By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
The Apostle Peter wrote that disciples of Jesus Christ are to have “compassion one
of another.”1 In that spirit I wish to speak to those who suffer from some form of mental illness or
emotional disorder, whether those afflictions be slight or severe, of brief duration or persistent
over a lifetime. We sense the complexity of such matters when we hear professionals speak of
neuroses and psychoses, of genetic predispositions and chromosome defects, of bipolarity,
paranoia, and schizophrenia. However bewildering this all may be, these afflictions are some
of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no more shame in acknowledging them than
in acknowledging a battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor.
of another.”1 In that spirit I wish to speak to those who suffer from some form of mental illness or
emotional disorder, whether those afflictions be slight or severe, of brief duration or persistent
over a lifetime. We sense the complexity of such matters when we hear professionals speak of
neuroses and psychoses, of genetic predispositions and chromosome defects, of bipolarity,
paranoia, and schizophrenia. However bewildering this all may be, these afflictions are some
of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no more shame in acknowledging them than
in acknowledging a battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor.
In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to remember
that we are living—and chose to live—in a fallen world where for divine purposes our pursuit of
godliness will be tested and tried again and again. Of greatest assurance in God’s plan is that a
Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over
those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father
who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make
our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.
that we are living—and chose to live—in a fallen world where for divine purposes our pursuit of
godliness will be tested and tried again and again. Of greatest assurance in God’s plan is that a
Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over
those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father
who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make
our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.
Let me leave the extraordinary illnesses I have mentioned to concentrate on MDD—“major
depressive disorder”—or, more commonly, “depression.” When I speak of this, I am not speaking
of bad hair days, tax deadlines, or other discouraging moments we all have. Everyone is going
to be anxious or downhearted on occasion. The Book of Mormon says Ammon and his brethren
were depressed at a very difficult time,2 and so can the rest of us be. But today I am speaking of
something more serious, of an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to
function fully, a crater in the mind so deep that no one can responsibly suggest it would surely go
away if those victims would just square their shoulders and think more positively—though I am a
vigorous advocate of square shoulders and positive thinking!
depressive disorder”—or, more commonly, “depression.” When I speak of this, I am not speaking
of bad hair days, tax deadlines, or other discouraging moments we all have. Everyone is going
to be anxious or downhearted on occasion. The Book of Mormon says Ammon and his brethren
were depressed at a very difficult time,2 and so can the rest of us be. But today I am speaking of
something more serious, of an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to
function fully, a crater in the mind so deep that no one can responsibly suggest it would surely go
away if those victims would just square their shoulders and think more positively—though I am a
vigorous advocate of square shoulders and positive thinking!
No, this dark night of the mind and spirit is more than mere discouragement. I have seen it
come to an absolutely angelic man when his beloved spouse of 50 years passed away. I have seen
it in new mothers with what is euphemistically labeled “after-baby blues.” I have seen it strike
anxious students, military veterans, and grandmothers worried about the well-being of their grown
children.
come to an absolutely angelic man when his beloved spouse of 50 years passed away. I have seen
it in new mothers with what is euphemistically labeled “after-baby blues.” I have seen it strike
anxious students, military veterans, and grandmothers worried about the well-being of their grown
children.
