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My boyfriend and I have been dating a long time. We wanted to get married, but because we are currently unable to hold temple recommends, we decided maybe the best thing was to get married civilly, and work hard together and be sealed in a year. Once we made that decision, temptations went crazy. We fornicated numerous times for about a week after that. After that period of time we decided maybe we should wait the year and have a temple wedding. It was hard, but we want the temple. After about a week and a half of being really good, I decided maybe it was best for us not to wait after all, but be married civilly and get sealed in a year like we discussed. That night we fornicated again. The next day we talked with my parents (who don't know about the events that have happened) and urged us to wait (not knowing we had had sex). We've been good and clean for what is now a little over a week. We want the temple so badly, but the temptations are extremely difficult. It would be different (maybe) if we had done it once, but it has happened many times... It just feels too difficult at this point, now that that part of our relationship has been established. The tough thing is this. We know we will be getting sealed in the temple in a year, no matter how we get there (civil marriage and wait, or after waiting the year to be married in the temple). The issue is, we want to make it to the temple as clean and as worthy as possible. A part of me thinks we should just get married civilly so we can work on the repentance process together and work hard as a married couple to make it to the temple. A year is a long time, and I worry about making a mistake... I don't think anything is impossible, but I need some advice or opinions. I hear people telling me that if we get married civilly our marriage will most likely fall apart. Do you think that's true? Or do you think it's possible to have a happy, healthy, and spiritual marriage if we got married civilly and sealed a year later. The temple is important, but I just want to be honest. I will in no way enter into the temple unworthily. Which is why I'm confused as to what is the best way for me and my boyfriend to make it there.