You are Mormon you have talked to your bishop but you still cant stop masturbaing how can you?

Answer 1

It's great that you've talked to your bishop, but he isn't the one that is going to stop you, he is only there to support you as you change yourself. Only YOU have the power to change. He might be able to give you some great ideas on how you can overcome this, but here are a few:

* Realize the sin in this kind of behavior, and realize that you are making the choice to do it. Satan cannot force you to do anything - he can tempt, but YOU make the choice to give in. When you realize that you have power over Satan, you feel empowered and in control.

* Think of the situations that trigger this behavior in you and try to avoid those situations. This might mean that you have to avoid staying in the house alone, locking/closing your bedroom door, etc. Try spending more time in public places.

* Prayer and scripture study are vital. If you are filled with the Spirit from daily (or more often) prayer and scripture study, you are more likely to be thinking of spiritual things and you will have more strength to overcome sin. Of course remember to sincerely pray for help to overcome this problem.

* Have you asked for a priesthood blessing? Without telling anyone your problem, you can ask a priesthood holder that you trust if they will give you a blessing. They will never need to know about your problem, but will be able to bless you with the words of comfort and direction from the Lord that you need.

* Recognize that repentance and change is a process and takes a lot of hard work - it doesn't happen overnight. Just take each day at a time, try to do better today than you did yesterday, be patient with yourself!

* When you are tempted to start masturbating, immediately stop what you are doing and do something constructive and positive that will get your mind off it. Go work in the garden, go for a jog, build a dog house... anything that will help you focus on something else and get you away from the situation. Some people find it helpful to just immediately drop to their knees and pray for strength as soon as the temptation comes.

* Give yourself a little reward each time you overcome a temptation. That way when you are tempted you can think "If I don't do this I can have some ice cream!" (or whatever your reward is) This will help motivate you to stop.

* Finally, keep meeting with your bishop regularly. Report your progress and the things that help you overcome this behavior. He can give you even more ideas than I listed above. Having someone to report to, support you, and encourage you makes change easier.

I promise you CAN overcome this, but it will take a lot of focus and dedication from you, along with a sincere desire to change. Never feel that you are unworthy for help from the Lord... He loves you more than you understand and will come to your aid anytime you cry out and ask Him to. Not only will He give you the strength, support, and courage you need to overcome The Temptations of Satan, He will turn this experience into a positive one - one that will strengthen your relationship with Him and give you the ability to help others in similar situations.

Some resources from the Church that might help you can be found at the "Related Links" below... they might be aimed toward pornography, alcohol, or drug addiction, but you can adapt the principles to fit your own situation.