Depression

God’s Promises

I Am Come That They Might Have Life,
And That They Might Have It More ABUNDANTLY.
-John 10:10

 

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall ABIDE IN MY LOVE;
even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you,
and that your JOY MIGHT BE FULL.
-John 15:10–11

Fruits of Mormonism

What are Latter-day Saint leaders saying about mental health?

Description (from YouTube)

What are Latter-day Saint leaders saying about mental health? To find out, Stephen joins Sister Tamara Runia of the General Young Women’s presidency; Elder William K. Jackson, General Authority Seventy; and Sister Reyna E. Aburto, former Relief Society General Presidency counselor.

Our youth are struggling, and WE’RE ALL WONDERING WHAT TO DO.

Join us as we explore options for the best way forward. This was filmed at the Gather Together Conference in August 2023. Get help answering some of life’s most challenging questions with Let’s Get Real with Stephen Jones, A @scripturecentralofficial original series that offers practical insights and ways to navigate life’s challenges and heaviest questions.

(Let’s Get Real with Stephen Jones, “LDS Youth Are Struggling — “Let’s Start Here” – Church Leaders,” YouTube, Apr 28, 2024, https://youtu.be/muaBHb40AZg?si=PJIk55nxWYe-ReXn)

Quotes

Sister Reyna E. Aburto

I have to tell you something. Sometimes we wait for our leaders to start those workshops or those groups that do those self-reliance courses. But my husband and I, we just finished one with some friends. We put a group of friends together and we do it with friends. We did it with friends. We finished it just like two weeks ago and it was the the most amazing thing. I learned so much about this. About so many different topics and finding that faith and strength in the Lord while we are helping each other. SO LET’S NOT WAIT FOR OUR LEADERS TO DO IT.  (@ 23:24 Sister Reyna E. Aburto, former Relief Society General Presidency counselor.)

Elder William K. Jackson

I’ve been a PRACTICING PHYSICIAN FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS now, and, have WATCHED the rise in the amount of emotional health STRUGGLES and ISSUES that people have, particularly in your generation. As an EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR in the Missionary Department, we do all things missionary. (@2:42)

We all start with a little bit of natural man or woman in us, and that’s okay. It’s part of what we’re here to overcome and to to learn to conquer and put aside. But we also learn in the endowment that we are our Heavenly Father’s work and glory, that we are his highest priority. And as such, we have the right to his help. Indeed Isaiah reminds us over and over again that his hand is stretched out still there to help us. He is the great physician, and,

  • AS WE DO ALL WE CAN with the resources available to us, including MEDICAL, PSYCHIATRIC, and COUNSELING RESOURCES,
  • THEN HE CAN COME in and heal us.

(@24:30 Elder William K. Jackson, General Authority Seventy)

Comments

It’s disturbing to learn that an Executive Director over missionaries is a medical doctor with the viewpoint that Christ can’t help until “after all we can do.” This warped theology is based on this verse:

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. (2 Nephi 25:23)

Keep in mind this applied to those still functioning under the Law of Moses, i.e., “Keep the law first as is required, and you will be saved by the Messiah who one day will fulfill it.” which is substantiated by the verse that follows:

24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled. (2 Nephi 25:24)

Elder Jackson’s application of that verse to health and when one could expect to receive help from Christ is alarming. Do other Executive Directors accept his theological health framework? Is he its author or following the lead of another?

No wonder there’s an epidemic of depression among members of the Church that now includes young adults and even the youth.

Solutions

Just like Seventh-day Adventists have outpaced the Mormons on every point except temple building and baptisms for the dead, so too do they outpace Mormons in longevity and happiness even though they’re a younger church and have a much smaller missionary force. Why? Despite having a wonderful health code (Word of Wisdom), adherence to this code by Church members has been along the lines of least resistance, while Seventh-day Adventists have remained vegetarians who seek solutions through God’s pharmacy before Big Pharma.

Although there’s a large number of health-minded companies in Utah, the Church seems to lag behind the facts regarding what works and what doesn’t when it comes to diet and the treatment of physical and mental illnesses.

Mental

Peter R. Breggin MD

Flower Essences

Physical

Dr. John R. Christopher

Christiane Northrup

Maria Treben

Spiritual

Latter-day Saints are largely suffering from disobedience to the simple teachings and doctrines found in The Holy Book of Mormon. Until they adhere to those alone they will never have joy, let alone peace.

54 And YOUR MINDS in times past have been DARKENED because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the WHOLE CHURCH under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, EVEN ALL.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, NOT ONLY TO SAY, BUT TO DO according to that which I have written—
58 That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a SCOURGE and judgment to be poured out UPON THE CHILDREN of Zion. (D&C 84:54–58)

You must OFFICIALLY have your names removed to be free of that Church-wide Curse of Condemnation.

 

Previous: MURDER
Next: ALARM