I’m have some serious problems with pornography and masturbation. I’m a return missionary, and I feel so terrible. I’m still going to the temple and partaking of the sacrament, as if nothing is wrong. I feel so bad. Do you think I would be excommunicated if I asked the bishop for help?
A missionary hugging a bishop in Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Hi friend. I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with these sins. It is a great mistake to go to the temple or partake of the sacrament when you are not worthy. Your sins must already be causing you a lot of grief, brother. Compounding the problem with hypocrisy is even worse.
God loves you very much. He wants you to find spiritual peace in your life. You need to repent appropriately so you can put your past mistakes behind you and move forward as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. We must always remember that there is no sin so serious that is it that it is beyond the reach of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Through Him, I am certain that you can recover!
I don't know if you will be temporarily excommunicated. However, I think it is very unlikely. Regardless of the consequences, though, the required path is obvious. You need to speak with your bishop and begin the repentance process. He will lovingly help you recover from your past mistakes. Through repentance, you can certainly find the peace that you're now lacking.
Pornography use and masturbation are not necessarily signs of mental illness. However, if you absolutely cannot stop these activities despite the fact that they are very troubling for you (and that appears to be the case), you may wish to consider the possibility that you're suffering from a genuine psychological addiction. If this is the case, perhaps chatting with a sympathetic psychologist or counselor could also help, in addition to seeking important spiritual help from your bishop. The LDS Chruch has an addiction recovery program that might be useful.
I hope this answer helps, and I hope that you find the spiritual peace you're looking for. I know you can, through Jesus Christ. God bless you.
God loves you very much. He wants you to find spiritual peace in your life. You need to repent appropriately so you can put your past mistakes behind you and move forward as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. We must always remember that there is no sin so serious that is it that it is beyond the reach of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Through Him, I am certain that you can recover!
I don't know if you will be temporarily excommunicated. However, I think it is very unlikely. Regardless of the consequences, though, the required path is obvious. You need to speak with your bishop and begin the repentance process. He will lovingly help you recover from your past mistakes. Through repentance, you can certainly find the peace that you're now lacking.
Pornography use and masturbation are not necessarily signs of mental illness. However, if you absolutely cannot stop these activities despite the fact that they are very troubling for you (and that appears to be the case), you may wish to consider the possibility that you're suffering from a genuine psychological addiction. If this is the case, perhaps chatting with a sympathetic psychologist or counselor could also help, in addition to seeking important spiritual help from your bishop. The LDS Chruch has an addiction recovery program that might be useful.
I hope this answer helps, and I hope that you find the spiritual peace you're looking for. I know you can, through Jesus Christ. God bless you.