It’s Fast and Testimony meeting. You feel prompted to address the congregation and tell them the deepest, strongest feelings of your heart. You stand at the microphone, and suddenly you choke up. Tears fill your eyes and you’re not sure if you can even speak. You pause. You take a deep breath. You collect yourself.

Not everyone experiences this, and let me be clear: beautiful testimonies have been borne without crying. But if we do feel tears welling up, experts say we shouldn’t push them down and bottle up our feelings.

Many of us apologize when we shed tears, and try to exert a steely will not to cry. Our society has been especially hard on men when it comes to crying, making them think it’s a sign of weakness. But it isn’t. When our heart is bursting with joy, gratitude, faith, love, or even sadness, it’s normal to tear up.

Yes, we want our testimony to be heard clearly. But crying is nothing to be ashamed of. Let’s appreciate tears. Animals might make crying sounds, but humans are the only creatures that shed tears.

When listening to a General Conference talk, how tenderly we feel drawn to our leaders when their eyes shine with tears. We know they are feeling something deeply, and the Spirit connects us to feel that with them.

One time at the veil in the temple, I felt tears pour from my eyes as I uttered the name of a stranger, in perfect French. I do not speak French, but I could hear my own voice as if it were another’s. I knew that French woman was there with me.

Crying can be emotional, but it can also be spiritual. When we’ve had a particularly clear answer to a prayer, or even a spiritual manifestation of some kind, tears often flow. Sometimes we are speechless, and tears seem to say all we need to.

When we grieve the loss of a loved one, or mourn with any sadness, our tears actually restore balance. Research shows that emotional tears (versus watering eyes from, say, allergies) contain higher levels of stress hormones. They also contain more mood-regulating manganese; we actually feel better afterwards. We also sleep better and strengthen our immune system.

It’s not only okay to cry when something touches our hearts, it’s emotionally healthy. Experts say that being vulnerable and letting our guard down releases stress and anxiety. In fact, studies have found those who resist crying have a less resilient immune system, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and mental health conditions including stress, anxiety, and depression.

On the other hand, those who are willing to cry appear to have more closeness, empathy, and support from friends and family. When we were baptized, we made a covenant to mourn with those who mourn, and seeing someone cry should elicit within us the desire to help and comfort someone else.

What about crying from physical pain? Scientists claim this releases endorphins to help numb the pain, calm, and soothe us.

Crying can be an emotional flag for us, as well. We’ve all suppressed emotions without realizing it. But tears can unlock that box and let us know something is going on that needs our attention. We can better identify just what it is, after a “good cry.” It might even motivate us to seek help and solve problems.

Of course, there are extreme cases where someone’s crying is uncontrollable, or a person wants to cry and cannot. Seeking medical help can ward off depression and a host of other clinical problems in such cases.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said, “Tear are alright. They are the price we pay for love, care, and compassion in the world.” Indeed, as we embrace life’s many emotions, tears are a natural outcome. They come at surprising moments, but let’s remember they can be a sign of healing, a sign of joy, and very often, a sign of gratitude to our Father in Heaven.

Joni Hilton is a Latter-day Saint author, Seminary teacher, and shares life hacks at .