The Law of Chastity

The Law of Chastity

The Family Proclamation: 

"We declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife."

Good grief, if there is one issue where the world's standards are clearly in opposition to the Lord's, it is SEX!   Turn on the TV any given night and you are likely to see shows and even commercials that are blatantly sexual.  Lyrics to popular songs leave nothing to the imagination, it's hard to find a movie that is "safe" to see in the theaters any more and  let's not forget the mortifying performance at the recent MTV Music Awards.  Even Sister White knows what "twerking" is now! Could someone please send Miley Cyrus a copy of the For The Strength of Youth pamphlet? 

Speaking of the FTSOY pamphlet, let's see what it has to say about sexuality:

"Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that sexual intimacy be reserved for marriage.

When you are sexually pure, you prepare yourself to make and keep sacred covenants in the temple. You prepare yourself to build a strong marriage and to bring children into the world as part of an eternal and loving family. You protect yourself from the spiritual and emotional damage that come from sharing sexual intimacy outside of marriage. You also protect yourself from harmful diseases. Remaining sexually pure helps you to be confident and truly happy and improves your ability to make good decisions now and in the future.

The Lord’s standard regarding sexual purity is clear and unchanging. Do not have any sexual relations before marriage, and be completely faithful to your spouse after marriage. Do not allow the media, your peers, or others to persuade you that sexual intimacy before marriage is acceptable. It is not. In God’s sight, sexual sins are extremely serious. They defile the sacred power God has given us to create life. The prophet Alma taught that sexual sins are more serious than any other sins except murder or denying the Holy Ghost (see Alma 39:5)."

Does popular media make sex seem "beautiful and sacred?" NO, not at all! Why do you think this is? I believe it is because the Adversary doesn't have a body and so he tempts us  to misuse ours any way he can think of. The world we live in sure does seem a lot like "Babylon", wouldn't you say?   Prophets and Apostles in Biblical times and in our times have had plenty to say about sexual immorality.  

Check out Paul’s Teachings on Sexual Immorality in

1 Corinthians 6:13,15,18-20

13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for ^afornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

 15 Know ye not that your bodies are the ^amembers of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

  18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

 19 What? know ye not that your ^abody is the ^btemple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your^cown?

 20 For ye are ^abought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’

 Watch this short clip from Elder Bednar. What does he say obedience to the Law of Chastity will bring to us?

Elder Bednar's talk

Now, look back up at 1 Corinthians 6:19.  I think this verse holds one of the main clues that can help us understand why we need to keep our bodies, minds and spirits pure.  Our body is not our own.  It is the temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in and belongs to God.  In one of my classes this year, we read an amazing talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. My Seminary students can tell you that I NEVER miss the chance to share a Jeffrey R. Holland talk! I found a video of him giving it at BYU and have posted it here.  Please don't skip this! Make sure you have your journal ready and prepare to be taught powerfully.  I wish every young man and woman could see this.  It is THAT good.

There are so many great resources on this topic, I don't want to leave any of them out!  Here is an awesome episode from the Mormon Channel by John Hilton III.  You might have heard of him, or even seen him speak at EFY.  I like this one because it is geared more towards your age. (But I still learned a lot!) 

The Law of Chastity

We know we need to remain sexually pure.  But, I know what you are thinking: "Sister White...how far is going TOO far?  Is it okay to (fill-in-the-blank)? or what about (fill-in-the-blank)?" Check out this short Mormon Message for Youth that will help you know how to answer these questions.

From the bottom of my heart, I know that committing to stay sexually pure may not be popular or even common these days, but I promise the Lord doesn't require anything of us that is not for our own benefit and blessing.  YOU are a gift that should only be given to someone who is committed to you for time and all eternity.  Please don't shortchange yourself by falling prey to the messages the world would have you believe.  I want to leave you with a quote  from BYU Professor James M. Harper that I think expresses why sex is worth waiting until marriage for beautifully:
"A loving Heavenly Father reserved something divine, the physical union between husband and wife, for the heart of marriage. In the intimate, personal, and often vulnerable space of marriage, God drew bounds around sacred physical union as something to be experienced with each other as husband and wife.  Sex within marriage potentially teaches Heavenly Father's deepest truths about oneness.  In this sense, sex within marriage is sanctified and serves great spiritual and temporal purposes..."

