Occasionally, when I I call upon the Savior’s help, I experience a simple “washing away” of guilt or pain. I love it when it is that simple. But more often than not, He engages me in my own healing work. He has led me to tools or to life experiences that teach me how to release my pain. And I don’t mean to say that I am left alone to do this. He stands by my side while I work things through. It is still His work and His glory. But it requires my interest, attention and willingness to do what He is asking me to do. This then expands my understanding and increases my capacity to succor others. In other words, the Savior trains us in His craft of healing. But the knowledge and power to heal is His genius. He lets His knowledge and power flow through us to heal us, and as a natural consequence this expands our capacity to spread his healing work to others.

This is repentance. It is the work of me personally overcoming the world (or my fall). And I can do it because He overcame the world. He knows how to guide fallen people to higher ground.

One of the best tools I have been led to is the book, He Did Deliver Me from Bondage. Used by LDS Family Services for their addiction recovery programs, this book can be off-putting to someone who doesn’t consider themselves “addicted” to anything. However, the Christ-centered concepts and exercises can be universally applied.

Thanks for your comments. I like what you wrote. Perhaps how we phrase it is a moot point. In my dialog with this reader, he wrote that the church’s teaching that Heavenly Father sacrificed His Son for us was a false teaching not found in the Book of Mormon. I was a little taken aback by such a claim which is what prompted this post. My point is that it was indeed a sacrifice, and that the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, have always taught this. The Law of Moses teaches that there must be sacrifice in the eternal scheme of things. What Christ did was indeed a sacrifice. He gave up his life for us. We must also sacrifice. It is important for us to understand this concept. We cannot become like God without participating in sacrifice. We must be willing to give up whatever it is that God asks of us in order to qualify for the blessings of exaltation.

I especially like your comment, “as we learn deeper doctrine, we need constant confirmation by the Spirit so that we aren’t misguided by our intellectual graspings that are unconfirmed.” Oh how I wish some of our members understood this concept. I see so many get lost on intellectual journeys that take them nowhere. Some get lost on trying to understand some of the problematic areas of our history and why they did not know about these problem areas growing up. Others get lost in dealing with the increasing complexity of the church at the higher levels, especially when it comes to finances, operations, bureaucracy, marketing, public relations – all the ways in which the church is more like a corporation than a church. It destroys their faith and testimony.

I admit the two examples I just used are not doctrinal, or are they? In any event, your point is well taken. We do need to remain firmly planted, spiritually speaking, on the simplicity of the gospel – faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism of the Spirit and enduring to the end. I also like what you said about Christ healing instantly. I believe that but it hasn’t happened to me. I know I am loved and that I can and will be healed when the time is right. Perhaps I have given this old sin too much energy. Perhaps I am keeping the guilt or shame alive by continuing to bring it up. It’s funny, but I have always felt that I have not been open enough about it over the years. In other words, I have felt that I have not said enough to warn others what this particular sin can do to a man. Perhaps I can best illustrate this with a related story from my past:

In early 1992, Carol and I were asked by our Bishop to take an LDS Social Services parenting class from the stake with the intention of becoming certified and teaching it in our ward. We did so and enjoyed it very much while the program lasted, or at least I did. Carol did not enjoy the class, and did not want to help teach our ward members. She said it made her feel like a bad parent. I had the opposite reaction. I enjoyed the class, learned that I was indeed a bad parent – way too permissive – and then had some wonderful spiritual experiences teaching the class to our ward members. The bishop would ask certain people in the ward to attend every few months each time we started a new class. There were ten lessons. I still have the manuals and enjoy reviewing them every so often even though our son – only child – is now almost thirty years old.

LDS Social Services is now called LDS Family Services. One of the primary programs of LDS Family Services is the Addiction Recovery Program. In our stake, we have divided it up into two groups – those struggling with addiction to drugs and alcohol and those addicted to pornography. We have two couples in our stake teaching each class. At one time the classes were taught by members of the High Council. It seems to be more effective when taught by a couple. If they were to call me to teach the class – either one – I would rejoice and put all my heart and soul into making sure the classes are spiritual feasts for those who attend. Would you like to know why? It is because the percentage of men – priesthood holders in the church – who suffer from addiction to pornography is so high. Teaching men how to overcome this addiction would be a joy to me.

It is an area where I could make a difference. Far from ceasing to speak / write about this, I have felt the opposite when I have prayed about this with the Lord. I wish I could tell you Betty how many people have written to me privately with words of thanks and encouragement that I have been willing to be open and honest about this. What’s a little shame or twinge of guilt that I suffer when the Stake President reminds the brethren that we need to be free and clean of this problem? It is a serious problem and is not going to go away. We can’t ignore it. The problem is affecting the men of this church in greater numbers than we can imagine. Some estimate that up to 50% of the men in a ward – including young men – have difficulties with this issue. I think the number is a little high, others with whom I have conversed say it is too low. Perhaps it depends in what part of the county you live. It seems to be the highest in the Salt Lake / Provo areas.

I appreciate that your comments are motivated by love and concern for my mental and spiritual well-being. You don’t know how many times I have prayed and asked the Lord to take this away from me – to just drop it and forget about it. No matter how many times I have pled with the Lord to do this for me, I have always heard the same answer in reply – you must work this out yourself. I have attended so many self-help seminars, read so many books, consulted with so many people that I have become an expert in the subject, at least an expert on how it affects me. I know it makes some people uncomfortable when I write about it. I know there are those who feel the church is talking about it way too much already and that it would just go away if we would stop. I don’t feel that way. As I have prayed about it, it has been clear in my mind that it is only going to get worse. Obviously I have strong feelings about this so I’ll just stop at this point.

Thanks again Betty for reading my blog and thanks for your constructive and helpful comments.

The LDS teachings on the atonement are just as simple and direct.

Glenn