Marital Intimacy

I was quite curious how the topic of marital intimacy would be handled in a conservative religious college setting. It was an eye opening lesson because I learned so much and I felt that the situation was still kept very appropriate. I remember my bishop telling the young men in my ward when I was in high school that if they can only wait till marriage, anything goes. One of my friends who heard the lesson questioned whether or not this was true doctrine. Then I learned in my LDS marriage and family class that this was not the case. That there are still unwholesome sexual intimate practices within marriage. I was confused at what this meant and I was very glad that we addressed the topic in my class. Without being to graphic for just anyone to read, I would like to say that I agree with the teachings that there are unwholesome practices within marriage. You should never use sexual intimacy or any intimacy to reward or punish your spouse. Love withdrawal is mocking the powerful relations that God has given to us. We should respect our spouses and respect ourselves by using intimacy to strengthen the bonds of marriage and to express love and devotion to the partner. Other inappropriate uses of intimacy include coercion and unwholesome fantasies of your spouse. Sexual relations are very normal and very natural and a newly wed couple who has practiced abstinence until marriage should not be afraid of sex. It is something beautiful that God has given to us to express love, devotion, and create a union of souls within a marriage. How wonderful!! As long as a couple is respectful for what this divine part of us is, we should learn and grow so much closer to our spouses through sexual relations. On that note I would like to emphasize that sexual relations outside of marriage is a mockery of the real God given blessing that it is. It is absolutely inappropriate outside of marriage. I am grateful to have learned these things!!!