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

I don't know about you, but I am not perfect.  I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and at times have felt like I was unworthy of the blessings of the Gospel.  But, I don't think that anymore.  I know that through the love and Atonement of our Savior and the process of Repentance, we can be forgiven of all of our sins. Alma 34:10,14 teach us that the Atonement is both "infinite and eternal".  Infinite means "there is no limit to its capacity to cover sins of every type, severity, and frequency." "Eternal" means that it is "in force both in this life and in the life to come." Honestly, I could write volumes about the power of the Atonement and the impact it has had on my own life, but, instead, I want you to get comfy and watch what I think is the most life changing talk I have ever heard.  It's called His Grace Is Sufficient and was given by Bro. Brad Wilcox at BYU.  I suggest you have your journal and a pen handy so you can jot down any thoughts or impressions you receive.  I can't tell you how much I love this talk. 

Well, what did you think?  What did you learn?  What were your "aha" moments?  Do you have friends who might benefit from watching this?  Why don't you post a link to it on your Facebook page?  

Same Sex Attraction

Same Sex Attraction

 From the proclamation: "ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

What does that last sentence mean to you?  To me, it means that I have been female since I lived with Heavenly Father in the pre-existence, I'm female now, and I'm going to be female for all eternity.  However, there are many in the world who would like us to believe that gender isn't that important.  Same-sex attraction is a "hot button" topic these days.  Most of us feel like there are a lot more "gay" people in the media, on TV shows and just in general, but in reality, only about 2-3% of the population identifies as "gay". Is that lower than you thought? Did you know that before the year 2000, same-sex marriage had NEVER been legal in any nation on earth? Never. In. The. History. Of. The. World. But now, at the end of 2013, 15 states (plus the District of Columbia) in the US have passed bills allowing same-sex marriage - Hawaii, Illinois, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington . Do you ever feel confused about what to think?  The Prophets have been very clear that ANY sexual relations outside of a marriage between a man and a woman is prohibited.  But does that mean we should be rude and hateful to someone who has same sex attraction issues?  Heavens no! For most of this topic, I have pulled things straight from Church resources, because we are always safest when we follow the teachings of the Prophets and Apostles.  They won't lead us astray.  We can't say that about the general public.

FROM lds.org:

Addressing Same-Sex Attraction:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges that same-sex attraction is a sensitive issue which requires kindness, compassion, and understanding. The website “Love One Another: A Discussion on Same-Sex Attraction” strives to address, through interviews and videos from Church leaders and members, the issue of same-sex attraction as it relates to individuals and affected family members. The statements and stories emphasize the importance of Christ’s commandment to love one another and reaffirm the Church’s position.

The Church’s doctrinal position is clear: Sexual activity should only occur between a man and a woman who are married. However, that should never be used as justification for unkindness. Jesus Christ, whom we follow, was clear in His condemnation of sexual immorality, but never cruel. His interest was always to lift the individual, never to tear down.

In short, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirms the centrality of doctrines relating to human sexuality and gender as well as the sanctity and significance of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. However, the Church firmly believes that all people are equally beloved children of God and deserve to be treated with love and respect. Church apostle Elder Quentin L. Cook stated, “As a church, nobody should be more loving and compassionate. Let us be at the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion and outreach. Let’s not have families exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle as a result of their feelings about their own gender.”

The Divine Institution of Marriage:

The Church distinguishes between same-sex attraction and behavior. While maintaining that feelings and inclinations toward the same sex are not inherently sinful, engaging in homosexual behavior is in conflict with the “doctrinal principle, based on sacred scripture … that marriage between a man and a woman is essential to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.”

Because the Church believes that the sacred powers of procreation are “to be exercised only between a man and a woman lawfully wedded as husband and wife … any other sexual relations, including those between persons of the same gender, undermine the divinely created institution of the family.” Accordingly, the Church favors measures that define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. However, “protecting marriage between a man and a woman does not remove Church members’ Christian obligations of love, kindness and humanity toward all people.”

Individual Rights:

The Church’s affirmation of marriage as being between a man and a woman “neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility toward gays and lesbians.” On the contrary, many Church leaders have spoken clearly about the love and respect with which all people are to be treated. Former Church president Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) told members who are attracted to the same sex: “Our hearts reach out to [you]. We remember you before the Lord, we sympathize with you, we regard you as our brothers and sisters.” President Boyd K. Packer affirmed, “We do not reject you. … We cannot reject you. … We will not reject you, because we love you.”

The Church has advocated for rights for same-sex couples regarding “hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches.” In Salt Lake City, for example, the Church supported ordinances aimed at protecting gay residents from discrimination in housing and employment. 

Gospel of Love:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is based on love, respect and agency. Mormons believe that all humans have inherited strengths, weaknesses, challenges and blessings and are invited to live, through the help and grace of God, the principles revealed by Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains that “God’s universal fatherhood and love charges each of us with an innate and reverent acknowledgment of our shared human dignity. We are to love one another. We are to treat each other with respect as brothers and sisters and fellow children of God, no matter how much we may differ from one another.”

