I wrote this prayer several years ago when my cousin passed away. I'm sharing this prayer in memory of him.

If someone wants to use the wording here in Navajo to remember their loved one when there are no words to express loss hopefully this helps...

Yá’át’ééh, shí éí Terry Teller yinishyé. Ła’ shí̜í̜ doo shéédahonohsin da. Everett Teller biye’ nishłí̜. Lukachukaidi shiyaa hoo’a’ ndi k’ad éí Be’eldíil Dah Sinildi ííníshta̜’. Mike bik’éí sodidíilzi̜i̜ł dashidííniid.

I am very honored and touched that the family had asked me to say a prayer for Mike and his family. I’d like to thank Freddy and Nelly for requesting this.

T’áá íiyisíí baa shił hózhó̜ dóó shijéí naayiiłná kodóó sodidíilzi̜i̜ł shi’doo’niidígíí. Freddy dóó Nelly ahéhee’ nidideeshniił.

Before I say the prayer, I just wanted to say a few words.

Áko ndi áłtsé t’áá ałts’íísígo hadeesdzih.

Mike’s dad is my uncle. Mike’s mom is my aunt. We both grew up in Lukachukai.

Mike bizhé’é éí shizhé’é yázhí át’é. Áádóó bimá éí shimá yázhí át’é. T’áá áníidlaa Lukachukaigi nihiyaa hazlí̜í̜’.

I knew Mike since I was a child. All of us children used to play together in the wash behind our houses. When everyone had four-wheelers, we used to ride all the hills near his grandma’s place, and just have fun.

T’áá áłchíní yázhí niidlí̜í̜dá̜á̜’ Mike bił ahééhoniilzin ńt’éé’. Mike éí sitsilí át’é. Ádaniilts’ísí yé̜e̜dá̜á̜' ńdei’néeh łeh nít’éé’, biko̜o̜h góyaa. Four wheelers nihił nidaajeeh łeh nít’éé’. Áádóó bimásání baghan bilááhjí̜ dah daask’idígíí bikáá’jí ałdó’ nihił nidaajeeh ńt’éé’. Éí ayóo bóhooneedlí̜i̜go ndei’néeh łeh ńt’éé’.

Over time, we didn’t see each other as often as we should have. Still, I would always ask his mom, his dad, his grandma, or his sister how Mike was doing, just to keep updated with what he was up to.

Áádóó éí doo ahá̜á̜h da’ahiit’í̜i̜ da silí̜í̜’, ałts’a̜a̜’ ahiseekai. Bimá dóó bizhé’é dóó bideezhí dóó bimásání deistséehgo éí Mike bína’ídíshkid, ‘Hait’áo naaghá?’

Well, I would have liked to have seen him before he passed away. I knew he was sick and that he had hip problems but I didn’t understand the full severity of his condition until recently.

Náánéídéestsééł nít’éé’ lá nisin. Bich’i̜’ nahwii’ná éí shił bééhózin, bijáád ba̜a̜h dah hoo’aahgo. Ndi doo t’áá aníí át’éii shił bééhózin da nít’éé’.

As I understand it, he became so sick that he came to a place where he didn’t enjoy the things that gave him pleasure. It’s not that I would have been able to give him some profound wisdom that would have gotten him out of that place, but at least I could have been there to support him and pray for him.

Shił bééhózingo éí t’áá ániidí dóó yéego bich’i̜’ hodiiznáá’ áádóó t’áá ałtsoní doo yíneedlí̜i̜ da silí̜í̜’ ha’nóo baa hane’. Doo shí̜í̜ t’áá níí át’éii shił ééhózin da dóó yee bich’i̜’ nahwii’náii shił bééhózin da ndi t’áá hait’áo da biká’adeeshwoł éí doodai’ bich’i̜’ hadeesdzih nít’éé’ nisin. T’óó bił sodeeszin ndi yá’át’éeh doo nít’éé’

After considering all this, I realizes that we should take the time to pray for one another and encourage one another.

Éí binahji̜’ baa ntséskeesgo ahidiníłnáago t’áá nihí ahéédeilniihgo ahá sodadiilzin áádóó chánah ada’ahííníilzingo dahinii’náa le’.

We may live far apart but let’s keep in touch, by e-mail, by telephone, by MySpace, or by smoke signal.

