Read a XML and create a list to save the data

I have a xml to read and to create a list from that data similar to the hierarchy of the xml.According to the following code i was able to traverse through the whole xml.(Recursive method). Since the xml structure can change, i had to use to recursive method.

But my issue is im unable to create a list similar to the xml. idont know how to save the data of xml in a list. Thanks.

List<OMElement> parentList = new ArrayList<OMElement>();
List<OMElement> tempList = new ArrayList<OMElement>();

private void getChildrenRecursively(OMFactory fac, OMElement rootElement,Iterator childElement,List<OMElement> elementList) {



        OMElement innerElementValue =null;
        OMElement innerElement = null;

        while (childElement.hasNext()) {
            innerElement = (OMElement) childElement.next();
            String innerElementLN = innerElement.getLocalName();
            String innerElementText = innerElement.getText();

            // Creates the new OMElement including the child element
    innerElementValue = createNewOMElement(innerElementLN,innerElement.getAllDeclaredNamespaces(), innerElementText,fac);

            // Get children recursively
            if(innerElement.getChildElements().hasNext()){  


             //    parentList.add(innerElementValue);              
                             getChildrenRecursively(fac,rootElement,innerElement.getChildElements(),elementList);               
            }
            else{
                tempList.add(innerElementValue);    
            }

        }   

        // TODO include for inside for two lists
        for (int x = 0; x < tempList.size(); x++) {
            if (rootElement.getFirstElement().getFirstElement() != null) {
                rootElement.getFirstElement().getFirstElement().addChild(tempList.get(x));
            }
        }
        // Creates a list of elements
        elementList.add(rootElement);   
    }

Thanks.