Personal Purity

 

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the October 1998 conference.

"As modern winds of immorality swirl luridly around them, I am concerned for any of our youth or young adults who may be confused about principles of personal purity, about obligations of total chastity before marriage and complete fidelity after it."

So begins Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's power sermon on personal purity, which is a much needed refresher course for today. Too many people don't understand the plan and purpose of life on earth. Too many are under the false impression that we evolved from some primeval pond scum and can do whatever we want with our bodies. Many people are more concerned about conserving the earth, plants and animals than about taking precious care of their physical and spiritual selves. Most don't even know that we have spiritual bodies housed in our physical ones. 

During my youth and young adult years I certainly struggled with morality. Not because I didn't know any better, but because I hadn't been taught how to control the powerful emotions I felt and thought I was somehow different than the rest of the girls. No one told me I would have sexual urges; we were just told to resist the advances of young men. 

Elder Holland quotes Will and Ariel Durant, "A youth boiling with hormones will wonder why he should not give full freedom to his sexual desires; [but] if he is unchecked by custom, morals, or laws, he may ruin his life before he . . . understand[s] that sex is a river of fire that must be banked and cooled by a hundred restraints if it is not to consume in chaos both the individual and the group."

Long after I was married I learned and began to understand that the way we use our God given powers of procreation will determine if we will have that power and gift in the eternities. Once during a temple session I had a brief glimpse of eternity and eternal increase. It was a moment of great joy, which filled me with determination to be found worthy of that gift so I could feel that joy forever. 

I'm so grateful for another gospel gift, that of repentance and forgiveness through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Elder Holland ends his talk with this testimony, "I bear witness of the great plan of life, of the powers of godliness, of mercy and forgiveness and the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ--all of which have profound meaning in matters of moral cleanliness. I testify that we are to glorify God in our body and in our Spirit."