Haashí̜í̜ nízáadi áł’a̜a̜ danihighan ndi béésh bee hane’é da, ałch’i̜’ ada’ii’ó̜o̜ da, béésh nitsékeesí da bee, éí doodai’ éí ałk’idá̜á̜’ diné bich’i̜’ anáhóót’i̜’ haleehgo áyóí áníłtsogo dideidiłjah nít’éé’ jiní, éí da bee.

I’ve said what I wanted to say. Now let’s pray.

Bee hadeesdzih nisiné̜e̜ bee haasdzíí’. K’ad sodadidiilzi̜i̜ł.

(Prayer…)

Lord, comfort the family. An unexpected loss like this is hard to deal with. The Bible says that you bring rain on the just and the unjust. In that way, we all face death equally.

Bóhólníihii, na’áłchíní chánah íínísin le’. Kó̜ó̜ t’áadoo hooyání ba̜a̜h ‘áhásdi̜i̜d. Nizaad éí bee ak’e’aschí̜, “Doo ákwii ádaaníiłii dóó t’áá ákwiigi ádááníiłii aheełt’éo bik’i nahałtin.” T’áá ákót’áo t’áá áníiltso anoonééł nihidáahgi hóló̜.

A lot of times we want to make sense of tragedies when they occur. We want to know the why’s and the how’s, especially when someone dies so young. It moves the heart.

Kóhoot’i̜i̜hgo baa ntsíikeesgo hat’íí lá biniinaa áhoodzaa niidzin łeh. Ániid naagháago dah náhodiiłt’ihgo (when they leave us) tsík’eh (especially). Ajéí náyiiłnáa łeh.

Though it feels like we should make sense out of circumstances such as this, Lord we pray that in this instance that we would find it easier to just trust in you rather than trying to find the reasoning behind everything.

Hat’íí lá biniinaa kóhóót’i̜i̜d niidzoo, baa ntsííkees łeh. Bóhólníihii bich’i̜’ sodadiilzin dóó nida’iiníidlí̜. Ní t’éiyá nihił ííshjá̜á̜ áhwíínísin, biniinaa ádahooníiłii.

Father, comfort us and strengthen us. Bring us your peace.

Nihita̜a̜’ nílí̜inii, nihił náhwíísho̜o̜h áádóó nihidziilgo ánihíínísin. Ni bee ‘ił hodéezyééł nihich’i̜’ hónílééh.

Thank you for bringing Mike into this world. Thank you that we were able to be influenced by him, that we got to know him for the little time that he was here.

Ahéhee’ Mike nahasdzáán bikáa’ji̜’ nihich’i̜’ kwíinlaa. Ahéhee’ t’óó kónízahíji̜’ nahalingo nihéíníłti̜h dóó bił ahéédahosiilzi̜i̜d dóó nihe’iina’ yidadeeshchid.

So many relatives from Lukachukai, from Chinle, and from other far areas came to give his family support and to pay their respects to Mike. I just pray that this act will provide us with some sense of comfort, that their love for Mike will give them a sense of peace.

T’óó ahayóí Luk’ach’égaidé̜é̜’, Ch’ínílí̜i̜dé̜é̜’ índa t’áá danízaadé̜é̜’ Mike bik’éí danílíinii béédaalniihgo neheeskai. Kodóó bá sodiszingo diné béédaalniihgo nidahaaskai bee chánah ánihíínísingo áádóó Mike ayóó’ádayó’níigo yéédaalniihígíí bee hada’ííníilníigo ánihíínísin le’.

I pray Lord that as time progresses and that as hearts heal from grief, that the memory of Mike will not fade, but will live on in those who love him.

Bóhólníihii nich’i̜’ sódíszingo nihííyoołkááłgóó nihijéí daasdił yé̜e̜ nihá ndadiiłdzih. Áádóó Mike bee béédeilniihii doo baa deidiiyii’nah da. Ayóó’ádabó’níinii náásgóó béédaalniih dooleeł.

It's times like this, when family comes together to provide support that we truly understand how necessary family is and how we can always rely on family to pull each other through difficulties such as this.

Kóhoot’i̜i̜hgo ahił haajííjéé’ dóó k’é da’ahizhdi’níinii áłah ánáhool’i̜i̜h. Ahidiníłnáago ałhee hada’ííníilní áádóó ahiłká’ánéijah le’.

Bless those who assumed the responsibility to make arrangements for the family so that their grief would not be overburdened with the added weight of making funeral arrangements.

