It's hard to pick just one idea for a Halloween Date - because there are SO many.
It's a night for the kids, but that doesn't mean there can't be some Mama and Papa time in there too.
All Saints Day Eve is a perfect time for some fantasy and role play in the bedroom - because there are some fun costume ideas all around you and many are very cheap, and many of them are probably only appropriate for a married couple's bedroom anyway.
Wearing them to a costume party would be provocative and profane YES! But, a husband and wife wearing them (in the bedroom) to arouse each other is sacred erotica and a sacred wholesome activity! Reclaim that birthright from the world.
I love the fall. The weather is cooler. Allergens are down, the bugs are starting to go away, and Mother Nature is changing into her most festive gowns. What a great time to get outside and be a part of it together.
Fall also usually means that the leaves are falling in your yard, but oh, what an opportunity!
For this totally free stuck-at-home date night idea, MAKE PILES OF LEAVES AND JUMP IN THEM! A great fall activity
for anyone. If you don’t have a yard of your own borrow the park's
leaves and go make piles there.
In addition, working in the yard together is great exercise and facilitates pleasant conversations. Working up a sweat together also releases endorphins and testosterone into the bloodstream for both sexes. These chemicals are what kick up the mood to engage in more intimate activities. Happy Dating!
You may have heard the stories. I’ve heard several.
For
example, the brother who claims that there is never a reason to take off the
temple garment and all of his children were conceived while wearing them. The
sister who was so unsure about when it was appropriate to take off the garment
that she never took them off and even bathed in them. I also heard one story of
a temple matron who was teaching that the garment must be touching the skin at all
times and nothing should be worn underneath the garment.
The Lord Jesus Christ taught us that we should be living by
the spirit of the law and not do as the Pharisees do with the doctrine by
looking for a letter of the law in every little detail, while ignoring the purpose of the doctrine. (Matthew 23:23-24 )
I believe this also applies to the wearing of our sacred
garments. When it comes to making love to our spouse, I have found nothing that
supports the belief that we should never take them off. What I have found is
instruction that there are times when it can be considered inappropriate to wear them and in following the "spirit of the law" is between the wearer and the Lord.
“Wearing and Caring for the Garment
Church
members who have received the endowment have made a covenant to wear
the garment according to the instructions given in the temple. When
issuing temple recommends, priesthood leaders should read aloud the
First Presidency statement on wearing the garment. [Basically, the statement below. see https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/multimedia/file/first-presidency-temple-recommend-letter.pdf]
It
is a sacred privilege to wear the temple garment. Doing so is an
outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus
Christ.
The
garment is a reminder of covenants made in the temple. When worn
properly throughout life, it will serve as a protection against
temptation and evil.
The
garment should be worn beneath the outer clothing. It is a matter of
personal preference whether other undergarments are worn beneath the
temple garment.
The
garment should not be removed for activities that can reasonably be
done while wearing the garment. It should not be modified to accommodate
different styles of clothing.
The
garment is sacred and should be treated with respect. Endowed members
should seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to answer personal questions
about wearing the garment.”
(General Handbook:Temple Ordinances For The Living, 2020 27.3.5)
I was unable to see anything in this
that suggests it is inappropriate to take the garment off while being sexually intimate with
our spouse. For the full connected experience and bonding chemical releases of sexual intimacy to take place, there must be skin to skin contact.[1] This allows ions to be exchanged and chemical receptors to be activated. Always having something between you, I believe, allows a physical and psychological barrier that impedes complete mental, emotional, physical and spiritual connection. In this, I would consider sexual intimacy classified as an "inappropriate" time to wear the garment.
In addition, it is a sacred privilege to wear the garment, but the garment serves as a reminder of the covenant that we make. Therefore, the power is not in the garment, but in the covenant. The garment serves as a reminder of that covenant. (Deut. 10:16; Romans 2:25-29)
Also, within that spirit of the law, by being sexually intimate with our spouse, are we not fulfilling the sacred temple covenants reserved for the highest ordinances in the temple? Sexuality in marriage is holy, it is sacred and marriage is the sacred place for that most holy rite to be exercised.
For
this purpose, I have to put “myth” on the belief that we as married Saints are
not allowed to take the garment off while having sex with our spouse. The only
caveat with this I see is that the garment should be put back on as soon as possible. Because circumstances vary, a spirit - of - the - law provision is built in. We have some flexibility to decide when to put it back on, but also should keep in mind that it has nothing to do with the material garment itself. The garment is only a reminder of the deeper covenant we have made with the Lord.
We wear it and keep it on because we love the Lord and respect the promises contained in our covenants. We keep in mind that those covenants also help enable us to keep the spouse we proclaim to love and want to keep for eternity. It would do our marriage a disservice to focus it all on sexually pleasing our spouse while at the same time ignoring our covenants with God. But, as we say "let the Holy Spirit guide." After a lovemaking session, He's our best gauge of when it's time to put them back on.
The
Church has also posted this video that openly discusses and shows the sacred
temple garment in an effort to also help dispel any myths or concerns outsiders
have about our faith. It is also done in the hopes of dispelling prejudice
toward our faith through education. The video can be seen below or on YouTube.
I
will accept any honest questions, but ask that all be respectful with
addressing this sacred topic. Disrespectful comments will be deleted.
References:
[1] Uvnas-Moberg, Handlin, Petersson,Self-soothing behaviors with particular reference to oxytocin release induced by non-noxious sensory stimulation, NCBI (Jan. 12,2014) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4290532/
HAPPY CONTINUE-THE-COURTSHIP NIGHT!
Okay all you married lovers out there, it's his turn tonight. Here is
your (well it might cost a little to get the meat and supplies) stuck at
home BYHSC date idea.
Fall is in the air and what does fall mean? PIG SKIN! Two great loves of many men is football and really good barbeque. Well, this time - it's barbeque.
Every guy knows that good barbeque takes a
long time - if it's done right, and standing by the smoker can get
pretty lonely. So wives, for this date, help him get the pork together,
he can start up the smoker, break out some chairs and spend some
quality time together while he makes you the best barbecue you've had
all year.
This would be a good time to break out the "365
Questions For Couples", the guitar, or just cuddle in the cool smokey
October air and watch Mother Nature change her gown from green to gold.
Good flexibility can greatly enhance the comfort and pleasure of your marital love making.
Here's your stuck at home, can't get a sitter or because it's too cold outside date idea:
Get a yoga video and do some yoga together. If you already have one,
break it out and take an hour to do it together. If you have never done
it before, be sure to pick up yoga instruction for beginners. I
recommend Rodney Yee's Yoga For Beginners.
Alright all you married lovers out there! Are you ready for another great Continue-The-Courtship night?
Here's your totally free at home date night idea:
This one might be too early to put the kids to bed, but you can put on some entertainment and snacks for them and a baby monitor works great for keeping an eye/ear on them.
Sit on the roof and watch the sunset together. To add some extra fun,
bring your portable radio and play your favorite songs from high school.
