But what if we cant simply forgive, forget, and move on? But Satan Remembers, he knows and he knows as long as he can get you to even let a little tiny thought enter your mind, he can work with that. Regardless of the time frame, please always strive to move forward, keeping your covenants, and following the path of our Savior Jesus Christ. You may be surprised at how understanding and loving she will be. But if not then Id go on mission. He will help you repent, which is the most important focus for you right now, and also he will be able to tell you if a mission could still be in your future. The words the Lord has inspired in the revelations and in present-day teachingshigher, holier, accelerate, increase, strengthen, greater, transform, remodel, improve, enhance, change, deepen, stretchare words of spiritual growth (see RussellM. Nelson, Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints, Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 11314). Can you go back to the bishop from the old ward who understands what has been going on? When you speak with him again, you may want to ask him about the Churchs Addiction Recovery Program. You just have one that is a bit more of a struggle, but God has given you everything to succeed!! From my experience, people who have truly repented, truly changed, are deserving of our greatest admiration and respect. In fact, to me, the restored gospel is very logical. First let the words of God sink deep into your heart and let them be reflected in all your actions. He will understand your difficult situation and help you through it. The decision pertaining to excommunication would result from the leader with priesthood keys who presides at the disciplinary . Good luck, thanks for reaching out, and God bless. Must i wait too for the Baptism? But all thats left is seeing a bishop. How long does it take to convert to LDS? Like you said, a full-time mission will be an amazing event in your life, and bless you throughout your future. The one thing I havent been able to kick is sexual purity. The LDS Church Handbook for bishops and stake presidents says that a person who has been guilty of serious violation of the law of chastity must fully repent before they can go on a mission and partake of the other privileges mentioned above. I hope you mentioned this to your bishop. He will use that against you. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. (Mosiah 2:41) Good luck and God bless. pretty much all worldly things.). Do you get a different call? This is all so fresh, I was still so against the church probably three days ago, but I want to change. Arent individuals different? Does it change the waiting period of getting cleared changed based upon the time a sin has bee committed? Focusing on your relationship with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, removes even the thought of your weakness and sins from your mind. "Please do not fear or delay repenting." President Nelson cautioned that returning to the covenant path through repentance is not easy. While only the Lord can forgive sins, these priesthood leaders play a critical role in the process of repentance. He hates you and wants to destroy you, just the same as he did and does God and Christ. President Kimball said: First, one repents. Another way we can also do better and be better is how we honor the women in our lives, beginning with our wives and daughters, our mothers and sisters.15, Months ago, I received a heartbreaking letter from a dear sister. Regardless of what happens with the mission, you will be more blessed and happy if you stay clean and pure before the Lord, so either way, thats what you are going to want to do. "The Path to Peace and Joy"Richard G. Scott, Liahona, Jan. 2001, 31-33; or Ensign, Nov. 2000, 25-27 Are you taking full advantage of the redeeming power of repentance in your life so that you can have greater peace and joy? I love that he used the word "enthusiasm" when talking about repentance. It started with masturbation and pornography. Any advice so I can have spirit with me and I never struggle with it again? We come to earth for the purpose of growing and progressing. Garrett, Im sorry but youre going to need to go talk to your bishop about this again. In addition, we must confess serious sinssuch as adultery, fornication, homosexual relations, spouse or child abuse, and the sale or use of illegal drugswhich might affect our standing in the Church, to the proper priesthood authority. Continue reading the scriptures and the words of the living prophets daily, and continue to pray morning and night for the guidance of the Lord. should i repent or wait when our wedding is about some months? What if I broke the law of chastity 5 years ago and I have a change of heart and I stopped doing that? Nothing on TV, a mobile device, or a computer is more important than her well-being. While working towards a temple marriage when dating, a couple must keep God's law of chastity, one of the basic guidelines of LDS dating. Im glad you want to be a missionary. I know I can do better, and fully intend to never slip up again. I wouldnt say that my sin is any lesser than anybody else thats why I ask, But because I just want to receive the kind of help with regards to what I did. I finished my probation and later I broke the LOC. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of . Do I need to go to the bishop about it still? For teachers: Writing a list can generate interest and help learners focus their attention. As for your concerns about what others will think of your, I will remind you that the Lord told Joseph Smith on multiple occasions, fear not what man can do (D&C 122:9, see also Moroni 8:16 and D&C 3:7). He also does things to me which is really not my intention but again it became so hard for me to speak for myself. Heres my question: Im terrified by the possibility of how long the repentance process could take. Although I never really gained my own testimony of the gospel. There is a better way and that is tapping into the power that our Savior freely gives us. We didnt have sex but close, and after I ended things for that reason, my mindset changed and for some reason I thought it was ok to break the law of chastity. