Intimacy and Infidelity

This week in class we talked about Intimacy and Infidelity. This was in interesting week because I think these are two topics that worry unmarried people the most about marriage. In regard to intimacy I will only briefly touch on it because I personally believe that is a personal discussion to have with your spouse and I have yet to experience it, so I don’t feel qualified to dwell on this topic. The one comment that I loved regarding intimacy was that it is the biggest piece of God’s power that we have access to. That comment made me think of the quote “Where there is great power comes greater responsibility”.

Ok now moving on to infidelity. This is such a scary thing to think about. Every little girl imagines meeting her Prince Charming and having a happily ever after. I have always my future as meeting this perfect someone and growing old with them, happy and wrinkly. This unfortunately is becoming more unrealistic. That used to be the story for a lot of people, get married and stay married. Satan is smart, he has figured out ways to really tear families apart. He knows how important families are to God’s plan and has a steady target on them. He has introduced things like pornography, this includes movies, novels, pictures, and many other forms of media. That is so scary to me, your significant other could cheat on you in your own house with someone that is not even real. We talked about infidelity being any relationship that takes away from your relationship with your significant other. It is scary to think about giving everything you have to someone and them not caring enough to reciprocate the effort.

Infidelity through the medium of pornography is something that I have heard a lot about recently because we had a family friend go through that. I can’t imagine someone I love so much and have a life and children with giving all of that up for something and people who aren’t even real. The family friend that very unfortunately had to go through that was willing to work with him and stay with him if he was willing to get help and work on bettering himself. That takes a lot of faith and charity to do something like that, to put your own feelings aside to show love and compassion for someone that really hurt you, and for the benefit of your family. Sadly, even though he was given a chance to remain a part of this beautiful family, he wasn’t willing to give up this vice and addiction. He left his family in order to pursue something that was created for the sole purpose of killing love and families.

Now with that story being shared, I do not think that if you have or have had problems with pornography that you are doomed to not being able to truly love or be loved. I believe in the total healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I don’t even thin people with these problems are bad people, not in the slightest. I completely understand the pull that the adversary has and that everyone has their own vice. I know that Jesus Christ has not and will not abandon anyone, no matter the sin. His Atonement doesn’t have limits or qualifications that need to be met in order for it to work for you. I know that his plan is one of love and hope. I have been in that pit of despair, but I have also been able to utilize that latter that he is freely offering to us. I have found comfort in using the Atonement and I know that has the ability to apply to anyone who is willing to change. I think everyone needs to have a testimony in those things going into serious dating and marriage because as once said by a general authority “Marry potential not perfection.” You should judge those you date on who they are now, where they are with their testimony and not on past mistakes that have been resolved. Follow the spirit and include Heavenly Father in all of your decisions and then have faith in his plan for you.