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While on my mission, I got myself into a real problem. A year earlier, as I was preparing to go out to the field, I repented of my horrible sins. I had finally confessed to a bishop after 5 long years of mental turmoil. Upon feeling forgiven, I was like a new man. Free at last, free at last. The day I left for the best two years, was the high point of my testimony in the LDS gospel. Never before did I feel so sanctified and glorified and ready to teach people the Lord's truth. These feelings were linked with an iron chain to my repentance.

Then, 1.5 years into my mission, I did it again. How mortified I was! This was supposed to be gone from my life forever. Richard G Scott promised me I could overcome! WTH?

My mind was wracked with torment for a month. There was gnashing of teeth in my dreams.

Finally, I mustered up enough strength to confess to the mission president. Upon telling him of my crimes against God, he said one thing: "You need to forgive yourself and move on."

Here I was, in tears, left wondering what to think of an answer so unexpected. That's it? No power of God to zap me clean? No repentance process? Just forgive myself?

Interestingly, I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more pomp and circumstance. I guess that is the miracle: the miracle of Forgiveyourself.

And the key to understanding the miracle of Forgiveyourself is realizing that what you were doing is not wrong in the first place. No wrong, then nothing to feel guilt about. Forgiveyourself, Zeezrom.

Masturbation is a selfrighteous practice for Christ Jesus sake! I did it last night and feel just fine right now.

Good grief. The Mormons are out to torture all mankind with their self imposed guilt trips.

Get behind me Satan! Thou foul spirit of hell and father of Mormonism!

Paul O

C'mon, zeezrom; here on MormonDiscussions you can't leave us in suspense like that--we need to know what the sin is.

I'm going to go out on a limb and venture a guess--shoplifting, right?

Dr. Shades wrote:C'mon, zeezrom; here on MormonDiscussions you can't leave us in suspense like that--we need to know what the sin is.

I'm going to go out on a limb and venture a guess--shoplifting, right?

I'm thinking that he must have been smoking hash.

Don't be dumb, Dr. Shades. He was masturbating. You know, my favorite pastime.

Perhaps if Zee and I were to do it together he would finally rid himself of the guilt. I can help him.

Come to Dallas.

Paul O

Yeah, I was smoking hashish. :)


Anyway, (Shades) the point is that I found something from all this. Sometimes, people want a formal, religious experience to feel forgiven. Why is that?

I'll speak out of turn, here.

We want God to forgive us so that we can forgive ourselves. I like this, Zeez. I think it's one of the (few) good things about believing in a vested, higher power.

Morley,

Not out of turn. The one problem I found was that I was never sure if God forgave me. I was pretty sure my mission president did but not totally sure God did. I mean, he never actually told me to my face.

zeezrom wrote:Morley,

Not out of turn. The one problem I found was that I was never sure if God forgave me. I was pretty sure my mission president did but not totally sure God did. I mean, he never actually told me to my face.

Zeezrom, look in the mirror.