Thru cloud and sunshine” the Lord will abide with us, that our “afflictions [can be] swallowed up in the joy of Christ.
Black clouds may also form in our lives, which can blind us to God’s light and even cause us to question if that light exists for us anymore. Some of those clouds are of depression, anxiety, and other forms of mental and emotional affliction. They can distort the way we perceive ourselves, others, and even God. They affect women and men of all ages in all corners of the world
it is normal to feel sad or worried once in a while. Sadness and anxiety are natural human emotions.
Achieving perfection is a process that will take place throughout our mortal life and beyond—and only through the grace of Jesus Christ.
When we open up about our emotional challenges, admitting we are not perfect, we give others permission to share their struggles. Together we realize there is hope and we do not have to suffer alone.
Even if we do not know how to relate to what others are going through, validating that their pain is real can be an important first step in finding understanding and healing.
Talking about suicide in appropriate ways actually helps to prevent it rather than encourage it.
It is important to recognize that depression is not the result of weakness, nor is it usually the result of sin. It “thrives in secrecy but shrinks in empathy.” Together, we can break through the clouds of isolation and stigma so the burden of shame is lifted and miracles of healing can occur.
When it comes to healing, don’t we all need Him desperately? “Are we not all beggars?”
Let us follow the Savior’s path and increase our compassion, diminish our tendency to judge, and stop being the inspectors of the spirituality of others.
Listening with love is one of the greatest gifts we can offer, and we may be able to help carry or lift the heavy clouds that suffocate our loved ones and friends so that, through our love, they can once again feel the Holy Ghost and perceive the light that emanates from Jesus Christ.
If you are constantly surrounded by a “mist of darkness,” turn to Heavenly Father
Nothing that you have experienced can change the eternal truth that you are His child and that He loves you.
Your struggles do not define you, but they can refine you.
Because of a “thorn in the flesh,” you may have the ability to feel more compassion toward others.
Russell M. Nelson said, “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.”
Here is the full talk:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/10/31aburto?lang=eng
-Sherri Jorgensen
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