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere. (https://www.lds.org/liahona/2018/04/as-we-go-forward-together?lang=eng) Good luck and God bless. Through the years, I strive myself to repent. Study 2Corinthians 7:910 and Mormon 2:1014. He will send his Spirit to prompt and direct you. If all you can do is a few hours, then do it and thank Heavenly Father and Christ and the Holy Ghost and those angles send to help you and take courage from it and increase from there. Whether or not he can still hold a calling will depend on the seriousness of how he broke the law of chastity. Nor is life easy when on the covenant path. The recent law of chastity violations you describe are a very serious situation, one not to be taken lightly. You may not be able to serve a mission, but it is quite possible that you could still go. These same principles apply within a marriage, and perhaps more so. Ultimately, your spiritual cleanliness and worthiness is between you and the Lord. He will help and support you and he has the keys of discernment to know the will of the Lord regarding the repentance process. I know that now even more especially after what happened. Please, just, what is the LONGEST time for the repentance process? You can also take advice from Joseph Smith on that subject. Only he would know for sure if a mission is still a possibility for you, but I image it would be. Go talk to your bishop as your earliest convenience to clear up the serious transgressions you have been involved in. And the Lord is not afraid of logic and reason either. It has ruined my life to the point that I couldnt go on a mission or attend Brigham Young University-Idaho (I actually attended but dropped out) because every time I tried to go to the bishop for an ecclesiastical endorsement, he denied it because of this gross sin that needs to be resolved. If I am going to tell that Im watching porn to my bishop, am gonna tell what type or kind (homosexual porn) or simply telling I am watching porn? If Christ did not require faith and repentance, then there would be no desire to change. Good luck and God bless. Repentance is sometimes a painful process, but it leads to forgiveness and lasting peace. When I get back home I want to talk to my bishop, but I now my parents will go crazy. However, I feel very good with where I am at, and I want to worthy to serve a mission this next year. This is done under the care of a bishop or branch president and possibly a stake or mission president, who serve as watchmen and judges in the Church. We must feel that our sins are terrible. But this feeling of being penalized is engendered by Satan. How these gospel principles will strengthen your marriage. With your former bishop now in the stake presidency, you can still talk to him to get encouragement, guidance, and support. But seeing how you were involved, even if unwillingly, it would probably be beneficial for all parties, you and the boy and your bishop, for you to go talk to the bishop. We confess our shame and guilt, and then plead for help. Remember the words of Isaiah, Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18) and what the Lord told Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice.. It's about 1 he 40 minutes from hitting the button to the end but the time it takes doing the veil varies according to how many patrons there are. Ive been going to church every sunday, solely to keep my Mom happy but never had faith in anything taught there. He hates you and wants to destroy you, your mind, body, soul and spirit! Hey, In these situations, we need to rely on the healing power of the Saviors Atonement. Then you will be eternally blessed, whether or not you serve a mission. I have broken the law of chastity, I confessed to my bishop and I am currently on probation. It makes sense to me, which is one of the reasons why I believe it. I recently returned home from my mission..I and my companion went to watch Soccer in a viewing centre on a P-day. Your new bishop will most likely call your old bishop to learn and understand your history. You should be able to take the sacrament again soon, but as you indicated it could be as much as a year before you can go on a mission. Satan understands this. Whether our mistakes are intentional or inadvertent, we all end up doing things that hurt our spouse. John described sin as all unrighteousness (1John 5:17) and the transgression of the law (1John 3:4). Scripture D&C 18:10-14 10 - Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; 11 - For, Some less serious sins involve no one but ourselves and the Lord. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments. Everyone in my church looks up to me and I dont want them to see me not taking the sacrament and think differently of me. When He began His public ministry, Jesus said, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 4:17, emphasis added throughout). The prophet Alma in reference to sexual sin said, Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost? (Alma 39:5). Whether it is heterosexual or homosexual pornography would probably be a relevant detail that the bishop would want to know, so yes, I would recommend you tell him that. It can be difficult to admit to oth I have prayed, fasted, read scriptures and continue doing so. I really want to serve a mission and Im about to turn 19. Personal purity can make us powerful tools in the hands of God. We seek to follow Him. Whether or not you talk to your bishop about this is something between you and the Lord. We are Their servants. The Lord has promised, I, the Lord, forgive sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts (D&C 61:2). It is used over 600 times in the Old Testament and is translated by such words as "turn," "return," "seek," or "restore." Should I talk to my bishop again? I know my bishop is the only one who can give me a difiinitve answer on that but Im curious for an estimate. The fact that you want to go on a mission and you want a temple marriage, and that you have other righteous desires shows me that the seed of Gods word has been planted in your heart and that it is sprouting because of your faith (see Alma 32: 28-30). -If you ever participated in an abortion. Greda, Im sorry about the hard things you are going through right now. In order to reach that goal, I encourage you to keep reading and studying the scriptures daily and keep praying daily and attending Church meetings. In order to be effective, an apology must be sincere and heartfelt. Everyone will continue to make mistakes throughout their earthly life, and thanks to the mercy and grace of God, there is no limit to the amount of times