Elder Scott on Abuse

LDS Living shared a story of one woman whose life was affected by this talk. She will appear on Oprah Winfrey on Thursday, Sept. 17 to talk about her book that reflects her experience in getting past an ugly part of her life experience. It is a different kind of emotional trauma than actual abuse, but the principles apply as well. This is what she said about Elder Scott's talk:

“It gave me hope for the first time,” Moore said. “It said that scars need not be permanent. . . . I thought that I could never get over my past, until I read that article and then I knew . . . I could recover from my past.”

(Read more of her story here)

This is a talk worth re-reading. Victims of abuse have every reason to be angry, but it should not be directed at or projected on the innocent who seek to help them. With the Lord's help, counseling, and psychiatric care for the deep damage that has been done, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Healing is possible without perpetuating the abuse and hurting others. When we push it under the rug or into the closet, we can't completely heal. Family members need to reach out and help the victim to identify the real cause of the pain and not try to hide it for fear of family embarrassment or in an attempt to protect the abuser. Child abuse is a travesty. If you know of abuse around you, please read this.

"Satan uses your abuse to undermine your self-confidence, destroy trust in authority, create fear, and generate feelings of despair. Abuse can damage your ability to form healthy human relationships. You must have faith that all of these negative consequences can be resolved; otherwise they will keep you from full recovery. While these outcomes have powerful influence in your life, they do not define the real you."