"Like Job of Old..."

Did you know that there are 4 tombs that different religious groups claim for Job in the Bible? This pic is supposedly Job's tomb that is found in Salalah, Oman.

Last Saturday I had a few friends tell me they were struggling pretty hard, one with a soon-to-be fiance, and the other with cancer in the family, and I just didn't know what to say. To either of them really. And it bothered me I couldn't say anything that would help. Or to make the situation better. I didn't know what to do so I just prayed that somehow they would be comforted. It was at that time I felt inspired to read Job.

And of course, over half the book is about how Job's friends come to him while he's in need. One of my favorite scriptures is where "they rent their own clothes and sat with him for three days with no words..." or something like that. All they did at first was just sit with Job and mourned with him. Because there was nothing else they could do or say either that would change his situation either. Whenever I studied Job before, I always focused on him and how he dealt with his trials. I never once focused on what his friends did. And not only did they mourn with him, but they were there always reminding him of God's goodness, and how he shouldn't doubt the Creator of everything, the One who knows the beginning from the end. Why shouldn't we be able to trust Him with everything, every little aspect of our lives?

The following day, Sunday, all I did was sit with my friends. All day. We did exchange conversation, but it was essentially a day of reflecting on how different lives can change in a blink; a day of appreciating each other for our friendship. I love them so much for that. And I felt better about not being able to change the situation for them. I just hope that somehow I comforted them. Here are some scriptures I found later that night.

"...the ^atrial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the ^bappearing of Jesus Christ:

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet ^abelieving, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9 Receiving the ^aend of your ^bfaith, even the ^csalvation of your souls..."
1 Peter 1:7-9

7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the ^apit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the ^bdeep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to ^chedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of ^dhell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee ^eexperience, and shall be for thy good.

8 The ^aSon of Man hath ^bdescended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
D&C 122:7-8

"He who receiveth all things with ^athankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an ^bhundred fold, yea, more"
D&C 78:19

I love you.