Bad things to Good People?

In light of recent events in the world, I've seen a lot of people ask the question: Why do bad things happen to good people?  It's a question many people struggle with.  Why, when I am trying to do what is right, do I still have bad things happen to me?  I am sure we each have our own set of "bad things" that have happened -- we each have our own set questions.  For me the list looks likes this:

Why do both my parents have cancer?
Why do I have to struggle with an addiction?
Why is my family so dysfunctional?
Why did my dad have to die?
Why do I need a hip replacement?
Why is losing weight so difficult for me?
Why can't I be married?
Why can't I have my own children?

I'm confident we each have a list of questions.  This has been on my mind so much lately.  But, I had this great realization while reading the Book of Mormon. 

In Alma, chapter 57, Helaman is writing to Captain Moroni describing the battles that his band of 2060 young warriors have been fighting.  In describing one of the fiercest battles he says:

But behold, my little band of two thousand and sixty fought most desperately; yea, they were firm before the Lamanities, and did administer death unto all those who opposed them.  And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanities, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted.  Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.

He goes on to explain that this little band was the reason they won the battle.  When it was all over and the Lamanities had fled, Helaman was worried about his warriors.  He commands that the dead should be searched to be sure that all the wounded were found and attended to.  He continues:

And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish;

Not one soul perished.  Not a single of his 2060 men died. Hundreds of men died.  Yet - not a single one of his men died.  But the next line is my favorite:

Yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.

These warriors were exactly obedient, as my mission president used to say.  They were faithful, firm and undaunted. They scriptures say that according to their faith it was done unto them.  Yet - every single one of them was wounded. Not one wound -- many wounds.  Every single warrior received many wounds. 

Helaman continues with the story:

And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain.  And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe- that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.  Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually. 

The fact is, bad things happen to people; good people, bad people, ugly people, doesn't matter.  We live in an imperfect world, where Satan strives to lead the hearts of the people astray.  Even these exactly obedient warriors ended up with many wounds.  Yet - they made a choice.  They believed that there was a just God.  They knew that whosoever did not doubt would be preserved.  And they chose to put their trust in God continually. 

I may never know the answers to my list of questions in this life.  But I choose to believe in a just God, and to not concern myself with finding justice for the wrongs done to me.  I choose to have faith and not doubt His love for me.  And most of all, I choose to put my trust in God continually.