classylady

Wonderful news! It is such a blessing to be sealed as a couple and family. It is my greatest comfort. As a child I found comfort in knowing we were an eternal family after my father died in a tragic accident. As a mother I find comfort in knowing our daughter is sealed to us, and we are an eternal family. She died in an accident at the age of 19. IMO, there is no greater blessing.

Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.
 

Last year I volunteered to help watch (guard) my son’s father-in-law’s guitar collection that was on display in the St. George Parade of Homes. He has an extensive guitar collection and Van Halen’s signature is on one of them. Kind of cool. The guitar I really kept my eye on was a Fender Strat, Serial Number 0003. If you know anything about guitars you can make an educated guess on it’s worth.

Shiva, you are heartbroken over your boyfriends past sexual history. It is true, as you say, that if you two married that the two of you would never share some milestone first time experiences together. You would be unevenly yoked in the physical intimacy department. He can be forgiven, but there are consequences to his past actions. He has a history that cannot be erased. No matter how much he (or you) wishes It never happened, it did. He will have those memories and comparisons of his past girlfriends. Even if he tries his hardest not to compare, it is part of human nature.
In order to be happily married when one partner has more experience in the physical intimacy area, some things that are needed would be : trust, transparency, reassurance from the more experienced spouse, absolute knowledge that you are number one and adored, and healthy self-esteem. If your self-esteem is lacking you might start comparing yourself to his exes, and that is never healthy. It can destroy a good marriage.
If his past bothers you this much, don’t expect marriage to erase it. Resolve it in your heart before you get any more serious.

Update: thank you so much to everybody for the advice and love. We went in last night to the Bishop and confessed and have started the repentance process. We do already feel so much better. I don’t know exactly what the future holds for us yet, but I know that I’m going back to the path that I belong. Love to you all!!

Shiva, you are heartbroken over your boyfriends past sexual history. It is true, as you say, that if you two married that the two of you would never share some milestone first time experiences together. You would be unevenly yoked in the physical intimacy department. He can be forgiven, but there are consequences to his past actions. He has a history that cannot be erased. No matter how much he (or you) wishes It never happened, it did. He will have those memories and comparisons of his past girlfriends. Even if he tries his hardest not to compare, it is part of human nature.
In order to be happily married when one partner has more experience in the physical intimacy area, some things that are needed would be : trust, transparency, reassurance from the more experienced spouse, absolute knowledge that you are number one and adored, and healthy self-esteem. If your self-esteem is lacking you might start comparing yourself to his exes, and that is never healthy. It can destroy a good marriage.
If his past bothers you this much, don’t expect marriage to erase it. Resolve it in your heart before you get any more serious.

Hi @Shiva,
I'm going to grab some highlights from your post--
Ok....
HUGE RED FLAG.
This action he is describing is criminal physical assault.  It's a major crime and very wrong.  You SHOULD be upset that he did this, let alone bragging about it.  He wasn't "protecting" anyone here, he was committing assault.  Proper protection is helping her get the medical help she needs and police intervention. 
ANOTHER RED FLAG: this "joke" is major sexual harassment and complete disregard of you as a person.  Such belittling someone is manipulative and abusive. 
More belittling and comparing: another huge flag of an extremely unhealthy relationship.  
This^ is classical abuser behavior: phase 3 of the abusive cycle.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycle_of_abuse
^This is gaslighting, another classical abuser attic: 
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity. Using persistent denial, misdirection, contradiction, and lying, it attempts to destabilize the victim and delegitimize the victim's belief.[1][2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting
That's because he's not telling you the truth.  Your instincts are 100% correct here.  
Blaming others rather than accepting responsibility for his own actions...
More gaslighting...
@Shiva, I need to be honest with you here: this man you are dating is abusive towards you.  The past is not nearly as important as the HORRIBLE way he is treating you today.  The Lord's call to fogginess does not translate to "please continue to stand in places where you are degraded, mocked, and abused".  NO!!!!   (there's actually some great GC apostle quote on this, but I can't find it right now).  
 Please @Shiva, don't stay in such a situation.  You are d daughter of God and deserved to be respected, loved, and listened to. 

