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Thanks everyone for the responses!

Yay, that is wonderful! : ) Good luck!

I just wanted to point out Spartan edited his post and that couple was not excommunicated, they were disfellowshipped. Excommunication seems much rarer than what it used to be. A friend of mine who was a previous Young Single Adult Bishop mentioned something to me that made sense along with the experiences of those I know well. He stated years ago the Church was too quick to disfellowship and excommunicate young adults and few made it back to the Church. A shift took place of "saving souls" who are sincerely trying to do the right thing and repent.

I think you are worrying too much about this. Relax. You can repent of this and go forwards! I really don't think you will be disfellowshipped or excommunicated! It seems you feel really guilty and have worried about this for a long time- 8 years. Talking to your bishop will help you feel much better and take the weight off your shoulders. If you confess to the Bishop you will have peace of mind, joy and confidence that you did all you could to properly repent and become clean again. Dont' be scared of the Bishop, he is there to help you. Masterbation is not that uncommon. Some members even believe it's okay but I don't think its okay. The Church speaks against masterbation for good reasons. Quite a few people I know well committed MUCH more serious sexual sins that you, confessed and did not get excommunicated, a couple of them were already endowed. It is up to the individual Bishop to decide. Repentance is case by case. Something a friend of mine mentioned (who was a previous Young Single Adult Bishop) has stuck with me. It makes sense combined with the experiences of those I know well. He stated years ago, the Church was too quick to disfellowship and excommunicate the young adults. They found that very few that went through this process actually made it back into the Church. The shift has been, "we are in the business of saving souls", and we need to be more loving and merciful to those who are sincerely trying to do the right thing.

I am strongly against steady dating while in high school. I don't want to allow steady dating. How much should a parent enforce no steady dating? Thanks.

Hey, there is a "How do I" section for account problems or questions : ) You should find more help there than here. I don't know why you can't post a thread. You can message Pam or another moderator and they should be able to help you. Welcome to the site and good luck.

Just coming across this thread now... So......how did it go? Can I ask that? If you don't want to share I totally understand. I hope it went well for you!! Sounds like a exciting, sweet, romantic experience.

Hello and welcome! I am pretty new myself.

I am not a man but I definitely don't agree with either of those two statements. A friend of mine was raped but she dressed modestly. I think rape is usually about power and control.

Personally I love modesty and have a testimony of it. I feel comfortable and great when I dress modest and feel most comfortable around others who dress modest as well. You don't have to dress like a nun to be modest. You can still look great, fashionable, attractive and wear clothes that fit while also being modest. You may have to be more creative to be modest (such as a long tank top underneath a shirt, etc.) and it may be harder to find modest clothes but I think it is well worth it. I think modesty only makes a person more attractive. I agree with the Strength of Youth Pamphlet statements/standards of modesty and that is modesty to me. Also, if endowed I think proper garment coverage is important. There are various views of what modesty is. I am married now but before I was married I never had any trouble getting dates or having boyfriends because I dresed modestly. I did not want to date any guys that did not value modesty as I did. Nor did I want to attract guys by dressing immodestly. That's just me though. Some people feel there is a time and place for sexy clothes, etc.- after marriage and only with your spouse. After marriage some couples sometimes wear sexy clothes or lingerie when alone together. Other couples feel sexy clothes, etc. are not ever okay- not even in marriage when alone with spouse. Some couples feel dressing modestly no longer applies in public after marriage. Some couples think wearing sexy clothes is okay in public after marriage. And some people feel modesty is just plain not important- whether single or married. I think its still very important to dress modestly when around other family members, friends/ in public after marriage too.

President Benson stated: “The Lord Himself has stated that the Book of Mormon contains the ‘fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ’ (D&C 20:9). That does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine ever revealed. Rather, it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required for our salvation. And they are taught plainly and simply so that even children can learn the ways of salvation and exaltation” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 4; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 6). Lesson 1: “The Keystone of Our Religion”, Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (1999),1

Showing up on my profile now : ) It's all good.

Hey. How you feeling? I understand about contemplating suicide, I have been there. But you know what? Suicide isn't the answer. Suicide is quitting on everything. It's giving up and chickening out. Don't give up! Life is hard but we are strong. You are worth far too much to kill yourself! I don't know why you feel like killing yourself. If its because of the past- we can't change the past. What's done is done. All we can do is pick up the pieces, learn and focus on having a better future. We can repent, make better choices in the future, be blessed, have wonderful opportunities and be very happy : ) Keeping the commandments = happiness. Even if commandments have been broken in the past, we can choose to keep them now and be blessed for it. No matter where you are in life, no matter what mistakes you have made- you can go forwards! The Gospel offers us repentance, safety, happiness and peace (and so many other wonderful things). Christ understands what you are going through! He died for you and you mean to world to him! Talking to a therapist and/or meds may greatly improve your life. “Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you. God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God love encompasses us completely. He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked. What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us.” ― Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Dove- thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts!

I sure agree with that!! Thanks for sharing that... or shall I say reminding us of that wonderful D&C scripture. I appreciate your words causing me to think about potential in a different way. I agree whether we live up to our potential in this life does depends on our choices. I am going to add the word goal. There are times we make a mistake, repent and are able get back on course to reach the goal/potential. The mistake may delay the goal/potential but the goal can still be met. I have experienced this in my own life. That is not always the case. Othertimes, mistakes cause us to miss the potential/goal. We can repent, yes, but some opportunities (whether small or large) are lost forever. I have also experienced this in my life. I bet everyone can relate to both cases in some degree. The more serious the mistake, the more risk. Consequences vary for mistakes. But, even with serious sins sometimes you can repent and reach the goal/potential. Usually there is a delay but it may still be possible. Other times- no, not possible. Depends on details, circumstance, what Bishop says if he was involved, etc. of course. There are so many goals/potentials in this life- educational, spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, etc. ------ I see clearly how you meant Alma the Younger was an exception now and agree. I am not saying we can't acknowledge that sins affect us. I apologize for not being clear. I am saying we should not judge and tell others how their sins are going to effect them. Yes, there are consequences but we don't know the exact consequences or how someones life will turn out.