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I have played the organ every week for 30 years. I have led the choir for 3 different periods. I have taught Priesthood, Sunday School, given talks; played for baptisms, weddings, and funerals; composed over 30 vocal pieces for Sacrament Meeting; run the Stake Christmas Concert, and conducted a concert of LDS forces at Carnegie Hall. I have played the organ for church functions at Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden. Though there has been some discord, I have never been away from the Church for more than a short burst…It’s different, this time.
Side by side we walked. Kathy’s slender hand gently enveloping mine and then the tiny pulses began. One. Two. Three. “I love you.” One. Two. Three. Four. “I love you too.” We have little codes that we use to convey what we are feeling. When we hold hands, lightly tightening our grasp three times means, “I love you.” four times, “I love you too.” As we marched in Salt Lake City’s Pride Parade for the first time as a married couple I could not help but to keep saying, “I love you. I love you.” in our tiny secret language.
Many LGBT members consider one of their greatest gifts to be a greater capacity to love their fellow man. They feel an increased awareness, empathy, compassion, and desire to serve others, especially those who have faced uphill battles in society. Depending on the discussion and as led by the Spirit, a personal experience involving this greater capacity to love may help tear down walls and build bridges towards love and understanding of each other within the group.
By Dave Sandberg
At the Affirmation Conference, Fiona Givens pointed out that even the Lord of the vineyard feels ready to give up on this project, yet continues to persevere, knowing that both the tame and the wild olive trees will perish if left to themselves. But if grafted together, they will become different from what they have been – and provide vital nourishment and strength to each other as they continue to grow. There are both tame and wild olive trees that grow within my own character that need pruning, grafting, and managing.
By Nick Einbender
People will always trump policy and the spirit of Christ is not found in a blanket policy that isolates people from the blessing that Christ’s Gospel offers freely to us all. His simple invitation to “Come Follow Me” was never accompanied by footnotes, disclaimers, addendums, policies, or attachments.
The new policy and clarification seem to assume that very few gay or lesbian Mormon couples have a desire to raise their children in the Church. Yes, many have left activity because they felt excluded, were disciplined, or were treated insensitively by members and church leaders. Yet, there remain a significant number of gay and lesbian Mormons who are same-sex partnered, married or planning to marry, who also have or hope to have children, and had planned on raising them in the Church.
Creemos que nuestro salvador Jesucristo nos ministra individualmente. A pesar de que nuestra experiencia y revelación personal puede en ocasiones diferir de las políticas actuales de la iglesia, hemos visto los frutos del espíritu en nuestras vidas incluyendo el amor, el gozo, la fe y la familia.
‘For I am persuaded , that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present , nor things to come ,nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Read the reactions of various parents to the Church’s changes to the handbook.
Nós reafirmamos a divindade e dignidade de todos os filhos e filhas de Deus e todas as famílias e o potencial que cada uma delas tem para amar e se apoiar neste mundo e no próximo. Nós permanecemos na solidariedade com todos as crianças, indivíduos e famílias que foram empurradas para longe, e lamentamos com aqueles profundamente magoados por esta política.