Seeing Sexuality in Healthier Ways

I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for my entire life. I currently hold a temple recommend and serve in the primary of my ward. My husband and I were married in the temple in 2004. My husband currently serves as a member of our ward's bishopric. 

My husband and I have had many struggles in our marriage, especially with regards to our sexuality and the expectations that we have been taught by our church. It is only recently that we have learned from therapists, like Sister Helfer, how to see our sexuality in a healthy way. We have learned that masturbation is not a sin and that the church does not label it as such in the handbook. Learning to use masturbation as a tool to better understand our own sexuality has led to greater intimacy in our marriage. 

As the mother of an LGBTQIA+ youth I have worked very hard to educate myself on their issues. I have come to learn that those identities are not choices that individuals make in this life. I believe that our Heavenly Parents love their children more than we can comprehend. There was a  parable in this week’s Come Follow Me lesson that helps illustrate my feelings. Doctrine and Covenants 38:26 ”For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there-and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just?” I believe our Heavenly Parents are perfectly just and that they want all their children to enjoy the blessings of marriage. 

Sincerely, 

Anonymous