Clawson, Curtis

February 1, 2017
Christ & The Everlasting Gospel
Paper Option 2 I want to be better Assignment

Elevating My Commitment to Personal Purity

In an address given in early January of 1990, Elder Holland passionately warned 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.1

Long since this address, the storm of the adversary against personal purity has only

augmented. Today, to be unchaste is the norm and to be pure is a rarity.2 Since a young age, I

have been deeply motivated to continuously battle for an elevated commitment to chastity. I

know that my level of understanding about the law of chastity is eternally connected to my

ability to obtain higher obedience to its precepts.

To learn as much as I could about personal purity, I first reviewed the resources that I had found

insightful in the past. I re-read and studied the conference addresses Personal Purity, Purity

Precedes Power and A Self Inflicted Purging given by Elder Holland, Elder Ballard and

Royden G. Derrick respectively. Following the promptings of the Spirit, I prayed for further

inspiration on how to best continue my research. I felt inspired to study the manual Getting

Help first released by LDS Family Services. The principles and guidelines outlined in the

manual structured my weekly study as I read the scriptures and talks referenced throughout.

To summarize my week long studies, I took time to share what I had found most insightful in

an email to my family. In the letter I testified of the eternality of the family and the divine

fundamentality of personal purity as a prerequisite to the divine covenant of eternal marriage.

The law of chastity is as essential as the laws presiding over death. Just as strict commandments
1 See Elder Jeffery R. Holland, Address Personal Purity given January, 1990.
2 See Proverbs 31:10
Clawson, Curtis
February 1, 2017
Christ & The Everlasting Gospel
Paper Option 2 I want to be better Assignment

are placed to restrict the manner in which a spirit is taken from this mortal life back into the

heavens, commandants are in place to protect the nature in which a spirit enters this natural

world. In my studies, I further cemented my testimony that the why behind the law of chastity is

driven by Gods infinite passion to seal His children to Him through the essential covenant of

eternal marriage. This fundamental blessing required for my exaltation is only possible through

my strict obedience and personal commitment to a pure and chaste life style.

At the end of my email, I invited my family to commit to obtain a more elevated level or

personal purity. I ended my email with this humble quotation: As Nana once wrote me in a

letter on my mission He passed the torch, he finished true- My time has come, lets now see,

what I can do! I pray that we can continue to pass on the torch of the Clawson/ Criger legacy of

faith and purity. Best wishes and love, Curtis.

This last week I committed to continue to refine my testimony behind the why of the law of

chastity. My tangible goal to do so was to take 15 min every day to study further on why the law

of chastity is a divine commandment of God, what are the blessing inseparably connected to its

obedience, and what are blessing I have personally seen in my life associated specifically to my

familys decision to be pure.

As I implemented my study goal, I felt a deeper desire to be obedient to every little and or

large part of the law of chastity. To be honest, I did not achieve my goal 100% to my

expectations. On Tuesday and Thursday, I was rushed with school work as well as my job

assignments and consequently, missed my target study of 15 minutes or more. In evaluation, I

recognized that on those days I did not plan out the specific time that I would achieve my goal.

In retrospect on the days I did plan, I always found the time to achieve my purposeful study.
Clawson, Curtis
February 1, 2017
Christ & The Everlasting Gospel
Paper Option 2 I want to be better Assignment

Over all, I am thankful for the success of my studies and personal experiment to seek answers

to my questions on chasity and how it directly blesses my family. From my studies, I learned

further and felt that I am a child of God. This simple yet divine truth means the world to me.

Knowing that I am the Lords eternal spirit child helps me to trust in His ways and not in my

ways.3 Through my goal, I strengthened my testimony of the power of the scripture and there

ability to mold my heart.4 I also came to further appreciate the divine words of modern prophets

as I gained immense clarity on specific guidelines to a chaste life in my study of conference talks

and LDS teaching manuals.

Looking forward I will continue to grow my personal purity through a life long study of the law

of chasity. Last weeks experiment solidified my testimony that obedience is eternally

interconnected to understanding. I know that although I may continue to fall and struggle with

complete obedience, my personal persistence to study and seek knowledge will continue to

elevate my ability to live a pure and chaste life. I am so thankful for the ability to do so, and I am

so thankful that my God is a God of revelation and revealing.

Side Note: Thank you for the invitation to do this assignment! I hope you enjoyed my paper and

that it clearly met all the outlined standards.

3 See Proverbs 3:3-6

4 See Hebrews 4:12