And I have seen it in young fathers trying to provide for their families. In that regard I once
terrifyingly saw it in myself. At one point in our married life when financial fears collided with
staggering fatigue, I took a psychic blow that was as unanticipated as it was real. With the grace of
God and the love of my family, I kept functioning and kept working, but even after all these years I
continue to feel a deep sympathy for others more chronically or more deeply afflicted with such
gloom than I was. In any case we have all taken courage from those who, in the words of the
Prophet Joseph, “search[ed] … and contemplate[d] the darkest abyss”3 and persevered through
it—not the least of whom were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Elder George Albert Smith,
the latter being one of the most gentle and Christlike men of our dispensation, who battled recurring
depression for some years before later becoming the universally beloved eighth prophet and
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
terrifyingly saw it in myself. At one point in our married life when financial fears collided with
staggering fatigue, I took a psychic blow that was as unanticipated as it was real. With the grace of
God and the love of my family, I kept functioning and kept working, but even after all these years I
continue to feel a deep sympathy for others more chronically or more deeply afflicted with such
gloom than I was. In any case we have all taken courage from those who, in the words of the
Prophet Joseph, “search[ed] … and contemplate[d] the darkest abyss”3 and persevered through
it—not the least of whom were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Elder George Albert Smith,
the latter being one of the most gentle and Christlike men of our dispensation, who battled recurring
depression for some years before later becoming the universally beloved eighth prophet and
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love?
Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend.
As President Monson said to the Relief Society sisters so movingly last Saturday evening: “That love
never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is
there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it]. It is simply always there.”4 Never, ever doubt
that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring
the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual
well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to
the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of
them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those
miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished
example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead.5
Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend.
As President Monson said to the Relief Society sisters so movingly last Saturday evening: “That love
never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is
there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it]. It is simply always there.”4 Never, ever doubt
that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring
the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual
well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to
the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of
them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those
miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished
example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead.5
In preventing illness whenever possible, watch for the stress indicators in yourself and in others you
may be able to help. As with your automobile, be alert to rising temperatures, excessive speed, or a
tank low on fuel. When you face “depletion depression,” make the requisite adjustments. Fatigue is
the common enemy of us all—so slow down, rest up, replenish, and refill. Physicians promise us that
if we do not take time to be well, we most assuredly will take time later on to be ill.
may be able to help. As with your automobile, be alert to rising temperatures, excessive speed, or a
tank low on fuel. When you face “depletion depression,” make the requisite adjustments. Fatigue is
the common enemy of us all—so slow down, rest up, replenish, and refill. Physicians promise us that
if we do not take time to be well, we most assuredly will take time later on to be ill.
If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training,
professional skills, and good values. Be honest with them about your history and your struggles.
Prayerfully and responsibly consider the counsel they give and the solutions they prescribe. If you
had appendicitis, God would expect you to seek a priesthood blessing and get the best medical care
available. So too with emotional disorders. Our Father in Heaven expects us to use all of the
marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation.
professional skills, and good values. Be honest with them about your history and your struggles.
Prayerfully and responsibly consider the counsel they give and the solutions they prescribe. If you
had appendicitis, God would expect you to seek a priesthood blessing and get the best medical care
available. So too with emotional disorders. Our Father in Heaven expects us to use all of the
marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation.
If you are the one afflicted or a caregiver to such, try not to be overwhelmed with the size of your
task. Don’t assume you can fix everything, but fix what you can. If those are only small victories, be
grateful for them and be patient. Dozens of times in the scriptures, the Lord commands someone
to “stand still” or “be still”—and wait.6 Patiently enduring some things is part of our mortal education.
task. Don’t assume you can fix everything, but fix what you can. If those are only small victories, be
grateful for them and be patient. Dozens of times in the scriptures, the Lord commands someone
to “stand still” or “be still”—and wait.6 Patiently enduring some things is part of our mortal education.
For caregivers, in your devoted effort to assist with another’s health, do not destroy your own. In all
these things be wise. Do not run faster than you have strength.7 Whatever else you may or may not be
able to provide, you can offer your prayers and you can give “love unfeigned.”8 “Charity suffereth
long, and is kind; … [it] beareth all things, … hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never
faileth.”9
these things be wise. Do not run faster than you have strength.7 Whatever else you may or may not be
able to provide, you can offer your prayers and you can give “love unfeigned.”8 “Charity suffereth
long, and is kind; … [it] beareth all things, … hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never
faileth.”9
Also let us remember that through any illness or difficult challenge, there is still much in life to be
hopeful about and grateful for. We are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions!
