We Are the Choices in Our Lives

by Luiz Correa

Often we need to make choices in our lives. What we choose determines whether we will be successful. We need to deeply analyze what we want and determine the pros and cons of our decisions. We need to determine whether our choices will bring us the happiness and benefits we expect.

We all have to choose between this thing or that thing, yes or no, doing or not doing, going or not going. What we choose depends on what we want for ourselves. We can choose who we want or date and marry. We can choose the course we want to take in school or the profession we want to enter into. We can choose where we want to spend our vacations. We have the ability to choose many things. This is part of Heavenly Father’s plan. He granted us free will.

There are things, however, that we do not have a choice in. We can’t choose the family we are a part of. We also don’t choose our sexual orientation or gender identity. We don’t have a choice in being straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

Why would anyone choose to be something that so many in society do not accept? What would we choose to be something that would cause us to suffer and face rejection?

We learn in the in the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that we existed as a spirit before we were born, and that we are the same as our spirits were after being born, but gained a physical body here on each. As the scripture says in Ephesians 1: 3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…”

Heavenly Father knew us before this world. He knows who we are and that we are LGBTQ+. However, this does not eliminate or change the love He has for each of us as His beloved children.

We didn’t have the choice to be heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. We didn’t have the choice to be cisgender or transgender. However, we do have the choice of being happy being who we are and living our lives with the dignity and respect afforded to any citizen of the world. We should be able to profess our faith without dirty looks and fingers being pointed in our direction.

We can choose not to hide or run away. We can choose to believe we are God’s beloved children. We can choose to be who w are and seek our happiness. Our character and dignity do not change because we are LGBTQ+ people.

Let us choose to be happy. Let us choose to be who we are without fear or anguish. Let us choose to live as God wants us to live and be as He wants us to be, nothing more. We are the choices in our lives.