Sexual Intimacy and Family Life

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word sex? Do you think of jokes or that its naughty or that it should be kept a secret? You also might feel insecure or uncomfortable. What about the word temple? What comes to mind when you hear the word temple? Do you think of how sacred, holy, peaceful, powerful, safe and/or pure it is? What might also come to mind is the commandments you make and follow to enter the temple. Now you’re probably wondering why I would have you think about two very different things. Well they are actually pretty similar. 

Let’s talk about the requirements for both. For sexual intimacy it needs to be between a man and a woman. You must be married. You will need to mature and understanding of one another. You also have to be worthy and have respect for one another. For the temple you need to be eleven and older. You need to have a mature and respectful attitude when in the temple. You need to be worthy to enter the temple. As you can see, they are very similar. Sex within marriage potentially teaches Heavenly Father’s deepest truths about oneness. Sex within marriage is sanctified and serves great spiritual and temporal purpose.

We have always been taught that sex is a bad thing. That it’s dirty and/or naughty. Every time something that comes in the tv of people kissing or anything like we are told to close our eyes. We are just trained to think that its bad. So, when we are married and ready to do it. People sometimes feel wrong or that they are committing a sin. Satan puts this fear and anxiety in our mind. He takes the sacred thing and turns it to make it seem like it should be secret. The temple is not secret, it is sacred.

“A loving Heavenly Father reserved something divine, the physical union between husband and wife, for the heart of marriage, God drew bounds around sacred physical union as something to be experienced with each other as husband and wife”. (Successful Marriages and Families chapter 5). Heavenly Father gave us this because sexual interaction is a healthy component of marriage that need not be a source of negative feelings or guilt. Sexuality should be expressed in a way that enhances your intimate, marital relationship and bonds you together. Sexual intimacy is a beautiful thing and should be treated as a sacred thing. Not a secret.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed, and I will see you in the next one. Bye!