#PornFree generation

I was just 12 years old the first time I encountered pornography. I was at an older friend’s house, and we were watching television. He turned to his computer and said he had something to show me. When I asked what it was, he said, “Hot pictures of girls.” I told him it was against my religion to look at those kinds of things, but he said, “Yeah, right. Everyone looks at this stuff—it’s natural, David” I refused to look at it and left.

Two years later I was at my friend’s house again. The difference this time was that I let curiosity and temptation get the better of me, and I agreed to look at what he had to show me. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I wish on a daily basis that I had not gone down the path I did.

I continued to look at pornography on my home computer. It was in a private place, but if anyone walked in on me, I said it was a pop-up or made some other excuse. For the next year I silenced the guilt I felt and didn’t even try to stop looking at pornography. I convinced myself that it was natural and ignored any counsel from the Church that told me otherwise. I didn’t realize it at first, but I had become addicted to pornography. The way I looked at girls started to change, and I was ashamed of the thoughts I had.

At a youth conference my stake president spoke to us about how looking at pornography makes young men unworthy to exercise the priesthood. His talk convinced me that I needed to stop. At first I thought I could do it on my own. I didn’t want to tell the bishop because I didn’t want him to judge me for what I was doing. Instead, I just resolved not to look at it anymore. Unfortunately, my resolves never lasted long. I promised myself every time was the last time, but the addiction was so ingrained in me that I would find myself looking at it again and again.

Many other sins came as a result of this one. I continued to go to church but didn’t pay attention. I let Satan gain power over my life and lost the influence of the Spirit. I masturbated. I lied about scripture reading in seminary. I lied about Boy Scout records. I even cheated in school. I became everything I had been taught not to be.

Five years passed while I tried to overcome my addiction with prayer and self-control. But I couldn’t beat the addiction by myself.

I finally admitted to my parents that I had a problem with pornography. I told them, “I need help. I can’t do this alone.” Even though it was hard on them, they understood and tried to help me. My parents encouraged me to meet with the bishop.

I knew my parents were right, but I was afraid to talk to my bishop. I considered him a friend, and I didn’t want him to know about all the sins I had kept hidden. When I finally gathered the courage to meet with him, I was surprised by how understanding he was. I didn’t feel like he was judging me at all; he just wanted to help.

As soon as I confessed fully to the bishop and started to repent, my life immediately got better. I understood that to repent fully of my addiction to pornography, I needed to repent of all my sins. I turned in all of my seminary awards and Scouting merit badges, admitting that I hadn’t earned them. I also confessed to my schoolteachers that I had cheated.

With the bishop’s help, I realized how important it is to confess both to the bishop and to the Lord. Before, I was trying to fight this addiction all by myself, but now I have my parents, my bishop, and most important, the Lord on my side. These are strong defences against temptation.

We got a parental lock on the computer, and I began to put pictures of the temple or the prophet nearby to keep my mind on sacred things. I discovered that daily scripture study was one of the most helpful ways to build my spiritual defences. When I was looking at pornography, I don’t think I even knew where my scriptures were. But now I know I need to read my scriptures every day in order to resist temptation.

I’ve also had to be more careful about what I watch and listen to. Many television shows and movies talk about immorality as if it were natural. I’ve realized it is natural to the natural man, an enemy to God. Only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ have I been able to put off the natural man and be forgiven of my sins. I know that if anyone can understand the regret I have suffered for my sins, it is the Saviour, who suffered all things.

I have now forsaken my addiction to pornography. I have come to understand that through the Atonement, there is eternal hope. Although I will have to be constantly on my guard, with the help of the Spirit in my life, I will win the war. I know the devil will still try to tempt me, but he will never prevail when I have the Saviour on my side.

I learned the hard way that it takes only one time to spark the beginning of a long addiction that will bring nothing but misery. I let idle curiosity lead me to sin and despair, but I am motivated to stay away from this plague for the rest of my life. I look forward to serving a mission, marrying in the temple, and eventually living with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.

Seek Shelter

It is with this understanding that I am helping my fellow youths who are trapped in this vicious cycle. My campaign is live on facebook(#pornfree ) and I plan on raising 20,000USD which will aid me in organising & holding youth seminars in churches, high schools and colleges about pornography and how it is much better never to step into it. Prevention is better than cure, Raising awareness to parents, teachers and pastors to monitor their children what they allow them to watch in tv’s, WhatsApp groups, computers. Talking openly about it because nowadays all it takes is a smartphone click away. And for those already battling the same fight I had, We are going to set up a counselling facility in Nairobi so that they get quality, holistic treatment and a follow up plan as well as a website with online counsellors for youths all over the world

My name is David Karanja and i thankyou for suporting me in this fight! God bless