In the second half of 2018, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published new resources that encourage love for those considering suicide and offer hope to those impacted by pornography.
The Church released a series of hopeful videos in July that encourage Latter-day Saints to listen to and love those considering suicide.
In one video, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encourages Latter-day Saints to “reach out in love and caring for those who have suicidal thoughts, who have attempted suicide, who feel marginalized in any way. We need to reach out with love and understanding. And you do that in concert with health care professionals, with ecclesiastical leaders, with friends and family support.”
The series also includes important comments from Sister Carol F. McConkie, who served in the Church’s Young Women general presidency until April 2018.
“When anyone says they are contemplating hurting themselves or they’ve had thoughts about a specific plan to take their own life — it’s shocking,” Sister McConkie says. “And in that moment you really don’t know what to say. And yet at that same time you’ve got to pull yourself together and seek the Spirit of the Lord to guide you, to help you feel what He would say, to help you express love for that person and the assurance that you are there for them. … We’re walking this [path] together, and we have a covenant responsibility to look out for one another.”
In September, the Church published a video that helps viewers see through the eyes of a young man struggling with suicidal thoughts brought on by the various stresses, pressures and expectations of life.
The videos and other resources can be found at suicide.lds.org.
As of September, an updated Church website offers a more helpful and hopeful approach for Latter-day Saints seeking protection, help and healing from pornography use. The web address also changed. Addressingpornography.lds.org replaced overcomingpornography.org. (Related: In 2015, the Church published the video series “12 Steps to Change,” which describes the daily challenges facing those who struggle with addictive behaviors.)
“We are mortals; we all make mistakes. But God wants us to become more like His Beloved Son,” President Russell M. Nelson says in a video on the website. “[We can] literally become more like Him with every passing day. … We want to choose to be on the Lord’s side. We want to have Him as our God and let Him know that we are His people.”
In addition to President Nelson’s comments, the website features new video commentary from President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency and five members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, including acting quorum President M. Russell Ballard, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Elder David A. Bednar, Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Ronald A. Rasband. Several current and former general Church officers and local Church leaders also share their insights.
The website includes a link to attend or call in to support meetings through the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program, as well as additional Church and outside resources. Additional languages and content specifically for youth will come throughout 2019 and 2020.