Church Leaders
Adam’s stake president recommended him for his mission and Salt Lake issued the call with their blessing, fully knowing Adam’s privately held views supporting same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights. After two months, Adam returned home from his mission over an ideological clash between his mission president who didn’t feel him worthy of a temple recommend because of these views, and his hometown stake president who did.
Russell M. Nelson was announced as the 17th President of the LDS Church. Following the announcement, he and his counselors participated in a press conference where the first question asked was how they would approach LGBT issues. Both he and Dallin H. Oaks shared their thoughts.
A recent release from Mormon Leaks reminded us of how local leaders in the Mormon Church were advised to address homosexuality and counsel gay and lesbian members in 1981. How much, if anything, has changed since then?
When Jesus was criticized for reaching out to so-called outsiders, he responded by saying, “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after [the one].” As leaders, our time, vision, and outreach should really be focused on the one, which for today’s conference, represents our gay brothers and sisters.
Advocate.com: “The Mormon Church is uniquely dogmatically nimble in times of necessity. What would happen if God now said gay was OK?”
To be held in Salt Lake City September 13-15