President-Elect of Affirmation on LGTB – LDS Issues

Thanks for posting the URL, Ray.

Church leaders were anxious to meet with me. They were eager to hear my account of the impact of the policy as I had observed it and people’s reactions to the policy as I had heard them. Far from treating me as persona non grata (as some might assume an individual in an “apostate” marriage would be treated) I was received with kindness and respect and as a member of our community of faith. I witnessed genuine empathy and concern, and genuine wrestling. What I can say without the least shadow of doubt is that our leaders see the Church as an inclusive community founded on love, and yearn for all to be a part of it, LGBT people no less than any others. The problem is that they feel constrained by the current doctrine of the Church to maintain certain boundaries with regard to marriage and sexuality. They are as perplexed by the dilemmas faced by LGBT individuals and their families as anyone else.

This has been my assumption along the way.

I think at times many assume that the prophets all know everything and are handing down known facts and policies based on certainty of God’s knowledge.

But God doesn’t seem to always work that way, and at times, let’s even his prophets figure it out as they go along.

I too am cautiously optimistic, but do find the writeup to be encouraging. I still have my opinions about things (that hasn’t changed), but perhaps I can balance my emotions with patience and faith that truth will prevail. The more we see different ways god has made his children, and fears subside about differences, the more we can progress from the fear that holds us back.

I pray the leaders have the courage to push forward for more sudden change. I pray my spirit can be patient as it is not likely to be close to the timetable I wish it would be. But change for good will come, because the leaders will strive to follow love and be empathetic and find a way around policies that they wrestle with.

Thanks for letting me know, Ann. I fixed the link.

Yes, Thanks Ray for posting this article. I’m still bothered by the policy, but this helps. I particularly enjoyed this part, and I think it applies to a lot of us StayLDSers:

To my straight brothers and sisters, to the parents and grandparents, the siblings and uncles and aunts and cousins of gay Mormons, I ask: have faith. Stay firm. Hold onto whatever core of your testimony you can cling to. The Church is not perfect. Our commitment to it is nothing more nor less than the acceptance of an invitation to engage with one another in a process of becoming perfected. That process, that faith, will perfect us. It will heal us and save us — not just in some theological sense of finding Heaven above, but in some very root, down-to-earth, fundamental sense of making us whole, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Things will get better. We will get better, both individually and collectively, if we hold on to each other.

I’m bumping this up since my kids listened to Elder Nelson’s devotional tonight. I was struck by their distress now more than ever. “Millennials” – at least the ones in our family – are not glibly bucking church authority. They are ripped up about this.

The guest post in the link helped.

Yes, it’s worth a listen if you’re up for the shiver of dread that goes through you. My kids are really wondering how this is going to work. They’ve gone to school and work with gay people who’re just like them in every way but one. They hate the labeling, ostracism, and what they perceive as hate and fear coming from the church. The talks – hers and his – went over like lead balloons.

The article in Ray’s link is so thought-provoking. And it’s interesting to me that he updated it with a comment about how he’s received a negative reception from both ends of the spectrum. I told my daughter that that means he’s onto something good.