Repentance Process Questions!

[Andreaes]

I have a question. Let's 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. Then you don't tell your bishop about it cause you still want to go on a mission but now you have stopped comittimg the sin. What happens is this situation?

[ksfisher]

Sounds like a good question for the person involved to ask their bishop. No one but the bishop is really qualified to answer.

[Kenngo1969]

Depends on how your one's bishop, as guided by the Spirit, is led to handle the situation.  Repenting may seem scary, but it's certainly less scary than not repenting.  Christ already agreed to take upon Himself the burden of our sins: we give that burden to Him by repenting.

[bluebell]

The person tells there bishop.

There can be no true repentance without confession to those who need to be confessed to. It's not a step that can be skipped.

[rpn]

CAVEAT:  You have just said you've broken the law of chastity.   That covers a lot of area.  And the answer is not the same for all things.  The following is written on the assumption you are confessing to touching another's private parts intending to arose them and you sexually, and or continue any actions with another after you know that it is arousing you or them sexually.   It may also apply to porn and masturbation, but not always in the same ways.

 

What happens is that at some point the young person will find the dissonance between his/her sin and his/her service unbearable.   Along  the way he/she will always know that he/she lied and was immoral and is serving the Lord under a false flag.   Satan also knows this so he/she will be tempted at every corner in every way possible, to do other things, probably to do them in ways that will not just hurt another child of God but that will bring disrepute to the church or missionaries or people's testimonies. 

 

All of that is bad enough, and some missionaries have compartmentalized and rationalized this through a whole mission and sometimes through a whole life, without repentance.  It is cowardly.   It deprives that missionary of most of the good that comes to them personally from a mission.  Such cognitive dissonance leads to discarding the truth, criticizing leaders, finding fault generally, making excuses, and interferes with learning to trust Him in all things, and access the power that comes from submitting one's will to His.

 

The question isn't whether or not you want to go.  Your actions prove that you do NOT desire that sufficiently to restrain your appetites and passions.  It is pretty common that lack of self-discipline also shows itself in other areas of your life.    Please have the courage to face the issues and quit hiding from them, so you will limit the additional hurt your behaviors will cause.

[Storm Rider]

Repentance does not end with ceasing to repeat the sin.  Sin brings us spiritual death; it creates a dissonance between our will - to sin - with our Father's will, which is complete righteousness.  To repent of our sins requires that we submit our will to the Father's; we forfeit our passions, desires, wants for our Father in Heavens desire for us.  Repentance also allows us to refocus on our love of God and to follow after him. 

 

Some hide from full repentance because they think it is easier; however, these individuals continue to carry the weight of their sins on their shoulders.  They resist being washed in the purifying blood of the Savior and so walk through this life burdened by their sins.  The repent fully activates the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives and we are renewed in his righteousness; his perfection and his love. 

 

It depends on you and how you want to live your life.  A committed disciple of Christ will seek for holiness and to be a worthy vessel in God's hands. 

[Kenngo1969]

You don't  get to confess once, repeat the sin, forsake the sin, then skate without confessing your new sin.  That's not how it works. You're not the first person to backslide.  The Adversary knows that if he's tempted you successfully in the past, that's probably a weak spot he can try to exploit in the future.  It happens.  (I can't speak specifically about your Bishop, but if he's like the ones I've worked with, he won't be shocked, or surprised, or disappointed.) You should go see your  bishop and get the new burden off of your  shoulders.

 

And if you don't  go on a mission, so be it.  One who has serious unresolved sin won't be an effective missionary, and even if one successfully hides from his bishop and his stake president, one cannot hide from the Lord.  Trust me, sin is a bigger burden than repentance will ever be, even if it means that a previous sin, though repented of, disqualifies one from missionary service.

 

P.S.: And, while whether you've repented or not is between you, your bishop, and the Lord, you ought to ask yourself "How broken is my heart, how contrite is my spirit, how repentant am I, if I'm more worried about the consequences of repentance ... of what my bishop, my parents, my friends, et cetera will think of me ... than I am of what God will think of me if I  don't repent?"  Is there anything you wouldn't be willing to give up to be free of that burden and to be right with God?  If so, then the next question is, how genuine is your repentance?

Edited July 18, 2015 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

bluebell,

 

Where is that quote in your sig line from?

Edited July 18, 2015 by Kenngo1969

[Guest]

I have a question. Let's 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. Then you don't tell your bishop about it cause you still want to go on a mission but now you have stopped comittimg the sin. What happens is this situation?

You will not be going on a mission. But you can repent and serve in the Kingdom of God. A mission is a great thing and I encourage all to go, but not serving a mission will keep any repentant person to serve in any calling.

[JAHS]

I have a question. Let's 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. Then you don't tell your bishop about it cause you still want to go on a mission but now you have stopped comittimg the sin. What happens is this situation?

As others have said you need to see your bishop again about this. The fact that you have stopped committing the sin is a good start. Chances are you will just have to wait for an additional period of time without comitting the sin before you can go.  A lot of it depends on what you mean by "broke the law of chastity".  It's worth the wait and worth it to serve without a guilty conscience.  

Edited July 18, 2015 by JAHS

[Garden Girl]

Hello Andreaes...

 

Listen to what others have said here...  you can fool yourself... you can fool others... you cannot fool God... And God will not be mocked.

And that is exactly what you would be doing if you attempted to go on your mission without clearing this up with your bishop because in order to go you would have to lie to your bishop, your stake pres, and those responsible for handling missionary applications and assignments...

As JAHS pointed out, you will probably have to wait additional time before being approved to go, but it will be so worth it to go with a clear heart and conscience... I send you all good wishes and prayers that you will take the appropriate action... Good luck...

 

from the beautiful central Oregon coast on an absolutely beautiful day... GG

[Storm Rider]

I have a question. Let's 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. Then you don't tell your bishop about it cause you still want to go on a mission but now you have stopped comittimg the sin. What happens is this situation?

 

Just as an aside; I know two distant relatives that have gone on missions without taking care of their sins prior to going out.  One young man got to the MTC and realized that the burden of his sins was not conducive to serving as a representative of the Savior; talked to the Bishop in the MTC and was sent home.  After staying home for a year he then returned to serve faithfully.  A second cousin got to the mission field and felt the weight of his previous sins, talked to the Mission President and was sent home.  He did not return to the mission field and eventually got married. 

 

This situation is between you and God; reflect on what he would want you to do and let the Holy Spirit guide you in all your paths. 

 

There are two motivations for repenting of our sins.  The first is an egocentric motivation - we grieve over our sins because of our own fear of punishment.  The second motivation is more selfless - we mourn our sins due to our love of our Father in Heaven and our desire to be one with him.  In truth it does not matter which may be our personal motivation for repenting of our current sins, but as disciples of Christ we seek the better path - that our love of the Savior and our God will direct all our choices and actions. 

 

This conversation makes me think of a scripture in Psalm 24:3-5:

 

 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

 5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

 

Follow the Spirit.