DESELET
For the first time, since I can remember, this past October 2021 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a speaker addressed the topic of mental health.
Mental health is real, but it is a struggle that Christ knows and understands perfectly.
I must preface that I have not personally faced the many challenges that you have faced.
However, I have close friends who combat mental health related challenges on a daily basis.
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Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to travel to Alaska to see a dear friend of mine whom I haven’t seen since we graduated together at BYU-Idaho.
We had kept in contact throughout the years, but the timing had never worked out for us to meet up until this year.
While there, we rejoiced in one another’s company, but we also set out to accomplish a single objective: tell my friend’s story.
Trevor is one of the most charismatic people I know. His smile is contagious and his energy cannot be tamed.
However, there was a time when Trevor wasn’t himself.
There was a time when I wouldn’t hear back from him for weeks, even months, and it worried me.
I knew that he was facing mental challenges, but I didn’t know how to help him.
I prayed in his behalf and even fasted, yet I felt like my prayers were left unanswered.
However, a powerful insight - later revealed to me while studying - helped me to see how Trevor was feeling.
On April 29, 2021 I wrote the following in my journal:
I’ll be honest, I was looking at words on a page this morning during my scripture study (Mormon 3, Book of Mormon).
However, after I read the word “desolation” a second time, it stood out to me. It called for my attention.
Who would name their city that?
Perhaps Mormon is trying to give us an indication of what he was actually going through. Perhaps he was trying to help us visually understand where they lived and maybe even the state of the soldiers.
He had mentioned the grace of God was no longer with them.
A life without grace. A life without hope. Living in vain.
“And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did cruse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives” (Mormon 2:14).
I wasn’t quite sure how to show that in the film, but as I was reading this, the spirit confirmed to me (through feelings) that this is how Trevor Empey felt while living in Alaska.
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There was only so much I could do, yet the one thing I could do is let him know that someone was thinking about it.
I would send text after text, almost daily, hoping I would get a response, and eventually I would.
While conversing on the phone one day - prior to visiting him in Alaska - he thanked me for being one of the few people that checked up on him.
Sometimes that is all we can do; to check in and be a friend.
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In his conference address, Elder Erich W. Kopischke said (quoting Sheldon Martin), “Regardless of our mental and emotional well-being, focusing on growth is healthier than obsessing about our shortcomings.”
Elder Kopischke later continued in his own words, “The Lord helped us to see that the worth of an individual soul is far more important in the eternal scheme than any earthly task or achievement.”
I could not agree more.
“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10).”
Like Nephi, “I know that he [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things (1 Nephi 11:17).”
I know that God loves us, and that He will guide us as we strive to help His children to feel of that same love.
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How can we help those who may be struggling with mental health?
Elder Kopischke suggests, “Open and honest discussion with one another will help this important topic to receive the attention it deserves. After all, information precedes inspiration and revelation. These all-too-often invisible challenges can affect anyone, and when we are facing them, they appear insurmountable.”
“One of the first things we need to learn is that we are certainly not alone.... Learning will lead to more understanding, more acceptance, more compassion, more love. It can lessen tragedy while helping us develop and manage healthy expectations and healthy interactions.”
Although our individual circumstances are different, collectively, we are all in this together. We need one another to get through this life.
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The film you are about to see is Trevor’s story.
One may live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and yet he or she can still feel alone and forgotten.
Regardless of your circumstances or where you may live there is one thought that has the power to redirect one’s life comes from the stories we tell ourselves.
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SPOILER ALERT: Do not read this until you have watched the film.
Trevor was haunted by his past, which is why I needed a way to visual explain how he was feeling.
Did he really wake up in the forest one day? I don’t think so, but then again I wouldn’t put it past Trevor 😉.
In the film, Trevor had a reoccurring dream. The dream represents his past memories, the memories he can’t or choses not to let go of.
About the middle of the film, an unexpected visitor arrives; Mary the cat.
Trevor is reluctant, but takes her into his home.
Because of Mary, Trevor cannot bring himself to take his own life for the fear of leaving Mary alone is overwhelming.
Their relationship continues to grow and a special bond forms.
However, Mary’s life dramatically changes as well. She becomes sick.
Trevor is worried, and tries to spend as much time as he can with her.
I don’t want to ruin the ending because what fun would that be?!
However, I will leave you with this: Is Mary real?
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Hold on to your faith, and hold onto each other.
May God bless you as you earnestly strive to do so is my prayer.
Thank you for taking the time to watch this film. I hope that it made a difference in your life.
It takes a lot of time, money and commitment to produce a film like this. If you benefited from this film, consider making a donation so that we can continue to make more in the future.
Not only are you supporting a grass roots movement, but you will become a part of something greater than oneself. Because everyone deserves to be a part of something greater.
The answer lies not in how we make films, but instead in how we choose which films we make.
