Baptismal Interview Question for a Friend

[Daniel2020]

I wonder how it works when an investigator has had a different lifestyle years before, and when of a different religion, and repented of that then. Surely there should be a time scale involved. I would not feel it relevant as a Great grandmother for example to mention that I lived as a lesbian more than 20 years ago !

By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them. (D&C 58:43)

The fact that a person forsook a sin years ago does not necessarily mean his/her repentance is complete. Some sins must be confessed to the proper priesthood authority before repentance can be complete.

In my mission an interview by the mission president would still have been required even if a great grandmother had been a lesbian. Partly that is because of the seriousness of the sin and partly because often it is best that such things be handled by somebody more experienced than the average district leader.

Regarding the sin of abortion, apostasy, homosexuality, a major felony, etc. that fact that it occurred 20 years ago does not change its seriousness. It is necessary for a person to truly understand the gravity of the sin to be able to repent of it. Sadly, some people think that if it happened long ago it is no longer a grievous sin. So it is wise to have the interview conducted by somebody like a mission president to be sure the true nature of the sin is understood--otherwise repentance isn't complete.

There is something else to consider. When a person is baptized he/she needs to feel that his/her sins were "washed away" at baptism. So it is prudent for a person who has committed a grievous sin to have the baptismal interview conducted by somebody more experienced than the average district leader.

Edited June 14, 2010 by Daniel2020

[Hemidakota]

How much of prior misdeeds need to be discussed, and with whom, regarding past sins, esp in regards to the law of chastity?

Are these issues handled by the district leader alone? Zone leader? Or is there someone else involved such as the mission president?

I would expect that pre-marital sex is not uncommon among adult converts. Any insight as to what my friend might expect would be appreciated.

It doesn't matter on long ago or what had transpired but whether he/she can answer the given interview questions. There are exceptions (murder, abortion, recent immoral acts, current drug addition, so forth) that will require the Mission President involvement. He/she will need to be personally interview prior to baptism. It is better to get it over then to have this hanging on your shoulders for years to come. Having such an emotional impact it can cause an individual just not worth it.

[islelassie]

Thank you for your answer. It really is a difficult conflict in emotional/psychological terms having been told it was a sin in the catholic church not to accept we had been forgiven. If you brought it up again it was seen as not accepting G od had the power to forgive and had forgiven. I feel no connection now to my long distant past, which happened following an abusive marriage. I have been a prayer group leader and parish counsellor since then. I can mention it as an event but not as something that I need to repent of because I have already done that part 20 years ago. It is not who I am now, nor can I remember how it was then only that it happened . It is not that it is hard to answer the question, it is not from embarrassment I hesitate but because it feels like mentioning it for the sake of it not anything to do with who I am now.

[islelassie]

Further to the above, I find it difficult to place a homosexual involvement on the same level as abortion or murder.

[mordorbund]

By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them. (D&C 58:43)

The fact that a person forsook a sin years ago does not necessarily mean his/her repentance is complete. Some sins must be confessed to the proper priesthood authority before repentance can be complete.

In my mission an interview by the mission president would still have been required even if a great grandmother had been a lesbian. Partly that is because of the seriousness of the sin and partly because often it is best that such things be handled by somebody more experienced than the average district leader.

Regarding the sin of abortion, apostasy, homosexuality, a major felony, etc. that fact that it occurred 20 years ago does not change its seriousness. It is necessary for a person to truly understand the gravity of the sin to be able to repent of it. Sadly, some people think that if it happened long ago it is no longer a grievous sin. So it is wise to have the interview conducted by somebody like a mission president to be sure the true nature of the sin is understood--otherwise repentance isn't complete.

There is something else to consider. When a person is baptized he/she needs to feel that his/her sins were "washed away" at baptism. So it is prudent for a person who has committed a grievous sin to have the baptismal interview conducted by somebody more experienced than the average district leader.

Agreed. Abstinence is not repentance.

[Landy77]

In the interview there are certain things like homosexuality that is asked "Have you ever". The interview is not a confession of your entire life nor is it a place to repent of anything you think you need repentance for. If you need forgiveness that is between you and God. If you want advice on how to deal with something have a meeting with him outside of the Baptizm interview.