Sexual purity

Photo by Greg Hill

The Monticello Utah Temple was the first of a new design of smaller temples that has made it possible to bring them to a greater number of Church members around the world. Temples stand as symbols of the blessings available those who keep their standards high.

The sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. — The Family: A Proclamation to the World

During a Church Educational System fireside address Sept. 8, 2002, President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, spoke of the importance of maintaining purity.

"In our modern society, so many voices in books, magazines, television and movies depict sexual intimacy outside of marriage as being socially acceptable, even desirable," President Faust said. "Some young people, deceived by this sophistry, ask: 'Why is it wrong? We are in love!' Elder Jeffrey R. Holland answered this question as follows:

" 'In matters of human intimacy, you must wait! You must wait until you can give everything, and you cannot give everything until you are legally and lawfully married. To give illicitly that which is not yours to give (remember, 'you are not your own') and to give only part of that which cannot be followed with the gift of your whole self is emotional Russian roulette. If you persist in pursuing physical satisfaction without the sanction of heaven, you run the terrible risk of such spiritual, psychic damage that you may undermine both your longing for physical intimacy and your ability to give wholehearted devotion to a later, truer love. You may come to that truer moment of ordained love, of real union, only to discover to your horror that what you should have saved you have spent, and that only God's grace can recover the piecemeal dissipation of the virtue you so casually gave away. On your wedding day the very best gift you can give your eternal companion is your very best self — clean and pure and worthy of such purity in return.' "

President Faust continued, "We must wait for the proper season in life to use some sacred gifts; we must prepare for that season. I did not kiss my wife until we were engaged to be married. I have tried to make up for it since!"

Honesty

Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. — Exodus 20:15-16

Lindy Brown has never regretted a decision to be honest that she made as a sophomore at Cyprus High School in Magna, Utah.

She had been given a better score on a chemistry quiz than she had actually earned. "Chemistry wasn't my favorite subject and I was struggling, so I was extremely tempted to take the high score," she recalled. "At first I did, but then I knew I had done the wrong thing and went up to my teacher to correct it.

"My grade still wasn't the greatest, but I felt calm and at ease knowing that I had made the right decision."

Gratitude

He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious. — Doctrine and Covenants 78:19

Forrest Purser, a seminary student at Cyprus High School in Magna, Utah, has been able to find gratitude for many things, despite challenges.

"At the age of 5 I was diagnosed with a rare liver disease," he said. "This caused many trials and was a source of hardship in my family's life. I was told that I would need a liver transplant at the age of 9. I am currently 17 years old and am thoroughly enjoying my life."

Forrest said there are many things he could complain about, including frequent hospital visits, thousands of pills, blood work and limitations on physical activity. Yet, "through all this I can truly say I am grateful for these trials. Every trial we have shapes us and is an opportunity to grow spiritually.

"In the 'Strength of Youth' [pamphlet] it says, 'Even in your most difficult times, you can find much to be grateful for. Doing so will strengthen and bless you.'

"I can testify that trials do strengthen you and can say that I am grateful for my trials and the relationship they have helped me to build with my Heavenly Father and my parents."

Repentance

He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. — Doctrine and Covenants 58:42

President Ezra Taft Benson, in an address delivered in the April 1986 general conference, related this experience shared by a stake president.

The stake president said: "I remember a girl that I had gone to high school with. She was from a good LDS family, but when she was a junior in high school, she began to compromise her standards and principles.

"I remember how stunned I was one afternoon as a group of us were in the back of the bus riding home from school. We were talking about the consequences of sin or transgression, and she flatly announced that she wasn't worried about committing any sin because her bishop had told her she could easily repent and could be quickly forgiven.

"Well, I was shocked with this flippant attitude that didn't reflect any understanding of repentance and no appreciation of the miracle of forgiveness. I was also sure that she had grossly misunderstood the instruction and counsel of her bishop."