Here are many more powerful and important resources you can turn to to help answer any questions you might have. 
First Presidency Statement on Same-Sex Marriage

Interview with Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Love One Another

Same Sex Attraction - Dallin H. Oaks

Helping Those Who Struggle With Same Gender Attraction - Jeffrey R. Holland

The Role of Women

The Role of Women

I would just like to take a moment to bear my testimony about an issue that is really important to me. It seems these days that the Adversary is trying to convince faithful women in the Church that we are  missing something because we don't hold the Priesthood.  Some of you might have seen the protests  during the last General Conference as some sisters tried to be let in to the Saturday Night Priesthood Session. Others are blogging like crazy, demanding the right of women to be ordained.  There was even a "Wear Pants to Church" day a few months ago.  This doesn't make me mad as much as it makes me sad because these women just don't understand who they REALLY are.  If they did, they would feel the same peace and happiness and power that I feel as a faithful Latter-day Saint woman. I suspect that Satan realizes he can destroy a lot of  marriages, homes, families and even societies if he can convince women to be disgruntled, angry. and dissatisfied at perceived "inequalities."  But I know that men and women were created equal.  But that doesn't mean we are the same.  We don't have to be exactly alike to be equal.  That's not what "equality" means. As Valerie M. Hudson, a Political Science Professor at BYU says: "Equality is all too often used to mean "identity"; that is, that two equal things must be identical to each other. Such usage represents a fallen and harmful understanding of equality that is espoused by Lucifer, who passionately wants all to be 'like himself.'"  

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, in his talk "The Moral Force of Women" warns us of three trends and forces at work that "try to weaken and even eliminate women's influence in the world, to the great detriment of individuals, families and society at large."

1. DEVALUING MARRIAGE, MOTHERHOOD AND HOMEMAKING AS A CAREER: 

"Some view homemaking with outright contempt, arguing it demeans women and that the relentless demands of raising children are a form of exploitation. They ridicule what they call “the mommy track” as a career. This is not fair or right. We do not diminish the value of what women or men achieve in any worthy endeavor or career—we all benefit from those achievements—but we still recognize there is not a higher good than motherhood and fatherhood in marriage. There is no superior career, and no amount of money, authority, or public acclaim can exceed the ultimate rewards of family. Whatever else a woman may accomplish, her moral influence is no more optimally employed than here."

2. ATTITUDES TOWARD HUMAN SEXUALITY:

 "Abortion for personal or social convenience strikes at the heart of a woman’s most sacred powers and destroys her moral authority. The same is true of sexual immorality and of revealing dress that not only debases women but reinforces the lie that a woman’s sexuality is what defines her worth.

There has long been a cultural double standard that expected women to be sexually circumspect while excusing male immorality. The unfairness of such a double standard is obvious, and it has been justifiably criticized and rejected. In that rejection, one would have hoped that men would rise to the higher, single standard, but just the opposite has occurred—women and girls are now encouraged to be as promiscuous as the double standard expected men to be. Where once women’s higher standards demanded commitment and responsibility from men, we now have sexual relations without conscience, fatherless families, and growing poverty. Equal-opportunity promiscuity simply robs women of their moral influence and degrades all of society. In this hollow bargain, it is men who are “liberated” and women and children who suffer most."

3. THOSE WHO, IN THE NAME OF EQUALITY, WANT TO ERASE ALL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MASCULINE AND FEMININE:

"Often this takes the form of pushing women to adopt more masculine traits—be more aggressive, tough, and confrontational. It is now common in movies and video games to see women in terribly violent roles, leaving dead bodies and mayhem in their wake. It is soul-numbing to see men in such roles and certainly no less so when women are the ones perpetrating and suffering the violence."

Former Young Women general president Margaret D. Nadauld taught: “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.” In blurring feminine and masculine differences, we lose the distinct, complementary gifts of and men that together produce a greater whole."

Watch this short, but moving, video as former President Gordon B. Hinckley shares his thoughts on women.  

The Women In Our Lives - Gordon B. Hinckley

Could you feel the love?  I sure did!

Now, what if you are sitting out there thinking, "Sister White, I think women ARE getting the short end of the stick in the world and maybe even in the Church!"  Let me ask you to watch one more video.  This is by Sheri Dew, one of my favorite authors and speakers and a former member of the General Relief Society Presidency. 

It's called "What Do LDS Women Get?"  

While you're watching, jot down any thoughts or impressions that come to you, or anything you hear that you didn't know or hadn't thought of before.  

Still not convinced how important women are in the Church and to the Lord?  Read this talk by Elder Ballard from the 2013 Education Week at BYU.  Write down the 5 things he wants us to know in your journal.  If you'd rather watch him give the talk on video, there is a link to that, too. 
Let Us Think Straight - Elder M. Russell Ballard