Stephanie Clark Nielson and her family have been our friends for more than 30 years. On
August 16, 2008, Stephanie and her husband, Christian, were in a plane crash and subsequent fire
that scarred her so horrifically that only her painted toenails were recognizable when family
members came to indentify the victims. There was almost no chance Stephanie could live. After
three months in a sleep-induced coma, she awoke to see herself. With that, the psyche-scarring
and horrendous depression came. Having four children under the age of seven, Stephanie did not
want them to see her ever again. She felt it would be better not to live. “I thought it would be
easier,” Stephanie once told me in my office, “if they just forgot about me and I quietly slipped out
of their life.”
hopeful about and grateful for. We are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions!
Stephanie Clark Nielson and her family have been our friends for more than 30 years. On
August 16, 2008, Stephanie and her husband, Christian, were in a plane crash and subsequent fire
that scarred her so horrifically that only her painted toenails were recognizable when family
members came to indentify the victims. There was almost no chance Stephanie could live. After
three months in a sleep-induced coma, she awoke to see herself. With that, the psyche-scarring
and horrendous depression came. Having four children under the age of seven, Stephanie did not
want them to see her ever again. She felt it would be better not to live. “I thought it would be
easier,” Stephanie once told me in my office, “if they just forgot about me and I quietly slipped out
of their life.”
But to her eternal credit, and with the prayers of her husband, family, friends, four beautiful
children, and a fifth born to the Nielsons just 18 months ago, Stephanie fought her way back from
the abyss of self-destruction to be one of the most popular “mommy bloggers” in the nation, openly
declaring to the four million who follow her blog that her “divine purpose” in life is to be a mom
and to cherish every day she has been given on this beautiful earth.
children, and a fifth born to the Nielsons just 18 months ago, Stephanie fought her way back from
the abyss of self-destruction to be one of the most popular “mommy bloggers” in the nation, openly
declaring to the four million who follow her blog that her “divine purpose” in life is to be a mom
and to cherish every day she has been given on this beautiful earth.
Whatever your struggle, my brothers and sisters—mental or emotional or physical or
otherwise—do not vote against the preciousness of life by ending it! Trust in God. Hold on in
His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee.
Though we may feel we are “like a broken vessel,” as the Psalmist says,10we must remember, that
vessel is in the hands of the divine potter. Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones
and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help
by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind.
otherwise—do not vote against the preciousness of life by ending it! Trust in God. Hold on in
His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee.
Though we may feel we are “like a broken vessel,” as the Psalmist says,10we must remember, that
vessel is in the hands of the divine potter. Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones
and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help
by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind.
I testify of the holy Resurrection, that unspeakable cornerstone gift in the Atonement of the Lord
Jesus Christ! With the Apostle Paul, I testify that that which was sown in corruption will one day
be raised in incorruption and that which was sown in weakness will ultimately be raised in
power.11 I bear witness of that day when loved ones whom we knew to have disabilities in mortality
will stand before us glorified and grand, breathtakingly perfect in body and mind. What a thrilling
moment that will be! I do not know whether we will be happier for ourselves that we have witnessed
such a miracle or happier for them that they are fully perfect and finally “free at last.”12 Until that
hour when Christ’s consummate gift is evident to us all, may we live by faith, hold fast to hope,
and show “compassion one of another,”13 I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Jesus Christ! With the Apostle Paul, I testify that that which was sown in corruption will one day
be raised in incorruption and that which was sown in weakness will ultimately be raised in
power.11 I bear witness of that day when loved ones whom we knew to have disabilities in mortality
will stand before us glorified and grand, breathtakingly perfect in body and mind. What a thrilling
moment that will be! I do not know whether we will be happier for ourselves that we have witnessed
such a miracle or happier for them that they are fully perfect and finally “free at last.”12 Until that
hour when Christ’s consummate gift is evident to us all, may we live by faith, hold fast to hope,
and show “compassion one of another,”13 I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.