Mack Patten

MACK PATTEN was born and raised in Salt Lake City, attended its public schools, then served an LDS mission to Austria (1961–63), after which he graduated from the University of Utah with a B.A. in English and German. His professional life was spent teaching English and German at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City. Mack currently lives at the Canyon Rim Care Center, also in Salt Lake City. He and his former wife, Elaine, raised eight children.

Depression and the Brethren of the Priesthood

Articles/Essays – Volume 40, No. 3

During the last few years, I have come to feel that, if I were in charge of Church jargon, we would get rid of the words blessings, rewards, punishments, and tests. In place of those words, we would begin using “lessons to be learned.” I have also come to believe that some venue, or arena, or, at least, some safe place should be available where members could voice their concerns—without guilt—about their distresses, their disappointments, and their frustrations at what is going on in their lives.