K's First Flight

I used to have a list in my scriptures of “on demand” stories. If I was ever asked to give a talk or a lesson – especially with no preparation – I would refer to my list of stories and see if there was anything applicable to the subject at hand. I think I am going to start writing those stories down and store them on this blog. The first story that I’m going to write is “K’s first flight.”

I was our marching band’s drum major in high school. The drum major is the one up in front conducting the music and barking commands. It helped me get rid of any fear I had of public speaking and taught me to twirl a broomstick with confidence. On my mission, I frequently passed my broom twirling skills off as “bow staff skills” to amaze the kids who were into karate.

But I wasn’t the only drum major – there were two of us. K was my counterpart. In the summer before my senior year K and I got to go to a drum major clinic in California.

Our families dropped us of at the airport and K and I boarded the plane. My ticket was the window seat but I offered the seat to K as it was the first time she had been on an airplane. Soon after the plane took off I started pointed out landmarks from our city to K as we passed over the top of it, the plane still at a steep rate of climb.

When the city had passed from view I sat back in my seat to read. K remained glued to the window. After a few more minutes K began an interesting conversation.

“Brian, we’re getting kind of high in the air.”

“Yep. We’re in an airplane.”

“Yes, but… we’re getting higher than the clouds”

“Yep.”

“We’re so high I can’t even see the roads anymore.”

“Yep. Are you ok with that?”

“Well if the pilots can’t see the roads, how do the pilots know where we are going?”

How would you have responded? I’m sure I smiled, but hopefully I didn’t chuckle too loudly. “Yeah, its amazing pilots ever find their way to Hawaii.”

I have reflected on this event over and over through the years. It encapsulates so many principles, both gospel and otherwise. K was familiar with street signs and driving, and projected that mode of getting around onto the pilots. Since I do it this way, others must do it that way also.

This is the story I think about when I hear a question/comment like, “If God exists, why is there so much suffering in the world?” That question projects one’s limited understanding onto God. I love people and therefore I try to mitigate suffering. If God loves me, he would do the same.

Two scriptures come to mind.

Mosiah 4:9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.