You Have a Name and a Place

You have a name and a place

in the church of truth and light.
You have covenants you embrace.
Thank-you for choosing the right!

Here is amazing insight on the LGBT issues and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
http://ldslights.org/the-other-side-of-same-sex-marriage-and-lgbt-mormon-support/#comment-79939

To straight Latter-day Saints who, though with good intentions, choose to publicly support gay marriage:
While I never thought I’d speak about this in such a public forum, there are far too many faithful LGBT members in the Church who, for various reasons, remain quiet on this subject. If I may be so presumptuous as to speak for a significant but generally silent segment of this population, I’d like to express some of our pains regarding some LDS church members’ support of gay marriage. You mean well, and do your best to show love to LGBT individuals, but for many of us it can seem like you’ve ignored your LGBT brothers and sisters within the Church who are striving to follow the doctrinal teachings of the Church, in exclusive favor of supporting those within and without who pursue same-sex relationships.
It hurts...

Dr. Michael Brown - Answering the Tough Questions Asked by Homosexuals

By asking questions                            (humility)

Answers are shown                     (line upon line)

In life's decisions  (to overcome the fallen man)

Prayer makes things known                       (faith)

Seek holiness first             (submit to God's will)

And follow Christ            (through your actions)

For His mercy thirst   (put away selfish desires)

He will change your life! (have confidence in Him)

Push Your Handcart through the Pain and Adversity

Push your handcart

towards light.

With all your heart,

mind, and might.

Along the trail

others mock.

Still, all is well.

Keep on.  Walk.

Push your handcart.

Press on. Pray.

True standards chart

the Lord's way.

Show fortitude.

The path's sure!

Have gratitude

and endure.

for·ti·tude (n)

1. courage in pain or adversity.

   synonyms:

   courage, bravery, endurance, resilience, mettle, moral fiber, strength of mind, strength of character, strong-mindedness, backbone, spirit, grit,true grit, steadfastness

Elder Dallin H. Oaks https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/no-other-gods?lang=eng

“There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God’s decrees about sexual morality and contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and childbearing. These pressures have already authorized same-gender marriages in various states and nations. Other pressures would confuse gender or homogenize those differences between men and women that are essential to accomplish God’s great plan of happiness.
“Our understanding of God’s plan and His doctrine gives us an eternal perspective that does not allow us to condone such behaviors or to find justification in the laws that permit them. And, unlike other organizations that can change their policies and even their doctrines, our policies are determined by the truths God has identified as unchangeable.

“In this determination we may be misunderstood, and we may incur accusations of bigotry, suffer discrimination, or have to withstand invasions of our free exercise of religion. If so, I think we should remember our first priority–to serve God–and, like our pioneer predecessors, push our personal handcarts forward with the same fortitude they exhibited.”“Our twelfth article of faith states our belief in being subject to civil authority and ‘in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.’But man’s laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral. Commitment to our highest priority–to love and serve God–requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior. For example, we remain under divine command not to commit adultery or fornication even when those acts are no longer crimes under the laws of the states or countries where we reside. Similarly, laws legalizing so-called ‘same-sex marriage’ do not change God’s law of marriage or His commandments and our standards concerning it. We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments and to refrain from serving other gods and priorities–even those becoming popular in our particular time and place.

We'll Be Strong

This is where you grew up

This is where you belong

I cannot say enough,

"Together, we'll be strong!"

pondering http://mormonsandgays.org/

Dora – I would hope that there is hope. I just know too many people that feel that they’re not accepted, that they are not loved within the Church because they are different. I would hope that we could learn to understand and learn to accept them and find a way to let them belong, let them be a part of the Christian church that they grew up in.

Love Lifts Us

Love lifts us
to move on!
to look up!
Hope is strong.

pondering  http://mormonsandgays.org/

Ty – Hope, it lifts us, it keeps us moving forward, looking forward with belief that things will get better; that things can be good even if that aren’t now and that if things are good now it’ll get even better. But ultimately, hope in the promises of God that there is a world better than this one, where all wrongs will be made right. And that that’s something that we can and should look for.

Look for the Common Ground Look for the Savior

You don't need to agree to be kind. 

You don't have to be angry or blind.  

Be tolerant and don't discriminate.  

Otherwise you are guilty of hate!  

Look for all that is good. 

Come to a common ground.  

Do as the Savior would.  

For that is where love is found.

