Why does Heavenly Father want people to die?

A day in the life of a Ford

James wasn't home...of course. I was saying goodnight to the boys when William suddenly and unexpectedly burst into tears. "Mom, I read a book at school today where all these people die from a volcano." "Why would someone write a childrens book about people dying? Don't they know that scares children?" "I'm scared, mom."

"Why did Heavenly Father let those people die?"

WOW. This was too much for a few seconds. My legs were about to give out from under me and I had to lay down. I told the boys to scurry into my bed so we could talk.

William was wiping his eyes. Jake lay between me and William and kept drifting in and out of consciousness. William and I had our heads propped up looking at each other talking quite frankly about life and death.

I told William all about how Heavenly Father lets bad things happen because he wants to test us. He needs to know that we are going to love Him and trust Him even when life is hard.

We talked about how Heavenly Father probably wanted those people who died back up in Heaven to live with Him.

We talked and talked and talked. It was surreal. I almost felt as if I was talking to a friend and not my 6 year old child. Kindof like Heaven. And when I felt that, I told him. I told him that after we die, we might be the same age. Like friends. He liked that. So did I.

After a very long talk about life and death, William asked his final question.

"Mom, are you scared that a volcano might come and kill us."

"No, not really. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I trust Heavenly Father."

Jake was now completely out between the two of us. William's brown circle eyes locked in place. He stared at me with complete confidence.

"I trust Him too, mom."

We smiled.

And then almost simultaneously, we both lay our heads on our pillows and drifted off to sleep...peacefully, in one big huddled mass on mom's bed.