Don’t start worrying, but I’ll go ahead and confess that I have struggled with postpartum depression to some degree with the birth of all four of my children – including the one I just had. A recent trip to the temple helped me put things in perspective, and I’d like to elaborate a little on why I encourage anyone struggling with any form of depression to attend as often as possible.
Of course, we all know that we should be visiting the temple as frequently as circumstances will allow. Most of the time, when we think of the temple, we think of the endowment session. The lessons learned there, as well as a visit to the celestial room, will certainly bring the spirit into your heart and help you with your eternal perspective.
Very rarely do I hear people speak of going to the temple to do initiatories. I will even confess that, until this past December, when my husband’s temple-worker grandparents encouraged us, we had not done them since we received our own ordinances five years before.
When my husband and I returned to Atlanta for Mother’s Day, I was once again able to visit the temple. However, because I am nursing, I was nervous about spending nearly three hours away (that includes driving times to and from) from my five week old baby, who has not yet settled into an extended feeding schedule. I decided to do initiatories instead of endowments.
As I listened to the blessings and promises sealed to the sisters whose work I was performed, I was touched by the divine blessings that had been sealed on me when I went through. Here I was, struggling with depression (which depression encouraged me to not worry about going to the temple, I might add), with such wonderful promises made! And being able to hear those promises over and over again simply drilled them into my head.
I’d like to say that all of this helped me kick my postpartum to the curb, but it did not. However, in the ensuing days, when I start feeling down, I think back to those wonderful blessings. I think about the fact that the Lord does know I am a woman of worth, and that He has promised to help me with my burdens.
With my first three pregnancies, I lived less than thirty minutes from the temple and had willing sitters in my in-laws. Now I have a five hour drive, and am still trying to work out babysitting. I wonder if I would have struggled less with postpartum had I traveled more frequently to the temple during previous pregnancies. I wonder how much visiting the temple – in any form – will help those of you reading who struggle with regular or postpartum depression. I know the Lord has given us a wonderful blessing in allowing us in His house, and I hope and pray that you will take advantage of it. I can attest to the fact that, like praying, you need to attend to it most when you least want to.
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