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Hey People,

Okay, so over several months, I have been learning/reading a decent amount of stuff concerning things/topics that are discussed with LDS Bishops/LDS Stake Presidents. (Infidelity, masturbation, sexual practices/orientation)

For those of you that have had these meetings (with either the Bishop or Stake President), and would be willing to share with people like me who obviously have never had these experiences, how do they go down?

If you are willing, paint me/us a picture.

Thanks and peace,
Ceeboo

I don't' know how many meetings i"ve had with a bishop or stake pres. I have never discussed the issues you raise though. I do recall once as a teenager being asked if I masturbated, but since the answer was no it was passed by with no concern.

Other than that, for me they have become pretty mundane. Head in, talk a little about life and what's up between the two of us. Shake hands, express our appreciation for each other, and head on out.

Thanks, Stem!

I appreciate you sharing your experiences.

Peace,
Ceeboo

I was asked about masturbation and sex (including "petting") at every interview when I was a teenager. Here's my best recollection of my first interview at age 12.

Bishop: You're ready to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, but I need to ask you some questions to determine if you're worthy.

Me: OK.

Bishop: Do you keep the Word of Wisdom?

Me: Yes.

Bishop: Do you pay tithing?

Me: When I earn money I do.

Bishop: Do you keep the law of chastity?

Me: Yes.

Bishop: Have you ever done anything with a girl that was inappropriate, such as touching or passionate kissing?

Me (mortified): No, of course not.

Bishop: Do you have a problem with masturbation?

Me: I don't know what that means.

Bishop (going red in the face): Oh, uh, it means that you touch your body to stimulate your passions.

Me (genuinely puzzled): What?

Bishop (looking at the floor now): Uh, I mean, you stroke your penis with your hand to get, um, feelings of pleasure.

Me (horrified): No! I've never even thought of doing that.

Bishop (looking less embarrassed): Oh, good, I'm glad to hear it. I think you're worthy to be ordained.

Hi Runtu,

Thanks for the contribution.

Runtu wrote:
Bishop: Have you ever done anything with a girl that was inappropriate, such as touching or passionate kissing?

Me (mortified): No, of course not.

Bishop: Do you have a problem with masturbation?

Me: I don't know what that means.

Bishop (going red in the face): Oh, uh, it means that you touch your body to stimulate your passions.

Me (genuinely puzzled): What?

Bishop (looking at the floor now): Uh, I mean, you stroke your penis with your hand to get, um, feelings of pleasure.

Me (horrified): No! I've never even thought of doing that.

Bishop (looking less embarrassed): Oh, good, I'm glad to hear it. I think you're worthy to be ordained.

Perhaps it is just me (I dunno), but I find this to be VERY, VERY disturbing to me on many levels.

If I may ask you a couple of follow ups.

Did your parents know about this?

What (if anything) did they do?

Anyhooo, thanks for sharing.

Peace,
Ceeboo

Ceeboo wrote:Perhaps it is just me (I dunno), but I find this to be VERY, VERY disturbing to me on many levels.

In hindsight, it is to me, too. But at the time, I was a 12 year old, and the bishop was my priesthood leader. I had been taught to trust and respect my leaders, and I just figured that's how things worked. Yes, it creeped me out a bit, but I didn't know any better.

If I may ask you a couple of follow ups.

Did your parents know about this?

No, they didn't. All they knew was that I had "passed" my worthiness interview, and my father ordained me to the priesthood. It didn't occur to me to tell them the details of a private interview.

What (if anything) did they do?

Nothing.

Anyhooo, thanks for sharing.

Peace,
Ceeboo

I've told my kids that if the bishop ever asks them something they are uncomfortable with, they are to tell him to talk to me about it. And they are to let me know what the bishop said that made them uncomfortable. My oldest daughter tells me that it wasn't the interviews that were creepy and inappropriate, but it was the "Standards Night" discussions that were too much for her. She's a believing Mormon, but she recognizes inappropriateness when she sees it.

Runtu wrote:I was asked about masturbation and sex (including "petting") at every interview when I was a teenager. Here's my best recollection of my first interview at age 12.

Bishop: You're ready to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, but I need to ask you some questions to determine if you're worthy.

heh...what the heck. I can't imagine my old bishop asking me this stuff when i was 12. Times hve changed I guess. he asked me once about masturbation when I was 17ish--and I believe my response was about the same as yours when you were 12.

stemelbow wrote:

Runtu wrote:I was asked about masturbation and sex (including "petting") at every interview when I was a teenager. Here's my best recollection of my first interview at age 12.

Bishop: You're ready to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, but I need to ask you some questions to determine if you're worthy.

heh...what the heck. I can't imagine my old bishop asking me this stuff when i was 12. Times hve changed I guess. he asked me once about masturbation when I was 17ish--and I believe my response was about the same as yours when you were 12.

I was asked about it when I was 12

Buffalo wrote:
I was asked about it when I was 12

When, as a deacon, the bishop hit me with his battery of questions about masturbation, I did what I've always tended to do, and went home and researched the practice. The result was probably not what the bishop would have wanted.

Morley wrote:When, as a deacon, the bishop hit me with his battery of questions about masturbation, I did what I've always tended to do, and went home and researched the practice. The result was probably not what the bishop would have wanted.

That would be my thought, actually. In some silly effort to stamp out the practice among some others become intrigued by it and feel introduced to it by such questioning. I'm quite candid and open with my son, who is 12. So far 2 bishops interviews and nothing about it, luckily.