serenity123

My feelings are that you can keep it between you and the Lord. Try to stop and repent when you do, if you feel it is a sin. I don't think it needs to be brought up with the Bishop.

skippy, I am not denying the church's standpoint and I like the reference you provided. However, my point is that I really, realllly don't think she needs to speak to the stake president about this. The church has a position on cursing and that is a sin, but do you need to go to the bishop for that? No. You can pray for repentance to the Lord. From what I gathered in her post, she feels masturbation is wrong and is trying to stop. She slipped up once and is not planning on making a habit of it again. She is sorry. She feels bad. I just do NOT think this needs to be brought in confession face to face with someone in authority at church. I really believe this can be kept between her and the Lord and that she is just fine.

JudoMinja, I couldn't agree more with your post. What beautiful advice you give.

I don't think she's trying to justify it. I know the church is against masturbation, but my super active mother always told me it's okay. Although I'm sure others won't agree, I'm sure there are some LDS who do think it's not that awful. Personally, I don't think it's one of those things you need to confess to the Bishop. I think you can pray to the Lord for repentence on this one.

I am happy for you. I can tell by reading your post that you are so happy. Sounds like you made the right choice for you and I am glad that everything went smoothly. :)

Dravin, I love what you just wrote to me...I am going to highlight those scriptures because it's exactly what I needed to hear. Also, to the other responders, your words were what I needed, too. Thank you so much. Line upon line, precept upon precept. You guys are absolutely right. I need to start building my foundation from the bottom up, not the opposite way. And I can see now that the Lord will understand that I am trying and doing my best at THIS time. I really, really appreciate these words of advice. I am so glad to have found an LDS board that is not anti- and that I can express concerns or just have a friend to talk to on here.

Thank you for the responses. I appreciate being able to talk to some people about this. Dravin, I read the article that you linked and it did bring an understanding to me about love and law. The examples given make me understand more what love and law is. So being married in the temple and sealed is a law by God? I will be honest, I have never read D&C. I don't have a testimony of the Book of Mormon yet and the other books. anatess, that does make me feel better if my husband never agrees on earth to go to the temple and my family is not sealed. skippy740, I think that is a big issue...my testimony. I need to find it and strengthen it. When my husband went inactive, it has made it harder for me (not a justification, but I feel I lost support). I already have the hardest time in the world reading scriptures...praying is easy for me, I can do it all the time no problem...reading scriptures? It is very, very hard for me to sit down and try and focus on something that is often very hard for me to understand. I NEED to read them. My testimony of the church right now is basically on how I love how it raised me and the morals and good people I am around...I love the teachings and I do believe in a prophet whole-heartedly. I am just behind in the principles of the church. I guess I am stressed out because I feel like I should be ready RIGHT NOW and we should be going to the temple and living this way that we are supposedly supposed to...and since we aren't, we're not doing right in God's eyes...and I'm worried because I don't know how long it will take to get to that point.

Hi, I'm new to this site as I found it when I was trying to find some research or anything to help me with my issue. I've been an active member of the church my entire life. My husband is a convert and he is struggling with church...it has been a sore spot in our marriage big time. However, I try to be understanding because I don't want to push him away. We also have a child together who is the light of our lives. My question is about temple marriages and sealing of the families. Even baptisms for the dead. I have not gone through the temple and feel a good amount of pressure about going there. But I can't wrap my head around this. I think because of my situation and that we have a child together, it just hurts me the theory that if we weren't sealed together and married in the temple, we will be single in the eternity and separate. I know my husband is nowhere close to going to the temple, if he ever will be, and I also am just questioning certain things, not out of selfish reasons, but because I really, really want some advice. When I ask my mom, she just waves me off and dismisses it saying it's not that big of a deal when told of my concerns. So please, can you tell me, why is it that good people who are living a righteous life would be single in the eternities and without their families if they aren't sealed or married in the temple first? I understand baptism, although part of me wonders why it has to be an LDS baptism to count... I just am confused and my heart won't let me focus on a goal to go to the temple when I am feeling so weird about everything. And really, it's like a terrified hurt feeling to think that if something happens to us, I won't be with my son or my husband as a family unit. I guess I don't see how God would really do that? Until someone on earth does it for you... Please can someone give me consolation or help here. It has been bothering me for so long. Also, if I do decide this is what I want and my husband never will, my son won't be "my son" in heaven because we can't be sealed as a family?? I really am seeking clarification.