If you've ever felt like you're not good enough, or not doing everything you should be doing fast enough, this is for you...

My friend Jenn Suiter lost both a son and her husband, only about 10 days apart, back in May. This is her family before their tragedies:

Today, she posted a tribute to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland who passed away this morning.

First I'll share her message, and then add my own tribute to the great soul that he was, and the impact he had on my own life.

Jenn writes:

One little secret you may not know about Chris and I is that we often struggled with feeling like we were falling short. Like so many families, we faced the normal...but heavy...trials of life: providing, raising kids, making ends meet, and trying to do the right thing while feeling stretched thin.

There were many times we felt like we were out at sea, waves crashing, rocks looking like they had evil faces (a bit dramatic, yes… but it felt that way), and we were afraid we weren’t enough.

In those moments, we clung to Elder Holland’s talk “High Priest of Good Things to Come.” I’m not exaggerating when I say we must have listened to it 100 times. It became our comfort on hard days. One of us would press play, the other would roll their eyes and say, “Again?....and then we’d laugh, cry, and somehow feel a little more hopeful. Honestly, it was our version of marriage counseling.

Today, December 27th, a hero of mine passed on Apostle of the Lord, Jeffrey R. Holland

His reminder to seek comfort in Christ...and to trust that good things really are coming...carried us through seasons when the load felt heavy and the road felt long.

This year, with the loss of Chris and Brian, his words feel even more tender and relevant to me now.

“Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.” — Jeffrey R. Holland

Thank you, Elder Holland, for being a steady voice of faith, reassurance, and hope. Your words met us right in the middle of real life.....and helped us keep going. With so much love and gratitude today.  ❤️ 

Jenn's original post: 
https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.a.suiter/posts/pfbid02AtphK5Xtw1WwmUTnpp83Ym4k4sxk33Fyu5bfpNdSq5NbcjNF2tiveBbPNwpbCeXql

An excerpt from the talk Jenn mentioned:

His full talk can be viewed here

Thank you Jenn, for being a great soul yourself and showing us what it looks like to keep believing in good things to come, even when life throws us curveballs. Your challenges and the way you keep responding to them continues to inspire so many.

________

Now for my tribute to Jeffrey R. Holland

Today we say goodbye to a legend. One of the most authentic, loving human beings I've ever known:

Jeffrey R. Holland's messages carried me through many difficult seasons, too. As we mark his passing, I honor his life by sharing a few of his messages that have meant the most to me:

Why we are sometimes led to choices that appear to be mistakes:

This one contains the best retelling of Peter's experience with Jesus I've ever heard:

Tender words for and about those who struggle with mental illness:

 An important message for serial perfectionists:

And just more encouragement...

Rest in peace, Elder Holland.

You've made an impact that will continue to bless many for generations to come.