“My boyfriend is pressuring me to kiss him. I don’t feel ready, but I don’t want him to get mad at me. What should I tell him?”

If you don’t feel ready, then don’t do it. Kisses are precious, and your boyfriend might not care about you as much as you think he does if he’s trying to make you do something that goes against what you feel is good. His reaction should not dictate your decision. So what if he gets mad? At least you’ll know you did what was right.

Heavenly Father will bless you for choosing to do what is right, but it sounds like this boy will only be your friend if you do what he wants. Decide what you will do, judging from what you feel and know is right. If you need some more advice, ask your parents, bishop, or youth leader.

Your situation has probably helped you realize that steady dating at too early an age can cause lots of problems. No wonder the prophets have warned against it. It can lead to feeling pressured into doing things you don’t want to do. And it is never right to do something you know in your heart is wrong. (See For the Strength of Youth, 24–28.)

Photography by Christina Smith, posed by models