During our most challenging trials, it can be easy to feel alone. But because of Jesus Christ, we are never left completely on our own.
President Susan H. Porter recently testified of this truth in a new Church video. In the clip, President Porter reflected on the days after her husband, Bruce, passed away. She says that, on top of wading through her grief, she faced an unexpected setback that triggered a deeper sense of uncertainty and loneliness.
“I Cannot Start Crying in the Hardware Store”
On the day of her husband’s funeral, President Porter discovered that their home flooded.
“There was nothing anybody could do other than get ready and go,” she remembers. “[We] had to kind of compartmentalize because we were focusing on Bruce, our memories of him, the funeral.”
After the funeral, President Porter got in touch with a contractor. Since he couldn’t begin working on her home for a few weeks, he gave her a list of items she could buy to help minimize the damage.
So, on a cold and dark Friday night in January, President Porter went alone to her local hardware store. She saw a couple walking ahead of her, holding hands. Grief washed over her as she realized she wouldn’t have similar moments with Bruce again in this life. Once inside the hardware store, she struggled to find what she needed.
“I could not find anybody [to help me in the store],” she says. “So, I kept walking up and down trying to find people, and … I just didn’t know what to do. And I thought, I cannot start crying in the hardware store.”
Not knowing where else to turn, President Porter bowed her head and said a silent prayer.
Realizing She Was Never Alone
After opening her eyes, President Porter continued down the aisle and was startled to see an employee around the corner. The worker helped her find every item on her list.
“There was no way not to know this was a gift from God,” she testifies. “I was not alone then, and I had never been alone. I think as we go through our lives, we can remember that a loving Heavenly Father sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who experienced all that we experience. And He will never leave us alone.”
President Porter’s story has resonated with many people throughout the world, with several viewers noting how we can help share the Lord’s light with those around us. “There is a lesson buried here … Be an angel for others!” one commenter wrote. Another user shared:
“In my times of emotional distress, I have found that I am often unable to feel comfort by the Holy Ghost … but I have been able to receive comfort from other people during these times, through them offering solid, physical support. It makes me think of this account in the hardware store; God sends His love, His helping hands, through us as we serve each other!”
Watch President Porter’s full message in the video below.
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