God Can Help Us in Hard Times

And we can use what we gain from our trials to help others.

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woman sitting and watching a sunset over the ocean

Photograph by Getty Images

Marcela Endrek, a native of Córdoba, Argentina, was sick and sad. It weighed heavily on her. In the midst of feeling there was no way out, she heard a conference talk that spoke of prayer. The thought came directly to her heart to pray earnestly about her troubles.

She began praying regularly for relief. Praying brought her peace and comfort even though her health didn’t improve. In fact, her condition worsened until she could no longer work. Now she had the additional stress of not being able to afford medical expenses.

Out of necessity, she started to investigate how she might cope with her health problems some other way. She felt prompted to focus on changing some eating habits and was surprised at how much it helped. Her recovery was so impressive that she began studying nutrition in depth.

Sometime later, she met a young woman named Evelyn in the same condition as Marcela had been—sick, sad, and desperate for answers. Marcela saw herself in her new friend. She shared some of what she had been learning about food choices and nutrition. She also shared with Evelyn her witness of the power of prayer. She invited Evelyn to pray so that she would also feel God’s love and know that He was aware of her.

A few days later, Marcela was thrilled to see Evelyn again. A change was already apparent physically and spiritually. Evelyn let her know that her life was changing and that she could feel God’s love for her.

From her trials and challenges, Marcela gained both compassion and information she needed to help others.

Delivered So We Can Deliver

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Joseph distributing grain during the famine in Egypt

Joseph in Egypt, by Robert T. Barrett

The story of Joseph in Egypt is another example of what can happen when we are determined to trust God in our trials: not only can He deliver us, but He can position us to use our experience to help others (see Genesis 37–45).

Joseph was determined to trust God and keep His commandments in spite of betrayal, loss, and imprisonment. Because of Joseph’s faith in God and his willingness to endure his trials with patience and without resentment, “the Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:21) and put him in a position to bless many (see Genesis 45:5–8).

Principles to Consider

As you consider your opportunities to minister to others, consider these principles illustrated in the stories:

Our challenges can be blessings. If we will “pray always, and be believing” as we experience our challenges, Heavenly Father can turn them to our good (see Doctrine and Covenants 90:24; see also Romans 8:28).
Our challenges can prepare us. If we will be meek in trials, God can use our experiences to teach us and change us (see Doctrine and Covenants 112:13).
Our challenges can become opportunities to minister. If we are willing to trust Him, Heavenly Father will put us in positions to use what we have learned in our own experiences to help others (see Mosiah 24:13–14).

What Can We Do?

Pray to know how your experiences can help you bless those to whom you minister. Then reach out.