lost87

have you considered cancer treatment centers rather than traditional hospitals/doctors? There are several located throughout the US and I think all of them offer treatment regardless of a patients ability to pay. They are very well regarded and have very good results. Just know that the Lord is in control and loves you and your family very much. It is hard in times like these when we feel there isn't much we can do, but when we trust in the Lord and accept His will, whatever it is, then we find that whatever does happen can actually bring blessings.....I read in one of your posts that you are not a member, but wish most days that you were....ya know, you could be...perhaps it would be good for both you and your family to invite the missionaries over....you don't have to get baptized or anything if you choose not to, but it would be nice to have a spiritual support to help you get through the hard time. If that is something you think could be helpful, then assuming you are in the US or Canada you can call 1-888-537-6600 to request missionaries to stop by, or just to get some general information. Im praying for you father and your family.

I just wanted to say thank you thank you thank you for posting this! I listened to half the talk yesterday and the rest today and it was literally exactly what i needed, almost word for word, it restored hope that was fading away....thank you so much for sharing it here!

After talking to my bishop, every time there are so many ups and downs, at first the ups (the hpoe in the atonement etc. ) outweigh the downs (the fear and hopelessness) but after a while the downs start to happen more frequently than the ups. Its like everything starts caving in and no amount of prayer or scripture study can overcome the feeling of being back at rock bottom. That is when I start to fall back into sin....it becomes too overwhelming and it feels like the good is so far off. I get stressed out and lose the energy to keep fighting.....how do I keep that from happening?

now I am almost excited to listen to this talk.....here goes...

I have already tried that option....the closest meeting place is 400 miles away, and i've gone through the manual and did everything but im still stuck here.

I know how your feeling. I've made some really terrible mistakes too and I am trying to find a way to repent for them as well....here is the thing though, for a long time I felt the way you do, that I was way too far gone and that there was no hope for me. That i'd never be able to make it to the celestial kingdom. I promise you we are both wrong. there is so much hope to be had in the Atonement. Christ suffered and died so that we could return to our Heavenly Father in spite of sin. No matter the sin, He did enough to overcome it. From what I understand, when it comes down to it we are not judged on our sins...we are judged on our relationship with Christ. the goal in repentance is to rebuild that relationship with Him, because sin destroys it. The beauty is, He never left the relationship, nor will he ever, it was us that left, and all we have to do is reset our course to Him and he will make up the rest. regardless of where a person is in life as long as they have a desire to repent the Lord can overcome all. You asked if your wife will have the opportunity to be sealed to someone who deserves her....here is the thing, she married you and was sealed to YOU because she loves you, she deserves to have YOU forever, and that is still entirely possible. believe it or not, despite everything you've done you are no more dependant on the atonement than she is. every single one of us is absolutely dependant on the atonement of Christ to reach exhaltation, and regardless of the sin, big or small, each of us still has that opportunity if we will just turn to Him. I am a terribly long way from all this, BUT I know that its true. I have no doubt now that the Lord loves us and will overcome even our greatest shortcomings if we let Him. Please do speak with your bishop, he will give you great counsel and help you get back on the right path....the beauty is its not that far, you just have to change directions and head toward Chrst. Please have hope in Him.

Prodigal Son...... I live alone and am single. Spiritually speaking I am really far from where I ought to be. I have felt the spirit once in probably two years, and my testimony is on incredibly shaky ground, i've been questioning even the basics......I think though that the questions are just an excuse to justify what i've been doing, deep down I know the church is true. In my head all the doctrines make sense and I know its right, but I can't at all feel it in my heart anymore. Its like I am dead to the spirit. I haven't ever been through the temple and received my endowments, and i've not been worthy to take the sacrament in 15 months. I have talked to my bishop, and he is a very sweet and kind man. About a year ago I was put on "informal probation". Last time I talked to him he said that the general rule for what i've done is a disciplinary councel, but he didn't want to do that yet. That was a month ago and I am still in this situation, so I am afraid that if I talk to him again he will feel like that ought to happen. Either way though, I really just want to change, so if it needs to happen, thats ok. I feel like when I talk to him I am wasting his time because i have been trying to change for so long (3 years) and have only done worse things. So thats where I am. Just_a_guy...they do go beyond pornography...and I hate it because I am a girl and this isn't supposed to be an issue. I don't really have any close friends that are girls....but I see how that would be helpful. Any guy I have told about the situation eventually ends up using my weakness to his advantage in some way or another. Thanks to the both of you for your help.