Diné kodóó aheezhjéé’ígíí binahji̜’ diné ba̜a̜h dahaasdi̜i̜dii yee doo bijéí nidaazgóó íínísin. Diné kó̜ó̜ aheezhjée’ii t’ááłá’í nítínígo bik’idajídlí̜i̜ le’.

Lord, I also pray that you would provide us comfort from knowing that Mike is free from all the pain and sickness that he had before his death.

Bóhólníihii nihił náhwíísho̜o̜h baa ákoniidzingo ni éí Mike ach’i’ nahwii’ná dóó ‘a̜a̜h dahaz’á t’áá ałtso bits’á̜a̜ji̜’ bidííníchid.

Though before he passed away he wasn’t interested in things that used to give him pleasure, I pray that in you he will find what he was always seeking.

T’ah doo bee’iina’ niit’ééhé̜e̜dá̜á̜’ nahasdzáán bikáa’gi t’áá ałtso yíneedlí̜né̜e̜ doo yínéesdliid da ndi ni t’éiyá niníká góne’ laanaa nízinii yik’íníyá.

If he had lacked love, I pray that the fact that everyone who came here to pay their respects will show that he did not live a life without love, but that he had more love in his life than he understood. Not only did he have his family’s support, he always had you on his side.

Ayóó’ó’ni’ yídin nílí̜í̜ nít’ée’go kó̜ó̜ diné neheeskai ayóó’ádabó’níigo bee bééhózin ayóó’abi’dó’nííd nít’ée’go bee bééhozin. Doo bik’éí t’éí béénáálniih da. Ni éí t’áá áłahji̜’ bíighahgi honíló̜ nít’éé’, nahasdzáán bikáa’gi.

Lord, bring comfort and strength to his remaining family members, Freddie, Nellie, Dennison, and his sister Marcie.

Bóhólníihii, Freddy dóó Nellie, Dennison, índa Marcy bił honíshó̜o̜ le’ áádóó bidziilgo ádeiyínísin le’.

Lord, I also pray that we would receive comfort from the message shared today. For Your Word says in Psalm 119:28, “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your Word.”

Bóhólníihii, nizaad dasidiits’á̜’ígíí bee nihił náhwíísho̜o̜h díí jí̜. Jó nizaad biyi’ ání, Psalms 119:28, “Shii’ sizíinii yínííł yéego yik’ee yicha. Nizaad bik’ehgo shidziilgo ánáshídlééh!”

As this memorial comes to a completion, I pray that your mercy, your, love, and the power of your holy spirit will come upon us, as we travel home to different directions, to our workplaces or to return to school. Thank you for taking care and watching over us everyday. Give us safe travel. Thank you Lord, in Your name we pray.

Áádóó díí jí̜ naanish ałtso ła’ daadzaago hooghangóó da’íłts’á̜á̜’ ndeiyíníiká̜a̜hgóó ła’ shí̜í̜ diné ndaalnish áádóó da’ółta’, t’áá áníiltso nee ajooba’ dóó nee ayóó’ó’ó’ni’ índa niníłch’i bee adziilii nihił hóló̜o̜ le’. Ahéhee’ nihá áhólyá̜hígíí t’áá ákwíí jí̜ dóó nihik’idíní’í̜í̜’ígíí. Nizhónígo náhidiikah. Ahéhee’ Bóhólníihii, nízhi̜’ bee tsodadiilzin.

Amen.

T’áá ákót’ée doo.

2 Corinthians 1: 3 – 4, 6

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Diyin God, nihiBóhólníihii Jesus Christ biTaa’ nilíinii t’áá éí aTaa’ aa a’ááh nízinii índa diné t’áá ałtsoji̜’ hayi’iyoołníihii, éí baa ha’niih, éí t’áá ałtsoji̜’ atínihi’dil’í̜i̜go hanihi’iyoołnííh, áko atídabi’dil’íinii t’áá ałtso nihí ałdó’ éí hadabi’iyiilníih doo, Diyin God bee ha’ahóní yee hanihi’iyoosnii’ígíí t’áá éí bee diné hadabi’iyiilníih doogo bídaniil’á.

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is your comfort which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

Nihí atínihi’dil’í̜i̜go éí bee hada’íínółní índa yisdáhóhkááh biniyé át’é, índa hanihidi’yoolniihgo éí bee hada’íídóołniił biniyé át’é, jó, éí bee bik’ee ti’hwii’níihii t’áá éí bik’ee ti’dahoohníihgo hada’íínółní índa yisdáhóhkáah doo.