Love Our Gays

Understand, respect,

And even love our gays

With each one be decent

Be welcoming, always

What Mormons Believe: Homosexuality

It is not our right

to change what God defined.

Purity is light.

Marriage came pre-designed!

Should we condemn

those who are different?

No.  We should love them.

And, not be distant.

Of what God expects

He provides a way.

There are no rejects.

Stay the course. It pays!

1 Nephi 3:7 - LDS.org

https://www.lds.org/.../3....

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints

2 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream,... he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he ...

It Gets Better BYU - Adam

There is a place for you
With Christ, we're all in this together
Gays can be Mormons too
Hope on and know that it gets better

#INeedHimToo

Before you judge me
For not being like you
Just know this one thing
That I need Jesus too

http://mormonsandgays.org/

The Horse is Out of the Barn

The horse is out of the barn
And virtue has been breached
Loss of chastity does harm
Still the way back can be reached

http://mormonsandgays.org/

Breached | Define Breached at Dictionary.com

dictionary.reference.com/browse/breached

Dictionary.com

the act or a result of breaking; break or rupture. 2. an infraction or violation, as of a law, trust, faith, or promise. 3. a gap made in a wall, fortification, line of soldiers .

The Pith

Do not focus on that small part
that you always disagree on.
Look upon the whole seek the heart,
Build a bond for many reasons.
Do not focus on that small part
that's uncomfortable to be with.
The best in life will then impart
as in the Lord we will see the pith.

Learning from Greg who says that otherwise he would be shooting himself in the foot, because he is talking about his family.  If you step back a little further. We all are family!



pith

noun:   the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience

We Each Have a Horse to Tame

We each have a horse to tame.
Perhaps no two are the same.
Let us bring it to the Master.
He can save us from disaster!

The Lord is there for support.
Let's seek His love and comfort.
He knows the shoes we walk in
and how hard it is to tame sin.

There is always hope to find.
With each other, let's be kind.
Let's be patient and faithful,
as this is the Lord's gospel.

Pondering Elder Christofferson's
introduction to
http://mormonsandgays.org/
It doesn't cover the endless topics surrounding same gender attraction.  It is meant to be a place for love and understanding where you can listen to members tell their story of hope surrounding the issue and what they have felt and learned.

Humanity

Before friendships are found
A bridge of listening takes place
To find the common ground
Humanity must be embraced

This is an important topic when you need to cross a bridge to gain understanding.
http://mormonsandgays.org/

What We ALL Need

We all need forgiveness
As in life we fall short
We feel the Lord with us
When we seek His comfort

There is Value

There is value
In the walk you sought
To find anew
It's in Light we are taught

pondering http://mormonsandgays.org/ and the wonderful videos.

A Thorn in Your Side

We've each a thorn in our side

That is continual and deep

We can't let it be our guide

It is God's laws we must keep

When a thorn resurfaces

It is time to act fast

To align your purposes

With your covenants that last

Through what we learn and feel

It's compassion we gain

We KNOW suffering is real

When another is in pain

pondering http://mormonsandgays.org/ and a video that talks about the things that same gender attraction go through makes them very compassionate.  (being misunderstood, taboo, loneliness, fear, isolation, castigation)

What Defines You?

Your gender alone
Does not define you.
May you be known
By what's inside too.

The church has a wonderful site for those seeking information about same gender attraction.

http://mormonsandgays.org/

Same-Gender Attraction | LDS Church Perspective on Chastity
https://www.lds.org/.../sa...



The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints
The website “Love One Another: A Discussion on Same-Sex Attraction” strives to ... at protecting gay residents from discrimination in housing and employment.

Swept Under the Carpet

You were suddenly swept away
under the clean carpet.
For laws you had not kept, now pray.
Come out.  Forgive.  Forget.


from an inspiring site"
http://mormonsandgays.org/

More than ANYTHING

I want more than anything

To be known as a loving

Harmonious kind Saint

So this picture of Christ, I'll paint:

He said to those judging a sinner,

"Who will cast the first stone?" Then, to restore

the one found in sin, He knelt down to her,

helped her up and said, "Go and sin no more."


here is an inspiring site: http://mormonsandgays.org/

Loving Others and Living with Differences

"Even as we seek to be meek and to avoid contention, we must not compromise or dilute our commitment to the truths we understand."

—Dallin H. Oaks, "Loving Others and Living with Differences"
Topics: Loving Others