How Attending the Temple Can Impact Mental Health

By Kerry Griffin Smith

Like many of you, I struggle with my mental health. At times in my life, it has been an incredible burden and not something I thought I could manage. Yet through each hurdle, I have managed to see and find the light again and again.

I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for this gospel and the knowledge we have as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All of my courage comes from spiritual confirmations I have had in a variety of settings. Always, I have sought the Lord through prayer, scripture study, priesthood blessings—whatever it takes to draw closer to Him.

One of my greatest joys is attending the House of the Lord. There I can learn more of what I need to do and enjoy incredible strength and solace through peaceful surroundings that enwrap me physically and emotionally.

And I’m not the only one. Dare I say that many others, if not most or all, are there to receive relief from their daily cares?

They may not be attending specifically for mental health reasons, but many of them are. The temple is literally a place where one does not attend alone in their grief.

In addition to the spiritual uplift I receive from attendance, I am mindful of additional blessings I’m given to keep going in life.

Community and Service

The temple environment is all about love for others and our Savior’s love for us. We are performing sacred ordinances that others can no longer perform for themselves. Christ is literally saving us, an atoning sacrifice we could not have done for ourselves.

Together we worship in white, in unity and solidarity for our core beliefs. We are all equals. We are all brothers and sisters. We each matter—to one another and especially to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

Nowhere else on this earth can we gather communally to perform eternal ordinances, a gracious gift bestowed by a loving God who knew we would need such service to enlighten our mortal journeys.

Focus on Others

When we are feeling our most depressed, our thoughts and feelings focus inward. Attending the temple gently guides our thoughts outward, toward others we see and toward those we cannot see, knowing that individuals on both sides of the veil are with us in the temple.

A shift from our internal struggles can begin as we focus upon the covenants and blessings promised in the temple. Every single person who attends is promised eternal gifts and blessings, contingent upon their faithfulness in mortality.

Some who have mental health challenges may struggle with religious perfectionism or scrupulosity. It’s a real struggle. Yet it’s also real to notice that the temple is full of imperfect human beings who are simply doing their best. Look around; focus on others. Imagine that they hope for the best too and are like you in many ways.

Spiritual Perspective

You can pray, ponder, and do everything in your power from home and still be missing added reassurance that comes from being inside the temple regularly. 

Former President Russell M. Nelson told us repeatedly, “Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod (see 1 Nephi 8:30) than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit.”

Why miss out? There’s no set number of times you must attend. In fact, no one is keeping attendance. It’s between you and the Lord. Attend as often as you need for your spiritual perspective to grow. 

If for some reason you cannot attend the temple now or doing so further complicates your well-being somehow, be mindful about how you may attend at some point. Take the steps necessary to progress. Consider visiting the temple grounds or reading books about the temple to further enhance your understanding.

For me, the temple has been a house of refuge. My experiences there are sacred to me. Admittedly, most of them are very small experiences in my life’s puzzle. But one particular temple experience many years ago helped me to see I was engaged to marry someone who wasn’t right for me. I’m incredibly grateful for being spared the heartache of an unhappy marriage and am ever grateful for my sealing to a wonderful spouse.

For me, many things become clearer in the temple. Decisions are never made for me, but the choices seem so much clearer as I ponder them within the walls of the temple.

Kerry Griffin Smith, an editor for the former Ensign magazine, enjoys living in Utah and exploring all the great state has to offer with her family. She also loves to share clean, quality books with friends on Facebook and Instagram.