Latter-day Saint Life

After Their Daughter Died in the Sandy Hook Shootings: How an LDS Couple Inspired Thousands

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After their daughter died in a tragic shooting that killed 20 children, her parents found a way to share the message that evil and darkness have not won.

Emilie Parker and her classmates would be too old now to attend the new Sandy Hook Elementary School, which will open its doors today. In December 2012, Parker was a first-grader at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, when a gunman entered the school, taking the lives of Parker, 19 of her fellow students, and six of the school’s employees.

At Parker’s funeral, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke and simply stated what members of the LDS Church believe about the death of little children.

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Sandy Hook: "Evil did not win."

“Our doctrine is clear,” Elder Cook said. “Emilie is safe in the Celestial Kingdom of heaven.”

Emilie's parents, Robbie and Alissa Parker, have since been inspirational figures in the wake of such a terrible, life-altering tragedy.

Lead image from Deseret News.
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