a person can sincerely and fully repent (Matt 18:21-22 and Mosiah 26:30). I just might be doable. Well, if a person confessed this issue to their bishop, then there should be follow up interviews to see how progress is going. Essential to forgiveness is a willingness to disclose fully to our Heavenly Father all that we have done. Hi jimmy. I have also asked the Lord in prayer if this is something that I should tell my bishop and my parents about but ive never really felt the urge to do it. If anyone is reading this, I need help right away. Remember what the Jesus said in John 15: 3-4, that as we abide in the Savior, we are clean through his word. I dont remember things but somehow I still feel the quilt. Dont feel bad about telling someone else NO, you arent doing anyone a favor by saying yes, not you, not them, not christ, not the satan. A few months ago my mom was talking to me about surving my mission and whether or not I want to go, that it was my decision. I appreciate your candidness. Sara, I congratulate you on your desire to serve the Lord. Ive read a phrase in an article and said confess to your bishop, but Ive also read saying that God will not judge us by the things we did in the past, but will judge us for what weve become. Repentance is one of the first principles of the gospel and is essential to our temporal and eternal happiness. Lets say you broke the law of chasity for about a year, then you decided to go on a mission and started a repentance process, but after 6 months you started comittimg the same sins again for about 7 months. You are of divine origin and that you are loved beyond your understanding. Do you think Im still virtuous? I pray that you can continue to prepare and that youll make an excellent missionary some day. The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sinsbehold, he will confess them and forsake them (D&C 58:43). Everything has changed since then the out look on my life and what Ive been doing. About 3 years ago my boyfriend and I began to do some things that broke the law of chastity. I just got a girlfriend 3 months ago and I love her a lot and shes gunna wait for me when I get of my mish. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deut 31:6. Continue to talk with him on a regular basis. As we humble ourselves, we desire to improve our lives and take responsibility for our weaknesses. Be prayerful and study the scriptures and I know the Lord will manifest unto you, by the power of His Spirit, what you should do. I am also planning to go on a mission but this is holding me back. Ive already talked to my girlfriend and told her we cant do those things anymore. Hey Jimmy, Im 16 and a half and I have a problem. A frequent question I receive from young readers is regarding therepentance process. It is the broken heart and contrite spirit., We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement., We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God.. I am so afraid what will happen next, if I can still serve my mission or not. Good luck and God bless. We stopped recently. We turn (repent) with the faith that we will be a little closer the next time and will eventually not miss the mark (sin) again. Dalin, Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing your thoughts and feelings. I really want to go, Ive also been afraid of accepting the oath and covenant of the priesthood, because if someone breaks the oath and covenant there is absolutely no forgiveness in this life, or in the next. Repentance is the key to avoiding misery inflicted by traps of the adversary. And for a while I hated the church and wanted to break free from it and my parents rules. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sinsbehold, he will confess them and forsake them. (D&C 58:43) For small sins, that confession can be to God in prayer, but for major sins, it is important to confess to both God and to your priesthood leader. I bless you with the courage to repent daily and learn how to exercise full priesthood power. I have been talking to my bishop and have told him everything. The hardest thing Ive done in my life is to prepare to serve a mission. What steps do i need to take? Now unfortunately we broke it. My question is how long is the typical repentance process until I can put in my papers? If it is a relatively minor law of chastity violation, he should be able to continue to have a church calling. When I was less active, I made a dummy account and I usually ask naked picture of others. A week prior to reporting to the MTC, I was flushed with temptation to masturbate. What happens is this situation? Im 27 now and i have not had any alcohol or caffeine for a year and burned my last playboys two months ago, i have also stopped cursing. As such, the repentance process takes into account many factors and may be solely between oneself and one's bishop, or may need to be referred by one's bishop to the stake presidency, and in serious cases even to church headquarters. I want to serve a mission, but know this sin from a couple months ago is holding me back. Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice. I pray that you can stay worthy as you continue to prepare for your mission. Its impossible for me to say whether or not youll be able to serve. Often the things we carry are petty, even stupid. Am I still eligible to go? Confession. Im 18 years old and Im graduating this May. JamesE. Faust, The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope, Ensign, Nov. 2001, 1920. Im so terrified because I just want and crave forgiveness. May God bless and be with you. Your quorum and those in your ward or branch need your strength. Once everything has been crossed off, you are done. Is it possible for me to only have to wait six months? But, Im still bothered by the mistake before even though Ive repented about it. I broke it off with her a week ago because the temptations were too strong when I was around her. Will the process be long? The Lord has commanded us to confess our sins. Im sure your bishop and stake president will be able to call your mission president or the missionary department at church headquarters to figure out what is going on. And all who meet you need to know what a true disciple of the Lord looks like and acts like. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! I am a woman, currently 22 and is born in the covenant. 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