[Caveman]

There is so much that one does not need to confess to a Bishop to “resolve a sin”. If its a question of a self hurt sin, like the WoW, law of chasity issues short of Adultry and Fornication, then that and so much more can be resolved between you and the Lord. You don’t need a middleman. The Lord forgives when we repent and remembers no more. FORGIVENESS IS INSTANT. Read the Story of the Adulteress. Here the Pharisees (the church) was ready to pass judgement and stone the woman to death. Christ intervened and forgave her right there. No excommunication, No with holding the sacrament, no wait a year and maybe you can go on a mission because someone looked at porn and masterbated. I was in the Bishopric up till last month and can tell you that the only sins the need to be confessed are Adultry, Fornication and Felonies. After which the Bishop will contact the SP and start procedures for a church court.

I wonder if the church gets in the way of peoples repentance sometimes. The whole idea of being worthy, having to reach perfection and so forth has been toxic to many and though the Lord forgives us we just cant forgive ourselves. The church has made a mistake in that they teach that a person must never commit the sin again as part of repentance process. Any one remember 70 times 7? If we regret something and want forgiveness then its not like we are planning on repeating the sin. If we repent then we want it off our chest. So often we are week and succumb over and over to our weakness. God gives us weaknesses so that we keep coming to him. We are subject to the world and sin is in our nature. Its part of the plan and makes us look inside, reevaluate, seek strength and come to the Lord. Guilt and shame can bring us to repentance. It can also destroy us if we dont forgive ourselves and just realized that sin is part of the plan. But dont take my word, ask God.

Caveman

[Caveman]

A TR is usually done only by the BP or Bishop only if it is a first TR interview or if the TR has lapsed, other wise it is a counselor who gives the interview. I had to give many of these interviews as a counselor and believe me, it was quite routine with no expectations on my part as the person doing the interview. Now I was strictly instructed to refer the person to the Bishop to complete the TR interview if there was a problem, but this was seldom the case. As mentioned before, they are yes or no questions and we were not suppose to pry or dig.

[Caveman]

Thank you for your posts and the information you shared. Roy I can’t wait to read the link you attached. The building of family and friends through sealing in the early days may account for some of Joseph’s marriages, if the accusations of the 30 plus wives are in fact truthful. I am relieved about celestial marriage being apart from plural marriage. It is interesting how the early saints did some of the temple ceremonies a second time as well as re baptism. I wonder if that was just a reflection of the times.

So much has changed or evolved since the Church was reestablished. Some of it I really don’t have an opinion over, but other changes I really question as the original concepts or practices seemed more practical and down to earth.

[Caveman]

45 for me, my current age. It has always been a challenge for me to be a member barring a 4 year period of mission and marriage. My crisis started from exhaustion in trying to force myself to be orthodox when I’m not, for the past year at the request of the Bishop for my most recent calling as a counselor (a challenging job when you work rotating shifts and rotating days off). Its not enough to do the right thing or believe the right thing (according to the church) but it has to be for the right reason and and from my own motivation.

It was hard to come to terms with but I did a lot because it was expected of me as a good member and not because I wanted to. I was reluctant inside on many accounts and kept participating to that extent to seek approval from others. Its not the right reason to do the right thing. Throw in a batch of Historical Essays and my landslide concerns on church history and its my perfect storm.

Strangely, over the past year, I feel that I have grown closer to the Savior as I have grown further from the Church.

[Author]

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