Man. Awesome seminary lesson.
I totally feel like a sinner now..
We talked about this concept called the "Morality ATM".
God sent us here with $1,000,000 in each of our ATM's.
But each time we make choose to withdraw some money from it, by doing anything with another person, or even without another person, that stimulates us sexually, that money can never be returned.
When we choose to make withdraws from the bank account, that is "money" that we'll never get back to have with our future spouse.
We waste the feelings God gave us on "some chump" as my seminary teacher put it, when if we had saved them, our first experiences, with our future spouse they would have been that much better.
I feel like a total sinner.
I probably only have like $500,000.
Ok I won't be that hard on myself.
I'm not too bad, but I could have been much better.
I have to say though-my first hand hold and kiss was not with "some chump".
But we still should have been more---is abstinent too strong a word?
We shouldn't have cuddled ant held hands as much as we did..
We took quite a bit out of our accounts I think.. It was both of our first times pretty much for anything.
But the experiences with him did make it easier to cuddle with the next guy-the real chump-that I do regret having had anything to do with.
Well thankfully they're both on their missions now-well one of them is- the other is about to leave. So I didn't do too much damage.
I'll have to do some serious repenting.
That and a few seminary classes before this one have pit lots of things in perspective for me.
He also gave us a wonderful lesson on the temple.
Man I'm so excited:)
It's going to be amazing. I'm so thankful for the gospel. And for second chances, repentance and forgiveness.
Happiness Planning Inc. You can join too.
O.O That's... not a bad way to look at it..
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read it I felt it missed the point, that it was more of a way to guilt trip someone, but it really is true. The sooner you learn to show your affection only when it's real, the better.
But I believe that when it IS real, it isn't just replenished but can grow.
But I suppose that was beside the point, 'cause the lesson was just to get kids to be a little more intelligent...
So basically I love this. I love reading your blog because we really do have a ridiculous amount of stuff in common, my dear. I mean, we're like practically the same person except that your brothers are younger and mine are older.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I just wanted to say that I love this whole ATM thing, and I always have, and it is 100% true, except for one little thing.
The money can be returned, through sincere repentance. It's really hard though, and I didn't think it was possible.
But after I came up to school here (antoher thing we'll have in common!), I had some serious experiences and I was able to repent fully of all the stupid silly dating faux pas I made in the past. No joke. And I was out-of-mind TERRIFIED to hold hands with a boy again because I felt like I got my innocence back, which is THE BEST feeling EVER!!!
So even though I was silly and flirty and made some little mistakes here and there, my desires were righteous and Heavenly Father has helped me to take leaps and bounds forward for every time I've fallen back a step. I feel clean and pure and wonderful and I get to be exactly who I want to be. And since I've been who I don't want to be, I have even more appreciation for who I am now, which makes me strive harder to be my best!
Phew. Sorry for the long ramble. It's good for me to put this into words.
I'm so grateful for the Atonement. I know that it is real, and that it applies to even the tiniest things in our lives, like feeling guilty for holding hands with "some chump", which I've definitely done. And Eliza just remember that you are amazing and righteous! We all have areas that we need to improve on. And we just keep using the Atonement and trying to get better. :)
Much <3
Ps. I don't mean to say that we can just go and do whatever we want and then repent. Of course it is better to just not take any money out in the first place and I highly recommend that course of action!!