Do I need to speak with my bishop abt our marital sex life?

Do I need to speak with my bishop abt our marital sex life? 2012-10-14T22:51:44-05:00

I have been married for over 10 years & love my wife. I am happy with my wife. I feel sure that she feels happy with me. We have two great kids, still young enough that one sleeps with us some. We both work hard as parents, with church callings and in our professional lives. We rarely have sex more than once or twice a week. My wife enjoys sex at times, but has little interest most of the time. Our sexual activity over most of our marriage consists of intercourse about a quarter of the time and either her using her hand on me or my rubbing up against her in a spooning position until I orgasm. I desire emotional and physical intimacy with her regularly. I also need/desire the physical release of orgasm. My wife almost always urges me to “Hurry” or “get the show on the road” before and during nearly every sexual encounter. A couple of months ago, I began talking more to my wife about how this one aspect of our life was unsatisfying and hurtful. I read Laura Brotherson’s book and my wife read parts of it. I have looked at this site and some other fairly inoffensive LDS discussions of sexuality. In our recent discussions my wife has more readily acknowledged my sex drive as not evil. She feels that she in not inhibited or suffering from good girl syndrome, just tired, busy and not as into it as I am. I should also say that I am and have been very involved in parenting, cleaning and other household chores. We both feel loved and happy but at an impasse. After suffering a lot of physical discomfort and emotional resentment, I approached my wife with a compromise. It is often humiliating for me to be rejected as much as I am, to always be the initiator and be the recipient of a handjob while she talks about logistics or parenting and married life. I asked what she would think about me using my own hand on myself, in our bed, with her when she was not in the mood. She said that would be fine. In my “proposal” I expressed the need/desire to be intimate and have nice or special sex with her regularly at least once a month or so—enough for us to have nice marital sex for both of us, but not to smother her with requests. She knows I’ll never turn her down. I feel like I need a sexual outlet and to live the law of chastity and to not nag her only to be turned down or treated to a lackluster, sometimes painful handjob. I do not love this compromise, but it has been a bridge. We have both been more relaxed and affectionate to each other in nonsexual ways. I overcame a struggle with masturbation before serving a mission and have not used masturbation since then until now. I do not masturbate away from my wife. I hope that as time moves on, that we can have more fulfilling sex more often and the self-love next to her will become unnecessary. While I see masturbation as sinful, this arrangement has been a breakthrough. I don’t pester her–I just ask if she’s in the mood. If not, I ask if she minds if I “make love with you over here.” Sometimes we play footsy during, or she’ll put her arm around me, but usually it’s a pretty solitary activity. Now we make love about once or twice a month and it’s nice and she wants it, is in the mood for it and is more likely to orgasm and to linger. I hope our arrangement is a bridge and that when our kids are a little older and more independent we can move beyond this.

Is this arrangement cause for me to have a discussion with my Bishop? I do not look at pornography or masturbate alone or fantasize about others. I do not love our arrangement, but I feel it has dissipated some resentment on both sides and strangely given me some dignity. As I read comments on the LDS Blogs, I see some great insight and a lot of justification. I have prayed about this and felt good, and am striving to be worthy in every way. I would appreciate wise feedback. Thanks.


Since my answer is going to be short and quick, I’m just going to take this one out of order. Ultimately the decision of whether or not to speak with a bishop about one’s personal issues is up to each individual. However, the following is my strong opinion.

NO! You do NOT need to speak with your bishop about this. This is a great example of increased communication, increased vulnerability, willingness to engage in creativity, and service of “the other” within a marital relationship without crossing the boundary into inappropriate behavior or thoughts. It is also a great example of what the “handbook” addresses when it leaves a sexual relationship between a husband and wife. The results are very telling: “by their fruits ye shall know.” (Matthew 7:20) As a couple you are experiencing the following fruits: less negative pressure, tension or anxiety, more dignity, a meeting of needs, an opening for more types of affection, a higher degree of intimacy, a more satisfying sexual life for both, etc… BRAVO! May you continue to use your many strengths as a couple as you continue your sexual, parental, marital, emotional and spiritual journey as a yoked team.

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