AboutDavid Gross Expertise If you are truly seeking answers or information I will do my best to answer questions related to any aspect of the LDS Church.
Experience I have been a member of the church for 27+ years after being raised as a not very active Reform Jew.
Question Hello, first off let me thank you for taking the time to review my question.
I have a close friend who had been a life long member of the church, as a matter of fact it was he who helped me convert into the church. This poor guy, has had one of the most difficult lives I have ever seen. His parents were harldy the best people (including alot of criminal activity). His family for the most part will not have anything to do with him, based entirely on things his parents did years ago. He has suffered alot of really harsh setbacks over the years job wise through no fault of his own. He has been taken advantage of by alot of people mostly because he is an extremely kind hearted and generous guy. His mother passed away a few months ago at a very young age (46)and sadly she hadnt spoken to him in nearly a year at that point (due to his continued involvement with the church) And finally, recently he once again lost his job (the company closed without giving their employees any notice at all) so now he is on the verge of losing his home, etc.
After all this it seems he has cracked. He seems to have lost his faith, and is convinced God hates him. I and several others have tried to offer him encouragement, but he seems to have lot all sense of hope. His home teacher even told me "Forget it, he is a lost cause" I am just lookin for an outside opinion if I should just let it go, or keep trying to help?
DAREN L WILLIAMS
Answer First, Your friend does not qualify as a lost cause. I would keep trying to help. This is an example of how we should not judge people. We can look to the story of Job or the life of Joseph Smith especially while he was in Liberty Jail (D&C 121) for instruction and inspiration.
I have a few suggestions for him that might be useful. Receive a priesthood blessing, counsel with his Bishop first and possibly Stake President, read the Book of Mormon, personal prayer, make a list of blessings, put his name on a temple prayer roll. Remember that a testimony is based on the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's First Vision and the the Book of Mormon not on how well we think that our life is going.
There is a book by a Jewish Rabbi, Harold S Kushner, called "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" that he might find interesting.
