Reyna Aburto on Suicide, Grief & Finding the Savior in the Darkness | "It's Not You, It's the Cloud" (LDS)

Send us Fan MailHow do we find the Savior in our darkest seasons — through depression, grief, and the loss of someone we love? In this tender Thinning of the Veil episode, host Tia Smith sits down with Sister Reyna I. Aburto, former Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency and author of Reaching for the Savior, for an honest, hope-filled conversation about mental health, grief, and healing through Jesus Christ. Reyna speaks openly about losing her father to suicide, losing her brother in a childhood earthquake, and the long journey of grief — and shares the image at the heart of her general conference message "Through Cloud and Sunshine, Lord, Abide with Me": that when everything feels dark, the sun is still shining above the clouds. "You are not the problem," she testifies. "The problem is the cloud." Together she and Tia bear witness of the ministering of angels on both sides of the veil, the comfort of the plan of salvation, and how temple and family history work has brought them healing — including tender experiences of sensing loved ones who have passed. This is a Latter-day Saint (LDS) conversation offered as hope for anyone carrying a heavy load. You are not alone, and the Savior is aware of you.If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. In the U.S., you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7.Q: What does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teach about suicide?A: Sister Reyna Aburto teaches that life is a sacred gift, and that mental and emotional illness should be treated with the same compassion as any physical illness. She testifies that we should never judge those who die by suicide or their families, because we cannot know their circumstances, and that the Savior extends mercy and understanding to all.Q: How can we support someone struggling with depression or a mental health crisis?A: Reyna shares the image of a storm cloud: those in the light often can't see how dark it is below, and those in the darkness can't see the light — so the answer is to fight the cloud together. She counsels turning to the Savior and the scriptures, reaching outward to serve others, being vulnerable, and seeking professional help, while believing and validating those who say they are hurting.Q: How can temple and family history work help with grief and healing?A: Reyna shares tender experiences of feeling close to those she serves in the temple, and the healing that came when her parents were finally sealed and she was sealed to them — releasing years of pain. She and Tia testify that as we do this work, the veil can thin and loved ones who have passed can minister to us.Q: How do angels — on both sides of the veil — minister to us?A: Reyna testifies that she has felt help from ancestors beyond the veil and from countless "angels" here in mortality — friends and strangers whose small acts of kindness changed her life. She and Tia encourage looking outward for chances to lift others, teaching that revelation often comes most clearly when we are seeking to help someone else.▶️ WATCH & LISTEN🎬 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinningoftheveil🌐 Website: https://www.thinningoftheveil.com🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinning-of-the-veil/id1753511394🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jWCfMHkZXwnSwy2b98J4M🎵 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a0a45561-d4c2-46d3-af8d-a1e967a21a25📖 BOOKPatterns of Revelation — Spiritual Foundations for Hearing God's Voice: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW36MG9B📱 CONNECTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinning.of.the.veilFacebook Group (Gathering of the Gatherers): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1429562078443774Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572121559456💛 SUPPORT THE SHOWVenmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/thinningoftheveilPayPal: https://paypal.me/thinningoftheveil✉️ Have you had a thinning of the veil experience? Email [email protected] — your testimony may be exactly what someone needs to hear.#ThinningOfTheVeil #SpiritWorld #TempleWork #FamilyHistory #LDS #LatterDaySaints #GatheringOfIsrael #MinisteringAngels #FamilySearch #PersonalRevelationSupport the show