Am I Clean?

[bytor2112]

I joined the Church at the urging of a friend when I was a teen. He left for a mission and I didn't have a testimony and left the church after just a few visits. Fast forward 20 + years and my life was wreck. I returned or began activity just a few years ago. I will post my testimony sometime, it is really an incredible story. After a few months, the Bishop finally cornered me and wanted to interview me. I was nervous but the Spirit was so strong, it just felt right. I confessed a lifetime of sin. Not every instance of sin, but every major sin. Adultry, fornication, masturbation, pornography,lying, cheating, stealing, alcoholism,drug use and paying for an abortion. What a rotten person I had become ( most of the sins were over ten years old)! He recommended that I see my Stake President. He said I didn't have to see him, but I went anyways. I expected to confess the same way to him. Instead he asked me questions. Like have you ever committed this sin or that sin. I answered truthfully. At the conclusion of our meeting, he told me that the Lord had accepted my repentance. I still feel bad about my past and wonder if I he was right? Should I have confessed to him the way I did with the Bishop? He (the SP) covered every sin that I had confessed to the Bishop. But I just had to answer yes or no. Also, I didn't really give a lot of detail and they didn't ask for any-okay? My friend( former SP) says its because I wasn't really a member of the church and the sins were really old and I wasn't endowed at the time. I am now!! I have thought about talking to the new SP about it, but don't really want to dredge up shameful events. Former Sp said to move on. What do you think?

Edited June 25, 2008 by bytor2112
grammer, errant info

[WillowTheWhisp]

There is only one person who wants you to keep remembering old sins when you've been told they are forgiven - Satan. Misery loves company. Don't give him the satisfaction.

[Optimistic_Trish]

You are an endowed, active member of the church. You have truly repented, it is time to forgive yourself!

[Optimistic_Trish]

There is a really cool scripture on sins that have been forgiven, about not remembering them and how the Lord views them, I can't remember it so if someone knows the reference, will you post it for me :) Thanks, i will be looking as well!

[WillowTheWhisp]

Jeremiah 31:34?

[Guest tomk]

There is a really cool scripture on sins that have been forgiven, about not remembering them and how the Lord views them, I can't remember it so if someone knows the reference, will you post it for me :) Thanks, i will be looking as well!

D&C 29: 3

3 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that at this time your sins are forgiven you, therefore ye receive these things; but remember to sin no more, lest perils shall come upon you.

D&C 58: 42

42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

Isa. 1: 18

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

And to the Oringal Poster: Believe the Lord's servants when they tell you that you are forgiven. The Lord will stand behind their promise.

Go, and sin no more! :)

[Misshalfway]

Sounds like to me you laid out the details with the B. Most likely the B talked to the SP. Perhaps that is why he asked the Y/N questions. He was searching to see the extent of your activities and for any red flags.

Trust what happened in those offices. God knows your heart. He isn't scanning you looking for the tiniest of flaws and punishing you. You confessed. You were honest. Your effort is sufficient. Accept that and hand the rest of your sanctification over to the Lord. He judges in perfect wisdom and grace and patience and tender mercies. He is not some tyrannical dorm mother looking thru your soul condeming you. He is a soft place to fall.

You have let go of your sin. Now it is time to let go of the shame. Close the book. Put it down. You never have to take it up again. God doesn't remember our sins, why should we?

And if Satan is dredging up the old and bashing you with it, tell him to "GET THEE HENCE!"

[bytor2112]

I am a bit obsessive! I am so not the person I once was and desperately hope the Lord see's that. My friends and family see it and I see it. I am so grateful for the atonement and just want to be clean. I have a lot of regret-thanks foir the kind advice.

[Guest tomk]

I am a bit obsessive! I am so not the person I once was and desperately hope the Lord see's that. My friends and family see it and I see it. I am so grateful for the atonement and just want to be clean. I have a lot of regret-thanks foir the kind advice.

Trust your feelings.

[Misshalfway]

Who amongst us doesn't have regret? Isn't it awesome how God takes our mistakes and fashions them into the fabric of what makes us wonderful? Good luck on your journey!!!

[Guest tomk]

When God forgives us -- He forgets it.

He does not take away the memory of it from US. Lest we forget. Lest we forget. :)

It does not please the Lord for us to dredge up past mistakes after He has forgiven us.

