Every one of us has family members, dear friends, or acquaintances who've experienced suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, or have taken their lives. And every time, it's tragic.

We know, from all the statistics out there, that someone in the ward is hurting. Someone is having suicidal thoughts in your ward. And as we come together as families, as churches, in a community, we can do better than we're doing now. This is the way that we decrease any kind of embarrassment, reduce any kind of stigma, and gain further understanding about the process. There's an old sectarian notion that suicide is a sin and that someone who commits suicide is banished to hell forever. That is totally false. I believe the vast majority of cases will find that these individuals have lived heroic lives and that that suicide will not be a defining characteristic of their eternities. I think Heavenly Father is pleased when we reach out and help His children. I think He's profoundly pleased. But we shouldn't underestimate the importance of the Church as a community, coming together and helping each other through this life. Heavenly Father knew it would be a challenge, and He knew we would need each other's help. So what we need to do as a Church is 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 and with ecclesiastical leaders, with friends and family support.