[Readers: The following letter is part of a series we're running Saturday's this month from a reader dealing with a problem with Sexting. This is part 4 of 4. - Bro Jo]
Dear NW,
Well . . . how's it going?
- Bro Jo
Dear Bro Jo,
He told me that I needed to repent and I did so and I changed my phone number and told the boy not to do it again and he hasn't. I also don't have any more classes with him. Which helped a lot.
- NW
Dear NW,
That's wonderful!
How do you feel?
- Bro Jo
Dear Bro Jo,
A million times better. Last week I was worthy enough to do baptisms :)
- NW
Dear NW,
That's great!!!!
I'm so happy for you!
And very proud of you.
- Bro Jo
2 comments:
Um, I'm a little confused by this. I've followed the whole series. NW, why do you have to repent for an inappropriate picture that someone sent to you? Was there something else going on? Because if not, then I think the bishop must be mistaken since you're a victim in this situation.
Anon -
In the first post, NW mentioned having previously had sex with an ex-boyfriend, and that the Sexting is making it difficult for her to focus and repent of her own transgressions.
In the second post she mentions having made "several mistakes in the past".
In the second and third post, NW and I discuss how, in addition to working through her own issues with her Bishop, she can also go to him for protection and help.
But you're right, being on the receiving end of any kind of abuse needs to be reported, but the receiver (unless the offending images and messages were invited) has nothing to repent of.
What's important here, I think, is that, with the help of priesthood authority, our writer was able to repent of her own transgressions and get the help she needed.
Making things right with God has helped her to feel "a million times better" and return to the Temple.
I also hope people realize some things:
1) this process took a while, and these emails, although presented here in one month, cover a lot of time
2) even though this happened quite a while ago, they're very relevant now
and 3) yes, the writer did eventually give me permission to run this series; it was, and is, her hope that others will be able to know the joy that she knows again
- Bro Jo
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