[abeChristianson]

When God forgives us -- He forgets it.

He does not take away the memory of it from US. Lest we forget. Lest we forget. :)

It does not please the Lord for us to dredge up past mistakes after He has forgiven us.

I kind of wish that he did let us forget.....

[Guest tomk]

I kind of wish that he did let us forget.....

He does take away the pain and give us perspective.

Not forgetting is more about not forgetting His tender mercy, rather than not forgetting the sinful act. Memories are just memories. It is our conscious that make them sweet or bitter. The Atonement can help make them sweet. Not that they were "good" things to have done...but we have learned from our mistakes and past bad attitudes. In that they can be good.

[bytor2112]

As I have grown spiritually, I often wish I would have confessed differently or expressed things differently. I covered every sin, but its easy to second guess. I really felt different when I left the SP's office-relieved!

This site is an answered prayer. I often just want to talk and get feedback. And ditto- I wish I could wake up and not remember also.

[Moksha]

I wish I could wake up and not remember also.

The hidden silver lining in mistakes is that we can learn from them. Take comfort in God's love and mercy. :)

[StallionMcBeastly]

The Devil wants you to continue to feel guilty and dirty, even though you have repented. Don't give in

[WillowTheWhisp]

I often just want to talk and get feedback.

I know that feeling.

[Guest Username-Removed]

I joined the Church at the urging of a friend when I was a teen. He left for a mission and I didn't have a testimony and left the church after just a few visits. Fast forward 20 + years and my life was wreck. I returned or began activity just a few years ago. I will post my testimony sometime, it is really an incredible story. After a few months, the Bishop finally cornered me and wanted to interview me. I was nervous but the Spirit was so strong, it just felt right. I confessed a lifetime of sin. Not every instance of sin, but every major sin. Adultry, fornication, masturbation, pornography, homosexual sins,lying, cheating, stealing alcoholism,drug use and paying for an abortion. What a rotten person I had become ( most of the sins were over ten years old)! He recommended that I see my Stake President. He said I didn't have to see him, but I went anyways. I expected to confess the same way to him. Instead he asked me questions. Like have you ever committed this sin or that sin. I answered truthfully. At the conclusion of our meeting, he told me that the Lord had accepted my repentance. I still feel bad about my past and wonder if I he was right? Should I have confessed to him the way I did with the Bishop? He (the SP) covered every sin that I had confessed to the Bishop. But I just had to answer yes or no. Also, I didn't really give a lot of detail and they didn't ask for any-ok? My friend( former SP) says its because I wasn't really a member of the church and the sins were really old and I wasn't endowed at the time. I am now!! I have thought about talking to the new SP about it, but don't really want to dredge up shameful events. Former Sp said to move on. What do you think?

Sir,

I too have not been a perfect person all my life. And, yes, I still make mistakes. I try hard to serve - more than most realize - The reason I do is because I love my savior and what he did for me. Im sure satan wants me .... and it is true that he can and will try any means to get me.

What I see in you is a person that was humble enough to confess and change. And in the end that's all repentance is .... change. I think thats all Heavanly Father really wants - for us to be with him again. And we cant do that unless we change, and understand the process so that we can keep doing it. I used to run away from it, I've learned that I must live up to my mistakes, humble myself, and change. Service helps keep me in tune before mistakes happen most of the time - but sometimes I still make them.

I can tell you that my Heavanly Father has indeed protected me from my enemies. Sometimes I am amazed how well he can do it. But yet he does. My experience is that the more I serve, the more he protects me. The more I serve, the more in tune I am. The more I serve, the more I can help others. Which, in the end, is what we all need .... help getting back.

Brother, I can promise you that if the Stake President told you that you were clean, you are. He holds the right to say that. Therefore, it is so.

[jjrogers]

We don't forget our sins so that we don't repeat them. Sometimes it takes us longer to forgive ourselves than it takes God to forgive us.

[Misshalfway]

I agree JJ

I think that how we remember them changes. We aren't racked with guilt. I think that we see our life and our past with acceptance, forgiving, and understanding. I think our sins are literally transformed into some wonderful addition to our lives. God is so good at turning all of it for our good. It is amazing to see it all happen.