I’ve known tragedy from a very young age. And, when I’ve experienced such profound grief the gospel gives me the hope to soldier on. I can’t imagine my life without the gospel. It is the foundation that I lean on. It gives my life purpose and meaning. Not only that, but I’ve had profound witnesses from the Spirit that has testified to me the truthfulness of the gospel.  I can not deny the witness I’ve received.

Ugh.  I'm actually writing a book on this topic.  The short and easy answer is:  When looking at the journey that was my conversion and taking in the mountains heavenly father moved to put the right people in my path, there is absolutely zero possibility that this isn't His will for me or that He doesn't exist.  It doesn't matter that there are many things I don't have a testimony of.  It doesn't matter that there are many things I don't understand.  It doesn't matter that I very much struggle with some things relating to being a member of this church.  What matters is there isn't the slightest doubt in my mind that in spite of all those things, I can't deny that He brought me to this place and went above and beyond to get me here.

I like Vort.

I like Vort.

I actually have to agree with Vort on a point.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints IS the Kingdom of God on this earth.  It is the only.  It is Christ's church and He is the one who is at the head and leads it.    

I love Utah. I moved here from Northern California when I was in 6th grade. I still love California too. If you are the type of person who sees the positive about things, that’s what you will find here. If you look for the negative that’s what you will find.
The people are diverse. There are a lot of people who have moved here from out of state. The larger cities are the most diverse. I have always had wonderful neighbors of all backgrounds. If you move here thinking that because Utah is predominantly LDS that most of the people will be following the commandments, think again. The LDS community struggles just like any other community. Many are struggling, just like me, to make good choices. Sometimes I fail, and I can’t be judging people for their weaknesses when I have so many faults of my own.
There can be an anti-LDS atmosphere in some work environments. I found that at one of my jobs. I was glad to find better employment where respect for all was followed. If you are kind and friendly, not hypocritical or self-righteous, people will like you. 
I have loved every ward I have been in.  People are good. Sometimes it takes awhile to feel like you fit in, but, for me it’s most likely because I’m more of an introvert and find it extremely hard to socialize.

You’ll be in my prayers.

I’d love to go.

When you're a vital part of an executive team of a worldwide organization with enough power to have an influence in various ways, maybe even impact stock prices here or there, get world leaders to do this or that, you get paid millions.  The head boss person gets paid millions, his dozen or so executive VPs get paid slightly smaller millions. Everyone has golden parachutes and severance packages and retirement plans and stock grants, and have fancy homes in rich areas.  
The leaders of our church, lead such a powerful organization.   They meet with world leaders, move resources around for various projects, have an impact on a local, state, and even occasionally national level.  Our leaders make about as much as a pastor with a medium/large congregation in a medium/large midwestern town.  They have no retirement.  They are expected to maintain a rigorous travel schedule that grows old very fast for any human.  They spend much of their time attending the same half dozen meetings over and over again.  Until they die.  No sane person seeking to climb to higher levels of career success would want to come within a million miles of getting sucked into a GA calling.  In fact, such callings represent the end of growing in career success. 
There really is no comparison.  The only reasonable explanation for our church's leaders doing what they do, is they believe in what they are doing. 

Personally, I would judge a mission's success by whether you devoted all your efforts to it.   If you gave your all to both members and non-members alike and planted as many seeds as you could, you did well.  Most of the time you'll NEVER know whether your seeds led to baptisms.   First, a seed is just a kind word or ANY impression upon someone.  It could be planted with a handshake or a good morning to a complete stranger you never see again.  My first seed was planted by a member I worked a fireline with many years ago.  Molly.  I don't remember her last name and I doubt she remembers me at all.  Another seed was a missionary in a food line that casually said two words to me.  I'm sure the interaction meant nothing to her.  It meant little to me at the time.   
You also can't judge success on baptisms or activity.  The seeds planted in me ended in baptism, but what if I left the church tomorrow?  My baptism led to 3 other baptisms.  Seeds become forests.

I served in the 1990's in Mexico.  I do not measure my success as a missionary by the number of people I baptised you can't do that, you can't base the success of your mission based on the activity levels of the individuals you brought into the gospel. Someone who serves in France or another low baptising mission can have the exact same experience that I had. Success in a mission is based on what you take away from it, how you grow as a person.   

