A Wise Purpose

My first Sour Peppers commission! If you'd like to commission me to make a Sour Peppers entry to your specifications, check out my commissions page here.

Sometimes we are commanded to do things that may not seem to make sense according to our limited understanding. They may even be difficult or require sacrifice in order to do them. But we should remember that God knows all things. He knows how life will play out. Which is why we should listen when He speaks to us, and follow His guidance. It may be that He is helping us prepare for something bad that we don't know is coming. Or there may be an unseen reward later on. Mormon for example, the one writing this passage, was commanded to include the smaller record of Nephi to his abridgment. He may not have understood why, especially since the record of Lehi apparently included much of the same material. But it turned out to be a good thing that he did since the book of Lehi was lost. We are indebted to him for heeding the whisperings of the Spirit so that we have access to the many lessons taught by Nephi and his brethren. And of course, we are indebted to God for inspiring him to include the record. We should all likewise heed the promptings received from the Spirit, even when we don't understand why.

Suicide Prevention Plan

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. I recently read an article in the Ensign about creating a "suicide prevention plan." I'd never heard of such a thing. I figured it was probably something for those who were already struggling with suicidal thoughts or who were already in a crisis. As I learned about the different steps involved in creating a plan however, I soon realized that in many ways, suicidal thoughts is like other crises: the time to make a plan to deal with it is before it happens! (I'd encourage everyone to read it, regardless of their religious preference or previous experience with depression or suicidal thoughts. The section about creating a plan starts halfway down the page: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2016/09/choosing-to-live-overcoming-suicidal-thoughts?lang=eng)

I've never felt suicidal. And while I've struggled with anxiety and self-doubt on plenty of occasions, I don't think I've ever had clinical depression. So it's tempting to think this is something I don't really need to worry about. However, I've since learned from others that you just can't tell who will be affected. And like any emergency plan, you obviously hope to never have to use it. But when a crisis arises, you'll be glad you were prepared. On that note, I decided to follow the steps outlined in the article to create my own plan, which I've briefly outlined here. You can create your own by following this pattern and adapting it to fit your own needs. The idea is to start with step one and move on to each step in order if you still don't feel better:

1. Recognize warning signs.
• loss of interest in activities I usually enjoy
• withdrawal from friends and family
• melancholy and lack of motivation to do anything
2. Try to comfort myself.
• listen to calming, uplifting music
• go for a walk
• draw
• play non-violent video games
• watch videos that make me laugh
3. Think about reasons for living.
• my friends and family love and depend on me
• personal projects I'm working on
• goals I hope to accomplish in the future
4. Reach out to others for help (include phone numbers).
• family members
• close friends
• bishop
5. Create a safe environment.
• stay with someone supportive; don't be alone
• ask for help removing potentially harmful items
• go to a park, mall, movie theater, or other social environment
6. Contact a professional.
• US suicide hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• crisis text line: 741-741
7. Get emergency help.
• call 911
• go to nearest hospital and ask for help

(http://suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html lists the phone numbers for suicide hotlines in different countries around the world.)
Again, I hope to never have to use this plan. But I have already made a copy that is easily accessible on my phone if I should ever need it. I'd encourage everyone to do the same. Treat this the same way you would treat preparing for any emergency. Sit down with family or friends and talk about it. Don't wait. Make a plan now.