Random Disasters, Or Warnings?

After the devastating tsunami hit South-East Asia at the end of 2004, I remember hearing a lot of discussion about whether there is a God. Most of the commentary focussed on why, if there is a God, He/it would allow such destruction.

The discussions often came to rest in the idea that there is no God; and if there is, He/it is not involved in the daily lives of humans and has no absolute control over the earth.

Furthermore, I hear people have similar discussions in the devastating wake of hurricane Katrina: “It was just a random act of nature”.

While these conversations go on, I can’t help but think about whether these disasters are part of a grander plan to force people off the proverbial “fence”. Often it takes drastic measures for people to be introspective and humble. And only in this condition do people really seek after, and find, God. In other words, is it possible these disasters are “allowed” by God for the purpose of compelling people into humilty, or to foresake God? Is this plausible?

Elder Eyring specifically linked the Tsunami to a prophecy made by the Prophet in 1832. Section 88 gives a warning. The warning is the “voice of testimony” in the form of waves of the sea “heaving themselves beyond their bounds”.

Could there be any specific reason why God might have chosen to “warn” Malaysia and/or the Gulf Coast?