I can understand being excited to see one of the Apostles. But, I admit it bothers me a bit when Elder Uchtdorf comes into view and the women standing in line to go into the conference center get a little crazy. It’s like they suddenly turn into 13 year olds swooning over  a young Donny Osmond. Yes, Elder Uchtdorf is a handsome man, but I don’t think it’s becoming of adult women to act like teenagers over him. I Don’t know if that is a “problem” or not. 

I have intentionally steered clear of commenting on this thread, exactly because my opinion directly contradicts what many leaders have taught. For this reason, I haven't even followed this thread very closely, so forgive me if I either repeat points already made or go off on some weird tangent that's irrelevant to the present discussion.
My current opinion is that Section 131 looks (to me) to refer quite clearly to what Section 76 calls the "degrees of glory". When read in that light, and of course in my opinion. Section 131 simply makes a lot more sense than supposing that it means the celestial kingdom itself is tripartite. What would a three-part celestial kingdom even mean? The Lord makes it abundantly clear that if we are not one, we are not his. How, then, can there be division in the very celestial kingdom of the Father and his Christ?
What kind of man or woman would, indeed could, live the gospel and abide tightly by its precepts to the point of receiving celestial glory, but then refuse THE VERY RELATIONSHIP THAT DEFINES CELESTIAL GLORY? To me, it is utterly unimaginable. A celestial kingdom peopled with those who refuse to make the very covenant that brings eternal life? To my mind, this is absurd in the extreme.
Having written the above, I must quickly concede that the common understanding of a tripartite celestial kingdom is held by most if not all current Church leadership—or at least if they don't hold that view, they keep their opinions on the matter to themselves. Though I am no General Authority and thus am free to speculate privately without danger of anyone misunderstanding my speculations as LDS doctrine, I nevertheless don't really pipe up with this interpretation of Section 131 very often. I feel no need to preach my own private interpretations in opposition to statements by the prophets and other leaders. Ultimately, either I'm right or I'm wrong. If I'm wrong, the less I say, the better; and if I'm right, then the truth will ultimately come out without my preaching.
I am reminded of those so-called Saints in the 1960s and early 1970s who insisted that the Church was wrong to deny the Priesthood to those of black African descent. Many today would say that they were right—and be it noted that I am not one of those; I think quite the opposite. But even if they were factually correct, which again I disbelieve, even then they were out of bounds in proclaiming their private interpretations. They were apostate, Those who were excommunicated for their teachings and actions fully deserved it. I do not want ever to be classified with such people. I would rather be wrong with God's chosen leaders (or be right and shut up) than proclaim my own brilliance in defiance of them. So there you go.

For those of you who feel they may not belong here on these forums, please, please, be aware that you may be a tool in the Lord’s hand in helping those who come here with their questions. You are wonderful! I know you have helped people to come closer to Christ. Some may not be on the same spiritual rung of the ladder as you. There are those who are struggling. I appreciate every one of you who are so stalwart in defending the gospel. Thank you! Thank you!!! You are needed! You are appreciated!

Can we just step back and actually parse the not being a fan thing here?
Shouldn't we be declaring: Hurrah for Zion and the watchmen on its towers that God has blessed us with! Let us Praise Him and sustain and uphold His faithful watchmen with all our might, lest He remove them and leave us to our destruction!?
How are we so complacent in the gift the apostles of the Lord are to us that we can feel comfortable in anything but unabashedly cheering them on with the utmost vigor?
I love Elder Oaks. I love that God has brought up such a great and intelligent man to help guide His church. He may well be our prophet someday soon.
Consider that.

I'm enjoying the JAG-TFP exchange, and find myself agreeing with both. I hope that does not make me lukewarm and spew-out-of-God's-mouthable.

For those of you who feel they may not belong here on these forums, please, please, be aware that you may be a tool in the Lord’s hand in helping those who come here with their questions. You are wonderful! I know you have helped people to come closer to Christ. Some may not be on the same spiritual rung of the ladder as you. There are those who are struggling. I appreciate every one of you who are so stalwart in defending the gospel. Thank you! Thank you!!! You are needed! You are appreciated!

For those of you who feel they may not belong here on these forums, please, please, be aware that you may be a tool in the Lord’s hand in helping those who come here with their questions. You are wonderful! I know you have helped people to come closer to Christ. Some may not be on the same spiritual rung of the ladder as you. There are those who are struggling. I appreciate every one of you who are so stalwart in defending the gospel. Thank you! Thank you!!! You are needed! You are appreciated!