Dealing With Flashbacks with old sins

1. What is a flashback? Many times when we were dumb and young we thought we could get away with things. Each bad thought, foolish act, careless word gave a bullet to Satan who would eventually use them against us.
A. we normally didn’t think about the long range effects of our foolishness so now we must deal with the problem.
B. President Spencer W. Kimball’s statement on becoming perfect.
Spencer W. Kimball ABe Ye Therefore Perfect pp. 241-242 (Speeches of the Year, BYU 1974)
To be perfect, then, one must begin early in his life. He or she must become the perfect husband, the perfect wife, the perfect father, the perfect mother, the perfect leader, and the perfect follower. One’s marriage must be perfectly performed and perfectly kept on a hallowed plane. One must keep his life circumspect. Each person must keep himself clean and free from lusts. He must shun ugly, polluted thoughts and acts as he would an enemy. Pornographic and erotic stories and pictures are worse than polluted food. Shun them. The body has power to rid itself of sickening food. That person who entertains filthy stories or pornographic pictures and literature records them in his marvelous human computer, the brain, which can’t forget this filth. Once recorded, it will always remain there, subject to recall--filthy images.

As we have stated before, the way to perfection seems to be a changing of one’s life--to substitute the good for the evil in every case. Changes can come best if we take them item at a time. For instance, it’s not difficult to be perfect in tithe paying, for if one pays one-tenth of his income annually, he is perfect in that respect. It is not difficult to become perfect in avoiding a swearing habit, for it one locks his mouth against all words of cursing, he is en route to perfection in that matter. If one studies the scriptures with all reasonable devotion, he has approached perfection in that matter also.
C. They will likely come at the most inconvenient times (i.e. baptismal experience where 18 year old girl was viewed as centerfold picture Elder had looked at).
D. What can be done? Not too much about erasing the thoughts. A lot can be done about how to approach the situation.

1. AThank you Satan for reminding me what a wonderful blessing the Atonement is and how badly people out there need it in their lives. I’m going to redouble my efforts to spread the Agood news of the gospel to everyone I can.
2. Every time a flashback occurs, stop, read, and ponder the promises associated with the Atonement.
3. Put your life in proper perspective. Likely your transgressions don’t come anywhere near the problems your investigators have experienced. Use your experience with the bitterness of sin to gain greater empathy with those you teach.
4. Pray fervently for relief from the torment (if not from the flashback itself)-- See Alma 36:18-19.
5. Avoid places which trigger the memories.
6. Avoid, where possible, people who were involved in the problems that result in the flashbacks. (JST Matthew 16:26, see footnote to Matthew 16:24)
7. Don’t re-plow the ground by thinking about, talking about, re-experiencing the transgression. Block it from your mind completely and focus on something of your choosing.
8. Get a priesthood blessing for additional help.
9. Remember the point under AUsing Satan against Satan-- have a plan A-E to take the advantage away from Satan. Don’t either think about or think about not thinking about the transgression.
10. Focus your mind on eternal goals and blessings. James 4:7-Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Remember: Unless Satan is successful in getting you to feel unworthy to serve, he knows you will be and effective instrument in God’s hands in winning people away from his kingdom. You need to expect that he will use every imaginable tactic to try to destroy you.
---Randy Bott, BYU Religion Professor