Thoughts and stories, by Pal

Great article, with many helpful suggestions for those with depression.  Holidays can be depressing for some, and this may help! 15 Powerful LDS Resources for Battling Depression by Seth Adam Smith  | Dec. 10, 2016 Mormon Life The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, but for many, it can be a time of intense depression.  Seth Adam Smith,  author of   Marriage Isn't for You   and the new novel,  Rip Van Winkle and the Pumpkin Lantern,   shares some of the most helpful LDS resources he's found to help him manage his longtime battle with depression. As a Mormon who struggles with chronic depression, I’ve spent a lot of time searching for LDS resources on depression and suicide prevention. Listed below are some of the most helpful talks and articles that I have found. Before you read or listen to them, I want you to know that I have used these resources  in conjunction with proper medical...

What I Would Do Differently If I Could Serve My Mission Again by Seth Adam Smith  | Jan. 23, 2016 Makes You Think Mormon Life I served a mission for the Mormon Church in Vladivostok, Russia. If I were “re-called to serve” this mission, there’s one thing I’d do differently: This time, I would try to not hate it. A Surface-Level Missionary Don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-missionary work—far from it. But there’s a fundamental reason why I once hated missionary work and why I’ve since learned to love it. In order for you to understand why I hated my mission, you must first know something about my personality. In the past, I haven’t been much of a “people person.” In fact, I  frequently  go out of my way to avoid people. My three biggest pet peeves are: people standing/walking behind me, making small talk with strangers, and having people waiting on me. Most of my personal pictures (prior to getting married) show me at a...

This is truly a beautiful entry by Seth Adams Smith today.  I have watched the video and it is also very beautiful and touching.  After reading this blog, you can go to this URL listed here, and then click on the video and watch it.   If you know anyone with depression or suicidal thoughts, please give them the love and security they need, unconditionally.  Love can save lives! http://sethadamsmith.com/2014/10/23/beauty-for-ashes/ Beauty for Ashes BY   SETH ADAM SMITH   ON   OCTOBER 23, 2014 • Angela Johnson’s sculpture of the woman with an issue of blood. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus read from the scriptures, saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted…to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 4:22) In the book of Isaiah, a similar scripture finishes with: “…to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,  to give ...

I really enjoy Seth Adam Smith's blogs!  This entry today has so much wisdom in it, I believe it is good for someone of any age to read.  In the last 2 months Wayne has had to take care of me after my rotator surgery, and only 3 weeks later, he was in the hospital with pneumonia and acute renal failure, and I was visiting him for 5 days at the hospital, and taking care of him for a few days after -- with my left arm, and my right arm still in a sling!  We both are doing better now -- not completely better -- but very improved.  This article helps explain life, even into your 80's!  (Perhaps especially then.) I Plan On Loving My Wife BY   SETH ADAM SMITH   ON   OCTOBER 13, 2014 •  (  LEAVE A COMMENT  ) My wife and I have known each other since high school, but didn’t date until much later. We had only dated a couple of weeks before we realized that we were  madly  in love and wanted to get married. I was al...

Yesterday a Senior couple gave their homecoming talk in our ward. They said some things that have given me an insight as to why some missionaries have problems, and perhaps come home early, even though they have a testimony, etc.  She  was a professional counselor before they left, and they were called to the South east part of the U.S., Alabama, etc., and were mental health counselors to 18 different missions.   She mentioned that before anyone goes on their missions, Heavenly Father knows how long they will be able to serve.  She very kindly explained that whatever problem a person has, either physically or mentally, socially, etc., they take that with them on their missions.  She said that if someone has diabetes, anxiety, depression, etc. and other physical ailments before their missions, the stresses of a mission add to what they already had problems with.  She mentioned one young missionary whom they counseled, and he wanted so much to stay on ...