I wish I was better at sharing Heavenly Father's love

Yesterday, well actually Tuesday, I finally received my February 2007 Friend magazine. This is a publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is a magazine intended for little children. I'm just an adult who likes to read it and since I work in the primary organization, it is a good magazine to read. Anyway, one of the stories is titled, "A Wrinkled Child of God". This story is about a little boy and his experience visiting an older man in a nursing home. (I'll come back later and attempt to post a link). The boy realizes how this man is a Child of God- just one who has wrinkles.

How I wish every elderly person knew they were a Child of God. Today I was kind of sad; Some people, when faced with the devestation of a stroke or other disabling injury, even though it is hard for them, persevere in a remarkable way. Others have a hard time adjusting. one of our female patients isn't adjusting to or accepting her new condition. So what happened today though, made me sad. This lady has been verbalizing a wish to die. Today she told me, "just kill me- you can do it!" She then looked at me point blank and expressed her desire to die. Yikes, my goodness. I told her I love you, I can't do that. ( dumb answer, I realize. In retrospect, I don't think that was a good response). Another time, during the difficulty of needing three people to assist him out of his bed, a gentleman exclaimed, "just throw me in the garbage". Another time when I was on a fieldwork, a lady in her 90s looked in the therapy room and said, "I hate this room!" and expressed the sentiment, "just put me into a box". I find these statement sad that people feel this way. When such statements are made, of course we try to reassure the individual and help them and notify the nurses, etc, it is heartbreaking that people feel this way and don't know they are a Child of God and that as such they are deeply loved and that He will help them in whatever situation they face in life. Yet I can try to imagine how frustrating the new limitations of a damaged physical body must be. I just hope people can realize that Heavenly Father loves them as do others. I hope they will allow Heavenly Father to help them- and hopefully grant them the spiritual strength via the comfort of the Holy Ghost to try to endure this new trial or whatever else they face in life.