Help for a Suffering Friend

[Devobah]

Hello all! 
 

My friend has had a rough last year and a half. She’s had a father struggle with help, lost a brother to suicide, and has had a few friends pass away. There’s been a lot of other things (to the point any time I see I got a text from her I have to pray that it’s not another tragedy in her like.) It’s been really tough on her. Life seems to be giving haymaker after haymaker and, to her credit, she’s taking it about as well as one can be asked to do in such circumstances.

She comes from a Catholic background but has a huge amount of respect for Latter-day Saints (growing up in Mesa and all) and I would like to send her a talk or two about trials in this life. 

For those Catholic members on our board, I would also like to know if there’s anything that I could send her from the Catholic faith as well. I don’t know if Catholics keep records quite the same, but maybe some quotes would be helpful, or links to something. 
 

Any suggestions for talks, sermons, quotes? 
 

Thanks all!

Edited July 7 by Devobah

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Devobah said:

Hello all! 
 

My friend has had a rough last year and a half. She’s had a father struggle with help, lost a brother to suicide, and has had a few friends pass away. There’s been a lot of other things (to the point any time I see I got a text from her I have to pray that it’s not another tragedy in her like.) It’s been really tough on her. Life seems to be giving haymaker after haymaker and, to her credit, she’s taking it about as well as one can be asked to do in such circumstances.

She comes from a Catholic background but has a huge amount of respect for Latter-day Saints (growing up in Mesa and all) and I would like to send her a talk or two about trials in this life. 

For those Catholic members on our board, I would also like to know if there’s anything that I could send her from the Catholic faith as well. I don’t know if Catholics keep records quite the same, but maybe some quotes would be helpful, or links to something. 
 

Any suggestions for talks, sermons, quotes? 
 

Thanks all!

If she is still in Mesa and you are not close I would be happy to take her flowers, homemade bread or something else. 

[rpn]

My go-tos are

D&C 122:7-8

And the last four verses of "How Firm a Foundation" that we never sing

And Job.

I sometimes offer to read a chapter a week in a book like "As the Ward Turns" or some other light hearted material for 30 minutes each week.

[bluebell]

I love S. Michael Wilcox and this talk is a really good one.  I'm not sure how much in it is latter-day saint-centric so you might want to listen to it first to see if it would be applicable to her and her beliefs.

 

[InCognitus]

I have posted this before on this board but I really like the message of the book of Job, and this presentation on the book of Job by Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz really does it justice.  The final lessons of the book that he outlines in the latter part of the video are profound:

 

[JVW]

I'm going some some really rough crap right now and there are a few conference talks that I've enjoyed watching/reading/listening to during this time.

One of the all-time GOAT conference talks is Shayne M. Bowen "Because I Live, Ye Shall Live Also", that one is worth watching. (I guarantee your friend will like this one) https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/10/because-i-live-ye-shall-live-also?lang=eng#p1

I've been thinking a lot about unfairness, and pretty much everything I can see on the Church site quotes or references to this talk from 2021 GC by Dale G. Renlund entitled "Infuriating Unfairness". It doesn't make me cry like Elder Bowen's talk, but it gives me a lot to think about. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/25renlund?lang=ase#title1

This last one is kind of random and probably has nothing to do with any situation your friend is going through, but it really touched me anyways. The church has an addiction recovery program that uses the 12 steps from AA and they have a video for each step. I've watched about 4 or 5 of them and they are all really good, but this one from step 8 really hit me for some reason, maybe it'll help your friend too. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/addiction-recovery-program-a-guide-to-addiction-recovery-and-healing/step-8?lang=eng#title2

There are really no words that can be said in these sorts of situations. Nevertheless, I know that there is a God and that God is pure love and He will respond to my most sincere and heartfelt prayers, and He can do that for your friend too if she wants it and needs it. I'm so sorry to hear about her going through all of that. Peace.

[bluebell]

If your friend is a reader who likes books with personal stories then I would also suggest Emily Belle Freeman's "Even This:  Getting to the Place Where You Can Trust God With Anything."

She's an easy read and it saved me during a really hard period in my life when I was really struggling to trust God.

[Kenngo1969]

@rpn @Devobah

Re: "How Firm a Foundation" -- I really, really like the 5th verse.  Economic realities of extensive lettering on headstones aside (and not to get too maudlin) I'd like it for my epitaph:

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My Grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.  The flame will not hurt thee.  I only design thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine!"

I don't know how she might feel about having her name put on the Temple Prayer Roll, but that might be an option, and you can do it on line now.

Best to you both.