3.)
President Lattin observed his stake grow closer and stronger through Christ's atonement. "Many stake members knew people [who were] killed. I saw so many of our members, grieving, filled with fear and dread, derive immediate comfort from turning to Christ, the only true peace. Christ doesn't offer us the peace of the world — we don't know when we will have that — but inner peace."
President Lattin further observed that in the ward meetings throughout the stake, he has felt comfort and the prayers, lessons, talks and comments have a great deal more spirituality and depth. "Our nation has turned to a higher source of strength and I hope that trend continues. As for our stake, many spiritual experiences occurred through service and faith and the outpouring of love that resulted from this tragedy."
Kathryn Wallace is a member of the Colonial Ward in the Mount Vernon Virginia Stake.
