Help to Prevent Suicide

New resources have been added to Church materials that assist those dealing with prevention of suicide.

Elder Dale G. Renlund during an interview — In several new videos designed to provide help in preventing suicide, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encourages Latter-day Saints “to reach out with love and understanding.”

“Every one of us has family members, dear friends, or acquaintances who have experienced suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, or have taken their lives,” says Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a video that is one of a series of hopeful videos recently added to suicide.lds.org in an ongoing effort to help prevent suicide.

The series of videos encourages Latter-day Saints to listen to and love those considering suicide and to, as Elder Renlund says, “reach out in love and caring for those who have suicidal thoughts, who have attempted suicide, who feel marginalized in any way … [and to do so] in concert with health care professionals, with ecclesiastical leaders, with friends and family support.”

Two videos feature personal stories—one of a woman who found hope after surviving a suicide attempt, the other of a father who endured the suicide of his son who was away at college.

The series also includes comments from Carol F. McConkie, who served in the Church’s Young Women General Presidency from 2013 to 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 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.”

Watch for additional articles on this subject in the September 2018 Church magazines.