Does anyone know of a way to overcome a sexual addiction? I am struggling and keep falling further from where I ought to be. I'm running out of options and need help. The closest LDS councelor or church counseling services is 400 miles away so that is not really an option to me. I've worked through the church's 12 step program, but I still was not able to overcome this. Any help at all would be appreciated.

if you'll notice, the command to nephi to kill laban did not come from another mortal, but rather the literal spirit of God, the LORD told him to. I believe it is our priviledge in a case so trivial as that to have direct revelation from the Lord as to the course that He desires we take. Therefore, a command such as that from the prophet would never even occur. You say that this is a valid question even though thats true...but you are sadly mistaken my dear. This whole question is entirely irrelevant, it is one thing to question truth to gain a stronger testimony, but its an entirely different thing to develop false situations to secure doubt.

Ztodd~ your picture is my favorite temple. i grew up in Mesa and miss that temple so much!

I have talked to my bishop and he wasn't at all negative, he was incredibly positive and wonderfully kind. He said that generally they would have a church council, BUT he didn't want to yet. He is probably the best bishop in the world, and I absolutely trust him. He gave me one thing that I absolutely needed to do to avoid the council, and one thing I needed to think a lot about....that was a couple weeks ago and Im still working on both. As for the church programs...I live in a state where the church isn't big like UT and the western states, so the closest place for counceling is 1000 miles away. I've searched and there are no LDS private councelors in my state, and I went to another who tried to tell me the church was overly restrictive and I was too young to be worrying about things. So basically the finding a councelor step is out, there aren't any out here. Thanks so much for all of your advice everyone! I look forward to continuing to read this thread!

I am attempting the process of repentence for about the millionth time and I am having the hardest time just staying committed and not falling back into the mess that I've created. Does anyone have any advice? I'd appreciate any of your favorite scriptures, or any advice at all on how to maintain the desire for righteousness. Thank you so much!

I just don't think I can do it. I mean, I know it is possible through Christ...I believe that much, but I don't think I can make the sacrifices that I need to in order to choose to let Him help. Part of me wants to very much, but not enough to stick with it. I don't know that i'll ever do so.

I guess i am doing ok. I talked to my bishop a little over a week ago, he said that the standard procedure for things that I did is a disciplinary council, but he wanted to wait a little while for that. After i met with him I felt wonderful, and like there was hope, but i've fallen back into the old bad stuff now and don't know if that cycle will ever end. I believe that through Christ I could overcome all of this, but I don't think i'll ever choose to. I want to though.

I didn't end up talking to him...some weird things happened at church, with random baptist families showing up in the middle of sacrament meeting and various other things that kept him very busy....I was slightly grateful for that because I realy don't want to talk to him. I imagine he will call me sometime soon to set up a time though. if I don't hear from him by nxt sunday I'll call him.

I really appreciate the reply' I've gotten, I am trying to set aside and discern what are Satan's lies, Im just not sure what the truths of the gospel are yet. I think I will be talking to my bishop tomorrow, I told him that I would like to when he has time...this week has been rough on him with the death of a young child in the ward as well as many other families in need. He said he would like to talk on sunday. I am going to try very hard to just tell him everything, and regardless of what he decides, I think it will be in my best interest. I'll continue to keep you all informed, and if there is any other help you could offer I would so greatly appreciate it. I want to change, but I don't know if I want it enough to actually accomplish it. I'm trying to read scriptures daily, and trying to start praying...i've missed a couple days, but when i do study the scriptures i am really trying to get something out of it. Thank you again.

specifically that verse, because I turned away from the lord have i lost it? This son came back, but was never restored his inheritance, is that the same for us?

so does that story in the scriptures mean i have lost my inheritance in the celestial kingdom and with God?

I am a 21 year old girl who attended BYU.I have been on imformal probation of a while, and haven't taken the sacrament in 14 months. I can't change. i keep falling deeper and deeper into immorality, and considering doing things that i would have never imagined. I've lost my virginity, and most of my faith. I've let people watch me do terrible things and considered doing even more terrible things to pay the bills. I want to change, and I believe the church is true, but I don't know how to do this.I have been trying for so long, and keep failing. I am meeting with my bishop soon, as soon as he gives me a time, can i ask him to be disfellowshipped? I think that would help me, give me something solid to work towards (regaining the blessings of membership). can I ask for this, or do you think he may do it anyways? Thanks